In this powerful episode of Voices of Valor, we sit down with Maddy Gartner, an EMS professional with 10 years of experience, including 9 years with SFCAD. Maddy is not only a dedicated first responder, but also a wife and a new mom to 5-month-old twin girls.

Maddy shares her journey with raw honesty—opening up about the lasting effects of bullying during her high school years, the mental-health-altering calls she’s experienced throughout her EMS career, and the emotional toll that comes with answering the call day after day.

She also discusses the challenges of balancing a demanding career in emergency services with motherhood, marriage, and personal well-being, offering insight that will deeply resonate with first responders and their families alike.

This episode highlights resilience, vulnerability, and the strength it takes to keep showing up—for your community, your family, and yourself.

🎙️ Voices of Valor is a platform dedicated to sharing the stories of firefighters, EMTs, dispatchers, law enforcement officers, and veterans—because every story matters.

🖤 Turning courage into conversation.

In this episode of Voices of Valor, we sit down with Sara Ladas, a 911 dispatcher, Captain at 911, Dispatch Chaplain, and mom of two, for an honest and meaningful conversation about service, leadership, and compassion behind the headset.

Sara shares what it’s like to be the calm voice on the other end of the line during someone’s worst moment, the responsibility that comes with leading within dispatch, and the unique role of serving as a chaplain for those who answer the calls no one else hears. As a mother and a faith-driven leader, Sara also opens up about how she uses religion as a guiding tool — both in her personal life and in supporting others through crisis, trauma, and loss.

This episode highlights the often-unseen strength of dispatchers, the importance of mental health and peer support, and the role faith and purpose can play in resilience. It’s a powerful reminder that valor isn’t only found in the field — it’s found in the voices that guide help, comfort, and hope when it matters most.

In this powerful Season 1 finale of Voices of Valor, we sit down with Adam Wells, a highly respected law enforcement professional, military veteran, instructor, pastor, and community leader whose career spans more than two decades of service.

Adam brings a remarkable background — including a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice, a Master’s in Forensic Psychology, and ongoing doctoral work focused on Criminal Justice. His career includes over 20 years as a commissioned law enforcement officer, eight years with the Missouri Army National Guard as a Military Police Staff Sergeant, and five years as a Training Instructor at the U.S. Army Military Police School.

Throughout his career, Adam has instructed on some of the most critical topics facing first responders today, including trauma, domestic violence, child victimization, offender behavior, crisis intervention, and officer wellness. He continues to serve the community through Criminal Justice Services, where he works with offenders and provides MRT programming, and through his volunteer work with the Cold Case Foundation.

Today, Adam also serves as the Associate Pastor at 3 Crosses Cowboy Church and is the co-owner of Checkpoint Coffee & Canteen in Potosi, Missouri — a business dedicated to supporting local veterans and first responders.

This episode dives into Adam’s experiences, his mission, his service, and the heart behind everything he does.

In this powerful Season 1 finale episode, we sit down with Justin Barton — a firefighter, dispatcher, and now patrol deputy whose journey through public safety has been shaped by service, loss, resilience, and the harsh realities that many never see.

Justin began his career in July 2018 as a volunteer firefighter with Leadwood Fire Protection District. In 2019, he joined Irondale Fire, encouraged by Tyler, who also urged him to pursue dispatching. Justin went on to serve at Washington County Central Dispatch before moving to St. Francois County Joint Communications Center, all while remaining active with both fire districts.

In February 2023, Justin earned the rank of Lieutenant at Irondale Fire — but the months that followed would test him in unimaginable ways. Within a short span, Justin experienced the loss of a close friend in an officer-involved shooting, handled a 911 call with an armed subject during another shooting, and arrived to work only to learn that his officers were engaged in a standoff following yet another critical incident.

Those moments — heavy, traumatic, and unforgettable — led Justin into his next chapter: law enforcement. Today, he serves as a Patrol Deputy with the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department, where he has worked for the past 2.5 years.

Brandon Hall, a Captain with the Leadwood Fire Protection District for 17 years, sits down with us for a raw and deeply personal conversation. In this episode, Brandon opens up about the loss of his mother, the impact it had on his life, and the long, honest road that led him toward sobriety. His story is one of resilience, reflection, and the strength it takes to keep moving forward in the face of grief and personal change. This episode is a powerful reminder that even our hometown heroes carry battles the world never sees — and that healing often begins when we speak our truth.

In this deeply powerful installment of Voices of Valor, we sit down with Sadie Harlin, widower of the Late Ashtin Harlin — EMT-P, for a conversation filled with strength, truth, and heart.

Together, we reflect on Ashtin’s life — not just as a devoted paramedic, but as someone shaped by the experiences, pressures, and demands of both EMS and the military. Sadie shares the realities of how those worlds impacted Ashtin, the weight they carried into everyday life, and the resilience that defined their story.

This episode goes beyond a single moment.

It’s about service.

It’s about sacrifice.

And it’s about the unseen battles so many first responders and military families face.

Raw. Emotional. Honest.

This is an episode you’ll feel long after it ends.

Join Tyler as he sits down with former Leadington Fire Department Assistant Chief Tommy Hill, the third guest in our Voices of Valor series. This episode of the Midwest Mayhem Podcast is filled with laughter, tears, and the unbreakable bond of the fire service as Tyler and Tommy share stories that hit close to home. From moments of courage to honest conversations about burnout, brotherhood, and mental health, this one reminds us why first responders are truly built different.

Buckle up, because this Halloween, the Midwest Mayhem crew takes an imaginary backroad ride through some of Missouri’s most haunted legends. From the eerie Long Banta House in Potosi, to the chilling Bonne Terre Mansion, the abandoned Old Iron County Hospital, the infamous St. Joseph Hills Mental Institution, and the ghostly glow of the Diamond Diner / Tri-County Truck Stop — we hit them all.

Along the way, we talk about local Halloween happenings, trunk-or-treats, and the spooky side of small-town Missouri. Expect laughs, goosebumps, and plenty of mayhem as we dive into stories that make you roll your windows up just a little tighter.

So grab your candy, lock your doors, and join us for a haunted hometown tour — Midwest style.

In this episode of Midwest Mayhem, Judge Michael Randazzo joins Tyler and Lochie for an insightful conversation about how small-town life shapes the courtroom. From lessons learned in his early years to the powerful stories shared in his new book “Presiding Over Shadows,” Judge Randazzo opens up about faith, family, and the people who influenced his path.

Join Tyler & Lochie for the first episode of the brand-new series "Voices of Valor", featuring special guest Critical Care Paramedic Sydney Horton. Together, they dive into what it’s really like to work in EMS — the challenges, the unforgettable moments, and the deep sense of purpose that comes with serving others.