Just in time for Halloween, stories of people being scared out-of-their-mind about something, but doing it anyway.

The last time Mike Bahuaud ran a half-marathon, he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed at the finish line, where his heart stopped beating for nearly five minutes. One year later, he's determined to run the exact same marathon, to finish what nearly ended him. 

It was a regular Friday afternoon in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland when Shem Evans was randomly attacked and beaten by seven teenagers while picking up his kids from school. After the attack, fear rocked his family and the community. But when his wife Bailey Rempel didn’t see enough change, she took a leap and ran for city council to try to make things safer for everyone. 

Lynn Sainté has a deep fear of throwing a party where no one shows up. But she also really wants to relive her church choir days, so she's booked a venue, hired some musicians, and sent out the invitations. When Ify checks in, she's only sold three tickets with a week to go. So will anyone show up? Ify joins her friend Lynn on the night of the event, to find out if all the nerves and stress are worth it.

After a traumatic swimming lesson as a child, Aaliyah Hall then discovered two of her family members died from drowning. She's been terrified of the water ever since. But now, she’s part of a group of Black women in Hamilton who are learning how to float without fear.

“Everything that mattered to me in my life, was stripped.” In a matter of months Judi Rees learned of the sexual abuse her children experienced, became dangerously ill, and ended her 30-year marriage. After living through a season of terrifying events, Judi shares what she’s learned from the other side.

If you, like us, are not a runner, it might seem nuts to risk the muscle pain, the boredom, not to mention the chafing. So we asked a bunch of people what keeps them moving, and got some really surprising answers.

Four days ago, Tata Shifrin finished her first full marathon in Toronto. Which is not what her doctors would have predicted, since she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2014 and told she would likely be using a cane or wheelchair by now. The single mom tells us how what started as a sarcastic joke to her Russian grandmother is now a promise she's making to herself, and her three children.

Three times a week, the Running on Faith run club gathers at dawn on the streets of Surrey, B.C. What makes this run club a little different is that everyone connected to it lives in a shelter or recovery center. Founder

Andie Van Der Eerden tells us how she took her own battle with depression and anxiety and turned it into a mission of hope.

The kids in the Windbreakers Indigenous Youth Running Club in St. Albert, Alberta tell us about the connection between sweetgrass and running, and why it's always a good idea to put sage in your sneakers.

When Luc Zoratto stopped using drugs and alcohol, he started running. A lot. After years of non-stop training and marathon finishes, Luc is falling out of love with the sport that gave him so much.

Newfoundland’s Florence Barron is running in one of the most challenging road races in the country…at the age of 87. It’s not her first time competing, and as long as her body allows her, she says it won’t be her last. 

From endorphin highs to perimenopausal lows, hormones can wreak all kinds of havoc on our bodies and emotions. So how are people dealing, and why don't we talk about it more? Ten Canadians get real about navigating through puberty, perimenopause, male infertility and all the other hormonally charged events that turn our worlds upside down.

What happens when your instrument betrays you? Winnipeg Boys' Choir singers Colton Johnson and Sal Tait open up about the awkward, funny and heartbreaking reality of singing through puberty. 

13-year-old Rayne recently came out as transgender to his mom, Jolene Murdoch, and has begun talking to her about gender-affirming care options like hormone therapy. It’s something Jolene is just beginning to wrap her head around, but now there is a new sense of urgency: The family lives in Alberta, where the provincial government is considering using the notwithstanding clause to implement a law that would prevent doctors from providing puberty blockers and hormone therapy to youth under 16. 

Abbie Hentges knows just how impactful hormones can be. Last year, she was diagnosed with a mood disorder called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) that is so debilitating, her husband Ryan describes it as 'At breakfast, she's one person. By dinner time, she's another person." Abbie is now on a journey to rebuild her relationship with her husband and her condition.

Is there anything funny about perimenopause? Saskatoon musician Farideh Olsen thinks so. She is channeling her hot flashes and mood swings into hilarious songs and videos about riding that hormonal rollercoaster without losing your sense of humour.

When Laura Spencer and Emanuel Nazareth were trying to conceive, they had no idea of the emotional roller coaster that lay ahead of them. Male factor infertility. Two gruelling rounds of IVF. And years of ups and downs as they struggled to create the family they’d always dreamed of. They tell us why it's so hard to talk about male infertility, and what they're doing to break the taboo.

Going through puberty is hard enough. But for Jenni Kausch, the bodily changes brought on by puberty were life changing in more ways than one. Now, she’s finally getting treatment for lipedema — and raising awareness of the condition.

If you could fix just one thing, what would it be? Affordability? Mental health? Your love life?

Big problems feel like they need big solutions, but this week on Now or Never, Ify Chiwetelu and Trevor Dineen are jumping in with Canadians who are putting simple fixes to the test. Not content to just complain, these people are doing something to make a change.

Retired social worker Paul Jenkinson is out to fix loneliness with two folding chairs and a homemade sign. He gave up the lease on his home in Nova Scotia to jump in his car and pop up in parking lots, parks and sidewalks across Canada with a simple offer: to listen to strangers, about anything. Trevor tags along on a listening session and gets a surprise.

Wikipedia is the internet’s encyclopedia - but its entries are incomplete, with only one in every five entries featuring a woman. That’s where Toronto journalist Takara Small comes in: trying to fix the world’s most-read encyclopedia, one entry at a time.

Krista Nugent has been single for five years. She's gone on dates and has had her fair share of conversations on the apps, but hasn't had much luck finding something that lasts. Refusing to leave her dating life up to chance, the Victoria-based realtor is doing what she knows works for getting houses sold - marketing herself.

Ruth Hasman operates on stuffed toys for a living. The Vancouver-based teddy bear doctor has patched up hundreds upon hundreds of stuffed toys from across the country over the past three decades. At 82 years old, repairing people’s beloved furry keepsakes still brings her joy, and she hopes to carry on her legacy and pass on her skills to a new generation of tinkerers.

When Melissa Porter decided to collect used clothing donations for a family whose house burned down in Sudbury, she and her husband Drew never expected that simple fix would take over their house, and their lives. How a clothes drive grew into a non-profit organization with a team of nearly 100 volunteers from around the world.

What does it take to change your mind about something? At a time when people seem more entrenched in their beliefs than ever before, we're highlighting stories of flip-flops, U-turns, and changes of heart. 

Feeling unhappy in her body, disappointed in her career, and battling depression, Daria Kropop booked a one-way ticket from London, England to Toronto and vowed to completely transform her life. And she's given herself 365 days to do it. We check in on her on day 250 to see how it’s going.

Jordan Man has been a Toronto Maple Leafs superfan since childhood, spending every Saturday night watching Hockey Night In Canada with his family. But every year the team would break his heart in the playoffs. After his partner Emery Mather called him out for taking the Leafs' losses too personally, he decided it was time to break up with them for good. 

Melanie Chambers was always dead-set against marriage. So how did she end up spontaneously proposing to the love of her life on the dance floor at her 50th birthday party? She tells us how she came around from thinking marriage is a raw deal for women.

And Claudemier Bighetty takes us to the encampment in Winnipeg where he lived when he was addicted, homeless, and involved with gangs. Now he’s two years sober, married, and works to help others leave homelessness behind. So what does it really take to change when you had your first drink at age six, and your criminal record is as thick as a brick? Claudemier and his partner Deidra share their love story.

Total consumer debt hit a record high in Canada this year, with the average Canadian owing $22,000 in non-mortgage debt. So how are students, seniors, and maxed-out families tackling their debt head on? (and why is it so hard to talk about?)

On this episode, people get real about what they owe, how they got there — and the surprising ways they're digging themselves out.

First up, Ify Chiwetelu ventures out to Toronto's Trinity Bellwoods Park armed wiith her microphone and one nosy question: How much debt do you have?

Jake Sanford was a rising star in baseball with a $590,000 signing bonus and a swing that got him drafted by the New York Yankees. But behind the stats was a gambling addiction that cost him everything. 

Rachel Garand never thought she'd still be working at age 80, handing out food samples at Costco. But with $16,000 in high-interest credit card debt, Rachel's golden years are anything but golden.

For Danica Nelson, debt has never been an option. In fact, at 35, she’s never even received a credit card bill with a balance owing. And while her stringent approach to money has kept her financially healthy for years, it’s also left her indebted in other ways.

Every month, Esosa Idahosa and six of her friends each put $1000 into a pot of money, and one of them collects. It's called an ajo — or an esusu, or sou-sou — and Esosa says it's been a game changer helping her attain her financial goals.

And want to retire by 35, with no debt, living in one of the most expensive cities in Canada? We revisit a conversation with Stephanie Williams and Celestian Rince, who are on track to do exactly that.

When you're a fan of something, it can take over your whole life. So what's behind the roots of our various obsessions, and how far would you go for your fandom? Today we're taking you inside the world of superfans.

Adrian Ma loves the band Oasis so much, he flew 5000 km to see them kick off their long-awaited reunion tour this summer in Cardiff, Wales. Without a ticket. So does he find a way in, or did he just make the dumbest (and most expensive) mistake of his life? Adrian takes us along on an epic adventure of finding your tribe, the power of music, and the magical moments that can bring an entire community together.

When Tristan Sacrey lost his dad suddenly, he didn’t know how to process his grief. So he turned to the thing he enjoyed most about their time together: Scooby Doo. Now, with more than 3000 collectibles in his home office, Tristan has turned his grief into joy (and it's also helped him find love with a fellow Scooby Doo fanatic).

If you’re a fan of anime, video games, comic books, or sci-fi, and you've never experienced a convention — this is your chance. Ify heads to Toronto's Fan Expo to ask cosplayers about the time and money that goes into dressing up, and what they get out of it. 

72-year-old Fredericton grandpa Larry Canam might not seem like the kind of guy to have millions of fans on TikTok, but his low-fi milkshake videos have turned him into a social media superstar. He tells us how making milkshakes on his 50-year-old blender is helping brighten people's lives during difficult times.

Jaycen is a member of the furry fandom, a diverse community of fans who love to dress up as anthropomorphic characters. Jaycen’s family in rural Alberta have always supported his furry identity. But now that he’s in university with hopes of being a teacher, he’s grappling with whether he should hide this core part of his identity because of stereotypes that could affect his future career.

People are using AI in surprising ways, and it's raising all kinds of questions: Should I be asking this chatbot for relationship advice? What about bringing someone's voice back from the dead? On this episode, hear how people are navigating the possibilities, fears, and weirdness of AI right now.

First up, Trevor takes his mic to the streets, to ask people how they're using AI to solve a real problem in their lives right now - from personal therapy sessions, to budgeting, to existential questions about God.

Meet Danielle Boyer, who was inspired by the Tickle Me Elmo doll to make a robot that uses AI to teach kids her community's language, Anishinaabemowin. Thinking deeply about the ethics of AI and technology, Danielle says just because you can build it, doesn't mean you should.

Six months ago, Nile Séguin began asking ChatGPT questions about how to improve his life. Today, “Chat” has become his go-to organizer, problem solver, and cheerleader that he messages everyday - and he's not entirely sure how he feels about that.

After Alec Cooper was diagnosed with ALS, a terminal disease that will leave him paralyzed and take away his ability to speak, he decided to clone his voice using AI. Alec and his wife Sylvie Barma are discovering there’s more to the AI voice clone than they expected, including its role in helping them cope with Alec’s diagnosis.

And we'll bring you the story of a former punk band who are using AI to reunite with their lead singer, 40 years after he died. Lloyd Peterson and Chris Maxfield tell us about the experience of playing music again with their late friend Iggy Morningstar, and how it helped them process his death for the first time.

Congratulations, you've done the thing you set out to do. Your first half-marathon. A dream job. Mastering the ukulele. But what happens AFTER you accomplish something big? On this episode, stories of people trying to figure that out.

In her twenties, Eman Bare personified 'girl boss' hustle culture. She earned degrees in law and journalism, designed clothes that showed at New York Fashion Week, became a certified yoga instructor, and wrote 11 books - all before the age of 30. Today, her main goal is to be in bed by eight. This recovering overachiever tells us how burnout taught her to finally say the word 'no.'

Jimmy Chau was excited to run his first full-marathon, he just wasn't expecting it would take him nearly seven hours to do it. He tells us about finishing dead-last in the Manitoba Marathon, and who was there for him at the end.

When Ben Scrivens retired from his career as an NHL goalie in 2016, he had to figure out how to get a “real job” for the first time in his life. Ben tells Trevor why he chose to get a master's degree in social work, helping other retired players deal with the jealousies, ego adjustments and hard truths that he struggled with after hanging up the skates for good.

And Syrian-Canadian Amrou Nayal is about to visit Syria for the first time in 16 years. He reflects on lost hope, sacrifices, and staying loyal to the revolution when others gave up, and tells Ify how this moment has allowed him to dream again about the future for Syria.

An extraordinarily joyful, heartfelt and life-affirming episode of Now or Never, as five people nearing the end of their lives invite us into their final wishes.

When Susan LaFeuvre was told her cancer was terminal, she knew what she wanted her final wish to be: a private aerial silks performance by her 11-year-old granddaughter Lauren.

Casey Kemble and his daughters Serenity and Amy made a family tradition of spotting roadside attractions while driving old beaters from Ontario to the Yukon. Now they’re planning one last trip together, as part of what Casey calls his “beaker list" -- because he doesn’t have time or money for a bucket list. Why this family is leaning into laughter as they make memories together.

Ellen Nadarajah is a single mom to three teenagers, cares for her aging parents, and is the social convenor for her lifelong friend group. She also has metastatic breast cancer, weighs less than 60 pounds and wasn’t expected to still be here. So today, we’re making her final wish come true with a photoshoot that puts her in the spotlight, creating a powerful image she hopes will inspire others.

Joe and Darlene Sarazin are the round-the-clock caregivers for their 42-year-old daughter, April-Lee, who has complex medical needs. Worried about what will happen to their daughter when they’re no longer around, the parents have spent close to two decades advocating for a new care facility in Saskatchewan for people like April-Lee. Now that they're getting closer to that dream, they're also grappling with letting go of their daughter.

Growing up, Bill Denning lived above his family's funeral home, getting a daily reminder of how precious life is. Now, as a fourth-generation funeral director he has a front row seat to people's final wishes, including funeral dance parties and drink orders from beyond-the-grave.