Welcome back to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith!

In Episode 10, Iris and her lifelong friend and co-host Karen Hearth Witty take a warm, honest walk down memory lane as they talk about the teen years, identity, and growing up in the 1970s.

Drawing from Chapter 12 of Iris’s book, “The Wonder Years,” Iris shares what it was like to be a young girl recovering from serious health issues, comparing herself to her beautiful older sister and silently wondering:

“Who am I, and am I really worthy of all this love?”

In this episode, they explore:

•  Teen identity & self-image
   
  • Feeling “less than” next to siblings or friends 
  • Hiding physical struggles behind humor and strength 
  • Learning (slowly!) to accept yourself as God made you
•  Family, mentors & being deeply loved
   
  • How parents, friends, and “second moms” helped Iris through 
  • Why encouragement and affirmation can shape a lifetime 
  • Seeing how God uses people as “cheerleaders” along the way
•  Nostalgia from the 1970s
   
  • Bell bottoms, hip-hugger jeans, hula hoops & pogo sticks 
  • TV shows like The Brady Bunch, The Waltons, Mary Tyler Moore & more 
  • Roller skating, youth group nights, and innocent first crushes 
•  History woven into family life 
  • Disney World soon after it opened in the early ’70s 
  • Vietnam-era POW/MIA bracelets 
  • Iris’s father’s powerful story as a Korean War POW and the family support that helped him heal

Through laughter, stories, and honest reflection, Iris and Karen remind us that every generation wrestles with the same question: “Who am I?” — and that the answer is found in being loved, known, and never truly alone.

 Watch more episodes & show notes:
https://irisfsmith.com/podcast

Order Iris’s book Never Alone:
https://irisfsmith.com

If this episode encouraged you, please:
 Like the video
  Comment with a favorite 70s memory or something that resonated
  Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes

You are loved. You are seen. And you are never alone.

Welcome back to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith!
In Episode 9, Iris and co-host Karen welcome a special guest — Rachel Durham, a longtime friend, mentee, and law student studying to fight human trafficking.

Together, they dive into one of the most important conversations of our time:
 Why real, face-to-face communication matters more than ever — especially for our children and grandchildren in a digital world.

This heartfelt discussion covers:

•  Why younger generations go to Google/ChatGPT instead of their parents
•  The power of mentorship, mother–daughter bonds, and spiritual “adopted families”
•  How smartphones, social media, and online culture impact kids’ mental health
•  Why traffickers prey on kids through devices — Rachel’s firsthand insights
•  How to keep communication open so kids feel safe coming to you
•  The role of faith, prayer, and intentional connection in protecting our families
•  Real stories of friendship, guidance, and God placing the right people in our lives

Rachel also shares her inspiring journey from full-time mom → to counseling student → to law school where she plans to fight human trafficking and advocate for vulnerable women and children.

This episode is deep, emotional, and eye-opening — and it beautifully reinforces Iris’s message:
 We were designed for connection. God works through people, not screens.

 Watch more episodes and view show notes at:
https://irisfsmith.com/podcast

 Order Iris’s book Never Alone at:
https://irisfsmith.com

If today’s conversation encouraged you, please:
 Like this video
 Comment below with your thoughts
 Subscribe to the channel

You’re never alone — and you never have to walk through life without a community to lean on. 

Welcome back to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith! In Episode 8, Iris and lifelong friend/co-host Karen Hearth Whitty flip the script: Karen interviews Iris about how God has used friends, illness, and big cross-country moves to shape her story.

In this heartfelt conversation, Iris shares how growing up with a very social, community-oriented family laid the foundation for friendships that have lasted decades — and how those same roots carried her through mini-strokes, life in a wheelchair, and rebuilding her health in Washington State.

You’ll hear about:

• 🌎 Moving from the East Coast to Colorado, Florida, and finally Washington State
• ♿ Iris’s years in a wheelchair after strokes — and how she learned to walk again
• 💜 Her work with Joni and Friends and the gift of friends like Gunilla who served as caregivers and sisters in Christ
• ⛪ Finding healthy church communities (and what to watch out for in unhealthy ones)
• 👩‍👧 Saying goodbye to her mom — her “best friend” — and learning to keep telling the stories
• 📖 Why Iris believes we must ask our parents, aunts, and grandparents about their lives before those stories are gone

If you love faith, family, history, and real talk about suffering and hope, this episode will feel like sitting at the kitchen table with old friends.

👉 Listen to more episodes and find photos, clips, and resources at:
https://irisfsmith.com/podcast

📕 Never Alone (the book) weaves these true stories together with major historical events and family memories.
👉 Order your copy at irisfsmith.com

If this episode encouraged you, please:
👍 Like the video
 💬 Comment with a friendship or faith story of your own
 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a new episode

You’re never alone — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

#NeverAlonePodcast #IrisFisherSmith #FaithAndFamily #ChristianPodcast #Friendship #ChronicIllness #DisabilityMinistry #JoniAndFriends #Testimony #FamilyStories #NewEnglandToNorthwest

When the ground shakes, faith keeps you steady.
Author Iris Fisher Smith and co-host Karen Hearth Whitty revisit one of the most powerful stories in Never Alone — the 1989 San Francisco (World Series) Earthquake. Iris’s brother Allan Fisher shares his firsthand account of the terrifying quake that struck just hours after his wife gave birth. From plaster-covered hospital halls to divine timing that spared their lives, this episode shows how faith, family, and grace show up in crisis.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Allan’s firsthand story of the 1989 World Series earthquake in the Bay Area
• A mother, newborn, and a miracle of perfect timing
• Family reactions 3,000 miles away on the East Coast
• Memories of other world events woven through their family history
• How divine intervention and prayer brought peace amid chaos

Learn more or order the book:
📖 Never Alone by Iris Fisher Smith — photos, videos & stories at 👉 https://irisfsmith.com

What was childhood like before phones? Author Iris Fisher Smith and co-host Karen welcome Iris’s brother Allan Fischer to swap true stories from growing up in Sharon, Massachusetts in the 1960s–70s—banana-seat bikes, Lake Massapoag, ice-cream trucks, neighborhood drama, a memorable bar mitzvah at Temple Sinai, and how faith, family, and community made sure they were never alone.
In this episode:
• Sharon, MA then vs. now: kids’ freedom, bikes, ice-cream trucks, playgrounds
• Lake Massapoag memories (swim lessons, lifeguard training)
• Temple Sinai bar mitzvah nerves… and parking cars to cope
• Hilarious/chaotic neighbor tales, safety lessons, and “DDT fog” nostalgia
• Why real-life community still matters more than screens
Get the book & extras:
📖 Never Alone by Iris Fisher Smith — trailers, photos & more: https://irisfith.com
Join the community:
👍 Like | 🔔 Subscribe | 💬 Comment: What’s your strongest childhood memory of friendship or community?
Chapters (add timestamps)
Cold open & welcome
Sharon, MA in the 60s–70s: freedom & bikes
Temple Sinai bar mitzvah story
Lake Massapoag: lessons, lifeguard, summer life
Neighbor adventures, safety, and “fogging” memories
Faith, family & why we’re never alone
Takeaways + next episode preview
Hashtags: #NeverAlone #SharonMA #FaithAndFamily #ChildhoodMemories #LakeMassapoag #Community #1960s #1970s

What makes us “never alone”? In this episode, author Iris Fisher Smith and her lifelong friend Karen share candid stories about Iris’s father—his Boston roots, friendship with Leonard Nimoy, capture during the Korean War, and the community that brought him back. With humor, faith, and heart, Iris shows how family, friendship, and God at the center can carry us through trauma and loss.

In this episode you’ll hear:
Iris’s father’s early life in Charlestown & the West End (Boston)
POW story: shot down, MIA, and recovery with community support
A Senator named John F. Kennedy who wouldn’t give up
Post-war “shell shock” (PTSD) through a family lens
How friendship & faith form a safety net (Jeremiah 29:11)
Why the podcast ties back to Iris’s memoir Never Alone

Get the book & extras:
📖 Never Alone by Iris Fisher Smith — trailers, photos & more: 
      https://irisfsmith.com/ 

Join the community:
👍 Like the video | 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes | 💬 Comment: What moment inspired you most?

Chapters:
Cold open & welcome
Iris’s father’s Boston beginnings
Leonard Nimoy & high school memories
Korean War, MIA, and return home
Community, faith & healing PTSD
Marriage, family, and real-life resilience
Takeaways + next episode preview


Hashtags: #NeverAlone #FaithAndFamily #IrisFisherSmith #Resilience #KoreanWar #POWStory #BostonHistory #Community #PTSD #Hope

Friendship that lasts a lifetime. Author Iris Fisher Smith and co-host Karen welcome Amy Galant Rizzy to share real stories of Boston/Chelsea roots, Class of ’50 reunions, faith, and community—why we’re truly never alone. From North Shore/South Shore logistics to church-fair road trips (Summersworth, NH) and a memorable Old Town Trolley anecdote, this episode celebrates loyalty, belonging, and “Two are better than one.”

In this episode:

·         Moms who met in Chelsea, MA and stayed friends for life (Chelsea → Malden)

·         How reunion traditions kept a community close (Class of ’50)

·         Boston stories, Old Town Trolley moment, and immigrant family threads

·         Faith, friendship, and practical ways to build your support circle

Get the book & extras:
📖 Never Alone by Iris Fisher Smith — trailers, photos & more: https://irisfsmith.com

Join the community:
👍 Like | 🔔 Subscribe | 💬 Comment: Tag the friend who’s carried you through a hard season and tell them why.

Welcome to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith,  Episode 3. Join us each week as friends and I discuss stories in my book Never Alone. We will emphasize the importance of Friends and Family with God at the center. There will be laughter (Lots of it!) fun and crying together as journey back through time and discuss many historical events and how my family history is woven through them.

Welcome to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith,  Episode 2. Join us each week as friends and I discuss stories in my book Never Alone. We will emphasize the importance of Friends and Family with God at the center. There will be laughter (Lots of it!) fun and crying together as journey back through time and discuss many historical events and how my family history is woven through them.

Welcome to The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith,  Episode 1. Join us each week as friends and I discuss stories in my book Never Alone. We will emphasize the importance of Friends and Family with God at the center. There will be laughter (Lots of it!) fun and crying together as journey back through time and discuss many historical events and how my family history is woven through them.