The Other Side of MS

What Strength Really Looks Like

Brad was diagnosed with MS at 45. Now 64, he’s a speaker, a cyclist, and a face of strength for others living with the disease. But behind the workouts, the travel, and the public optimism is a more complex truth—one that doesn’t always fit into a social media caption or a feel-good campaign.

In this episode, Brad sits down for a different kind of conversation. One that doesn’t ask him to inspire, perform, or push through. Instead, we talk about the days he can’t move. The pressure to keep showing up. The identity that forms around always being the strong one—and what happens when that strength runs out.

We talk about guilt, body betrayal, and the silent fear of losing momentum. And we ask the questions that rarely get asked: Who sees you when the cape comes off? Are you helping others because it heals you—or because you don’t know how to stop?

This isn’t about overcoming. It’s about truth. And sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is admit how much it hurts.

Brad's Website: https://romptocurems.net/

School Dan - I do What I Can, When I Can, While I Can

Dan has been a teacher for over 20 years, a school spirit leader, a cyclist, and a quiet force in his Florida community. His energy is infectious. His optimism is constant. But behind the vibrant classroom persona is a man living with relentless, invisible pain—and the pressure to never let it show.

In this episode, Dan opens up about how MS has shaped every part of his identity, from the walking stick he once felt ashamed of to the pride that makes asking for help harder than it should be. He talks about the dual realities of living with a disease that makes him stronger while slowly wearing him down. And he shares the emotional cost of performing “School Dan” when “Real Dan” is quietly falling apart.

This is a story about vulnerability, not victory. About a man who shows up every day with humor, grit, and quiet dignity—even when it hurts. And a reminder that being strong doesn’t mean pretending you’re fine. Sometimes it just means telling the truth.

Teresa, Jax Bourbon Social: The Power Behind the Pour and MS

Teresa Eichner is more than the co-founder of Jax Bourbon Social—she’s the relentless force behind one of Jacksonville’s most impactful fundraising events for the National MS Society. After a sudden MS diagnosis in 2016, Teresa’s world shifted. But instead of retreating, she channeled her decades of experience in PR and politics into advocacy, community-building, and bold visibility.

In this raw, deeply honest conversation, Teresa opens up about the private cost of public recognition, the invisible weight of fatigue, and what it really means to be the “well-spoken face” of MS. We talk about her diagnosis story—one of the fastest we’ve heard on this show—and how it unexpectedly brought her full circle to the MS Society. She also shares what it’s like to carry her symptoms quietly through a packed, sold-out fundraiser… all while smiling, organizing, and holding a DeWalt fan like it’s her fourth child.

We also ask a harder question: do glamorized events risk minimizing the brutal reality of MS? Teresa doesn’t flinch. And neither do we.

Whether you’re here for bourbon, boldness, or the bare truth—this one stays with you.

🎟️ Learn more or support the mission: https://www.jaxbourbonsocial.com/event-details

One Rider, One Team, One Million Dollars — Curtis’s Story

Curtis was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in his twenties. What began as fear quickly turned into action. A chance connection to a support group sparked the creation of Team CCC — a cycling team that would go on to raise nearly $1 million for MS research and support. With every mile, Curtis has redefined what leadership looks like in the face of a chronic illness.

In this episode, Curtis reflects on the moment a fellow rider convinced him to try Bike MS, the early days of hiding his diagnosis, and how polka dot jerseys became a symbol of visibility and community. From forming a nonprofit to building a virtual cycling presence on Zwift, his story is one of purpose, persistence, and the power of showing up.

This is not just a story about reaching a milestone. It’s about choosing to turn a diagnosis into momentum — and inspiring others to do the same.

Help Curtis and Team CCC cross the $1 million finish line. Donate now — 100% of proceeds support the National MS Society

S3_E15: At 17, Emma Thought Her Life Was Over

Emma Archuletta, from Utah, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2019 at just 17 years old. One day, she was preparing for high school graduation. The next, she was sleeping 20 hours a day, vomiting without explanation, and using a wheelchair. There was no slow decline—only confusion, fear, and the quiet thought that her life might already be over.

In this episode, Emma talks candidly about the chaos of her early diagnosis: missing senior prom, crawling up stairs, and finishing school from a hospital bed while juggling college-level coursework. She shares how her body became unfamiliar, how people questioned her because she “looked fine,” and how she built a dating rulebook to protect herself from rejection.

Now an elementary school teacher, Emma reflects on what it means to pursue a dream career while managing invisible symptoms. We talk about the fatigue that threatens her work, the cost of treatment, and the moments she’s chosen to live boldly—through surfing, snowboarding, and refusing to let MS define her.

This is not a story of triumph. It’s a story of persistence. A story of living with the unknown, and refusing to let it decide who you get to be.

The Art of Becoming — Hannah Garrison’s Story

Hannah Garrison was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2017, but her journey started long before that; in the silence of being dismissed, the guilt of cultural and religious expectations, and the quiet ache of never quite feeling seen.

In this raw and intimate conversation, Hannah shares how MS forced her to confront not only her body, but her identity. We talk about the years she was misdiagnosed, the weight of family history with mental illness, and the internal battle between acceptance and perceived weakness. Through her art, Hannah found a place to be fully herself... messy, brilliant, and unfiltered.

We explore the clash between generational mindsets, the emotional toll of being “the sensitive one,” and what it really costs to make peace with a future others want you to fight. This is not a story of inspiration. It’s a story of truth, survival, and the kind of healing that begins when you stop trying to be who everyone else needs you to be.

If you’ve ever felt unseen, unheard, or quietly breaking — this episode is for you.

Hanna's Art:

• https://hannahbananashop.clued.xyz
• http://Www.hgarrisonart.com

W.T.F., I Have MS? — Chris Brown’s Story

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of depression, alcohol misuse, and suicidal thoughts, which may be distressing for some listeners.

Just three months after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Chris Brown sits down with us to talk about the weight of a life that hasn’t let up. He’s faced childhood trauma, infertility, the loss of triplets, depression, and addiction. And now, MS.

In this conversation, Chris shares what it’s like to process a life-changing diagnosis in real time. He speaks openly about fear, identity, fatherhood, and the quiet exhaustion of always having to adapt. He also talks about the choice to speak up, even when the path forward is still uncertain.

“If by hearing my story, it gives someone some hope… I feel like I have an obligation to do that.” — Chris Brown

This episode is not about closure. It’s about what it looks like in the middle of the storm.

Chris' MS Fundraiser: https://events.nationalmssociety.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=741869

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of childhood trauma, depression, and suicidal ideation, which may be distressing for some listeners.

What happens when you spend your life holding it all together—only to realize it’s been breaking you inside?

In this powerful episode, Allie Schmidl shares what it meant to live in silence after her 2022 MS diagnosis—buried beneath shame, fear, and the weight of a lifetime of unspoken trauma. But MS wasn’t the only battle she was fighting.

We talk about the weight of vulnerability, the fear of being seen as broken, and what happens when even your body starts telling the story you’ve tried to silence. Allie opens up about surviving divorce, the ache of parental abandonment, and the quiet devastation of feeling invisible in your own pain.

“I was beating myself up a little bit over how I got to where I am… I felt like this was my fault.” — Allie Schmidl

But this isn’t just a story of darkness—it’s one of reckoning, healing, and choosing to be heard.

If you’ve ever felt unseen, unheard, or afraid no one would stay if they knew the truth—this episode is for you.

Before MS, Susie Wyss’s body was her job — a fitness instructor, powered by movement and strength. Then one morning, everything stopped. She woke up unable to walk. What followed was a long, painful journey through misdiagnosis, grief, and a complete redefinition of identity.

In this episode, Susie opens up about the moment she felt like a stranger in her own body, the invisible symptoms that linger even now, and the hard truth about how others see her — or don’t. We talk about the guilt of looking “normal,” the ache of feeling misunderstood, and what it really means to fight for hope when your body won’t cooperate.

Susie didn’t just build herself back — she built a 44-member Bike MS team that’s raised nearly $100,000. But this isn’t a story about fundraising. It’s about rebuilding. About letting go of who you were. About choosing to lead anyway.

Will Anthony Talk MS - A Podcast about Perseverance and Positivity

Before MS, Will Anthony built a life behind the chair — salon owner, jingle writer, entrepreneur. But MS didn’t just take his livelihood; it tested his faith, reshaped his identity, and led him to a new calling.

Diagnosed in 2008 after two years of believing he’d had a stroke, Will faced a reality he couldn’t pray or push away. And yet, he didn’t fold. In this episode, we talk about what it means to be a “positive person” when positivity isn’t always enough. We explore faith as an anchor — not a shield — and how Will’s relationship with God deepened through diagnosis, isolation, and loss.

Will is now an MS Ambassador out of Cleveland, Ohio, and the host of his own podcast, Will Anthony Talk MS, where he creates space for others to share their truth. His story is one of vulnerability, resilience, and spiritual clarity.

He doesn’t charge MS a dime for the empathy it never gave him — he offers it freely, just as he does in this episode.

🎧 Listen to Will Anthony Talk MS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WilliamSteward-m7y