The Real Stuff with Lucie Fink by Dear Media

January 20, 2026 "This is a secret I thought I would take to my grave." (Brandon Sudduth)

In today’s episode of The Real Stuff, I’m sitting down with Brandon Sudduth for a vulnerable and very important conversation.

Brandon is known online for creating joyful, family-centered content alongside his wife, Destene, but behind that joy is a story he carried silently for more than 35 years. For the first time publicly, Brandon opened up about experiencing sexual abuse as a child, the lifelong impact of carrying that experience in silence, and why he finally felt called to share his story — first on his own podcast (which you can watch here) and now with our audience.

We talk about being raised by a single mother and how childhood sexual abuse quietly shaped Brandon’s relationships, sexuality, self-worth, and emotional armor as an adult. He shares how that unspoken pain showed up in his twenties, his first marriage, and later in his relationship with Destene, including moments of fear, avoidance, and deep self-reflection. He also shares the ways in which this experience doesn't impact him on a daily basis and the interesting ways in which it weighs on him.

This episode also dives into Brandon and Destene's IVF journey and how becoming a father ultimately forced Brandon to confront the parts of himself he had long avoided. We explore faith, masculinity, healing, and what it means to break generational cycles — not just for yourself, but for your children.

Most powerfully, Brandon explains why he chose to finally speak out: the responsibility he feels to other survivors, especially men, and the belief that healing begins when secrets are brought into the light.

Follow Brandon: https://www.instagram.com/sudduth84

Follow Destene: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsdestene_

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Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX

To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.

I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.