What if the thing that’s quietly wrecking your life… isn’t your job, your bank account, or your “lack of motivation”, but the fact you’re drifting and nobody’s coming to save you?

In this episode of The Roller Coaster Podcast, I sit down with John Gafford for a conversation that hits different. We talk about the moment you realise your life is being lived on someone else’s terms… and what it actually takes to take back control.

John opens up about leaving the “safe” W2 path, betting on himself with no safety net, and the brutal truth behind radical accountability, the kind that forces you to stop blaming the system and start steering the ship. But we also go deeper: why hustle culture breaks families, why men are lonelier than ever, and the simple check-in text that might save a life.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, numb, or off course… this might be the wake-up call.

Key Moments:

0:00 Life Feels Off… But You Can’t Explain Why

4:40 Fired From Safety, The Day I Bet On Myself

8:00 “Nobody’s Coming to Save You” Reality Check

12:15 You Didn’t Get Lucky, You Created This

16:10 80% Done Is Better Than Perfect

19:30 Stuck In Life? Start With Radical Honesty

23:05 Build A Life You Can Actually See

26:20 The Simple Plan To Escape Debt & Stress

30:00 Turn Big Goals Into Daily Actions

33:40 Why Some People Stay Broke On Purpose

36:55 Stop Asking “What Do You Do?” Ask This Instead

41:00 Cut Surface-Level People From Your Life

43:20 Vegas, Status, And The Illusion Of Success

47:40 Transformation Means Losing Old Habits

51:00 Your Environment Is Quietly Controlling You

55:00 Men Admitting “I Have No Friends”

58:40 The Suicide Story That Shook Us Both

1:02:10 How To Check In On Friends (Systematically)

1:06:05 Radical Accountability Starts Here

Guest Info:

IG: @thejohngafford (https://www.instagram.com/thejohngafford/)

YouTube: @EscapingtheDriftPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/@EscapingtheDriftPodcast)

What happens when the gun fires… but you wake up anyway?

In this episode of The Roller Coaster Podcast, I sit down with Nick Rossborough, a former professional fighter who lost his identity, his marriage, and nearly his life. One night, alone on a mountain with a pistol in his hand, Nick made a decision he believed would end the pain. But something happened that shouldn’t be possible. And moments later, a small voice from inside his house changed everything.

Nick takes us inside the darkest night of his life, the divorce, the identity collapse, the silent suffering so many men hide, and the long road back through trauma healing, breathwork, purpose, and learning to love himself again.

This isn’t just a survival story.

It’s a wake-up call.

If you’ve ever felt lost, numb, or ready to give up, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a comment below. You’re not alone.

Key Moments:

0:00 I Put the Gun to My Head

3:07 Divorce, Heartbreak, and the Breaking Point

6:30 “Dad, I Made You Cookies”

9:00 When Losing My Identity Destroyed Me

12:25 Why Men Bottle Pain Until They Explode

15:28 Reading the Bible in a Week While Falling Apart

19:08 Vowing Never to Hit Rock Bottom Again

21:52 Loving Someone When You Can’t Love Yourself

23:55 Breathwork Visions That Changed Everything

27:32 The Oxygen Mask Rule That Rewired My Life

30:46 Here’s How I Escaped Trauma

33:13 The Real Reason Men Reach the Edge

35:35 How Do You Find a Reason to Stay Alive?

38:18 Meeting the Version of Myself I Abandoned

41:07 The Bullet That Killed the Old Me

43:25 Becoming a Man Who Needs No Validation

45:50 Facing Fear Through Plant Medicine

49:48 Why Human Connection Saves Lives

52:06 Love, Empathy, and Healing Without Medication

What do you do when your worst fear comes true… and no one even knows the truth?

In this episode of The Roller Coaster Podcast, I sit down with Adriana Sansam, a mother whose life changed forever when her husband died alone in a hotel room from an accidental overdose. One moment he was on a work trip. The next, she was racing for answers, convinced something was wrong before anyone confirmed it.

Adriana opens up about loving a recovering addict, hiding his addiction from everyone, and the devastating phone call that left her raising three young children alone. But this isn’t just a story about addiction and grief. It’s about breaking the stigma, telling the truth, and turning shame into purpose.

If you’ve been touched by addiction, mental health struggles, loss, or single parenting, this conversation will stay with you.

Listen now. Share this with someone who needs it. And subscribe for more stories that change lives.

Key Moments:

0:00 “I Knew Something Was Wrong”

3:12 Married to a Recovering Addict

6:05 The Phone Call That Confirmed My Fear

9:02 “He’s Dead”, Hearing the Words

12:10 Who He Was Beyond the Addiction

15:08 Understanding the Mind of an Addict

18:04 Explaining His Death to Our 5-Year-Old

21:06 When Shame Turned Into Silence

24:18 The Message That Changed Everything

27:30 Why I Finally Told the Truth

30:12 Did He Have a Reason to Keep Going?

33:40 When the Past Blocks the Future

36:10 “I Don’t Need More, I Need You”

39:05 Speaking to Him After His Death

42:18 A Message to Fathers Battling Addiction

45:30 Watching My Son Look for His Dad

Guest Info:

IG: adrianasansam (https://www.instagram.com/adrianasansam/)

What happens when the thing that defines you is taken away in a single moment?

On this episode of The Roller Coaster Podcast, I sit down with Mahi Crabbe, a former full-time musician who nearly lost his life in a brutal rock-crawling accident that crushed his hand and shattered his identity as an artist on November 3, 2018.

In a matter of seconds, Mahi went from touring and playing sold-out shows to lying in an ambulance, convinced his career was over. The injury didn’t just threaten his ability to play guitar, it forced him to confront deeper questions about purpose, faith, manhood, and how to provide for the family he always dreamed of building.

We talk about the night everything changed, the fear of starting over, the anger he carried toward God, and how losing his “guitar hand” ultimately led him to build an entirely new life as a business owner and father.

If you’ve ever had your plans ripped away, your identity shaken, or your faith tested, this conversation will hit home.

Watch this episode to see how losing everything became the beginning of something bigger.

Key Moments:

0:00 The Day I Lost My Hand

3:02 My Hand Was Hanging By Skin

6:05 Life Flashing Before My Eyes

9:10 “That’s His Guitar Hand”

12:36 Waking Up, My Identity Was Gone

15:32 I Couldn’t Be A Musician Anymore

18:39 From Hospital Bed To Truck Driver

21:30 Growing Up Without A Father

24:23 Becoming The Man I Never Had

26:50 The Night That Changed My Faith

29:40 From Leaving Church To Returning

33:03 Why God Took My Hand

35:41 My Family Came Back To Church

37:55 From Homeless To Business Owner

40:14 Why Hawaii Heals The Soul

42:49 My Message To Every Man Watching

Guest Info:

IG: @mahilive (https://www.instagram.com/mahilive/)

What happens when faith meets unimaginable loss and the miracle doesn’t come the way you prayed for it?

In this deeply raw episode of The Roller Coaster Podcast, I sit down with Shayna Weston, a woman whose life was shattered by a relentless sequence of grief that few could survive. In the span of a single year, Shayna walked beside her brother as he fought terminal cancer, held onto hope for a miracle, whispered goodbye as he took his final breath, then returned home only to lose her beloved dog… and shortly after, face her father’s devastating stage four pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

This conversation isn’t about tidy answers or surface-level faith. It’s about the brutal reality of grief, the anger we feel toward God, the moments we bargain, break, and beg and the quiet, unexpected ways healing and redemption can still emerge.

Shayna opens up about caregiving, anticipatory grief, losing multiple loved ones, wrestling with faith, forgiveness, and what it truly means to surrender when control is gone. It’s honest, heartbreaking, and somehow still filled with hope.

Watch this episode to understand grief on a deeper level and if you’ve ever lost someone, questioned your faith, or felt crushed by loss, this conversation will remind you that you’re not alone.

Key Moments:

0:00 The Call That Changed Everything

3:14 “You Have One Week Left”

6:07 When Hope And Reality Collided

9:21 The Moment I Knew He Was Dying

12:08 Singing Through Terminal Cancer

15:02 Doctors Said It Was Impossible

18:36 The Treatment That Shouldn’t Have Worked

21:48 When I Began Fighting God

24:31 “I’m Scared To Die”

27:26 Choosing Faith Over Fear

30:19 The Breath That Never Came Back

33:08 Watching My Brother Take His Last Breath

36:11 Grief Hits In Slow Motion

39:04 The Silence That Broke Our Family

42:12 Losing My Dog Right After Losing Him

45:03 When Grief Turned Into Anger

48:29 The Diagnosis That Came Next

51:42 Stage Four Pancreatic Cancer

54:56 “I Don’t Want To Fight Anymore”

58:08 Learning To Let Go

Guest Info:

IG: @shay_weston_ (https://www.instagram.com/shay_weston_/)

What happens when suicide keeps showing up in your life… before you’re even old enough to understand it?

In this episode of The Rollercoaster Podcast, I sit down with Stanley Stark, a man whose life has been shaped by loss, silence, and hard truths most men never say out loud. From losing a close friend as a teenager to the devastating phone call that his own father had taken his life, Stanley opens up about how unprocessed grief, broken family dynamics, and emotional isolation quietly pushed him toward recklessness, anger, and self-destruction.

But this conversation isn’t just about tragedy. It’s about what happens when a man finally stops running. We talk openly about men’s mental health, suicide prevention, integrity, faith, and why so many men suffer in silence until it feels unbearable. Stanley shares the lessons grief taught him, the power of forgiveness, and how community and honesty can save lives.

If you’ve lost someone to suicide, struggled with your mental health, or wondered how to be a better man in a broken world, watch this episode to be reminded that you’re not alone and it’s never too late to choose a different path.

Key Moments:

0:00 I Buried a Friend Yesterday…

3:30 The Note His Friend Left Behind

6:25 Holding a Gun at 15 and Asking “Why”

8:55 The Session That Shut Him Down

12:18 The Lie That Killed His Hope

15:01 A Broken Father-Son Bond

17:48 Trying to Start Over… One Last Time

21:17 The Call That Changed Everything

24:22 The Details No One Warned Him About

28:24 The Suicide Statistics Men Ignore

31:02 Why His Pain Became His Purpose

35:10 The Silent Addiction Destroying Men

39:13 Why Being Approachable Can Save a Life

41:35 “Suicide Doesn’t End Pain... It Passes It On”

45:12 The One Truth Every Man Needs to Hear Today

What do you do when the person you love becomes the person you fear most? In today’s episode, I sit down with Lyndsey Hackford, a woman whose story left me shaken, heartbroken, and in absolute awe of her strength.

For 18 years, Lyndsey lived inside an abusive marriage that slowly stole her voice, her identity, and nearly her life. What started as subtle manipulation spiraled into control, isolation, physical violence, and moments where she genuinely didn’t know if she would survive the night. Her children witnessed things no child ever should. And yet, Lyndsey found a way out.

In this conversation, Lyndsey walks us through the moments that changed everything: the fear, the near-death experiences, the police intervention, the escape, the trial, and the long, painful road to rebuilding her life. If you’ve lived through trauma, domestic abuse, emotional manipulation, or you’re trying to support someone who has, her story will stay with you.

Watch this episode to hear Lyndsey’s message of hope, courage, and reclaiming your life, no matter how dark things have been.

Key Moments:

0:00 “I Hit the Wall So I Wouldn’t Hit Mom”

3:00 The “Support” That Was Actually Control

6:02 How Her Religion Was Used Against Her

9:19 The Moment She Realised Her Worth Was Gone

12:00 The Day He Admitted He Wanted to Hit Her

14:44 The Shame and Threats That Kept Her Silent

17:39 A Year of Sleep Deprivation and Surveillance

20:10 “Just Let Me Leave”… and the Violent Response

23:06 “Look at That Face, How Could I Love That?”

26:00 The Escape Attempt That Finally Worked

29:31 The Jury Trial And Her Kids Taking the Stand

32:53 Why Abusers All Share the Same Patterns

33:23 Her Message to Women Still Living in Fear

Guest Info:

IG: @lyndseyh6723

Facebook: @lyndsey.jackson.125

What do you do when the pain gets so loud that you don’t want to be here anymore? What happens in the moment when life almost ends… and something pulls you back?

In this powerful episode of The Rollercoaster Podcast, I sit down with Wes Wright, who opens up about the day he attempted to take his own life and the split-second moment that changed everything. Wes walks us through the fear, exhaustion, and silent suffering that led him there, the near-death experience that followed, and the long road back toward faith, accountability, and purpose.

This conversation goes far beyond a suicide attempt. We talk about men’s mental health, depression, identity, faith, redemption, and the lies that convince people they are alone or beyond repair. Wes shares the hard lessons he learned about responsibility, healing, and why pain doesn’t mean your story is over.

If you’ve ever felt broken, lost your sense of purpose, or questioned whether life can get better, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

Watch this episode to hear Wes Wright’s story and be reminded that hope is still possible.

Key Moments:

0:00 The Day He Planned To End His Life

2:45 Sitting Alone With A Gun And No Hope

6:10 Dialling 911 Not Knowing If He’d Survive

9:10 “God Still Gave Me A Choice”

13:40 The Lie That Almost Destroyed Him

16:20 The Ten-Minute Danger Window

20:40 “I Wanted One Last Goodbye”

23:10 Doctors Say Can’t Explain This

27:30 The Therapist Who Changed Him

31:10 “My Son Died… Then I Tried To”

34:20 Why Suicide Doesn’t End Pain

37:05 The Three Lies That Trap You

40:10 A Message To Anyone Struggling

Guest Info:

IG: @wesfunbro

Tiktok: @wesfunbro

There are moments in life that split everything into “before” and “after.” And for Ben Longshore, it began with one sentence from his father: “Take care of your mom and sister.” Hours later, he learned there was no pulse.

In this raw and deeply human conversation, I sit down with my cousin Ben, someone I’ve known my entire life, as he opens up about the night his dad unexpectedly passed away, the weight of being 16 when everything changed, and the choice to step into a role he never asked for. His story doesn’t end there. Seven years later, another tragedy struck our family, forcing him to face grief all over again and ask the questions no one wants to ask: Why now? How do you keep going? Where is God in all this?

This episode is about loss, faith, resilience, family, and the quiet strength you don’t know you have until life demands it. If you’ve walked through grief, felt responsible for others, or wondered how to rebuild after tragedy, this conversation will stay with you.

Watch this episode to hear Ben’s powerful journey and be reminded that even in the heaviest moments, hope still has a voice.

Key Moments:

0:00 The Last Words His Dad Ever Said

3:00 The Day That Changed His Life Forever

7:04 The Moment He Knew Something Was Wrong

12:18 The Night Before Everything Went Wrong

17:10 The Prayer That Shifted the Room

21:45 Telling His Sister Their Dad Was Gone

25:40 How the Community Showed Up Overnight

30:12 The Spiritual Perspective That Saved Him

35:40 The Father-Son Moments He Still Misses

39:54 Dreams, Football, and a Life Rewritten

43:02 Why Showing Up Matters More Than Words

49:35 The 30-Hour Drive They'll Never Forget

51:20 Seven Years Later, Another Tragedy Hits

55:24 “Nick Is in the Hospital”: Reliving Old Trauma

59:58 The ATV Accident That Changed Everything

1:03:49 Praying for a Miracle That Didn’t Come

1:07:22 Helping His Sister-in-Law Survive the Impossible

1:12:28 The Organ Donor Story No One Expected

1:17:08 How That Meeting Changed Their Family Forever

1:23:56 How He Leads His Family Differently Now

1:28:40 Why “Stepping Up” Matters More Than Ever

Guest Info:

IG: @‌ben.longshore

What happens when your childhood is spent dodging bombs instead of playing outside?

What does survival do to the human spirit and how do you rebuild when everything familiar disappears overnight?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Guitta Harb, who escaped war in Lebanon as a young girl and was forced to grow up before she ever had the chance to be a child. From hiding in dark underground shelters to leaving her home at 2 am on a secret ship with no promise of return, her story is raw, vulnerable, and deeply human.

We dive into the identity struggles that come with being caught between two cultures, the trauma stored in the body, and the moment she realised fear didn’t have to dictate her future. She shares how survival turned into purpose, graduating dental school at 21, becoming a mother, and building a life rooted in gratitude and resilience.

This conversation explores war trauma, anxiety, identity, mental health, survival mode, fear, resilience, the immigrant story, and finding your why.

Watch this episode to feel hope again proof that pain can become purpose, and your past doesn’t have to define your future.

Key Moments:

0:00 Robbed of a Childhood

2:12 Life in a Warzone: Fear Every Single Day

5:45 “Pack Your Bags. We’re Leaving Tonight.”

8:10 The Secret Ship That Changed Everything

12:12 Lost Between Two Worlds

17:30 Learning English… Without Knowing a Word

22:38 How She Learned to Belong in America

25:09 “I Refuse to Be a Victim”

30:44 The Anxiety That Never Fully Left

33:26 Parenting After Trauma

36:12 What Chaos Does to the Nervous System

40:55 Turning Pain Into Purpose

45:40 Why So Many Suffer Alone

48:12 The Power of Finding Your Why

52:33 Why Young People Give Up Too Soon

55:17 How to Survive When Life Breaks You

59:55 Raising Strong Kids in a Fragile World

1:04:10 How She Found Healing Slowly

1:08:20 Why She Still Believes in Hope

Guest Info:

IG: @‌therealocdentist

Website: https://drguittaharb.com/