Unbeatable

9/11 fundamentally changed America. Soon after, wanting to defend his country, New Yorker Michael Carrasquillo (CQ) signed up for the Army as a teenager. During one of his combat deployments, he was severely wounded from the impact of 5 bullets. His life was spared, but the road to recovery was long and difficult. Today, Michael serves as a mentor to veterans, helping them through PTSD.

You’ll hear:

• About his early life in Spanish Harlem and what made him choose the Army

• How he quickly went from newbie to a skilled leader in the Army

• What it was like on September 9, 2005, when he almost died in Afghanistan while helping another injured soldier

• The #1 thing that got him out of severe depression, isolation, and dark thoughts during his recovery

• How he now helps other wounded veterans find hope

PLUS, Michael has a message specifically for you if you are struggling with PTSD.

Catch CQ’s weekly show, Pop Culture Warrior and connect with him here:

https://linktr.ee/popculturewarrior

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Get your FREE copy of the Unbeatable Army Survival Guide, a collection of writings and words of wisdom to keep your mental, emotional, and spiritual health in tact. It was written for warriors facing combat, but it applies to anyone facing life’s greatest challenges.

More than half of all children experience trauma before the age of 17. Dianne Maroney is an expert in childhood trauma, not just because of studying it, but she’s lived it in multiple ways. She grew up in a home plagued with abuse and the early death of her mother. Her daughter experienced major trauma as a baby, and she was directly impacted by the Columbine High School tragedy.

But, Dianne has refused to let her past define her. She used what life has taught her to found a successful organization that helps children all over the world overcome their trauma and stress in a powerful way.

You’ll hear:

• What she lived through as a child and how it led to difficult teen years (including being in a gang)

• How she turned her life around to become to the first in her family to go to college

• What it was like to feel helpless through her daughter’s trauma

• Her unique approach to helping children heal

• The mission of her organization, the Imagine Project, and how it reaches hundreds of thousands of children every year

PLUS, Dianne gives you a challenge to help start 2022 the right way!

Learn more about the Dianne and the Imagine Project here.

Don’t forget to leave a review of this podcast on your favorite platform! It helps us get these stories out to more people.

Get your FREE copy of the Unbeatable Army Survival Guide, a collection of writings and words of wisdom to keep your mental, emotional, and spiritual health in tact. It was written for warriors facing combat, but many parts apply to anyone facing life’s greatest challenges. https://jeffstruecker.com/survival-guide/

Imagine being a happy kid, but at 8-years old, you suddenly lose all hearing in one ear. As a young woman, you wake up, and you can’t hear anything out of the other ear, not knowing if it will ever come back. My guest, Zoë Nutt opens up about her life as a musician and songwriter, despite the daily struggles and uncertainty with her hearing.

You’ll hear:

• Where her love of music and songwriting began

• How she felt when her hearing was suddenly and inexplicably gone

• How she confidently moves forward despite daily uncertainty

• How she has been able to overcome obstacles and still write, record, and successfully release music

• Zoë’s advice to those struggling with self esteem due to being different

And as a bonus, Zoë and I share our favorite Christmas songs of all time.

Follow Zoë and learn more about her music at https://www.zoenutt.com/

Watch her new music video to the hit, Wildflower, HERE.

Instagram - @zoenutt

Facebook - @zoenuttmusic

To listen to Music Box Blues mentioned in this episode, click HERE.

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Life on the road in the entertainment industry might sound glamorous, but often, there are parts of it that are an absolute nightmare. This week’s guest, musician and former tour manager for Larry the Cable Guy, Jeremy McComb, had an unusual childhood and in his 20s, found himself battling depression and various addictions. They nearly destroyed his life, but Jeremy didn’t stay there. He decided to fight it. Now, his career and personal life are better than ever. In this episode, we talk about what changed and how he became unbeatable.

You’ll hear:

• About Jeremy’s early life in the mountains of Idaho, the son of professional musicians

• How he stumbled into being a tour manager on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour

• What addiction was like and how it affected everything around him

• What the turning point was that made him wake up and work to beat addiction

• The 2 things that have kept him on track and ultimately changed his life

For fun, since we both have experience with grappling (man-to-man fighting), we also give the top lessons we’ve learned from mistakes made on the grappling mat.

Note: Jeff made an intentional decision to leave the language as-is.

Check out more info about Jeremy and his upcoming tour at jeremymccomb.com.

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No one wants to hear the dreaded “C” word. Renowned singer-songwriter Kelly Lang was not only diagnosed with cancer, but she was young at the time. She faced all of the ‘what ifs’ and grueling treatment. But, she refused to let cancer define her and has even written a book that gives hope and light to others in the darkest moments in their lives.

You’ll hear:

• How she was born into the music industry and the thing that caused her agent to quit on her

• What cancer treatment was like and how it changed her outlook on life

• About her unique bond and friendship with Olivia Newton-John

• The incredible love story that inspired the title of her book

• Her one piece of advice to those struggling right now

Also, Jeff and Kelly tell their favorite music duets of all time (a couple of them might surprise you).

Learn more about Kelly and get an autographed copy of her book at https://www.kellylang.net/

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From humble beginnings to a Grammy award: How country star John Berry beat major health setbacks along the way.

No matter how much fame or success you achieve, no one is immune to the possibility of a career-ending health crisis. John Berry experienced not one, but TWO major setbacks. Yet, he found the strength to keep going, which ultimately has led to amazing achievements in the country music industry.

You’ll hear:

• How he got started in country music and just how long it took to have a breakthrough

• About his two devastating health crises and what got him through

• Some of his proudest moments, including an interview with the legendary Charlie Daniels

• All about his upcoming Christmas tour

• A word of encouragement for listeners struggling right now

PLUS: Jeff and John both tell their top favorite things about the Christmas season!

Follow John on his website at www.johnberry.com to find out more about his upcoming shows and his Faith, Family & Friends podcast.

Join the Unbeatable Army email list for blog posts and to be notified as soon as new podcast episodes go live!

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She had every reason not to succeed- wrong side of the tracks, wrong color of skin, wrong gender, and plenty of people telling her that she’ll never achieve her dreams.​​

That’s the childhood of my guest for this special Thanksgiving episode of UNBEATABLE.​

Crystal Harrell was 1 of 10 siblings who lived in a single-parent home after her father passed away. She overcame these obstacles to become a #1 best selling author, Les Brown-trained speaker, and certified coach.

She left government housing for the Ivy League as she pursued a PhD at Yale University.​As an academic success coach, Crystal helps students successfully navigate through higher education using her virtual coaching business, Crystal Clear Innovation.​

In this interview, you’ll hear:

• What it takes to break the cycle of poverty

• How to handle your critics and raise above your circumstances

• How this first-generation college student is following an unbeatable dream

• The dangers of looking for validation in the praise of others

• Why a love of reading and education can change your future

PLUS, you’ll hear what life is like in a trailer park from both me and Crystal.​

Check out her official website: https://crystalclearinnovation.com/Get her #1 best selling book, Crystal Clear: A Journey of Self-Discovery: (From Public Housing to Ivy League)Or, connect with her on social:FacebookYouTube

The story behind an incredible viral video

Jason McKenzie is an award-winning adventure biker and bike shop co-owner (awards like the prestigious “40 Under 40” award in Georgia). He serves his community in countless ways, has donated thousands of bikes to charity, and is well-known as being a quintessential “people person”, full of joy and laughter.

But, a little more than 10 years ago, his life took a shocking turn as he experienced the greatest tragedy of his life. Nothing can prepare someone for what happened, and there’s no one-size-fits-all playbook for how to find your footing again.

This year, he published a video about his story that went viral, to try to help others who go through something similar and to hopefully save lives.

In this interview, Jason gives some profound insights into his experiences and some advice.

You’ll hear:

• What life was like before this life-altering tragedy and about his passionate for making biking accessible to everyone

• What happened the day his life changed and how his heartbreak was compounded

• How he was at a fork in the road and chose a healthy option for grieving

• What NOT to say to people suffering in a similar way and what to say instead

• The greater life lessons he’s learned and how he found joy again

On a lighter note, Jeff and Jason also tell some of their craziest biking and skydiving stories for you to enjoy.

Watch Jason’s video

On Instagram

On YouTube

Connect with Ride On Bikes

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Unbeatable Episode 9 — Veterans Day: The compelling story of two of the unsung heroes of Black Hawk Down

"If it wasn't for these two guys, I wouldn't be alive today. But, I didn't have the opportunity to meet them until almost 20 years after the battle."

Episode 9 of Unbeatable features two warriors: Army Veterans Mark Hollis and J.T. Cooper, who served in the 2nd Battalion, 14th (2/14) Infantry Regiment of the 10th Mountain Division.

These men fought next to Jeff during the intense battle that became known as Black Hawk Down in 1993. If it wasn't for their courage under fire, Jeff says he wouldn't be here today. Unfortunately, their story is often not told, but their service was truly instrumental in bringing many warriors back home safely.

In this interview, you’ll hear:

• How each of them found their way into the Army

• What Mogadishu was like for them and how combat changes a person

• The struggles warriors face after military service and where to find healing and hope

• Their advice for those who want to honor veterans but aren’t sure how

• How they serve and support homeless veterans and those suffering with PTSD

Plus, we’ve been told there’s no such thing as a dumb question, but these veterans tell some of the questions they’ve been asked that might qualify.

Learn more about J.T.’s ministry for veterans with PTSD, Warrior Rounds, HERE

Watch Black Hawk Down: The Untold Story HERE

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Imagine you’d just spent 8 years getting intense academic training and real-world experience in the medical field. You’re about to launch your dream clinic to serve the poor, and the day before launching, you learn that someone has been stealing money from you. -not just a little, but A LOT of money. And the next day, you're supposed to have an open house to introduce this incredible new clinic to a community.

How do you become unbeatable in a circumstance like that? How do you get up, dust yourself off, and not just throw in the towel?

That’s one of the things my guest, Dr. Grant Scarborough, founder of MercyMed in Columbus, GA is going to talk about in this episode. I highly respect Dr. Scarborough, not just because of his accomplishments, but because of his heart for people who are the most vulnerable.

In this interview, you’ll hear:

• Why Dr. Scarborough was initially the most reluctant medical school student ever

• What caused him to develop a desire to serve the poor and why he considers it a privilege

• Why just treating physical ailments is not enough to make a person completely well

• How he tackles funding challenges

• How he overcame extreme betrayal and his advice to listeners struggling with bitterness

PLUS, you’ll hear some of the craziest injury stories Dr. Scarbrough has seen, as well as stories behind some of my own gnarly scars.

To find out more about his incredible clinic, MercyMed, and/or to donate, click here: https://mercymedcolumbus.com/

Or, connect with them on social:

https://www.facebook.com/mercymedcolumbus/

https://www.instagram.com/mercymedcolumbus/

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