Some friendships fade when life gets busy. This one hasn’t.

For more than twenty years, Justin and Sarah Ahrens have called Deon not just a friend, but family, “Uncle Deon” to their kids and a steady presence through every season. In this episode, Justin sits down with Deon to talk about what it means to build a life that doesn’t follow the script,  and still leads to purpose, connection, and impact.

They go back to where it started, Illinois Wesleyan University, and talk about how race, friendship, and shared experience shaped their lives in ways neither expected. Deon opens up about growing up Black in Joliet, the realities of bias he faced on and off the field, and how those experiences built empathy and strength. Justin reflects on learning to see his own privilege and the responsibility that comes with it, lessons that have influenced how he and Sarah raise their kids and build friendships across race, culture, and difference.

It’s a conversation about presence, perspective, and the quiet ways people make each other better.

Things We’re Learning (and Unlearning)

• Family isn’t only who you’re born to, it’s who shows up.
• Real friendship means listening to experiences that aren’t your own.
• Mentorship is a form of parenting that never stops giving.
• Community grows when we cross lines of race, story, and background.
• Legacy isn’t measured by success, but by who you invest in.
• Gratitude and empathy build bridges that last a lifetime.

Stats Worth Knowing

• 1 in 4 U.S. adults say they rely more on chosen family than biological relatives.
• Adults with at least one non-family mentor report 3× higher life satisfaction.
• Over 70% of adults say having “someone who truly listens” impacts their mental health more than professional advice.
• Nearly 60% of Americans say they have at least one close friend of another race — but only 35% say they talk openly about race or lived experience.
• People who maintain long-term cross-cultural friendships are more than 2× as likely to describe their communities as “hopeful.”

This episode is for anyone who’s ever had someone outside their family change their life, or been that person for someone else. It’s also a reminder that when we make room for stories different from our own, our world,  and our families,  get bigger.

#RunningAhrens #FamilyPodcast #ChosenFamily #FriendshipThatLasts #FaithAndPurpose #MentorshipMatters #RaceAndFriendship #CommunityAndConnection #MarriageAndParenting #RealConversations