8158 Podcast: Stories of Sacrifice

Episode 34: The Weight of the Job: Mental Health, Recovery & Resilience – Part 2

In Part 2 of Heather’s story, we dive deeper into the toll the job—and life—has taken. Diagnosed with Complex PTSD and bipolar disorder, and recovering from multiple surgeries, Heather opens up about what it’s like to keep going when your mind and body are worn down. She also shares details of a terrifying F-450 accident in 2024 and how she’s learning to heal. Even while working part-time and helping with her partner’s landscaping business, Heather’s heart for service never stops.
 
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Episode 33: Late Start, Lifelong Calling: Heather’s Journey Into EMS – Part 1

Heather didn’t take the traditional route into EMS. Raised on a Southern Illinois farm and inspired by her mother, a nurse—she found her calling at 37 after years as a cosmetology instructor. In Part 1, Heather shares how she went from shadowing ambulances in high school to graduating top of her paramedic class and working two jobs in rural Tennessee to survive. This is the beginning of a powerful journey into service, sacrifice, and grit.
 
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Donate to the William H. “Bill” Butler Jr. Foundation:
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Schedule an interview here:
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Episode 32: Legacy in the Making: Joshua Cote on Loss, Mental Health & Life in EMS

At just 16, Joshua Cote began serving his community as a volunteer firefighter in Maine—never expecting the journey would shape not only his career but his mental health and personal identity. From early success in SkillsUSA to becoming a full-time paramedic in 2016, Josh has seen both triumph and tragedy. In this powerful episode, Josh opens up about losing his mentor to cancer, his captain to a stroke, and a close lieutenant to suicide—all within a short time span. He also shares his diagnosis of MDD, later Bipolar Disorder, and how it’s impacted him as a responder and a human being. Through it all, Josh has remained committed to making a difference—and dreams of mentoring the next generation of EMS professionals. This episode is raw, honest, and a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is still purpose to be found. Trigger Warning: This episode discusses suicide and mental health challenges.

Episode 31: From Isolation to Impact: Rob’s Journey Through War, Trauma & Service (Part 2)

In Part 2, Rob shares the story of the officer-involved shooting that would change everything. A running gunfight, two armed teens—one with a homicide warrant—and a moment that triggered a wave of emotional trauma.
We follow his courageous decision to step away from law enforcement for five years to focus on mental health. Rob talks about the therapies that helped, the nonprofit he started using music to help fellow veterans, and how he slowly found his way back to himself.
Now back in uniform, Rob is on a mission to create a crisis negotiation unit—and his story is a reminder that healing is messy, but possible.
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💙 Support the mission:
Donate to the William H. “Bill” Butler Jr. Foundation:
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Schedule an interview here:
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#FirstResponderMentalHealth #RelentlessCourage #8158Podcast #BackTheBlue #YouAreNotAlone

Episode 30: From Isolation to Impact: Rob’s Journey Through War, Trauma & Service (Part 1)

Part 1: From Isolation to Iraq
In Part 1 of Rob’s powerful journey, we explore his early years growing up in Denver and Dallas, the challenges of life with a single father and a harsh stepmother, and the emotional toll of childhood isolation. Rob opens up about enlisting in the U.S. Army, his deployment to Iraq, and the hidden wounds he brought home—panic attacks, PTSD, and the mental health battles that followed.
We also dive into his post-military journey, how his dream of becoming a paramedic was cut short by financial reality, and what led him to law enforcement in Albuquerque, NM.
This first half sets the stage for a deep conversation about trauma, service, and the strength it takes to survive.
💙 Support the mission:
Donate to the William H. “Bill” Butler Jr. Foundation:
🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com/donate
🌐 Website:
🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com
🎙 Want to be a guest?
Schedule an interview here:
🔗 https://8158podcast.com/contact-us
📢 Join our community & get exclusive content:
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#FirstResponderMentalHealth #RelentlessCourage #8158Podcast #BackTheBlue #YouAreNotAlone

BONUS EPISODE: “Ground Flounder to Firefighter: Mick’s Vietnam Story of Sacrifice”

In this special Memorial Day episode of the 8158 Podcast: Stories of Sacrifice, we sit down with 75-year-old Vietnam veteran Mick—whose life of service spans far beyond the battlefield.
Mick served 16.5 years in the Army, completing two tours in Vietnam as a tanker and Search & Destroy team member. From exposure to Agent Orange to operating B40 mortar tubes and fueling operations, his time in combat left lasting physical and emotional wounds. After transitioning to the Air Guard as an F16 weapons specialist, Mick continued to serve his country from the skies.
Post-military, he earned degrees in social science, focusing on the aftershock syndrome faced by veterans’ children. He then served with the Bureau of Land Management, flying helicopters into wildfires and leading live fire trainings—including during the 1988 Yellowstone fires.
This is a powerful tribute to the cost of service, the battle for benefits, and the impact on family. Mick’s story is raw, real, and deeply American.
Listen in and remember: freedom isn’t free.
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💙 Support the mission:
Donate to the William H. “Bill” Butler Jr. Foundation:
🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com/donate
🌐 Website:
🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com
🎙 Want to be a guest?
Schedule an interview here:
🔗 https://8158podcast.com/contact-us
📢 Join our community & get exclusive content:
🔗 http://Patreon.com/8158podcast
⸻
Hashtags:
#MemorialDay #VietnamVeteran #StoriesOfSacrifice #8158Podcast #FirstResponderMentalHealth #RelentlessCourage #BackTheBlue #YouAreNotAlone #VeteranStories #FreedomIsNotFree

BONUS: Ground Flounder to Firefighter: Mick’s Vietnam Story of Sacrifice

In this special Memorial Day episode of the 8158 Podcast: Stories of Sacrifice, we sit down with 75-year-old Vietnam veteran Mick—whose life of service spans far beyond the battlefield.
Mick served 16.5 years in the Army, completing two tours in Vietnam as a tanker and Search & Destroy team member. From exposure to Agent Orange to operating B40 mortar tubes and fueling operations, his time in combat left lasting physical and emotional wounds. After transitioning to the Air Guard as an F16 weapons specialist, Mick continued to serve his country from the skies.
Post-military, he earned degrees in social science, focusing on the aftershock syndrome faced by veterans’ children. He then served with the Bureau of Land Management, flying helicopters into wildfires and leading live fire trainings—including during the 1988 Yellowstone fires.
This is a powerful tribute to the cost of service, the battle for benefits, and the impact on family. Mick’s story is raw, real, and deeply American.
Listen in and remember: freedom isn’t free.
⸻
💙 Support the mission:
Donate to the William H. “Bill” Butler Jr. Foundation:
🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com/donate
🌐 Website:
🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com
🎙 Want to be a guest?
Schedule an interview here:
🔗 https://8158podcast.com/contact-us
📢 Join our community & get exclusive content:
🔗 http://Patreon.com/8158podcast
⸻
Hashtags:
#MemorialDay #VietnamVeteran #StoriesOfSacrifice #8158Podcast #FirstResponderMentalHealth #RelentlessCourage #BackTheBlue #YouAreNotAlone #VeteranStories #FreedomIsNotFree

Episode 29: Boots on the Ground: 24/7 Support for First Responders & Veterans (Part 2)

In Part 2 of our powerful conversation with Bonnie, we dive deeper into the real-life impact of peer support and the challenges first responders face when navigating work-related trauma, compensation, and recovery.
💙 Support the mission:
Donate to the William H. “Bill” Butler Jr. Foundation:
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🌐 Website:
🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com
🎙 Want to be a guest?
Schedule an interview here:
🔗 https://8158podcast.com/contact-us
📢 Join our community & get exclusive content:
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#FirstResponderMentalHealth #RelentlessCourage #8158Podcast #BackTheBlue #YouAreNotAlone
Bonnie shares more about the behind-the-scenes work Boots on the Ground Alberta does to connect people with the right resources—whether it’s trauma therapy, support with Veterans Affairs, or simply having someone to talk to who gets it.
We also talk about the role of chaplains, the importance of community donations, and what healing really looks like for those on the front lines.
If you missed Part 1, go back and start there—then come back for this meaningful continuation of a story that matters.

Episode 28: Boots on the Ground: 24/7 Support for First Responders & Veterans (Part 1)

Part 1: Episode Description
In this episode of 8158: Stories of Sacrifice, we’re joined by Bonnie from Boots on the Ground Alberta—a 24/7 peer support hotline serving first responders, veterans, and frontline workers.
With a background in emergency dispatch and deep knowledge of Veterans Affairs Canada, Bonnie shares what makes peer support so powerful and how Boots on the Ground helps those navigating trauma, stress, and work-related injuries.
From connecting individuals with province-wide resources to walking them through work compensation and therapy options, this episode is packed with insight and heart.
Listen now and hear how this organization is making a real impact.
Learn more about Boots on the Ground Alberta:
🔗 https://botgalberta.com/
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💙 Support the mission:
Donate to the William H. “Bill” Butler Jr. Foundation:
🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com/donate
🌐 Website:
🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com
🎙 Want to be a guest?
Schedule an interview here:
🔗 https://8158podcast.com/contact-us
📢 Join our community & get exclusive content:
🔗 http://Patreon.com/8158podcast
⸻
#FirstResponderMentalHealth #RelentlessCourage #8158Podcast #BackTheBlue #YouAreNotAlone

Episode 27: The Voice Behind the Call: Debbie’s Story of Strength, Silence, and Survival

In this powerful episode of 8158: Stories of Sacrifice, we sit down with Debbie, a retired dispatcher who served her community for 27 years. In 2019, a tragic on-air incident changed her life forever when she heard a deputy lose his life during a call. The weight of that moment—and years of compound trauma—led to her retirement in 2021.
Debbie opens up about the unseen battles dispatchers face, the toll of trauma, and why she’s using her voice to break the silence around mental health in public safety. With over 50 podcast appearances, her mission is clear: to make sure no one else suffers in silence.
💙 This episode is a must-listen for first responders, families, and anyone who wants to better understand the emotional toll behind the headset.
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🔗 Links & Resources:
💙 Support the mission:
Donate to the William H. “Bill” Butler Jr. Foundation:
https://www.8158podcast.com/donate
🌐 Website:
https://www.8158podcast.com
🎙 Want to be a guest?
Schedule an interview here:
https://8158podcast.com/contact-us
📢 Join our community & get exclusive content:
http://Patreon.com/8158podcast
⸻
#FirstResponderMentalHealth #RelentlessCourage #8158Podcast #BackTheBlue #YouAreNotAlone #DispatcherStrong #MentalHealthAwareness #BehindTheHeadset