The Rollercoaster Podcast

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 Control6:02 How Her Religion Was Used Against Her9:19 The Moment She Realised Her Worth Was Gone12:00 The Day He Admitted He Wanted to Hit Her14:44 The Shame and Threats That Kept Her Silent17:39 A Year of Sleep Deprivation and Surveillance20:10 “Just Let Me Leave”… and the Violent Response23:06 “Look at That Face, How Could I Love That?”26:00 The Escape Attempt That Finally Worked29:31 The Jury Trial And Her Kids Taking the Stand32:53 Why Abusers All Share the Same Patterns33:23 Her Message to Women Still Living in FearGuest 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 Life2:45 Sitting Alone With A Gun And No Hope6:10 Dialling 911 Not Knowing If He’d Survive9:10 “God Still Gave Me A Choice”13:40 The Lie That Almost Destroyed Him16:20 The Ten-Minute Danger Window20:40 “I Wanted One Last Goodbye”23:10 Doctors Say Can’t Explain This27:30 The Therapist Who Changed Him31:10 “My Son Died… Then I Tried To”34:20 Why Suicide Doesn’t End Pain37:05 The Three Lies That Trap You40:10 A Message To Anyone StrugglingGuest Info:IG: @wesfunbroTiktok: @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 Said3:00 The Day That Changed His Life Forever7:04 The Moment He Knew Something Was Wrong12:18 The Night Before Everything Went Wrong17:10 The Prayer That Shifted the Room21:45 Telling His Sister Their Dad Was Gone25:40 How the Community Showed Up Overnight30:12 The Spiritual Perspective That Saved Him35:40 The Father-Son Moments He Still Misses39:54 Dreams, Football, and a Life Rewritten43:02 Why Showing Up Matters More Than Words49:35 The 30-Hour Drive They'll Never Forget51:20 Seven Years Later, Another Tragedy Hits55:24 “Nick Is in the Hospital”: Reliving Old Trauma59:58 The ATV Accident That Changed Everything1:03:49 Praying for a Miracle That Didn’t Come1:07:22 Helping His Sister-in-Law Survive the Impossible1:12:28 The Organ Donor Story No One Expected1:17:08 How That Meeting Changed Their Family Forever1:23:56 How He Leads His Family Differently Now1:28:40 Why “Stepping Up” Matters More Than EverGuest 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 Childhood2:12 Life in a Warzone: Fear Every Single Day5:45 “Pack Your Bags. We’re Leaving Tonight.”8:10 The Secret Ship That Changed Everything12:12 Lost Between Two Worlds 17:30 Learning English… Without Knowing a Word22:38 How She Learned to Belong in America25:09 “I Refuse to Be a Victim” 30:44 The Anxiety That Never Fully Left33:26 Parenting After Trauma 36:12 What Chaos Does to the Nervous System40:55 Turning Pain Into Purpose45:40 Why So Many Suffer Alone48:12 The Power of Finding Your Why52:33 Why Young People Give Up Too Soon55:17 How to Survive When Life Breaks You59:55 Raising Strong Kids in a Fragile World1:04:10 How She Found Healing Slowly1:08:20 Why She Still Believes in HopeGuest Info:IG: @‌therealocdentistWebsite: https://drguittaharb.com/

What happens when the moment that should have destroyed you… becomes the moment God uses to save your life? This episode with Ruslan KD is one of the most intense, emotional, and faith-shifting conversations I’ve ever had.Today, I sit down with Ruslan KD, creator, pastor, rapper, and one of the fastest-growing Christian voices online, to unpack a story that begins in a war-torn country, where a single detail from his childhood literally saved his family from being killed. From fleeing ethnic cleansing in Azerbaijan, surviving abuse, and falling into drugs, crime, and violence in San Diego, Ruslan opens up about the battles that shaped him.We talk about fatherlessness, trauma, identity, masculinity, addiction, and the moment God stepped in and completely rerouted his life. His transformation from chaos to calling is a raw reminder that redemption is real and that God’s ways, even when they feel restrictive, are actually pathways to freedom.If you’ve wrestled with identity, faith, or the pain of your past, this conversation will breathe hope into you. Watch this episode to hear a story you’ll never forget.Key Moments:0:00 The Moment That Saved My Life1:42 Growing Up Armenian in a War Zone4:52 The One Detail That Meant Life or Death7:48 My Family Fell Apart Overnight10:38 How I Slid Into Crime at 1113:22 Gangster Rap Became My Role Model15:52 Running From a Kid With a Knife18:40 We Had to Move or I Wasn’t Going to Make It21:41 Wrestling With Faith, Trauma, and Identity24:45 Why I Finally Surrendered Everything27:28 Breaking Old Habits and Building New Ones30:09 Why God’s Boundaries Lead to Freedom33:14 The Danger of Letting Your Job Define You36:12 The Only Identity That Actually Holds39:16 My Imposter Syndrome While Writing This Book42:40 How to Pursue Success Without Losing Yourself46:01 Why Most People Misunderstand Calling49:02 The Problem With Hustle Culture52:18 What I Wish I Knew at 1655:47 Advice for Kids Growing Up Without a Dad59:01 Why God’s Ways Aren’t “Restrictions”1:02:22 How to Build an Identity That Lasts1:04:14 The Power of Community When You’re Lost1:07:54 The Simple Advice That Saved My LifeGuest Info:IG: @‌ruslankdYouTube: @‌RuslanKD