Today’s episode is very close to my heart. In honor of our son, Ethan, I’ve put together a tribute filled with laughter, love, and memories that capture the amazing person he was. Ethan was just 20 years old when he was taken from us far too soon by a drunk driver. He was a bright light in our life—a passionate gamer, talented basketball player, swimmer, vintage truck enthusiast, and a person whose laugh could fill a room.

To everyone who recorded a message for this special episode, thank you. Your voices, your memories, and your love have helped create a beautiful celebration of Ethan's life, and I am deeply grateful. This episode is filled with the joy and warmth he brought into all our lives.

Join me in remembering Ethan and in celebrating his incredible spirit. May his laughter echo forever in our hearts.

Contributors:

Connar

Debra

Sheri

Zach

Carolyn

Zita

Christian

Aracely

Andre

Kevon

Diana

Margie

Roni

Marcus

#RememberingEthan #CelebrationOfLife #PodcastTribute #ForeverInOurHearts

There will also a YouTube version both audio only and video with photos of Ethan published tomorrow, 11/14/2024.

Thank you to Epidemic Sound for the intro music. https://www.epidemicsound.com/

Website: https://mystutteringlife.com

Today’s featured guest is Luke Critchley. Luke is from the UK and stated that stuttering had been a part of his life for over 30 years. “That was up until COVID and I started to work with John Harrison over Skype. Over 3 years and countless public speaking groups, I have improved to the point it’s no longer a big issue in my life”. I believe that there is healing in sharing, and I want to thank Luke for sharing his story with me today.

LINKS:

Email: lukecritchley1@gmail.com

Free Book: Redefining Stuttering by John Harrison - https://web.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/Infostuttering/Harrison/redefining.html

Thank you to Noah Swiderski (owner and producer of Briton Beats) for your outro music. For more information on Briton Beats, click this link: https://www.britonmedia.com/editing

Thank you to Epidemic Sound for the intro music. https://www.epidemicsound.com/

Thank you to Mike Russell for that voice over outro. https://musicradiocreative.com

If you would like to support this podcast, then I would love a cup of coffee: buymeacoff.ee/mslpodcast

Website: https://mystutteringlife.com

Today’s featured guest is Mark Jones. Mark Jones was a talented and ferocious dual-code rugby player who was tormented by a debilitating stammer. During a professional career that spanned 22 years he was capped 15 times for Wales, 11 times for Wales RL and once by Great Britain RL. One of the acknowledged ‘bad-boys’ of the sport, he was sent off six times and banned for over 33 weeks for violent conduct. His on-field brutality was a direct consequence of the off-field frustration and self-loathing caused by his stammer. Mark now acknowledges that he was internalizing an explosive hate that only playing rugby could release. Mark received counselling and constructive help rather than condemnation for his unacceptable behavior and along with a program of speech therapy provided by his friends and mentors, all this has helped him turn his life around. “I have learnt to control my stammer and have stopped my stammer controlling me. Anyone who has suffered from a stammer will know of the humiliation and low self-esteem it creates. Thankfully, I have now found a way to live my life free from its grip and I hope that my honesty and insight will help others experiencing the same torment.”

I believe that there is healing in sharing, and I want to thank Mark for sharing his story with me today.

LINKS

Email: Mark Jones c/o - belfaststammer@gmail.com

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Speak-Rugby-Rage-Redemption/dp/1904609015

Thank you to Noah Swiderski (owner and producer of Briton Beats) for your outro music. For more information on Briton Beats, click this link: https://www.britonmedia.com/editing

Thank you to Epidemic Sound for the intro music. https://www.epidemicsound.com/

Thank you to Mike Russell for that voice over outro. https://musicradiocreative.com

If you would like to support this podcast, then I would love a cup of coffee: buymeacoff.ee/mslpodcast

Website: https://mystutteringlife.com

Today’s featured guest is Ignacio Dela Cruz. Ignacio is a Native of Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands, and is a current Speech-Language Pathologist. Prior to his role as an SLP, Ignacio taught special education and preschool and represented his home at different conferences. Ignacio has degrees from the University of Guam and San Jose State University. Ignacio is pursuing a doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. I believe that there is healing in sharing, and I want to thank Ignacio for sharing his story with me today.

LINKS:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kinodlc670/

Email ignaciodlcsaipan@gmail.com

Thank you to Noah Swiderski (owner and producer of Briton Beats) for your outro music. For more information on Briton Beats, click this link: https://www.britonmedia.com/editing

Thank you to Epidemic Sound for the intro music. https://www.epidemicsound.com/

Thank you to Mike Russell for that voice over outro. https://musicradiocreative.com

If you would like to support this podcast, then I would love a cup of coffee: buymeacoff.ee/mslpodcast

Website: https://mystutteringlife.com

Today’s featured guest is Kenny M’Pindou. Kenny shares his personal journey of overcoming obstacles and pursuing his dreams despite facing challenges. Originally from DR Congo but born in Montreal, Quebec, and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, he developed a speech impediment at a young age. He can't remember when he first noticed a difference in his speech or when it started to affect him, but to this day, he still stutters. As he always told himself, he is a work in progress. While his speech may never be fluent, he hopes to one day be able to control it. As a bobsled athlete with aspirations of competing at the 2026 Olympic Games, he found inspiration and guidance from his coach, Neville Wright, a three-time Olympian. At the same time, he hopes to be an inspiration to those with speech impediments, encouraging them to continue to defy the odds and show that we, too, are capable of many great things despite what waves life may throw at us.

I believe that there is healing in sharing, and I want to thank Kenny for sharing his story with me today.

CLICK ON LINKS:

LinkedIn

Squarespace

Instagram

Email: kenny.mpindou@gmail.com

Thank you to Noah Swiderski (owner and producer of Briton Beats) for your outro music. For more information on Briton Beats, click this link: https://www.britonmedia.com/editing

Thank you to Epidemic Sound for the intro music. https://www.epidemicsound.com/

Thank you to Mike Russell for that voice over outro. https://musicradiocreative.com

If you would like to support this podcast, then I would love a cup of coffee: buymeacoff.ee/mslpodcast

Website: https://mystutteringlife.com

Today’s featured guest is Sam Bagshaw. Sam Bagshaw is a 27-year-old residing in the UK who has grappled with a stammer since childhood. Over the past few years, Sam has found a newfound confidence in speaking and has taken to TikTok to raise awareness about the challenges of living with a stammer. I believe that there is healing in sharing, and I want to thank Sam for sharing his story with me today.

CLICK ON LINKS:

TikTok

Instagram

Facebook

Thank you to Noah Swiderski (owner and producer of Briton Beats) for your outro music. For more information on Briton Beats, click this link: https://www.britonmedia.com/editing

Thank you to Epidemic Sound for the intro music. https://www.epidemicsound.com/

Thank you to Mike Russell for that voice over outro. https://musicradiocreative.com

If you would like to support this podcast, then I would love a cup of coffee: buymeacoff.ee/mslpodcast

Website: https://mystutteringlife.com

Today’s featured guest is Jia Bin. Jia Bin, M.A., is a doctoral student at Michigan State University. Jia earned her undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature at Chongqing Normal University in China, master’s degree in Secondary Education at Oakland University, and master’s degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University. Jia has been a language teacher (English & Mandarin Chinese) who has taught in China, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Jia's own journey of being a person who stutters, and an inter-cultural communicator motivates her to pursue a doctorate in CSD to help the people who stutter and bring people from various cultural backgrounds together. Jia is currently a research assistant at Spartan Stuttering Lab. Jia is also a content creator and leader for the Chinese-speaking stuttering community and is active in the global stuttering community.

I truly believe that there is healing in sharing, and I want to thank Jia for sharing her story with me today.

CLICK ON LINKS:

Email: binjia@msu.edu

Thank you to Noah Swiderski (owner and producer of Briton Beats) for your outro music. For more information on Briton Beats, click this link: https://www.britonmedia.com/editing

Thank you to Epidemic Sound for the intro music. https://www.epidemicsound.com/

Thank you to Mike Russell for that voice over outro. https://musicradiocreative.com

If you would like to support this podcast, then I would love a cup of coffee: buymeacoff.ee/mslpodcast

Website: https://mystutteringlife.com

Today’s featured guest is Sean Bw Parker. Sean Bw Parker (MA) is a British artist, musician and writer specializing in art, cultural theory and justice reform. He has published several books and albums, won several awards – including Koestler Arts platinum for play The Wolfstadt-Wire (2020) and Compelling Speech - The Stammering Enigma (2023) - and gave a TED talk in 2013. He holds Masters and BA degrees in Fine Art from the University for the Creative Arts in Surrey and worked for ten years in Istanbul as a musician and teacher, until 2014. He has given talks at Istanbul University, Kadir-Has University, University of Bristol, Bristol BIMM and Brighton Science Festival amongst other venues, and has been published in Time Out Istanbul, Louder Than War, The Monument Fellowship, The Epoch Times, TS Eliot Foundation, CIEO, New Thinking, STAMMA, Cosmopolitan and in two Westminster Commission reports. He has appeared on Talk Radio Live, NTV Turkey, Rise TV, BBC Radio Wales, in documentaries by Richard Vobes, Dogs On The Run films, Sky Arts, and on a number of podcasts. He has interviewed Ed Harcourt, Kristin Hersh, Julie Burchill, Danny Macnamara, Garry Bushell and Ian Broudie among other musicians and writers, was a music columnist for Turkish magazine the Multicultural Guide and ran the Seafish music and arts venue on the Sussex coast in 2016. He was born in Exeter in 1975. I believe that there is healing in sharing, and I want to thank Sean for sharing his story with me today.

CLICK ON LINKS:

YouTube:

Website:

Email:

LinkedIn:

Twitter (X):

Spotify Music:

Audible Book:

Amazon Book:

Thank you to Noah Swiderski (owner and producer of Briton Beats) for your outro music. For more information on Briton Beats, click this link: https://www.britonmedia.com/editing

Thank you to Epidemic Sound for the intro music. https://www.epidemicsound.com/

Thank you to Mike Russell for that voice over outro. https://musicradiocreative.com

If you would like to support this podcast, then I would love a cup of coffee: buymeacoff.ee/mslpodcast

Website: https://mystutteringlife.com