A Daughter's Story From Dakota Brown

A room full of uniforms. A visitation line where strangers know stories you’ve never heard. Dakota takes us into the disorienting days after her dad's suicide ,a state trooper, and the long, uneven path that followed.

We walk through the crowded rituals of grief and the quiet that follows. Dakota shares how plans to fight wildfires collapsed under the weight of mental health, and how she found new footing through the discipline of taxidermy, the challenge of falconry, and the living history of World War II reenacting. Along the way, horses become a steady mirror: they test confidence, reward clarity, and invite presence without pretense.

This conversation also reaches every first responder, veteran, and parent wrestling with the lie that distance protects your family. We talk openly about isolation, shame, and the ripple effects on children who still want your time, even when life is messy. Faith runs through the episode as a quiet strength, not a shortcut; an invitation to move from monologue to dialogue, to ask for help, and to model vulnerability that breaks generational patterns.

If you’ve ever wondered how to show up when you feel unworthy or how to heal when you’re angry at the past, this story offers both empathy and a way forward. Listen, share with someone who needs hope, and if this hits home, subscribe and leave a review so others can find it. Your presence matters more than your perfection.

If you or someone you know is in crisis and at risk of self-harm, please call or text 988, the suicide and crisis lifeline.

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