“If my grandson ever learns about me, it is my biggest hope that he’ll also learn how his existence shaped who I am—strengthening my kindness, deepening my compassion, and inspiring me to build a community rooted in connection, understanding, hope and love. Everything I created began with him." ~ Donna Skora

Donna Skora remembers the day she got the news that she and her husband, Rick, were going to be grandparents. They were ecstatic and excitedly counted down the days to their grandchild’s due date. When he arrived, circumstances prevented them from getting to the hospital to meet him at his birth, so they figured why not give mom and dad a chance to bond with their new baby and they’d surely get to meet the little guy soon enough.

But, soon enough never came. Shortly after their grandson’s arrival, Donna and Rick were left blindsided when their son and his wife completely cut ties with his entire side of the family, including his sister and their extended family. The news was broken to them in an aggressive text that read, “You have lost a son, a grandson, and a nephew,” followed by “grandparents have no rights.” No one was given any details, there were no updates, but worst of all, no one got to meet the newest member of their family. A profound sense of loss and confusion permeated the following weeks and months.

Donna, aware that their daughter-in-law had a son from her first marriage who was also estranged from his father’s side of the family, felt like she’d missed a vital warning sign. She went searching for answers and discovered that what she and her family were going through was not at all unique. Research uncovered that 38% of Americans are estranged from a family member and grandparent estrangement is becoming more common, affecting as many as 1 in 7 grandparents, as adult children are increasingly distancing themselves from their parents.

1 in 7 equates to roughly 10 million grandparents in the United States sharing some degree of Donna and Rick's pain. She felt she had to act, not only to navigate her own grief, but to be of aid to others in a similar situation. “I didn’t want to feel sorry for myself and wallow in self-pity, and that’s what I would have done if I had not become proactive. It’s too easy to get depressed if you don’t keep your mind active, so I did something to change my world and other peoples' worlds as well.”

That change started in January of 2015, when Donna created a Facebook group called Surrogate Grandparents - USA. Since then, the private group has grown to almost 14,000 members and has been featured on CBS Mornings. It provides the space for its members to actively do something about this aptly named “silent epidemic” by providing resources within the group to help connect volunteers and mentors with a child or family to create a supportive, grandparent-like relationship for the many who may not have local or living grandparents.

Donna’s simple act of advocacy has aided in the healing process for thousands of people. The group has expanded to include foster children who have aged out of the system and even contains a handful of “Surrogate Aunts and Uncles”. What’s more is that its members' have found a supportive community. Now their healing ripples out into the world in countless, positive ways.

“I may have lost a biological grandson, but I gained a vast community of people on the same journey as I am.”

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

“It’s not about power over others, it’s about having power within you to create the life you want.”

~ Anji Kat

I first met Anji Kat a little over 15 years ago, when she was my yoga teacher. After that time I moved to San Diego and she moved to Florida. Recently, a friend of mine shared a poem Anji had written, which was phenomenal, and suggested I reach out and invite her to be on the podcast. I did, and found that Anji’s been very busy since we last saw each other. Not only has she had a great career in corporate wellness, she has explored her spiritual gifts and uses them as part of her business to help clients live more joyful and soulful lives.

On her website she says, “My purpose here on earth is to be a Divine messenger and teacher of love, healing, and spiritual wisdom. I am an Intuitive Empath, Psychic Medium, and Spiritual Mentor connecting you to the voice of your own powerful inner wisdom, as well as loved ones that have crossed over, and providing you spiritual guidance on your beautiful unfolding journey.”

Yes, Anji is very in touch with the spiritual realm. At the same time, she believes in giving very grounded and practical step by step feedback to her clients and believes that anyone can develop their spiritual gifts. I’m excited to talk more with her about this vast area of the human experience. Won’t you join us?

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

“I used to have a neighbor who’d always say, ‘When you rest, you rust’. Well, I don’t ever want to rest and rust to the point where I can’t impact others.” ~ Tony Russell

Tony Russell was only four years old, in preschool, when his mother passed away. She had been having health issues but the suddenness caught everyone off guard. He transitioned through different family members, all doing their best to raise him, but the challenge proved too great and he was given up for adoption. Upon learning this news, Tony’s preschool teacher, Mrs. Russell went home to her military husband and said, “Tony Russell Senior, I know our kids are grown and out of the house and we thought we were done with raising kids, but we are adopting another one.” To which Tony Senior responded, “Yes Ma’am.”

Later in life, Tony followed in his adopted, and beloved, father’s footsteps and pursued a career in the military. While on an air force mission he was injured and died. You did not misread that, Tony Russell was pronounced dead and was deceased for a full 7 minutes before he, just, started breathing again.

Ultimately, staff sergeant Russell spent a month in a coma after the incident when, one day, as he tells it, he just woke up. He’s since experienced many forms of PTSD but his support dogs, Rush and Rip, help him live an active and vibrant life of kindness and appreciation.

A true miracle and a truly exceptional person, I can’t wait for you to hear Tony Russell’s story.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

My next guest and I run in some of the same circles. There’s a particular image of him that I can’t shake. It revolves around a group of us going out for a night of bowling. Everyone was dressed pretty much exactly how you’d expect someone who’s going bowling to dress, except for Kiley Naro. Nope, he showed up wearing a dress shirt, tie, and slacks, trading only his Oxfords for a pair of bowling shoes.

Being dressed up and looking sharp is indicative of Kiley’s drive for excellence. Kiley has been immersed in computer programming since he was a kid and found a way to nurture his passion into a successful career. Within the last decade, Kiley has found himself immersed in something else too, something that surprised him because he’d always held such a profound doubt of it: Religion. Now, faith guides him and this journey has rewritten the programming of his life, going so far as to call him to move to a state he had only ever read about in a book, South Dakota.

Not one to accept loneliness or stew about not knowing anybody in his new home, he joined a Toastmasters group. After a few short years, he was elected to serve not only as President of his club, but also Division Director in the same year. He now serves as Area 64 Director. He also landed a position lending his talents to a non-profit organization that inspires him deeply.

And I’m inspired too! By a friend who constantly steps up and strives for something greater. I trust you will be inspired too.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

I’ve always had great admiration for people who work in healthcare. Since my Dad is a kind and gifted neurologist, you could say I was born into this love for the medical field. This respect has only increased in recent years as I’ve studied more about the challenges that abound in healthcare. The skill and courage with which these challenges are met by teams of healthcare professionals on a daily basis is nothing short of miraculous. My awe and admiration were taken to new heights, pun perfectly intended, when I had a conversation recently with my next guest, Rob Freese.

Rob is a flight nurse, a registered nurse who transports patients to a medical facility on a helicopter or plane. In his 26 year career, he’s logged just over 2,600 flights. That translates to thousands of life saving efforts for patients who are critically injured or severely ill. In our chat, we discussed what he has learned about dealing effectively with crisis situations. In his line of work, he said working well as part of a team is absolutely essential, as is, the importance of debriefing and creating space for healing after a crisis.

I’m excited to interview Nurse Rob and explore these topics further. I’m also so curious to learn why he chose this challenging field and garner some lessons from his experience that we all might apply in our own lives. As with all my guests, I’m honored to celebrate the unique wisdom and perspective Rob Freese brings to the world.

“Most of us go around in life as if we’re not going to die, but we are not guaranteed 80 years. Knowing that I wasn’t going to have forever changed things.” ~ Leah Nixon

During what she calls her first life, Leah Nixon ran a half marathon, two full marathons, helped construct houses for Habitat For Humanity and generally built up a tolerance for doing tough things, and had just started making greeting cards with her sister.

Then an accident on a construction site on August 14, 2018, changed things. A telehandler slipped in the mud and fell over, crushing Leah beneath it. It took firefighters 45 minutes to free her. The accident left Leah’s lower body paralyzed but by some miracle she retained the use of her hands.

While in the hospital, Leah received an unexpected form of medicine: greeting cards. Receiving cards helped Leah “get past the trauma” of what had happened to her and shift her to focus to what might still be possible for her. Wanting to pay this immense healing she experienced from the cards forward, Leah called upon her experience in oil painting and illustration to test her hands and see if she could still draw. The answer was a resounding, Yes!

Now in her second life, Leah uses her talents to create some of the most beautiful and moving greeting cards I’ve ever seen for Tiny and Snail, a greeting card business she runs with her sister, Grace. “We are obsessed with using the magical invention of the Postal Service to infuse love into people’s days. In an age of technology, snail mail isn’t just a novelty—it’s powerful:”

Leah grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota and is proud to be living her second life there with her husband and children, with her parents close by.

Leah’s perspective on life is engaging, optimistic, and empathic. She has put this perspective into action that is now rippling out into the world.

As life progresses, there are undoubtedly going to be changes in store for each and everyone of us. May we embrace these changes with Leah’s determination, joy, and vision.

Visit Tiny and Snail here: https://tinyandsnail.com/

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

After growing up in Chicago and attending Northern Illinois University for art, the promise of surfing and warm Januarys gave Alex Rennie all the inspiration he needed to trade the frigid-howling-wind winters of the Windy City for San Diego, California palm trees and beaches. Once there, he continued his work in graphic design and branding, mastered video production and editing, and nurtured his passion for cartooning. He also engineered Project ABLE: Anti-Bullying Leadership Experience; an interactive empowerment workshop for kids. Alex had found his place. He had found his people. He was settled and happy. That is until a new friend whom Alex met at a premiere networking event invited him to attend a workshop…

And his plans quite suddenly changed.

You see, Alex discovered that he was not only passionate about the content of that workshop but WHO he met there. Love was in the air. He had found his person and soon was hearing wedding bells. There was only one catch to this exceedingly romantic story…this amazing woman didn’t live in San Diego, where Alex felt so at home, nor did she even live in the same state. She lived a bit north, well actually more than a bit… She lived in a whole different country north. In two words, she lived in Calgary, Canada.

And so, as only love would allow it, Alex traded the ocean for the mountains. Instead of surfing, he delights in horseback rides these days, often with his wife, the love of his life, at his side. In Canada, he embraced cartooning full on, partnering with Frank Hildebrandt to create “Abnormalville,”a series of super funny one panel cartoons.

Alex’s story reminds me that just because life changes doesn’t mean we have to pine after the past, we can embrace fresh adventures and learn to let our heart be our guide.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com