E36: When I Rolled My Car and Somehow Survived

In this episode, Avram Gonzales shares one of the most frightening moments of his life—a night during spring break in 2010 when exhaustion, determination, and poor judgment collided. After a long day of work, final exams, and a birthday dinner, Avram convinced himself he could still make a late-night drive to Steamboat Springs. What he underestimated was just how tired he truly was.

Somewhere outside of Kremmling, Colorado, Avram fell asleep at the wheel. He woke up drifting off the road, overcorrected, and lost control. The car rolled—what felt like endlessly—before finally landing back on its tires. In the middle of the chaos, the recent death of a close friend surfaced in his mind, bringing a surreal moment of calm in the middle of fear.

In shock, Avram sat in the wreckage, methodically gathering the scattered pieces of a board game before fully grasping what had just happened. Strangers stopped to help, law enforcement arrived, and it became clear the car was totaled—but Avram had somehow walked away.

Looking back, Avram reflects on the lessons that moment burned into him: the danger of overriding your own awareness, the cost of urgency fueled by ego, and the reality that nothing good comes from pushing past your limits. This episode is a sobering reflection on risk, presence, and the night that permanently changed how he approaches decisions—and driving—forever.