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When Arend was pistol-whipped during a drug deal gone wrong, it wasn’t the first time he’d stared down a gun. But it was one of the moments that forced him to look at what his life had become.

Raised by a single mother in a home marked by violence and survival, Arend grew up watching abuse, bouncing between cities, and learning early how to hide pain. By grade seven, he was drinking at school — chasing the same numbness that had destroyed generations before him.

As addiction took hold, Arend hustled, dealt cocaine, and was nearly killed more than once. But it wasn’t until his father died — and he watched someone overdose beside the hospital bed — that the reality of addiction hit home.

Now more than a decade sober, Arend speaks openly about trauma, accountability, forgiveness, and the hard truth that healing doesn’t happen when we blame others. It begins when we finally look inward.

This is the story of a man who turned pain into purpose — and learned that real strength means allowing yourself to feel.

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At three years old, Derek Racette burned a trailer to the ground — the same trailer where he had been sexually assaulted by a family member. Decades later, after years of addiction, violence, and loss, he finally understood why.

Derek’s story traces a lifetime of pain, power, and redemption — from growing up in a home filled with addiction and violence, to becoming a teacher, drug dealer, and eventually a man on the edge of suicide. His daughter’s fentanyl overdose nearly ended his life, but instead became the beginning of his recovery.

Through detox, ceremony, and the rediscovery of his Métis spirituality, Derek found healing in the teachings of the tipi, the drum, and his culture. What began as an act of destruction became a path toward light, service, and rebirth.

This conversation is raw and unfiltered — a look at trauma, resilience, and what it takes to survive when the fire inside has burned everything else away.

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Parenting in the Storm

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Lexi Gibson’s story begins in foster care, shaped by violence, addiction, and the ache of never feeling wanted. By her teens, she was homeless, gang-involved, and surviving through chaos. Years later, in a dark field, stripped and left for dead, she thought her life was over — but that moment became her turning point.

From addiction and violence to recovery and motherhood, Lexi’s journey is one of survival, surrender, and rebuilding. She speaks openly about generational trauma, loss, and the fight to break free from patterns that destroy families. Her story reminds us that even in our darkest moments, recovery is possible — and motherhood can become the bridge to healing.

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For business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.com

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