As a teenager in the Philippines, Lorraine and her family were kidnapped at gunpoint and held hostage by criminals attempting to rob the bank where her mother worked.

What followed was a terrifying night of blindfolds, threats and negotiations, with her mother forced to make decisions that could determine whether everyone survived. Although the family escaped physically unharmed, the experience changed their lives for years to come.

Lorraine joins David to share what happened, how the experience affected her family and what her mother's extraordinary courage taught her about resilience, staying present and focusing on what you can control.

In September 2019, Tara Pyfrom, her wife, their six-year-old daughter and five dogs found themselves trapped inside their home in the Bahamas as Hurricane Dorian brought devastating winds and a storm surge that flooded their neighbourhood.

Tara shares the terrifying experience of escaping rising floodwaters, spending 24 hours trapped in their attic, and eventually being rescued before leaving everything behind to start a new life in Canada.

We also explore the lasting effects of trauma, the difficult process of recovery, and how writing her memoir, The Ocean in Our Blood, helped Tara find hope and rebuild her life.

Guest Links

Website: https://www.tarapyfrom.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarapyfrom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarapyfromwriter

Book: The Ocean in Our Blood — Amazon

Jody McHugh is an Atlanta storyteller and writer whose childhood changed abruptly after witnessing a fatal heroin overdose at eight years old, followed by violence, poverty and the collapse of his family’s once-stable home.

In this episode of Life by Misadventure, Jody recalls growing up around drugs and murder, the young hippies who stepped in when his family could not, and how those experiences eventually became stories he could share with others.

Jody has learned that talking about the darkest parts of his past can be a way of dealing with them, while choosing to focus on the kindness, humour and humanity that existed alongside them.

You can buy a digital copy of Jody's book, The Damage Done, on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Damage-Done-Jody-McHugh-ebook/dp/B00B6T246W

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About the Show

Life by Misadventure is hosted by David Brown and features honest, engaging conversations with interesting people about life, loss, resilience, ideas, and the experiences that shape us.

Connect with David on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/4dmbrown/

Watch on YouTube:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuZnxBLBaCFU7seF6CvslECdaNyjkRSgV&si=BqJzc0FX1FvuaBvJ