Rise Above with Kevin Lanning

Rise Above with Kevin Lanning

Welcome to Rise Above with Kevin Lanning. Join Kevin, a former Google executive in sobriety, as he shares inspiring stories of resilience. Each episode features individuals who have faced life’s toughest challenges—addiction, trauma, anxiety, and more—and emerged stronger. These conversations aren’t just about survival; they’re about thriving and finding practical solutions to rise above adversity. Kevin’s own journey through addiction and childhood trauma fuels his passion for sharing stories that uplift, educate, and inspire. Tune in and discover the strength within you.

Episodes

Cop Turned Cocaine Dealer | The Vicious Grip of Cocaine Addiction

June 25, 2025 • 70 mins
Sean went from leading Coast Guard drug busts to becoming a full-blown addict selling the very drugs he once confiscated. He was arrested more times than any cop in history, ended up homeless and addicted, and cycled through 10 rehabs. His story spirals through violence, strip clubs, overdoses, and jail—until a final moment of grace saved his life. Today, Sean runs a successful business, cares for his mother, and uses his story to ...
Mark as Played

I Married a Doctor… and Ended Up With a Drug Addict I Didn’t Recognize

June 24, 2025 • 87 mins
Dr. Linda Varisco had it all: a thriving chiropractic business, two kids, and what seemed like the perfect marriage. But when her husband spiraled into drug addiction, infidelity, and shady business dealings, her world came crashing down. Caught in a $25M healthcare fraud scheme she didn’t fully understand, Linda cooperated with the FBI—and still ended up behind bars.In this explosive follow-up interview, Dr. Linda shares the raw t...
Mark as Played

"I Woke Up in Jail for Trying to Decapitate My Mom" | Alcohol & Opiate Addiction Spiral

June 22, 2025 • 64 mins
Ryan Penley was deep in a spiral of addiction — partying in Las Vegas, hooked on alcohol and 14 Roxy pills a day. But nothing could’ve prepared him for what happened next: he blacked out during a multi-day bender… and woke up in jail for trying to decapitate his own mother.In this gripping and brutally honest interview, Ryan shares:His chaotic upbringing with addicted parentsHow a broken leg led to full-blown opiate addictionLife a...
Mark as Played

Addiction Recovery: God saved me from a Drug + Alcohol Addiction | Rise Above Reflections

June 20, 2025 • 30 mins
In this first episode of Rise Above Reflections, I open up about how I lost myself to addiction—and how surrendering to God completely transformed my life.From chasing external validation to battling shame, I reflect on the moments that nearly broke me… and the spiritual breakthrough that saved me.This isn’t just my story—it’s the truth about addiction, identity, and the healing power of faith.🙏 If you're struggling, you're not al...
Mark as Played

"My 40 Roxy-a-Day Addiction Nearly Killed Me" | Exposing Florida’s Ruthless Pill Mill Empire

June 17, 2025 • 94 mins
Casey was deep in the Florida pill mill scene—doctor shopping, pushing 40 Roxy 30s a day, and connected to the infamous George brothers. But a violent bust and prison sentence changed everything. In this raw, unfiltered interview, Casey shares how trauma, addiction, and near-death moments led to a full transformation—from inmate to entrepreneur and father fighting for custody of his daughter.⚠️ From DEA raids to witnessing a CO kil...
Mark as Played

"I Was Doing 30 Oxycontins a Day" | Brutal Painkiller Addiction Story & How I Got Sober

June 14, 2025 • 72 mins
Tyler never expected one pain pill would spiral into a full-blown opiate addiction. What started as a prescription for a finger injury turned into 30 OxyContins a day. He was sniffing pills, partying non-stop, and buying Roxys from Camden bodegas. After hitting rock bottom, losing his girlfriend, and nearly ending his life, Tyler checked into treatment and never looked back. In this raw and unfiltered interview, Tyler opens up abo...
Mark as Played

Inside an Alcoholic’s Chaotic Life | Sexually Abused, Abandoned & Addicted

June 11, 2025 • 81 mins
Marci was just six years old when she had to choose between safety and her own mother. Raised in a home filled with alcoholism, abuse, and betrayal, her childhood was a nightmare. She was groomed, sexually abused, abandoned emotionally by both parents — and began drinking at age 12. By her 20s, she was spiraling through toxic relationships, addiction, and the pain of unhealed trauma. But everything changed after one final breaking...
Mark as Played

Inside the SHOCKING Fall of an Aspiring NHL Star | How Addiction Destroyed Everything

June 8, 2025 • 83 mins
Kevin Corbin grew up in the chaos of 1980s Boston—gunshots, addiction, and dysfunction were the norm. A star athlete who played junior hockey under a former NHL player, Kevin's life spiraled after one arrest derailed his college dreams. He fell into addiction, worked security at biker bars, and ended up in prison after a toxic relationship led to felony charges. But today, he’s nearly six years sober and helping others rise from ro...
Mark as Played

My Husband’s Hidden Opiate Addiction | Surviving a Spouses Addiction & a Federal Raid

June 5, 2025 • 81 mins
Shauna thought she’d met the perfect man—until one day, he showed up at her door high and told her the feds had just raided his office. What followed was over a decade of addiction, legal chaos, a $12 million fraud case, and prison time.In this raw and powerful interview, Shauna opens up for the first time about surviving an abusive past, building a multi-million dollar lash business from nothing, and holding her family together wh...
Mark as Played

"I Tried Heroin in a Laundry Room" | David Koechner Exposes His Darkest Addiction Struggles

June 2, 2025 • 69 mins
You know him from Anchorman, The Office, and Saturday Night Live—but you’ve never heard David Koechner like this. In this raw, emotional interview, David opens up about his decades-long struggle with alcohol, the death of his best friend from fentanyl, a DUI that made TMZ, and the journey that led him to nearly two years of sobriety. He shares how Antabuse, accountability, and spiritual growth have helped him stay on track. From Ho...
Mark as Played

I Started Shooting Heroin at 15 | Human Trafficked, Prison, and How I Finally Got Clean & Sober

June 1, 2025 • 75 mins
At just 15, Alyx was shooting heroin. By 18, she had survived jail, r*pe, and being trafficked in a drug-fueled underworld. In this brutally honest interview, she opens up about the trauma, addiction, and darkness that nearly took her life — and the moment she finally broke free. Now a sober mom and recovery professional, Alyx shares how she found healing, purpose, and peace. This is one of the rawest and most inspiring stories eve...
Mark as Played

“I Married a Junkie” | Dr. Cali Estes Exposes the Dark Reality of Fentanyl and Heroin Addiction, Detox & Recovery

May 28, 2025 • 72 mins
Celebrity addiction expert Dr. Cali Estes opens up about her late husband’s million-dollar heroin and fentanyl addiction, surviving five overdoses, and detoxing in first class at 33,000 feet. In this gripping episode, Dr. Cali reveals what it's like to detox a loved one in your own home, how she built the world’s largest addiction recovery school, and the truth behind Suboxone, SSRIs, and the broken rehab industry. From private det...
Mark as Played

Inside a PCP Addicts Brutal Lifestyle | Molested at 10, Pregnant by 16, and Selling Crack by 20

May 25, 2025 • 64 mins
Alexis was molested at 10, pregnant by 16, and selling crack and smoking PCP by 20. After surviving brutal domestic violence, jail time, and near-death drug experiences, she found herself homeless, hopeless — and then, a pastor stepped in. What happened next changed her life forever. Today, Alexis is 8 years sober, a mother of five, and married to a man she met in rehab. This is one of the most raw, emotional, and transformative in...
Mark as Played

Inside the Brutality of Drug Psychosis | D1 Baseball Star at 16 Spirals into Addiction

May 21, 2025 • 64 mins
Jack seemed to have it all — a loving family, standout athletic talent, and a Division 1 baseball scholarship by the age of 16. But behind the scenes, he was battling deep emotional pain, addiction, and suicidal thoughts. In this raw and honest interview, Jack opens up about being expelled in 6th grade, spiraling into drug use by high school, and hitting rock bottom just weeks before leaving for college. After a life-saving decisi...
Mark as Played

The Alcoholic's Struggle: How Sobriety Changed My Life and Saved My Mental Health

May 18, 2025 • 65 mins
Austin went from living in a $3 million mansion in Florida and partying like a rock star… to spiraling into full-blown addiction. After years of binge drinking and daily marijuana use, he lost direction, purpose—and even the love of his life. But on April 24, 2022, everything changed. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Austin shares how he went from a promising athlete and successful car salesman to feeling hopeless and broke...
Mark as Played

Inside a War Hero’s Brutal Return Home: Addiction, Jail, Redemption (Security for Da Baby & Lil Baby)

May 14, 2025 • 59 mins
Dr. JayR McIntyre went from battling poverty, addiction, and jail time in Los Angeles to serving 14 years in the U.S. Army, earning the Bronze Star, and becoming one of LinkedIn’s Top 100 Speakers to Watch. In this raw and inspiring interview, he opens up about losing his mother to AIDS, surviving street life, and finding purpose through service, entrepreneurship, and transformation. This is the story of how pain can become power—a...
Mark as Played

The Secret Hell of Anorexia: My Road to Recovery, Relapse Triggers & What It's Like to Live With It

May 12, 2025 • 56 mins
Athena spent years silently battling an eating disorder that nearly took everything from her. In this raw and emotional interview, she opens up about the secret hell of anorexia, what it took to face her demons, and how hitting rock bottom became the start of her transformation. Her journey is a reminder that even your darkest days can lead to your greatest growth. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, y...
Mark as Played

UFC Champion Kayla Harrison: From Sexual Abuse Survivor to UFC Bantamweight Champion

May 9, 2025 • 102 mins
She just shocked the world at UFC 316—and now she holds the UFC bantamweight title. In this exclusive interview, Olympic gold medalist and two-time MMA champion Kayla Harrison shares the raw, unfiltered truth behind her rise to greatness. From surviving sexual abuse and family trauma to becoming a symbol of strength and resilience, Kayla opens up about the pain that forged her and the purpose that fuels her. This is more than a st...
Mark as Played

Inside a Drug-Fueled Armed Robber’s SHOCKING Double Life

May 7, 2025 • 101 mins
Nick Marshall had a normal childhood—Disney trips, family dinners, and supportive parents. But underneath it all, he was battling brutal bullying, shame, and identity struggles. What started as seeking acceptance led to drug deals, a robbery crew, and eventually prison time. In this jaw-dropping episode, Nick opens up about the moment it all changed—and how he's now rebuilding his life after incarceration. His raw honesty and journ...
Mark as Played

Inside an OxyContin Addict's SHOCKING Lifestyle | Survivor's Guilt

May 4, 2025 • 68 mins
Nicole Meo survived the unthinkable — a horrific car crash that took the lives of her boyfriend and his best friend. She was the only survivor. What followed was years of pain, guilt, and a descent into opioid addiction after being prescribed OxyContin. Her journey spiraled into psych wards, rock bottom moments, and the darkest corners of active addiction. But against all odds, Nicole clawed her way out — and is now nearly 8 years ...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club

    Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club

    Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

    Dateline NBC

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    24/7 News: The Latest

    24/7 News: The Latest

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

Explore

iHeart

Live Radio

Podcasts

Artist Radio

Exclusives

News

Features

Events

Contests

Photos

Information

About

Advertise

Blog

Brand Guidelines

Contest Guidelines

Subscription Offers

Jobs

Get the App

Automotive

Home

Mobile

Wearables

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.