Exclusive: Drew Glick Discusses His Book, The WheelHouse on Audiobook Network

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What would you sacrifice for the animals you love? Drew Glick's journey from self-described "asshole" to compassionate human forms the emotional core of his tearjerker memoir, "The Wheelhouse." This raw conversation delves into the profound bond Drew formed with his two dogs—Sasha, a petite American boxer with a devilish spirit, and Gabbie, a gentle golden retriever who faced a devastating cancer diagnosis.

Drew never intended to become an author. The book began as therapy, a way to process the intense experiences of caring for his beloved companions through incredible challenges. When Gabbie was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer) just six months after joining his family, Drew made decisions that many wouldn't understand—sacrificing his career, savings, and relationships to save her life. Through this struggle, he discovered something transformative: "It wasn't so much me doing anything for them, it was them doing it for me."

The conversation explores profound questions about the nature of compassion, love, and purpose. Drew reflects on how his dogs taught him to love authentically; beyond the superficial ways humans often express it. His story challenges us to consider our connections to all living beings and reminds us that sometimes our greatest struggles become our greatest teachers. As Drew beautifully puts it, "Not all good things are good, and not all bad things are bad." This perspective allowed him to see Gabbie's cancer not as a tragedy but as something that ultimately made her embrace life more fully—a lesson he carries with him today.

Drew's story continues in his upcoming book, "The Wheelhouse: The Last Day." His ultimate hope is that readers will connect with Sasha and Gabbie's journey and perhaps reflect on their own lives and relationships. Through their story, we're reminded that sometimes the most profound life lessons come from unexpected sources, teaching us to be better humans in the process.

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Produced and Directed by: Drew Glick

Hosted by: Drew Glick

Co-Host: Sam Ailewi

Edited and Arranged by: Drew Glick

Studio Intern: Elisa Hernandez

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Ambient Music Provided by: Envato and Music Radio Creative

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Cover Art and Episode Graphics Designed by: www.getcovers.com

Copyright 2025, 2026 by Iervasi Media Partners

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hello everybody, I have the absolute honor of
sitting here with Drew Glick.
He is the author of theWheelhouse, the true story about
a boy and his dogs.
Can you tell us about your book?

Speaker 2 (00:14):
It follows the exploits, I would say, of myself
and my two dogs, sasha andGabby.
I won't lie, it's not an easyread for a lot of people.
There's a lot of dark times.
Really, the book kind of delvesinto like bridging the gap
between a human being and thelove they have for their animals
, and how that transcends intolike a love that humans have for

(00:38):
another human being.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Yeah, so they definitely have a box of tissues
handy, right.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, it was said to me thatit's a tearjerker.
It was one of those things thatI never really meant to write,
but, as my cousin Steven willsay, it was therapy for me.
So I guess you could say thatbeing an author was kind of like
an accidental career.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
And was that what you would say?
Inspired.
Your book Is your experiencewith your dogs.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
You know, inspirational.
Wise, I would have to say thatit was more, not so much with
Sasha and Gabby and that story,but just the people that said,
hey, you're never going to writea book, drew, never going to
happen.
And I think that motivated mein a lot of ways to kind of you
know, kind of follow through onthings that I wanted to do.
I think that you know I mean, Ithink I'm sure anybody can

(01:29):
relate to that Like when you'retold you can't do it, you just
become more determined to do it.
Most people that know me willsay that the more that Drew
hears no, the more determined hebecomes.
I do appreciate people that youknow wanted to kind of keep me
down and, you know, mock me.
And now that it's actually beendone and it's out there and
it's an audio book now and a lotof other things are happening
because of this book, it's kindof changed people's

(01:50):
understanding and I'm glad thatmy family now knows what I
really did go through in termsof having Sasha and Gabby in my
life and how important theyreally are to me, because
without them I probably wouldn'tbe breathing today.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
And our listeners and our viewers are getting to see
a picture of Sasha and Gabbyright now.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
You know I have them, both tattooed on my own.
By the way, sasha was apurebred American boxer, not the
average looking boxer.
She was a very petite, thin,slimline boxer.
I often refer to her as like alittle devil.
I didn't know that, going intohaving Sasha, I want a dog, you
know.
I mean, hey, she's cute, I'llget that.

(02:27):
Gabby is a purebred goldenretriever and you can kind of
say I had the best of bothworlds because I had Sasha, who
was always causing trouble anddriving me out of my skull, and
then you had Gabby who was morejust like docile, didn't really
care, laid around, you know, didher own thing.

(02:51):
But there was a lot of trialsand tribulations, pretty much
from day one.
In many regards I think it wasthose how do I say this the
right way, like it was the badtimes that made it good.
For instance, I'll give you anexample Very early on, I think,
maybe six months into havingGabby, she got diagnosed with
osteosarcoma, which is bonecancer.
I think it was those challengesthat really in a way defined me
and defined the what's the word?

(03:11):
Like the rationale why it wasso important for me to have
Sasha and Gabby, because itshowed me a different side of
compassion, like what doescompassion really mean when it
comes to the human psyche?
Understanding that, like we allwant to be compassionate
towards somebody, but who wouldgive up, like essentially like
their life savings, their job,their career, basically just to

(03:36):
save a dog from cancer?
It sounds funny to say it, butlife was definitely different
and more interesting back thenthan it is now.
I felt like I had a purpose,like I had something I had to do
, like there was a reason why Iwas put in that position with
Sasha and Gabby.
But then, as I look back on itnow, it wasn't so much me doing
anything for them, it was themdoing it for me.

(03:58):
I think I needed that connectionin my life back then because I
was kind of like a I mean, I'vealways been a loner.
At that point in my life, I wasnot into girls, I really didn't
care, I didn't want to getmarried, I didn't want kids, and
I just think that that showedme a different, different
approach to life, if you want toput it that way.
Like there's more to life thanjust when we wake up, have our

(04:20):
coffee, go to our job and we'reall connected is what I'm trying
to get at Like, whether it be adog, another human, we all have
that universal consciousnessand we're here for each other
and, as the wise man once said,that the only life worth living
is a life lived for others.
So I kind of feel that that'slike my motivation to keep going

(04:41):
forward and, you know,overcoming all these challenges
and struggles, and you knowusing my tragedy as my triumph,
as they say.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
Do you have anything else that you want to share with
the listener and the viewertoday?

Speaker 2 (04:52):
There's a lot that I want to share with the listener
and viewer.
But if I do that, then Iinadvertently ruin the book and
any forthcoming books that willcome.
And I learned how to lovethrough my dogs, people.
How do I say this withoutinsulting anybody?
Like people will say they loveyou, but it's just, it's like,
it's like a reaction, and sincethese experiences I truly come

(05:14):
to understand what that means.
And I've dedicated my life toyou.
Know helping or, as people willsay, like teaching other people
about compassion, about youknow forgiveness.
And I'm not perfect.
I mean I have I have.
I have my moments of weakness.
Don't get me wrong.
You know I think if you're trueto yourself, you can be true to
somebody else.
And again, I say a lot of thisin the books.
I don't want to, I don't wantto take it out of the book, but

(05:35):
I think if people can genuinelyand honestly you know from their
heart find something to thatdrives them to strive to be
better, I think the world willbe a better place.
I don't think we'd have allthis craziness going on the
world being on fire and whateverthe case may be.
But yeah, I just think thatgenuinely, my, my end game, or
my goal rather, with the bookwas just to kind of bridge that

(05:56):
gap like what it means to behuman and then how outside
influences can make you a betterhuman being, and I hope that
makes sense absolutelyabsolutely okay.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
Well, thank you so much, I won't lie to you and
forgive me.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
Forgive me, you can edit this out if you want, but
forgive me.
Before Sasha and Gabby, I was areal asshole, all right.
And a lot of people, even today, will say, yeah, drew's a great
guy, he's the sweetest assholeyou'll ever meet.
But you know, in today's world,like I realized, like you know
you got to and I hate to say itthis way, but you gotta protect
yourself.
It's gotta be you and theneverybody else.

(06:33):
And it sounds like acontradiction to what I just
said.
In some ways it is, but inother ways it's not.
And I think that if people justI think it's just about being
true to yourself, you know, andas much as I fought with my
family, my dad and whoevertelling me give up your dogs,
you can't take care of them.
You know and, believe me, youknow, if you should ever read

(06:56):
the book or listen to it, you'regoing to say, man, this, this
drew guy I.
This can't possibly be true,because it's like, why would
somebody, you know, give uptheir life, like they're,
essentially, give up theirhumanity in some ways, to just
care for two dogs?
You know who can't talk.
You know and you know who whocosts an arm and a leg, I mean
that's, that's a given.
Any dog will cost you hundredsof dollars a month.

(07:17):
But I, you know and it's a hardquestion to answer because it
just I just felt like this wasagain, like I had to do this,
and I think if more people wouldlike I said just true to
themselves and follow their pathand trusted their struggle and,
by the way, I own the copyrighton that.
Trust your struggle, that'smine.
I have the copyright on that.
It's 10 cents every timesomeone says it, like Donald

(07:38):
Trump, I own that.
No, I'm only playing, I'm justkidding.
But you know, I do believe thatthings happen for a reason and
that you know, as a person, youhave to.
You know, like I'm sure mostpeople have heard this before
like sometimes you have toendure hell to get to heaven and

(07:59):
that's a big driving forcebehind the book.
Like you people, like myselfand others, you have to ask,
like, would drew be where he istoday if these things never
happen?
You know, would he be betteroff?
Would he be worse off?
Would he be, you know, marriedthree kids, hating his life,
waking up to a wife he doesn'tlove anymore?
So you have to look at thereasons behind what happens, and
I say it in the book that notall good things are good and not

(08:21):
all bad things are bad.
So, for instance, gabby losingher leg, life is a matter of
perspective.
So was that bad that thathappened to Gabby, or did that
make Gabby stronger, you know,was she able to become?
I think personally, like I sayin the book, that that made her
a better dog.
I mean, granted, she never toldme because, you know, we never

(08:44):
were able to exchange words, butjust from how she came out of
that and how she just grew andshe loved life, you know, and
you know, having three legs, youyou know, whether she knew it
or not, I mean she just lovedbeing a dog and and she and I
know she loved me because, again, I'm not gonna ruin it but you

(09:04):
know, I think there was somekind of unconscious
understanding that, like I savedher and she saved me wow I hate
to use the word saved again,and I I don't know if it was
just inbred in me and I justdidn't realize at the time, but
I don't know if I've always beenthat way, but, and maybe it's

(09:24):
true, maybe sasha and gabbybrought that out of me.
I mean, they were like velcro tome.
So having them attached to meevery day, all day, I I really
think was a blessing again.
You know how many people wouldput their, you know.
You know have their.
Many people would put their,you know, have their dog
sleeping in the bed with themand the girlfriend on the couch.
My dogs were, quote unquote,always the problem.

(09:45):
You know, whatever I'm going tokeep my mouth shut on that one
too.
So I'm just, I'm just trying toand I'm not to be repetitive.
I know that you always wantmore than less, so I'm trying to
just kind of keep it going, butthan less.
So I'm trying to just kind ofkeep it going.
But you know, I just think thatall life is special and precious
and the sooner that we as humanbeings understand that.
You know, like stepping on anant may seem, like you know,

(10:06):
infantismal in the grand scopeof things, but I think that all
life is precious and I thinkthat once we begin to understand
that, even like a dog's life, Ithink that we as a species will
get beyond our pettydifferences.
And, you know, all of thisnonsense that we're dealing with
now and not that it's nonsense,okay there, there is legitimacy

(10:29):
behind a lot of it but I thinkthat we have to start to realize
that our purpose here, you know, on on this planet, is far
greater than we can ever know.
We're never going to get thereunless we have a spiritual
awakening.
I think in a lot of ways I'mtrying to do that in the book.
Again, forgive me for cursing,you want to censor it out, do

(10:50):
what you got to do, but I try tobe an asshole to people because
I try to get people to lookback and reflect on their own
life and their actions andwhether it's good or bad and
whether people you know willkind of feel guilty, because I
feel guilty about a lot of stuffthat I did I write about in the
book.
I have to give people somethingto relate to, because I know
I'm not the only one out therethat's ever gone through this

(11:12):
kind of stuff, and I'm surethere's somebody else saying the
same thing right now.
So I want to get thatconnection and I want people to
realize like you're not alone inthis world and the sooner that
you can find that you know,quote unquote soulmate, if that
even exists, happier your lifewill be.
Even if your life is hard,you're going to be happy Because

(11:33):
even as much crap as Drew wentthrough and as much as he lost
his family turning on him,girlfriends leaving he was happy
.
And that's really what the bookis about.
And you know, as the series goeson, I will say, and as readers
and listeners will look back onthe earlier books in the series,
they will come to realize thatif Drew didn't do what he did,

(11:55):
he would never have gotten hisdream job.
He wouldn't have, you know,people around the globe praising
his work.
I wouldn't be here sitting withyou right now talking and
talking about the book.
Again, like I heard it theother day, there's a saying that
goes like if you don't riskanything, then you risk
everything.
So you need to, you need to goout there, you know, like guns

(12:17):
blazing, you know, take the bullby the horns.
And I really hope that thisbook will show people that and I
hate to keep using these likeanalogies and and and quotes,
but I think people will relateto it better.
You know, it's not the desk,it's not the destination, it's
the journey that matters.
So if you can learn somethingalong the way, to me, it's worth

(12:38):
it.
If I can become a better personand mature spiritually and be
able to be a quote, unquoteteacher.
I never want to be a teacher topeople, but if they see me as a
teacher which they do and theycan learn from me, then all of
this crap I went through 10years ago, everything Sasha and
Gabby went through, it wasn't invain and it had a reason.
And that's all I'm hoping to.

(12:58):
I'm all I'm hoping that I hopethat's true.
I really hope there's a reason,because sometimes I've been
like, is it, you know?
like a drew click everybody andand I'm sorry to interrupt you
but I know a lot of people maymay do the say the opposite of
that, like it's the destinationwhatever.
But I think that it you know wewe got to learn as human beings

(13:18):
.
I think it's important to growand learn and you can only do
that if you just again trustyour struggle and people.
That's copyrighted people,remember that.
Don't use that.
That's not my permission.

Speaker 1 (13:30):
I was tempted to use it, but I didn't want to have to
send you a check for 10 centsExactly.
Drew, thanks so much formeeting with me today, man.
I've left truly inspired andeager to see all your success.

Speaker 2 (13:43):
Great, and I will say the next book and that one's
called the Wheelhouse the LastDay.
It's essentially a turningpoint.
We'd love for people to checkit out.
Keep following the series,follow the story of Sasha and
Gabby.
That would just be so inspiringfor me if people could keep
following their story Not somuch mine, but theirs.
Pleasure always.

Speaker 1 (14:03):
Thank you, drew, really enjoyable.
We hope that you have a greatafternoon.