27: @Mayawanderlust tell stories of being a paramedic in NYC

In this episode of the TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast, host Meredyth Willits sits down with the fierce, tiny, and unforgettable Maya Wanderlust — a full-time paramedic, viral TikTok storyteller, and truth-teller who's pulling back the curtain on what really happens when you call 911.

 

With her signature "Grodeo Rodeo" series, Maya brings raw, unfiltered dispatches from the frontlines — the chaos, the heartbreak, the resilience, and yes, the deeply human moments that don't make the headlines. Whether she's reviving someone in the back of a rig, wrestling with trauma (both hers and others'), or simply holding a child's hand as they take their last breath, Maya is proof that some heroes wear steel-toe boots and a body cam.

 

Together, they dive into:

✅ The childhood moment that led Maya to become a paramedic
✅ How a necklace from a car crash survivor shaped her mission
✅ The origin of her viral Rodeo Rodeo series
✅ Why she uses humor to tell the truth about trauma
✅ The power of storytelling in a system that often dehumanizes

 

Maya also opens up about:

✨ What it's like to be five feet tall and the most fearless person in the room
✨ Why many first responders bottle it up — and how she refuses to
✨ Her viral stories of walking into homes no one else sees
✨ The double trauma of watching people die and pretending it's normal
✨ Why she's not just saving lives, she's holding space for endings with dignity

 

This episode is raw, honest, emotional, and funny — just like Maya herself. If you've ever wondered what it really looks like on the frontlines, this episode will show you the view from inside the ambulance.

 

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00:00 Welcome back. Meet Maya Wanderlust

01:00 Why she became a paramedic and the childhood moment that changed everything

03:30 The necklace, the car crash, and one unforgettable paramedic

05:30 The birth of the "Grodeo Rodeo" TikTok series

08:00 Chaos, icks, yucks, and the humanity behind the uniform

10:00 Maya's physical size versus the size of her spirit

12:00 Why you have to be big when you do this kind of work

13:30 The harsh realities of what paramedics really see

16:00 First responders and the trauma no one trains you for

18:30 Drugs, alcohol, and the real epidemic behind the epidemic

21:00 Why she doesn't judge people, and what most critics miss

23:00 What Maya learned from overdose cases and broken systems

25:00 Her personal take on Oxy, addiction, and societal denial

27:30 How it's not about blame, but about humanity

29:00 Her lightning-strike story and how EMS saved Meredyth

32:00 The role of paramedics in people's most fragile moments

34:00 Holding someone's hand may be all you can do — and it matters

36:00 Why some stories never leave you, and what she does with them

38:30 Maya's tattoo and how it keeps her grounded

40:00 A pediatric trauma call she will never forget

42:30 Doing the job when your heart is breaking