Curveball with Scott Reich

In this thought-provoking episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Dr. Aimie Apigian, a physician, trauma specialist, and author, to dive deep into the intersection of trauma and biology. Dr. Apigian brings her unique perspective—rooted in personal experience as a foster and adoptive parent, her Armenian heritage, and years of medical practice—to explore how trauma isn’t just something we experience emotionally or ment...

Welcome to another episode of Curveball, where life’s toughest challenges are met head-on by those who refuse to give up. In this episode, host Scott Reich sits down for a heartfelt conversation with Kerry Kennedy—human rights advocate, author, and president of RFK Human Rights. As the seventh child of Ethel and Robert F. Kennedy, Kerry offers a rare glimpse into what it was like to come of age in a family at the center of American...

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Lisa Sedlar, the visionary CEO and self-described “food justice warrior.” Lisa shares her remarkable journey—from leaving a comfortable CEO position at New Seasons Market, to founding Green Zebra Grocery, a healthy convenience store chain aiming to rethink how communities access food. But when COVID-19 and a cascade of personal crises hit, Lisa found herself facing failu...

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Austin Hatch, whose story defies every imaginable odd. Once a rising basketball star from Indiana, Austin survived not one, but two tragic plane crashes—claiming the lives of his parents and both of his siblings. But Austin’s journey is about so much more than survival. In this gripping conversation, he opens up about profound loss, the relentless road to recovery, and t...

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Shirin Behzadi, whose extraordinary life journey is nothing short of cinematic. As a teenager, Shirin fled post-revolution Iran alone, narrowly escaping imprisonment and persecution before arriving in the US with virtually nothing. Her early days were spent working at a gas station, but she held tight to a bold vision: to one day become the CEO of a major company—a dream...

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Carlin Isles, the man widely regarded as the fastest player in the history of rugby. But Carlin’s journey to the world stage is about so much more than speed. Growing up in Ohio, Carlin was confronted with unthinkable hardships: torn from his family at only six years old by law enforcement, he and his twin sister endured years in the foster care system, facing abuse, adv...

In this special two-part episode, host Scott Reich sits down with the remarkable Aaron Lazar, a Broadway, film, and television star whose artistry and resilience have inspired countless fans. But beyond his career as an acclaimed performer, Aaron offers a deeply personal look at his journey living with ALS, opening up about loss, ambition, family, and the transformative power of vulnerability.

Together, Scott and Aaron explore what ...

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich talks with Paralympic gold medalist and six-time world champion racer, Josh George. At just four years old, Josh survived a harrowing 12-story fall that left him paralyzed from the waist down—an unimaginable curveball that instantly changed his life. In their heartfelt conversation, Josh shares how his resilient mindset, his parents’ unwavering support, and the power of sport helped hi...

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, Scott Reich sits down with legendary diving coach Cliff Devries, whose story is as much about resilience as it is about the human spirit. Cliff was once on the fast track to becoming one of the top divers in the nation. But everything changed when a shocking diagnosis turned his world upside down.

At just 21 years old, Cliff was told he had a life-threatening spinal tumor with only months ...

On this powerful episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Natalie Sanandaji, an American survivor of the Nova Music Festival massacre during the October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel. Natalie recounts her harrowing escape—running for hours through Israeli farmland, making life-or-death “choiceless choices,” and ultimately surviving thanks to the bravery of strangers. Her story is not only a testament to resilience in...

Host Scott Reich speaks with Dr. Fred Luskin, director of The Stanford University Forgiveness Project, to explore the true meaning and power of forgiveness. Dr. Luskin shares his personal journey from bitterness and self-pity to healing, revealing the strategies he developed not only through research but through his own life experiences. Together, they unpack why forgiveness is often easier to understand than it is to practice, how...

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with actor Cameron Mathison for a raw and emotional conversation about loss, resilience, and the challenge of starting over. Just a few months ago, Cameron lost his home of 13 years to the devastating California wildfires—an experience that forced him to confront memories and meaning tied to every possession. This disaster came on the heels of an already turbulent few years, ...

Host Scott Reich sits down with Dr. David Sandberg, a renowned pediatric neurosurgeon and author of Brain and Heart: The Triumphs and Struggles of a Pediatric Neurosurgeon. David offers a candid look behind the curtain of high-stakes medicine—sharing what it’s like to deliver both the best and worst possible news to families, the weight of those conversations, and the compassion that guides his daily life.

But this conversation take...

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Ken Feinberg, the man behind some of the most emotionally-charged and high-stakes victim compensation decisions in American history. From mediating the Agent Orange settlement, to administering funds for the victims of 9/11, Sandy Hook, the BP oil spill, and the Boston Marathon bombing, Ken has navigated the immense challenge of putting financial value on unimaginable lo...

At age 30, Stacey’s inherited breast cancer risk became reality. Drawing on the intensity of her family history—her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother all confronted cancer—Stacey took decisive, aggressive action. After a bilateral mastectomy, Stacey didn’t just rebuild her own life—she began sharing her cancer story publicly on television at a time when such disclosures were nearly unheard of.

Stacey sits down with Scott Re...

Welcome to this episode of Curveball, hosted by Scott Reich, where we dive into the stories of people who have faced life’s biggest challenges head-on. Today, Scott sits down with the iconic Gloria Steinem—trailblazing journalist, women’s rights advocate, and a defining voice of the feminist movement. 

In this deeply personal conversation, Gloria reflects on the influence of her childhood, shaped by her mother’s struggles with ...

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich welcomes Roni Habib—educator, founder of EQ Schools, and author of "Happy and Resilient: the Complete Guide to Joyful Teaching, Learning and Living." Roni opens up about the curveballs that have shaped his life: from a life-threatening brain tumor and the harrowing loss of a beloved student to suicide, to the recent passing of his brother to cancer. Through candid storytelling, Roni sh...

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Dr. David Fajgenbaum—an immunologist, author, and professor at Penn. David’s story is nothing short of extraordinary: after losing his mother to brain cancer as a college student, he channeled his grief into community-building by founding a national support network for grieving students. But life threw him another, even more staggering curveball when, as a promising med ...

What if unimaginable tragedy became a catalyst for profound community healing and educational outreach? 

In this gripping episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich delves into the heart-wrenching yet inspiring journey of Warren Hance, who, alongside his wife Jackie, turned personal grief into a powerful force for good. After losing their three daughters in a tragic car accident, Warren found solace and purpose in helping others, c...