Get a Grip Podcast

In this raw and unforgettable episode, host Louis sits down with William Shiells from Columbus, Ohio, to hear a story that’s as chaotic as it is inspiring.William grew up with anger boiling inside him. As a kid, he didn’t always know how to channel it—one time smashing his own car windshield with a baseball bat for no reason other than the rage he carried. That anger and recklessness soon bled into substance use. He started with ma...

In this emotional and eye-opening episode, host Louis Essig sits down with Jeremy Garber from Columbus, Ohio—a man whose story reaches from the chaos of the 1980s and 90s into the battles he still fights today.

Jeremy’s life was marked by trauma before he even understood what the word meant. Both of his parents were alcoholics, and when they divorced on Thanksgiving Day—while Jeremy was only 3 years old—the pain of that moment stuck...

In this gripping episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Jamey Snodgrass, whose life story sounds almost unbelievable—yet every detail is real.Jamey’s childhood unraveled the day his father said he was stepping out for milk and never came back. That single moment of abandonment set the stage for years of hardship. His mother, lost to crack addiction, could offer no safety net, leaving Jamey to raise himself on the streets.It d...

In this powerful episode, host Louis sits down with Johnny Jermani, a Detroit-area rapper whose life has been shaped by the streets, music, and the constant pull between the two.Johnny grew up in the heart of Detroit, where lessons about survival came early. His father, a product of the same unforgiving environment, taught him the ways of the street when he was just a kid. Those lessons made Johnny wise beyond his years—how to hust...

In this powerful episode, host Louis and Aaron sits down with Devon Rodgers, a man whose life has taken turns so wild you’d think they were scripted.Devon’s early years looked ordinary, but everything changed when he entered foster care at a young age. He bounced from home to home, never knowing what stability really felt like. In that instability he was introduced to drugs, and during a stay in Philadelphia he first encountered op...

Join hosts Aaron and Louis for a gripping, no-holds-barred conversation with Travis Hall, a man whose life has been a rollercoaster of pain, survival, and hard-won redemption. Travis grew up in a tough environment where trouble seemed to lurk around every corner. From the very first time he smoked weed, he says he felt like a “junkie,” instantly hooked on chasing the next high and the escape it offered. What began as a teenage expe...

In this inspiring solo episode, host Louis sits down with Chrissie Mackie, whose life took a dramatic turn from small-town band nerd to full-blown battle with the bottle.

Chrissie grew up in a loving, ordinary household and spent her school years immersed in music, proudly embracing her “band nerd” identity. But when she left for college, everything shifted. What began as casual drinking to fit in soon became an all-out war with alc...

In this moving episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Ashley Arick, whose story shows both the devastating grip of addiction and the incredible power of redemption.Ashley grew up with a decent upbringing, surrounded by the kind of support and stability many would think could keep her safe.

But even with that foundation, her life took a sharp turn into chaos. What should have been a normal path forward instead became a nightma...

In this gripping episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Lindsay Wren, whose life reads like the script of a crime thriller—but every word of it is real.Lindsay’s journey into addiction began with methadone, but things quickly escalated. After overdosing, she found herself pulled deeper into chaos, turning to crack cocaine.

That choice eventually put her in the middle of a major drug bust, and her life spun further out of cont...

In this raw and gripping episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Brandon Somers, a man whose life has been defined by chaos, crime, and destruction—until recently. Born and raised in Zanesville, Ohio, Brandon never knew a life without crime. From an early age, the streets shaped him, and breaking the law became second nature.What started as trouble in his youth turned into a full-blown cycle of crime and addiction. Brandon’s r...

In this explosive episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Harry Paige, whose story could easily be the script of a dark Hollywood drama. On paper, Harry had everything he needed. Growing up with two sisters in a stable, loving family, he never went without—food on the table, a roof over his head, and parents who cared. But what looked like a safe childhood quickly gave way to a world of danger and destruction.Introduced to dru...

In this powerful episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Bryce Sparks, a man whose life could have been the script of a tragedy—but instead turned into a story of resilience, redemption, and hope.Bryce’s upbringing was anything but easy. From a young age, he carried pain and struggles that no child should have to endure. By the time most kids were thinking about prom or graduation, Bryce was already deep in the grip of heroin ...

In this powerful episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Bryan Sparks, a man whose story feels like it could have been pulled straight from a tragic movie—but with an ending filled with hope and redemption.Bryan’s life took a dark turn at just 13 years old when he faced a trauma no child should ever have to endure: finding his best friend dead from an overdose. That heartbreaking moment set the tone for years of chaos, pain, a...

In this powerful episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Devin Nunamaker, a man whose story takes us deep into the chaos of early addiction and the hope of true recovery. Devin was first introduced to drugs at just 12 years old, starting with what seemed harmless but quickly spiraling out of control. By 13, he was already using heroin—an unimaginable reality for someone barely entering their teenage years.

From that point on, D...

Step up to the plate for a powerful and raw conversation with hosts Aaron and Louis as they sit down with Brent King, a former all-star ball player whose life took a turn no one expected. Brent grew up with talent, discipline, and a future full of promise on the field—but behind the glory, darkness was waiting. At just 13 years old, he slipped into the grip of opiates, a choice that would alter the trajectory of his entire life.It ...

In this unfiltered and fast-moving episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Amanda Bosley, a woman whose story is a wild ride through survival, struggle, and ultimate redemption. Amanda grew up caught between chaos at home and the hard realities of life on the streets, where every day felt like a gamble. She learned quickly how to navigate danger, adapt to unpredictable situations, and keep going when most would have given up.H...

In this electrifying episode, Aaron and Louis sit down with Ben Sheets—a man whose life has been anything but ordinary. Ben grew up in an affluent neighborhood, the picture-perfect student-athlete with a bright future ahead. But behind the trophies and the smiles, trouble was brewing.It started innocently enough—just weed and alcohol at first—but Ben’s thirst for the next high quickly escalated to opiates. Before long, he was steal...

In one of the rawest and most jaw-dropping episodes to date, Louis sits down with Patrick McCombs—a man whose life began in chaos and spiraled into the darkest corners of addiction, crime, and prison politics.By the age of six, Patrick had already been exposed to sex and drugs—thrust into a world no child should ever experience. With no real sense of safety or guidance, he grew up fast and hard. What followed was a storm of street ...

In this raw and revealing episode, Aaron and Louis sit down with Tony Newton—a man whose journey into addiction started in the quiet backwoods but spiraled into chaos that took him to the brink of destruction.

Tony grew up in a decent, hardworking family in the sticks, with no early signs that he’d one day become trapped in a cycle of addiction, crime, and incarceration. But when Oxycontin entered his life, everything changed.What ...