(Ep #116) Part 1 - Meg Hawkins (LEO) & Eric Provow (Fire Service/EMS/Veteran)

Meg Hawkins and Erik Provow join us on the podcast.

Meg is a dedicated police officer with over 21 years of

law enforcement experience, and the proud wife of Eric - a firefighter/paramedic and retired combat veteran who lives with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Eric’s military career spanned two decades, split between the

Marine Corps and the Air Force. He served in elite units including Marine Recon, Force Recon, and as a Combat Controller with the Air Force Special Operations Command. He later deployed with premier teams under the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), completing multiple contingency operations and three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2002, during a close-quarters firefight, Eric sustained invisible wounds that led to a decade of undiagnosed PTSD—one of many traumatic experiences throughout his service.

In 2017, their world was shaken when Eric went missing and nearly died by suicide. That night marked a turning point in their lives. With Meg’s unwavering support, Eric began his long journey toward healing—trying various therapies, attending veteran programs, and finding support through his service dog, Denny.

While Eric’s mental health began to stabilize in 2019, Meg soon found herself struggling. The trauma of nearly losing her husband, and the toll of always being “the strong one,” led to her own diagnosis of PTSD. In 2020, she sought help for herself.

Both Meg and Eric continue to walk their healing

journeys—stronger together and as individuals. Meg is now

focused on raising awareness around the often-overlooked

mental health needs of spouses and significant others of veterans and first responders. These Silent Warriors endure their own battles, often in silence, as they support their loved ones through trauma and recovery.

In 2018, amid their personal struggles, Meg and Eric founded

Making Everything Good (MEG), a nonprofit dedicated to

supporting first responders, military members, veterans, their families, and survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

Their journey is one of resilience, advocacy, and love—and they remain committed to helping others find hope, healing, and Strength.