In this episode of 'The Things We All Carry,' we delve into the life story of Bruce, a battalion chief with over 30 years of experience in the fire service. Stack dives deep into Bruce's early life marked by severe abuse, his path to independence at age 16, and his eventual career in firefighting. The episode tackles heavy themes such as trauma, resilience, and the evolving societal views on public service. With candid discussions about the difficulties Bruce faced both personally and professionally, this episode offers a raw and impactful look at what it means to carry on in the face of adversity.
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:25 Apology for No Video
01:04 Introducing Bruce and Episode 131
01:46 The Importance of Civil Discourse
04:55 Challenges in the Fire Service
06:16 Raising the Bar for Recruitment
07:42 Personal Reflections and Future Plans
09:54 Introducing Bruce's Story
11:42 Bruce's Early Life and Family Struggles
17:07 Abuse and Attempted Arson
21:18 Custody Battles and Family Dynamics
31:58 Reconnecting with Siblings
34:22 The Struggles of a Distrusted Child
37:41 Reintegrating Siblings and Teenage Rebellion
39:15 Mental Health Challenges and Emancipation
43:40 Finding Stability and a New Path
45:52 Joining the Volunteer Fire Department
51:46 First Firefighting Experience
55:28 Pursuing a Career in Firefighting
59:27 Concluding Reflections
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com