Professor of Perseverance Podcast

Ep 299 Faith in the Fire: How Adversity Became Our Ministry: Stephen and Julie Wagstaff Share Their Journey

Stephen Wagstaff, at 19, was paralyzed in a diving accident that left him a C5 quadriplegic — but that moment became the start of his mission, not the end of his story. Today, he is the founder and CEO of SwagAbility, a nonprofit empowering people with disabilities and caregivers to thrive wherever life finds them. Together with his wife Julie — a cancer survivor and full-time caregiver — they share life as an interabled couple who’s learned how to turn pain into purpose. Their conversations bring real-world insight into resilience, caregiving, faith, and the power of finding joy through adversity.

Website: https://swagability.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SwagAbility/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-wagstaff-1a780a279/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SwagAbilityInc

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net

Ep 298 Jody Hudson's Mission Created by Alex, Her Daughter's Dying Wish

Jody Hudson's story is a symphony of love-one that inspires, empowers, and reminds readers to never give up on life or those we love. When eleven-year-old Alex complained to her mother that her legs hurt, her mother, Jody, thought it was just growing pains. But for the next ten years, Alex battled with what perplexed doctors deemed a medical mystery. Refusing to let this ambiguous label define her, Alex researched and sought out medical professionals who might help her. Jody took up Alex's baton and has been a Lyme disease advocate and speaker since her daughter's passing. She brings a powerful, hope-filled perspective to podcasts, connecting deeply with audiences through honest storytelling, faith, and resilience.

Website: https://www.alexhudsonlymefoundation.org/

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net

Ep 297 From Survival Mode to Self-Love: Katie Baker Shares Her Journey

Katie Baker overcame childhood trauma and addiction, and later found profound healing through therapeutic psychedelics and integrative practices.

Website: https://www.peaceandfirehealing.com/universebook

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net

Ep 296 Writing As a Way to Heal: How John DeDakis Persevere After Loss of His Sister and Son

John DeDakis inspires people who are struggling with grief to use writing as a way to heal. Grief and loss undergird all 6 of his novels, which are derived from his sister's suicide and his son's fatal heroin overdose.

Website: https://johndedakis.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.dedakis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dedakisjohn/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-dedakis-4b09a34/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnDeDakis

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net

Ep 295 Near-Death Survivor Jay Setchell Shares His Perseverance Journey

Jay Setchell, The Strength Within You: It's Always Too Soon to Quit, a multi time death, and near-death survivor and has had 73 surgeries to date.

Website: https://neverquittrying.com/

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net

Ep 294 Two Heart Attacks and a Wake-Up Call Adreian Jones Shares His Perseverance

Adrian Jones, surviving two widowmaker heart attacks—each one with less than a 10% chance of survival—he walked away with more than just a second chance at life. He walked away with unfinished business.

Website: https://www.bemorealigned.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/more-career-wellness/?viewAsMember=true

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/more_starts_here/

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net

Ep 293 Undiagnosed TBI with Charissa Halonen Shares Her Journey

Charissa Halonen from bad relationships, obesity, struggles with alcohol, a life altering car accident that resulted in an undiagnosed brain injury causing post concussive syndrome to a story of triumph, self-development and self-actualization leading to huge success. The story of relentlessly pushing herself forward and out of hard situation after hard situation. Each chapter had a lesson that came along with it, teaching her the value of discipline, mindset, getting her physical and mental health right, building a life that she needed no escape from. Fully facing all aspects of life sober, willing to grow, take accountability for her life and create something worth sharing with the world to inspire others to live their best lives too!

Website: https://therelentlesscouple.wixsite.com/therelentlesscouple

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therelentlesscouple/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.relentless.couple

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@the.relentless.couple

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net

Ep 292 Digital Boundaries with Kelsey Green

Kelsey Green speak on digital boundaries, for success in both business and life. She thinks this could be a great topic for your listeners! In an age where we are becoming more and more addicted to our devices, our dreams, our focus, our creativity, our work, and our relationships all suffer.

She offers listeners strategies for setting some digital boundaries in their life (starting with baby steps!), in order to reclaim their beautiful brains.

Website: https://www.kelseylgreen.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseylgreen/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelseylgreen/

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net

Ep 291 Strike Out Suicide Founder Troy Gray Shares His Journey to Educate Others

Troy Gray is more than a sports memoir, his story is about survival, fatherhood, and redemption. Inspired by these trials, he founded Strike Out Suicide, empowering Australians to be suicide-safe through connection, compassion, and hope – breaking stigma and saving lives.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StrikeOutSuicideNow/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troygray_official/?hl=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strikeoutsuicidenow/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-gray-811aa720/

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net

Ep 290 Perseverance From Cult Survivor to Combat Vet to Live TV Director Logan Shares His Story

1. Logan overcame adversity as he grew up poor on the South Side of Chicago, raised in a religious cult that hijacked their minds. By the time he was eighteen, he was suicidal. He ran away joining the Air Force, running from the pain, chasing purpose, escape, anything. But instead, he found war. He served two combat tours in Iraq. Perseverance through divorce, crippling, anxiety, and pursuing and achieving his dream of directing live broadcast events.

Website: https://www.theloganunlimited.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theloganunlimited/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganunlimited/

X: https://x.com/Logan_Unlimited

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLoganUnlimited

You may also contact him through email, Jamesperduespeaks@comcast.net