Unspoken Lives Podcast

Kelsey Billingsley

Unspoken Lives Podcast shares extraordinary stories from everyday people, highlighting resilience, personal growth, and inspiring life lessons. Tune in for real conversations that uncover the moments that often go unseen. 

  1. 5D AGO

    Ep 028: Jacqueline Diaz-Fontana: Finding Purpose in the Pain, Part 2

    Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide. Part 2 continues Jacqueline’s story, moving into what came after the loss. She shares what those months really looked like, the anger, the grief, and the weight of unanswered questions. The parts people don’t always see or talk about. After months of carrying that weight, she reached a breaking point. Jacqueline opens up about the moment she prayed for the first time again, and how that moment shifted something in her. What followed was a clear sense of direction she believes God placed on her heart. From that place, she began to rebuild, eventually creating something to help others walking through similar pain. In Part 2, she shares: • What those first months of grief really felt like • The weight of anger, guilt, and unanswered questions • The moment she turned back to faith • How that moment began to shift her perspective • How the foundation started • What people often misunderstand about depression • What she wants others to hear if they are struggling This is a conversation about grief, but also about what can come from it. Jacqueline is the founder of the Erick A. Garcia You Are Enough Foundation, created in honor of her son to bring awareness, support, and resources to individuals and families impacted by mental health struggles and suicide loss. 🔗 Learn more or support her work: https://www.youareenoughfoundation.org/ If you or someone you know is in immediate need of support, call or text 988 in the U.S. Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com and follow @unspokenlivespodcast on Instagram.

    20 min
  2. APR 28

    Ep 027: Jacqueline Diaz-Fontana: Losing Her Son, Erick, Part 1

    Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide. This is a heavy conversation. Jacqueline opens up about a topic that isn’t often talked about, but needs to be. She shares about her son, Erick, who she lost to suicide in 2017. Not just what happened, but who he was, what their relationship looked like, and what it’s like to live with the kind of loss that changes everything. There are questions that come with this kind of grief. Questions about what was missed, what could have been different, and how something like this happens. Jacqueline speaks to those openly, in a way that many people are afraid to. In Part 1, she shares: • Who Erick was as a son and person • What life looked like before everything changed • What it felt like to receive that news • The early days of grief, shock, and disbelief • The questions that don’t have clear answers • What she wishes she had understood about mental health This is not an easy conversation, but it’s an important one. Jacqueline is the founder of the Erick A. Garcia You Are Enough Foundation, created in honor of her son to bring awareness, support, and resources to individuals and families impacted by mental health struggles and suicide loss. 🔗 Learn more or get involved: https://www.youareenoughfoundation.org/ If you or someone you know is in immediate need of support, call or text 988 in the U.S. Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com and follow @unspokenlivespodcast on Instagram.

    27 min
  3. APR 7

    Ep 024: Nolan Thomas: What Happened After Everything Changed, Part 2

    This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, start there. After being told he was cancer-free, Nolan Thomas began planning what life would look like next. Everything changed again. His cancer returned and progressed to Stage 4. What followed was not just another round of treatment, but a complete shift in mindset, identity, and faith. In Part 2, Nolan shares what it looks like to keep going in the middle of uncertainty, how his perspective has changed, and why he chose to speak publicly about his experience. In this episode, we talk about:  • Hearing that his cancer had returned  • The emotional weight of starting over again  • How he approaches life and relationships differently  • What changed in his mindset the second time  • The video where he first shared his story publicly   • Why he started his own podcast during treatment  • The importance of advocating for yourself  • The message he wants people to walk away with Nolan’s story is honest, raw, and still unfolding. If someone keeps coming to mind while you’re listening, share this episode with them. It could make more of an impact than you realize. Follow Nolan and support his journey: Instagram: @kidxnolan GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/nolans-heroes-help-him-take-on-the-villain-of-cancer/donations Podcast: Cancer Boy by Nolan Thomas (Spotify & YouTube) YouTube: @cancer_boy Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com and follow @unspokenlivespodcast on Instagram.

    19 min
  4. MAR 31

    Ep 023: Nolan Thomas: 21, Healthy, and Diagnosed with Cancer, Part 1

    At 21 years old, Nolan Thomas was active, healthy, and focused on his future. Cancer was not even a consideration. When symptoms started, he did what most people would do and went to the hospital. His age and overall appearance of good health led medical staff to turn him away more than once before he finally received answers.  Those answers changed everything. In Part 1, Nolan shares what it looked like to go from a normal life to a life-altering diagnosis almost overnight, along with the physical and mental toll that followed. In this episode, we talk about:  • The early symptoms that led him to seek help  • Being dismissed because he “looked fine”  • The moment he realized something was seriously wrong  • Receiving a cancer diagnosis at age 21  • What treatment actually looked like day to day  • The mental battle that came with it  • Reaching a point where he felt completely defeated  • The mindset shifts that helped him keep going, even in the hardest moments  This is the kind of story that shifts perspective. If someone comes to mind while you’re listening, send this episode to them. It might be exactly what they need. Follow Nolan and support his journey: Instagram: @kidxnolan GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/nolans-heroes-help-him-take-on-the-villain-of-cancer/donations Podcast: Cancer Boy by Nolan Thomas (Spotify & YouTube) YouTube: @cancer_boy Every life has a story worth telling. Follow Unspoken Lives Podcast on your favorite podcast app and join the conversation. Visit unspokenlivespodcast.com and follow @unspokenlivespodcast on Instagram.

    21 min
4.9
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

Unspoken Lives Podcast shares extraordinary stories from everyday people, highlighting resilience, personal growth, and inspiring life lessons. Tune in for real conversations that uncover the moments that often go unseen. 

You Might Also Like