The W.A.R. We’re All Recovering Podcast

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W.A.R. – We’re All Recovering is a raw, unfiltered podcast hosted by Stryker & Fice. At its core, W.A.R. is about survival, growth, and the real battles we all face—whether it’s mental health, addiction, trauma, or the daily grind of life. Through open conversations, street-level honesty, and stories of resilience, Stryker & Fice shine light on what it truly means to recover—not just from the past, but into the future. This isn’t therapy talk. This is real talk with grit, humor, and heart. If you’ve ever felt like you’re fighting battles no one sees, you’re not alone. In W.A.R., we’re all recovering… together.

  1. LAST ONE STANDING: Shot in the Head, Lost Everything, Rebuilt It All | John Carter | W.A.R.

    4D AGO

    LAST ONE STANDING: Shot in the Head, Lost Everything, Rebuilt It All | John Carter | W.A.R.

    Send us Fan Mail Welcome home. This is W.A.R. We’re All Recovering. In this powerful episode, we sit down with John Carter, a man who survived a point blank gunshot to the back of his head and was told he would never walk or talk again. He proved them wrong. With nine bullet fragments still in his skull, John fought through addiction, depression, prison, and unimaginable loss, becoming the last one standing after losing his brothers and nearly losing himself. Today, he is the owner of Titanium Health and Fitness, author of Triggered to Change, and a living example of what it means to rebuild your life from nothing. This is not just a story about survival. This is about purpose. In this episode: - Surviving a gunshot to the head   - Addiction, depression, and prison   - Losing family and becoming the last one standing   - Rebuilding identity through discipline and fitness   - Why there is no perfect time to change   - The mindset that separates survivors from rebuilders   If you are struggling, stuck, or feel like it is too late... This episode is for you. There is no perfect time. There is only right now. It’s W.A.R. Each one reach one. #WARNetwork #WeAreRecovering #JohnCarter #Motivation #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #SelfImprovement #Discipline #Trauma #Podcast #RealTalk #SurvivorStory

    50 min
  2. Kenneth Kunken: From Paralysis to Purpose | Cornell Injury Changed Everything | W.A.R. Network

    MAR 26

    Kenneth Kunken: From Paralysis to Purpose | Cornell Injury Changed Everything | W.A.R. Network

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when your life changes in a single second? At 20 years old, Kenneth Kunken suffered a devastating spinal cord injury while playing football at Cornell University, leaving him nearly paralyzed from the shoulders down. Most people would have called that the end. Ken turned it into a beginning. In this episode of W.A.R. — We’re All Recovering, Ken shares his journey through nine months of hospitals and rehab, returning to Cornell before disability laws existed, being carried up steps just to attend class, and ultimately building a life of purpose. From engineer to lawyer to Assistant District Attorney for over 40 years, Ken’s story is about resilience, identity, and redefining strength after everything is stripped away. We talk about the mental war after trauma, the unseen battles of recovery, family, legacy, and what it really means to rebuild when life doesn’t go as planned. This isn’t motivation. This is reality. This is W.A.R. Watch, share, and send this to someone who needs it. Stryker YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stryker11691 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/w.a.r.network TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewarnetwork Website: https://warnetwork.org Podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2534988.rss Book a guest: https://calendly.com/thewarnetworkpodcast Contact: thewarnetworkpodcast@gmail.com #kennethkunken #warpodcast #wereallrecovering #spinalcordinjury #cornellfootball #paralysisrecovery #traumarecovery #mentalhealthawareness #resilience #purpose #lifeaftertrauma #motivation #recoveryjourney #discipline #overcomingadversity

    21 min
  3. The Buddha Way Back to Peace | Turning Stress, Trauma, and Chaos Into Clarity with Saw Myint

    MAR 12

    The Buddha Way Back to Peace | Turning Stress, Trauma, and Chaos Into Clarity with Saw Myint

    Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of W.A.R. – We’re All Recovering, Stryker sits down with mindfulness advocate and Wake Up Ltd founder Saw Myint to explore how ancient Buddhist wisdom combined with modern science can help people navigate stress, trauma, depression, addiction, and emotional overwhelm. Saw Myint has spent decades helping people understand the true nature of their thoughts, emotions, and suffering. Her approach blends Buddhist-inspired mindfulness practices with practical real-world clarity, helping individuals regain calm and direction even when life feels chaotic. In this conversation, Stryker and Saw dive deep into the psychology of suffering, the science behind mindfulness, and how people struggling with trauma, anxiety, grief, addiction, and identity loss can begin rebuilding their lives one moment at a time. This episode speaks directly to veterans, trauma survivors, people in recovery, parents, professionals under pressure, and anyone trying to find peace in a world that often feels overwhelming. You’ll learn how mindfulness actually works, why our thoughts and feelings often trap us in cycles of suffering, and how simple daily awareness practices can help bring clarity back into your life. This is not about escaping reality. This is about learning how to stand inside it without losing yourself. If you’re fighting a war nobody else can see, this conversation is for you. Watch until the end as Saw Myint shares the first step anyone can take today to begin finding peace again. Connect with Saw Myint and Wake Up Ltd (Insert her links here) Subscribe for more conversations about trauma recovery, discipline, resilience, mental health, and rebuilding identity. https://www.warpodcast.net https://www.youtube.com/@stryker11691 If you are struggling with mental health, support is available. United States: Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline International support: https://findahelpline.com It’s W.A.R. Each One Reach One. We’re All Recovering. #mindfulness #mentalhealth #traumarecovery #stressmanagement #buddhism #healingjourney #mindset #anxietyrelief #recoverycommunity #warnetwork #weareallrecovering #ptsdrecovery #innerpeace #meditation #personaldevelopment

    34 min
  4. FROM SURVIVAL TO SERVICE AGAIN | Bradley “Big Penn” Pennington | W.A.R. Network Veteran Story

    MAR 6

    FROM SURVIVAL TO SERVICE AGAIN | Bradley “Big Penn” Pennington | W.A.R. Network Veteran Story

    Send us Fan Mail Bradley “Big Penn” Pennington joins Stryker on the W.A.R. Network for a powerful conversation about survival, brotherhood, war, and rebuilding purpose after the military. Stryker and Big Penn first met in AIT in 2001 before eventually serving at Fort Bragg during the early years of the Global War on Terror. From the streets of Orlando to the ranks of the 82nd Airborne Division, Big Penn shares the journey that shaped him. In this episode we talk about childhood survival, addiction in the home, dropping out of school, the decision to enlist, Airborne culture, and what it really means to carry the identity of a soldier. Big Penn also opens up about three combat deployments including Iraq and Afghanistan, surviving a devastating 500 pound IED blast, the mental toll of combat, survivor guilt, and the invisible scars that stay long after the war ends. The conversation shifts to the difficult transition many veterans face when the mission disappears. Depression, loss of identity, and searching for purpose again are realities many warriors quietly carry. That search eventually led Big Penn to help build Swaggy Vets, a platform focused on giving veterans a voice and creating community through storytelling. This episode is not just about war. It is about transformation. Survival turning into service. If you are a veteran, know a veteran, or care about the real stories behind military service, this conversation will hit home. Watch until the end for a powerful reflection on legacy, brotherhood, and what recovery truly looks like. Follow and support the W.A.R. Network Website https://www.warpodcast.net/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@stryker11691 Contact thewarnetworkpodcast@gmail.com If this conversation helped you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Crisis Support Resources United States: Dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline International: https://findahelpline.com/ It’s W.A.R. Each One Reach One. We’re All Recovering. #warpodcast #veteranstories #militarypodcast #82ndairborne #fortbragg #combatveteran #iraqwar #afghanistanwar #veterantransition #ptsdrecovery #militarybrotherhood #swaggyvets #strykerwar #wereallrecovering #veterancommunity

    1h 9m
  5. Dr. Larry Smith: Facing the Voice of Alcohol Within | 26 Years Sober | Addiction Recovery Truth

    FEB 26

    Dr. Larry Smith: Facing the Voice of Alcohol Within | 26 Years Sober | Addiction Recovery Truth

    Send us Fan Mail Dr. Larry Smith has been sober since September 22, 1999. That’s 26 years of long-term recovery, discipline, and truth. In this powerful W.A.R. Network interview, Dr. Larry Smith breaks down addiction not as a habit, but as a voice. A negotiation inside your own mind. Author of Johnnie and Me: Facing the Voice of Alcohol Within Embracing the Journey of Recovery: From Tragedy to Triumph Dr. Smith explains why recovery is not the absence of craving. It is the presence of purpose. We discuss: • What 26 years sober actually feels like • Trauma beneath addiction • The dangerous lie the inner voice tells • Why isolation fuels relapse • Identity work in recovery • The commercialization of treatment • His upcoming novel 2084: The Neuroxone Conspiracy If you are battling alcohol addiction, substance abuse, trauma, or silent isolation, this conversation is for you. Recovery is not a trend. It is endurance. Watch until the end. Subscribe for real conversations about discipline, trauma recovery, and long-term sobriety. Follow Dr. Larry Smith Add official links here if available W.A.R. Network https://www.warpodcast.net/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stryker11691 If you are struggling in the United States, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Outside the U.S., visit https://findahelpline.com for international support resources. It’s W.A.R. Each One Reach One. We’re All Recovering. #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #26YearsSober #AlcoholRecovery #RecoveryJourney #TraumaHealing #LongTermSobriety #MentalHealth #SoberLife #WARNetwork #RecoveryPodcast

    46 min
  6. Surviving TBI After a Motorcycle Crash: Nicholas Ruchlewicz on Trauma, Recovery, and Mental Health Advocacy | W.A.R.

    FEB 19

    Surviving TBI After a Motorcycle Crash: Nicholas Ruchlewicz on Trauma, Recovery, and Mental Health Advocacy | W.A.R.

    Send us Fan Mail Nicholas Ruchlewicz joins W.A.R. to share his journey of surviving a traumatic brain injury after a motorcycle crash and what recovery really looks like when the wounds are invisible. From memory shifts and identity changes to anxiety, depression, and the silent battles men are taught not to talk about, this conversation goes deeper than inspiration. Host Stryker also shares his own near fatal motorcycle accident experience, being dead on the scene for 13 minutes and placed on life support, creating a powerful survivor to survivor conversation about trauma, resilience, and rebuilding purpose after impact. In this episode we discuss: • What a traumatic brain injury feels like from the inside • The mental health war that follows physical survival • The shift from Why me to What now • Why advocacy must be about impact, not attention • Breaking stigma around men’s mental health • How tabletop roleplay and gaming community helped rebuild identity • Fighting isolation after trauma • The darkest thoughts during recovery and how to survive them • What recovery really means beyond motivation This episode is for survivors, families, veterans, riders, athletes, and anyone fighting an invisible war inside their mind. Subscribe to W.A.R. We’re All Recovering https://www.warpodcast.net/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stryker11691 If you are in crisis in the United States, call or text 988. Outside the U.S., visit https://www.findahelpline.com/ to find support in your country. #TraumaticBrainInjury #TBIRecovery #MotorcycleCrashSurvivor #MentalHealthAdvocacy #MensMentalHealth #BrainInjuryAwareness #AnxietyRecovery #DepressionRecovery #TraumaSurvivor #PostTraumaticGrowth #WARRNetwork #Stryker #InvisibleInjury #EachOneReachOne #WereAllRecovering It’s W.A.R. Each One Reach One. We’re All Recovering.

    59 min
  7. Moral injury, faith, and healing beyond the battlefield with Chaplain Larry Brant

    FEB 12

    Moral injury, faith, and healing beyond the battlefield with Chaplain Larry Brant

    Send us Fan Mail From the battlefield to the soul, Chaplain Dr. Larry Brant shares powerful truth about faith, moral injury, PTSD misconceptions, and what real healing looks like beyond uniform and rank. In this W.A.R. Network episode, we go beyond surface level conversations. Chaplain Dr. Larry Brant opens up about serving those who carry invisible wounds, the spiritual weight many veterans face, and why moral injury is often misunderstood. This conversation challenges the narrative around trauma, resilience, and recovery. Not everyone with PTSD is violent. Not everyone who smiles is okay. And not all battles end when the war does. If you care about mental health, veterans, faith, leadership, or healing after service, this episode will hit home. Subscribe and join the movement. Watch more at: https://www.youtube.com/@stryker11691 https://www.warpodcast.net/ https://war-network-1–olaf11691.replit.app If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 in the United States. For international resources visit findahelpline.com. It’s W.A.R. Each One Reach One. We’re All Recovering. #WARNetwork #LarryBrant #MoralInjury #PTSDawareness #VeteranVoices #FaithAndHealing #MilitaryChaplain #MentalHealthMatters #InvisibleWounds #BeyondTheBattlefield #TraumaRecovery #VeteranSupport #EachOneReachOne

    55 min
  8. Lynnette Fritshaw: The Fire Within | Trauma, Truth, and Rising From Survival Mode

    FEB 5

    Lynnette Fritshaw: The Fire Within | Trauma, Truth, and Rising From Survival Mode

    Send us Fan Mail This unforgettable episode of W.A.R. We’re All Recovering is a raw conversation about resilience, identity, and the moment you stop surviving and start rising. Stryker sits down with retired career firefighter, trauma coach, and author Lynnette Fritshaw to talk about breaking barriers as the first female career firefighter in her hometown department, navigating bullying and discrimination inside a system that was anything but welcoming, and how invisible injuries can shape your whole life. Lynnette shares what survival mode actually feels like, why trauma inside authority structures hits differently, and how healing begins when silence ends. From her memoir You’re On Your Own to her work through Fire Within Crisis Services and Phoenix Rising, this episode gets real about peer support, full body recovery, and the power of telling the truth. You don’t have a secret. You have a story. Connect with Lynnette Fritshaw https://www.firewithincrisisservices.com/book-online Connect with Stryker and the W.A.R. Network https://www.warpodcast.net/ https://war-network-1–olaf11691.replit.app https://www.youtube.com/@stryker11691 thewarnetworkpodcast@gmail.com Crisis support resources If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 right now. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (US and Canada): Call or text 988 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 (US) Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 then press 1, or text 838255 If you are outside the US, search online for your local crisis hotline number. #LynnetteFritshaw #TheFireWithin #WARNetwork #WereAllRecovering #TraumaRecovery #HealingJourney #FirstFemaleFirefighter #Resilience #MentalHealthAwareness #PeerSupport #PostTraumaticGrowth #SurvivalMode #TraumaHealing #PodcastInterview #EachOneReachOne #FireWithinCrisisServices

    51 min
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About

W.A.R. – We’re All Recovering is a raw, unfiltered podcast hosted by Stryker & Fice. At its core, W.A.R. is about survival, growth, and the real battles we all face—whether it’s mental health, addiction, trauma, or the daily grind of life. Through open conversations, street-level honesty, and stories of resilience, Stryker & Fice shine light on what it truly means to recover—not just from the past, but into the future. This isn’t therapy talk. This is real talk with grit, humor, and heart. If you’ve ever felt like you’re fighting battles no one sees, you’re not alone. In W.A.R., we’re all recovering… together.

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