Max Impact Podcast

Jonathan Godfrey
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Weekly

Max Impact is a podcast about survival, decision-making, and what happens after the moment that changes everything. Hosted by flight nurse and sole survivor of a 2005 medical helicopter crash, Jonathan Godfrey explores the human side of high-stakes environments—where training, instinct, and reality don’t always align. Through personal stories, expert conversations, and real-world experiences, this podcast looks beyond the event itself to examine what we can learn, how we move forward, and how we live with what comes after. This is not a podcast about blame. It’s about understanding.

Episodes

  1. May 20

    Episode 8 with Shawn Dillon

    In this episode of Max Impact, New York State, December 2024 with no fatalities. Jonathan sits down with flight nurse Shawn Dillon to discuss what happens after a non-fatal helicopter crash — when everyone survives, but life and perspective are permanently changed. Shawn shares his journey from volunteer EMS to flight nursing, the violent reality of impact, and the emotional aftermath that followed long after the aircraft stopped moving. Together, they discuss survivorship, peer support, leadership response, safety culture, family stress, and the slow realization that surviving an accident does not mean you simply “move on” from it. Near the end of the conversation, Shawn shares several hard-earned lessons for crews, leaders, and programs throughout the transport industry: • Don’t blow off daily briefings — make them meaningful.• Ensure policies and CAMTS standards are followed consistently.• Keep ERP and post-incident procedures current and understood.• Practice realistic catastrophic incident tabletop drills.• Do not isolate crew members involved in incidents.• Communicate quickly and honestly with other crews after an event.• Be transparent — withholding information creates distrust.• Always wear your helmet and keep your harness tight.• Stay in the aircraft until all violent movement stops. This episode is not about blame. It is about growth, transparency, healing, and learning from experiences that change people forever. 🎧 After Everyone Walks Away — Shawn DillonHosted by Jonathan Godfrey, author of Max Impact: A Story of Survival.

  2. May 9

    Episode 7: Alone in the Dark — survivor Derek Boehm

    In this episode 7 of Max Impact, Jonathan speaks with former flight paramedic Derek Boehm, sole survivor of the 2015 Native Air helicopter crash in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains. Derek recounts the violent impact, the freezing darkness that followed, and the hours he spent severely injured beside the wreckage — attempting to help his crew while fighting to stay alive himself. Together, they explore survival, memory, trauma, and the strange reality of becoming “the one who lived.” Derek also shares how the experience ultimately reshaped his life and led him toward a new purpose in healthcare. This is not just a story about a crash. It’s a story about endurance, identity, and the decision to keep going when survival becomes the only mission left.

  3. May 5

    Episode 6 with Rob Cooks

    When CRM/AMRM fails, the flight was a success, but everyone can see that it was a recipe for disaster. There was no accident, the flight was completed without injuries or significant events but there was a sense of fear as to how it could have all ended. Lessons learned and how the operator responded to a near miss. Rob is a 30 year veteran in both the military as well as civilian medicine. He shares what it is like to operate in both populations.

  4. Apr 26

    Episode 5 with Ryan Bartlett

    Some moments don’t just change your life—they change the direction of everything that comes after. In this episode, Ryan Bartlett shares what it’s like to lose someone close in a fatal crash, and how that experience reshaped his path forward. From working as a flight paramedic for over a decade (PHI, AMC, Saudi)… to stepping into a role focused on safety and prevention… Ryan brings a perspective shaped by both loss and purpose. We talk about the weight of those moments, the responsibility of carrying them forward, and the importance of being willing to seek help when it’s needed. This conversation isn’t just about what happened—it’s about what you choose to do with it.

  5. Apr 18

    Episode 4 with Matt Brown

    There are moments in this work when the weight of it all becomes very real. 3 years ago on scene just outside Reno, Nevada. In this episode, Matt Brown shares what it feels like to be on scene—an hour from headquarters, the only one from his organization, carrying responsibility in real time. We talk about the isolation that can come with that role, the pressure of decision-making in critical moments, and the quiet respect for the fire, EMS, and law enforcement professionals who show up and perform at the highest level when it matters most. This conversation isn’t about the incident itself—it’s about what it feels like to be there, and what stays with you afterward.

  6. Apr 10

    Episode 3: Decisions, Pressure, and What Comes After — with Andy Sikes

    Not every life-changing moment ends in tragedy. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t leave a mark. In this episode of Max Impact, I sit down with Andy Sikes to explore the moments where everything could have gone differently—and the lasting impact those moments leave behind. Andy brings a perspective shaped by high-pressure environments, critical decision-making, and experiences that challenge how we think about risk, responsibility, and outcome. Because sometimes, the moments that stay with us the longest… are not the ones where everything went wrong— but the ones where it almost did. This conversation goes beyond the event itself and into what happens after—the reflection, the perspective shift, and the awareness that comes from understanding just how close things can come. In this episode: Decision-making under pressure The psychological impact of near-miss experiences How perspective shifts after critical moments The role of awareness and reflection in long-term growth This is a conversation about responsibility, perspective, and the unseen weight of moments that don’t always make headlines—but still change everything. Disclaimer statement "These statements, views, and opinions are my own and are the facts of my (Andrew Sikes) experience unless otherwise explicitly stated. They do not represent Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt LifeFlight, or any of their associated affiliates."  Tags: First responders, EMS, Decision making, High pressure, Near miss, Risk management, Trauma, Resilience, Mental health, Human performance, Emergency medicine

  7. Apr 10

    Episode 2: Survivorship, Purpose, and the Space In Between — with Krista

    Survival is not something you do alone. In this episode of Max Impact, I sit down with Krista Haugen—someone who understands survivorship not just through her own experience, but through years of walking alongside others in the aftermath of trauma. Krista and I met years after our own life-altering events, connected by a shared understanding that what happens after survival is often the hardest part to navigate. Together, we helped build a community within the first responder world focused on peer support, connection, and making sense of experiences that don’t come with a roadmap. This conversation goes beyond the event itself. We talk about what it feels like in the hours, days, and months after… the weight that lingers… and the reality of finding purpose in something you never would have chosen. Krista brings a perspective that is both deeply personal and incredibly valuable to anyone who has experienced trauma—or supported someone who has. Because survivorship is not just about making it through. It’s about learning how to move forward. In this episode: The reality of survivorship beyond the initial event The importance of peer support and connection What happens in the immediate and long-term aftermath of trauma How purpose and meaning can emerge over time This is a conversation about resilience, connection, and the space in between where real healing begins. Tags: First responders, EMS, Trauma, Survivorship, Peer support, Resilience, Mental health, Life after trauma, Flight nurse, Emergency medicine, Human connection

  8. Apr 10

    Max Impact Episode 1: It was never about the crash

    Episode 1: It Was Never About the Crash I woke up eight feet beneath the surface of the Potomac River. In the dark.Cold.Unable to breathe. This is the story of what happened that day—but more importantly, what came after. As a flight nurse, I had spent years responding to emergencies, trained to take control in chaos. In a single moment, that role was taken from me. I became the patient. The survivor. This episode is not just about the crash. It’s about the decisions made in a fraction of a second…the role of training when instinct takes over…and the reality of surviving when others do not. It’s also about something we don’t talk about enough: What happens after the call is over. In this first episode of Max Impact, I share my story to give context—not for where it started, but for where this conversation is going. Because survival is not the end of the story. It’s where it begins.

  • 8 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Max Impact is a podcast about survival, decision-making, and what happens after the moment that changes everything. Hosted by flight nurse and sole survivor of a 2005 medical helicopter crash, Jonathan Godfrey explores the human side of high-stakes environments—where training, instinct, and reality don’t always align. Through personal stories, expert conversations, and real-world experiences, this podcast looks beyond the event itself to examine what we can learn, how we move forward, and how we live with what comes after. This is not a podcast about blame. It’s about understanding.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan Godfrey
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jonathan Godfrey
  • Show Website
    Max Impact Podcast