Henry's Uncle: A podcast about Addiction and Recovery Henry's Uncle, Erik Kilgore

Today’s guest is Ed Bisch, who lost his beloved son Eddie, a high school senior, to a single oxycontin pill in February 2001. That very week, Ed began sounding the alarm about the dangers of the drug. Ed shares his journey and experiences with his crusade against Purdue Pharma and the unbelievable conversations and run-ins he had with people like J. David Haddox himself. Have you seen shows like Dopesick on Hulu, or Crime of the Century on HBO? Ed recommends that you watch these searing documentaries and read any and all of the books on the topic, if you want to learn more.

Today’s guests are co-founders of TACO (Team Awareness Combatting Overdose) Inc, a student-run non-profit organization that started on the campus of USC. TACO’s mission is to combat the #1 cause of death for GenZ & Millennial Americans with non-judgmental education backed by neuroscience. TACO uses peer-to-peer education about drug safety and interactions and provides access to things like Fentanyl test strips to combat accidental drug overdoses. Isabella (“Issa”) Gianatiempo is the current CEO of TACO, and Madeline Hilliard is one of the Founders.

Today’s guest is Skyler Ray, a hip-hop music artist in recovery. He has been sober for more than three years. Skyler grew up in foster homes and was homeless for multiple years. From getting arrested to sleeping on downtown sidewalks in Portland, Oregon, Skyler refused to give up on trying to achieve his dream goals and build the life he always wanted but would lose if he had a drink or got high.

Today’s guest is Theo Krzywicki, a full-time Los Angeles firefighter and paramedic as well as founder and CEO of End Overdose, a non-profit organization helping to end overdose and provide critical training on how to use harm reduction tools, such as Fentanyl test strips and NARCAN. Theo lost his fiancée to an overdose and wanted to help others. He’s making an impact by giving back to the recovery community and has been sober for 11 years.

Today’s guest is Jordan Barnes, who suffered from alcoholism, drug addiction, and homelessness. Now, he is in long-term recovery with more than 10 years sober and an award-winning, best-selling author. Jordan wrote, One Hit Away: A Memoir of Recovery, as a way to help others struggling from substance use disorder. His other book, Bridgetown: A Harm Reduction Novel, focuses on the role of harm reduction programs as they relate to human rights, mental health, and social justice.

Today’s guest is Jeannine, who was addicted to drugs and alcohol for about 15 years despite her idyllic upbringing. Using led to homelessness, multiple arrests, and losing everything. She has been sober for almost seven years and now owns her own fitness studio, hosts the Chasing Heroine podcast, and is a successful entrepreneur.