Heroic Stories

Heroic Men
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

Heroic Stories—the series to strengthen Catholic men with raw stories of heroic grit & faith. Hosted by Dan Donaldson with Heroic Men. These are the stories that remind us… heroism isn’t born—it’s made, and it’s centered on Jesus Christ. https://stories.heroicmen.org

  1. 2d ago

    Olympic Champion Curt Tomasevicz Says His Greatest Hero Was a 12-Year-Old Boy | Heroic Stories

    What does real heroism look like? Olympic gold medalist Curt Tomasevicz shares the story that shaped his life—meeting a 12-year-old boy with a brain tumor whose courage and faith left a deeper impact than any Olympic victory. In this conversation on Heroic Stories, Curt reflects on faith, grit, community, and the surprising lessons he learned from small-town Nebraska, Olympic competition, and the hard transition athletes face after success. What You’ll Learn: ✅ Why a 12-year-old boy became Curt’s greatest hero ✅ The surprising reason an Olympic bronze felt more meaningful than gold ✅ How community support shaped an Olympic champion ✅ Why honor and integrity matter more than winning See Catholic Speakers: https://heroicmen.org/speakers 00:00 Olympic champion Curt Tomasevicz 01:21 The 12-year-old boy who redefined heroism 02:56 Faith, selflessness, and facing death with courage 04:11 A moment in college that changed Curt’s perspective 05:02 Rediscovering faith as a young adult 06:02 The hardest transition: life after the Olympics 08:03 Finding purpose after athletic retirement 09:32 Lessons from bobsledding about life and fear 10:54 Goal setting and learning to change direction 12:01 The small Nebraska town that built an Olympian 14:20 Community belief and the pressure of expectations 15:46 Why accountability drives men to action 17:40 Heroes who shaped Curt growing up 20:02 A teacher’s lesson about integrity and honor 21:57 The deeper game behind competition 23:14 Why Olympic bronze meant more than gold 26:14 Who Curt hopes to influence today #HeroicMen #FaithAndCourage #Olympics #CatholicMen #RealHeroism

    29 min

  2. May 26

    He Almost Died Twice: Dan Venezia on the Rosary, Suffering, and Men’s Faith | Heroic Stories

    He survived a brutal car crash, endured COVID at the height of the pandemic, and came out of both experiences with a deeper hunger for God. In this episode of Heroic Stories, Dan Venezia shares how suffering, his mother’s example, the Rosary, and the Eucharist brought him from lukewarm faith into a life of daily surrender, fatherhood, and bold witness. This is a conversation about heroism, healing, prayer, men’s spiritual leadership, and what it means to let Christ take the wheel. What You’ll Learn ✅ How Dan’s mother shaped his understanding of sacrifice and love ✅ What two near-death experiences revealed about God’s mercy ✅ Why the Rosary and Eucharist became central to his life ✅ What message men need to hear about surrender and spiritual leadership TIMESTAMPS 00:59 Intro 01:20 His first hero 03:15 His mother’s story 05:02 Growing up without a father 07:22 First near-death experience 08:54 Jesus charm moment 10:34 Lukewarm faith years 11:59 Family became his god 13:57 Why Mass changed 16:16 COVID and hospital fear 17:43 Mother Angelica and the Rosary 19:04 Why he turned to prayer 21:57 How he prays now 23:54 Guardian angel and marriage 26:34 Heroes now 30:08 Who he serves 32:19 What men need to hear #CatholicFaith #HeroicStories #DanVenezia

    37 min

  3. May 19

    Trial by Fire: Faith, Politics, and the Fight for Truth with Congressman Tim Huelskamp

    A Kansas farm boy sets out to become a priest, gets turned away, and thinks the story is over. It isn’t. He meets his wife outside an abortion clinic, adopts four children, and ends up in Congress fighting for faith in public life. Along the way, he finds that the real battle looks a lot like Athanasius against the world. And now, he’s calling other men to step into that same fight.What You’ll Learn✅ Why Athanasius “against the world” still matters today✅ How rejection reshaped a man’s calling and identity✅ The hidden role of daily prayer and brotherhood✅ What real masculinity looks like under pressureTIMESTAMPS00:00 Tim Huelskamp01:45 Hero Story – St. Athanasius04:30 Standing Alone – Faith under attack07:00 Seminary Exit – Life turns09:30 Marriage & Adoption story12:00 Crisis of Faith moment15:00 Daily prayer discipline18:00 Brotherhood and masculinity22:00 Public life and loneliness25:30 Faith in politics29:00 Heroes: Father Kapaun32:00 Fatherhood and legacy35:00 Living faith in publicHashtags#CatholicFaith #Masculinity #HeroicMen

    40 min

  4. May 12

    From Gunshot to Deacon: Mike Bellinder's Story of New Purpose and Forgiveness

    A husband, father, deacon, and hospice chaplain shares the night that changed everything: a workplace robbery, a gunshot to the spine, and three words that came out of his mouth before he even hit the ground — “I forgive you.” On Heroic Stories, Deacon Mike Bellinder reflects on Desmond Doss, faith under pressure, the fatherhood crisis, suffering, forgiveness, hospice ministry, and why so many men are starving for meaning. This is a raw, deeply Catholic conversation about what heroism actually looks like when life gets brutal. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why Desmond Doss and Hacksaw Ridge still hit men so hard ✅ How Deacon Mike responded after being shot during a robbery ✅ What hospice patients reveal about regret, meaning, and purpose ✅ Why strong fatherhood and a living faith matter so much for men 00:00 Intro – Meeting Deacon Mike 01:14 The heroism of Desmond Doss 03:28 Why faith-first courage matters 06:57 Two jobs, exhaustion, and pressure 10:41 The night of the armed robbery 14:20 Praying for death, receiving peace 16:53 Shot in the spine 19:47 Forgiveness changed everything 21:13 His father’s influence 23:30 How hospice became his mission 25:02 What dying men reveal 28:21 The questions he asks the dying 34:40 How men find meaning 40:35 Saints and heroes he follows 43:03 Final message to young men

    46 min

  5. May 5

    America's Athlete: From NFL to a Boiler Room: Caleb Campbell on Wounds, Identity and Masculinity

    Caleb Campbell had everything he thought he wanted, crowds cheering, a spot in the NFL, and a life that looked perfect from the outside. But inside, he was falling apart, until one morning he realized he didn’t even know who he was anymore. He walked away from it all and ended up alone in a boiler room, starting over and facing the pain he had spent years running from. Now he tells others that the hardest part, letting your old life die, is also the start of becoming fully alive. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why success can hide a deeper wound ✅ The “wounded healer” and what it means for men ✅ How loneliness becomes a turning point ✅ What it takes to leave behind an old identity TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Caleb Campbell: America's Athlete 01:40 The wounded healer story 04:00 Success and inner emptiness 07:30 NFL dream vs internal collapse 12:50 Pressure, identity, and faith 16:00 Breaking point and walking away 20:30 Death before new life 24:50 The Boiler room reset 28:00 What prayer became 31:30 Heroes and real spirituality 34:30 Loneliness and transformation 39:00 What it means to live fully alive #Masculinity #MentalHealth #Faith

    42 min

  6. Apr 28

    Where Have All the Fathers Gone? Deacon Joe Grote on Men | Heroic Stories

    Why are so many fathers missing from family life, and what can ordinary men do about it? Deacon Joe Grote shares the story behind his book 'Where Have All the Fathers Gone?' and opens up about fatherhood, male friendship, resilience, family sacrifice, and the kind of heroism that begins at home. From St. Maximilian Kolbe to a family bakery collapse, this conversation explores what men owe their wives, children, friends, and the people placed in front of them every day. Visit Deacon's Website: https://deaconjoegrote.com/ See Catholic Speakers: https://heroicmen.org/speakers What You’ll Learn ✅ Why Deacon Joe Grote sees St. Maximilian Kolbe as a model of heroic masculinity ✅ What men’s groups are doing right when they create deep brotherhood over decades ✅ How losing a family business led Joe into a new mission of service and ministry ✅ Why the roles of husband, father, and friend sit at the center of his message 00:00 Meeting Deacon Joe Grote 01:21 Heroism in Auschwitz 02:53 Heroic where placed 04:03 Fatherhood, resilience, and staying alive 05:40 40 years of brotherhood and strength 12:07 The bakery story 16:44 Anxiety attack 17:56 The 26-mile walk home 23:49 Called into ministry 25:11 Where Have All the Fathers Gone? 27:47 The missing fathers crisis 35:01 What men can do now – husband, father, friend 39:40 Who he wants to help #HeroicMen #Fatherhood #CatholicMen #Masculinity #Storytelling

    42 min

  7. Apr 21

    St. Joseph Found His Voice. Men Need Theirs with Jose Miguel Pulido | Ep 15

    What does St. Joseph reveal about courage, fatherhood, truth, and masculine leadership? Jose Miguel Pulido explores St. Joseph’s dream and the power of naming Jesus as an act of love, truth, and leadership. This a passionate, Scripture-filled discussion on why St. Joseph still matters, why men need to find their voice, and why fatherhood remains a gift in the life of the family and the Church.What You’ll Learn✅ Why St. Joseph’s dream in Matthew 1 matters so deeply✅ How naming Jesus becomes an act of leadership and truth✅ Why Jose calls men a gift, grace, and problem-solvers✅ How fatherhood, legacy, and St. Joseph connect across generationsTIMESTAMPS00:59 Intro01:10 Heroic story question01:21 Why Christ came through family02:20 Joseph’s dream and mission04:35 Joseph, son of David06:31 What babies are for07:21 Love as Joseph’s mission09:11 Joseph’s courage to stay12:03 St. Joseph speaks14:39 Why men need a voice16:10 Truth, problems, leadership18:30 Men as gift and grace22:41 Why men are a gift25:27 The law of love27:08 Why presence matters30:08 Why St. Joseph matters31:00 Loving your father more32:20 Advice from grandfather34:58 Jose on his dad36:29 Final message to men36:42 The sacred name of Jesus #StJoseph #CatholicMen #HeroicStories

    40 min

  8. Apr 16

    Explosive Rage & Father Wounds — Finding Freedom & Healing | Bob Kroll | Ep 14

    What happens when a man faces the deepest wound of his life… and chooses forgiveness? Bob Kroll shares his story of growing up in an abusive home, carrying explosive anger into his own family, and the moment everything changed at a retreat that forced him to confront the “father wound.” His story exposes a hidden pattern affecting millions of men—and what it actually takes to break it.CatholicSpeakers.com Profile | Visit website What You’ll Learn✅ What the “father wound” is and why it shapes men✅ How unforgiveness traps men in anger and isolation✅ The exact moment forgiveness rewired his life✅ How healing one man can transform generations

    50 min
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About

Heroic Stories—the series to strengthen Catholic men with raw stories of heroic grit & faith. Hosted by Dan Donaldson with Heroic Men. These are the stories that remind us… heroism isn’t born—it’s made, and it’s centered on Jesus Christ. https://stories.heroicmen.org

Information

  • Creator
    Heroic Men
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Heroic Men
  • Show Website
    Heroic Stories

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