In this episode of Stories Across the Table, Bridget Cook-Burch and Steve Ramona welcome Allicia Johnson Niles, advocate, author in progress, and the surviving daughter of Lieutenant Junior Grade Burr N. Johnson III, who was killed by homicide in the US Navy at Pearl Harbor when Allicia was two years old. Allicia grew up not knowing the full story of her father's death. Society told her she was lucky not to remember him. But she felt him, in songs that caught her off guard, in a quiet sense of guidance that grew harder to ignore over the years. When she finally began to investigate, the Navy said no. She kept going anyway. Over a year of determined digging, she tracked down her father's shipmates, pieced together what happened in that tiny wardrobe room, and eventually found Tony Gusty, the man who had tried to save her father's life and had never spoken of it to anyone. Their conversation healed them both. What she discovered went far deeper than she expected. There was cover-up, conspiracy, and a cast of characters that kept the story unfolding even as she was writing it. Through all of it, she carried complex PTSD and anxiety she had only learned to name in her thirties, and she moved forward anyway. Her memoir, Angel in Arlington, written with Bridget Cook-Burch, is a story of unlikely courage and a powerful argument that grief does not expire, love does not end, and you do not have to wait for the fear to go away before you begin. Pull up a chair for a conversation about the fathers we never knew, the courage it takes to find the truth, and the healing that becomes possible when we finally stop running from our own story. BIO: Allicia Johnson Niles is an author and speaker with a profound message of hope. From childhood, her entire life was affected by her father’s murder while he was serving in the U. S. Navy. Deep-rooted grief and curiosity caused her to seek the truth behind the conspiracies aboard the USS Richard S Edwards and her father’s death. Suddenly she felt an intense connection with her father on almost a daily basis. As she learned to act upon specific messages, miracles, answers, healing, and forgiveness flooded into her life like a tidal wave. She not only found peace for her own life, but also for over a dozen of her father’s Navy friends who had still been suffering the ramifications of the shooting. Feeling the same urging from her father to reveal their story with those who have lost loved ones and who desire continued connection, Allicia shares her personal understanding of PTSD, terrors, feelings of inadequacy and a sense of abandonment. She is passionate about helping others, particularly Military widows and orphans, to embrace grief and truth, instead of running from it. Her deeper message of hope is that our lost loved ones surround us daily, cheering us on as we find meaning in life. Allicia is proud of the veterans in her family, including four grandparents, her father, and her sister-in-law. Her understanding heart, quirky sense of humor, and unconquerable determination have opened doors and created life-changing connections that continue to be blessings. A nationally sought-after speaker, Allicia Johnson Niles works in marketing and leadership development. She is a devout Christian who feels a deep sense of family connection, and strives to help others feel hope and confidence in their own lives. She is a part of the TAPS movement (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) for military families to share the process of deep and effective healing. Website: https://www.angelinarlington.com YouTube: @StoriesAcrossTheTable https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHPeekMqKYjBAwO28gLSvRABridget’s Free Community - Inspired Writers Clubhouse for Writers and Authors: https://www.inspiredwritersclubhouse.comBridget’s Free Newsletter: https://www.yourinspiredstory.com/newsletter Steve’s Free Community: https://www.skool.com/steve-ramona-community-9836Steve’s Free Newsletter: https://doing-business-with-a-servants-heart.kit.com/steveramonaSteve’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveramona/’Bridget’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mbridgetcookburch/ Steve’s X/Twitter: https://x.com/oppbrokerBridget’s X/Twitter: @inspiritwriter Steve’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizopportunitynow/Bridget’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgetcookburch/ Substack: https://p...
