Rise Above with Kevin Lanning

Welcome to Rise Above with Kevin Lanning. Join Kevin, a former Google executive in sobriety, as he shares inspiring stories of resilience. Each episode features individuals who have faced life’s toughest challenges—addiction, trauma, anxiety, and more—and emerged stronger. These conversations aren’t just about survival; they’re about thriving and finding practical solutions to rise above adversity. Kevin’s own journey through addiction and childhood trauma fuels his passion for sharing stories that uplift, educate, and inspire. Tune in and discover the strength within you.

Latest Episodes:

Surviving Trauma, PTSD, and a Household Shattered by Addiction: My Journey to Healing and Saving My Mental Health Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

This week, we sit down with Ana Isabel Hume, aka Anabel — lifestyle and sports host, fitness competitor, and mental health advocate — for one of our most raw and powerful conversations yet. Anabel opens up about losing her father to suicide, being diagnosed with a brain tumor at 11, living with a shunt, growing up around addiction, and surviving a marriage marked by PTSD and emotional trauma. Despite the odds, she rebuilt her life through faith, healing, and discipline — and now she's helping others do the same. For anyone who’s walked through pain and still found the courage to rise — this episode will leave you inspired.

#trauma #ptsdrecovery #addictionrecovery #mentalhealthawareness #healingjourney #faithoverfear #resilience #overcomingtrauma #survivorstories #mentalhealthmatters #riseabove #healingfromtrauma #addictionawareness #emotionalhealing #inspiration #motivationalstories #mentalhealthsupport #growthmindset #traumasurvivor #recoveryjourney

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I Was a Death Row Guard — What I Saw Still Haunts Me Apr 17, 2025

Show notes

David was a corrections officer assigned to death row—what he witnessed during those two years broke him. From chilling confessions to disturbing inmate behavior, this interview uncovers the dark side of the prison system that most people never see. The trauma ultimately led David to walk away from the job for good. This is his story.

#DeathRow #CorrectionsOfficer #PrisonStories #MentalHealthAwareness #TrueCrime #BehindBars #PrisonSystem #DarkSideOfPrison #RiseAbovePodcast #CriminalJustice #PrisonReform #GuardStories #PsychologicalTrauma #InmateConfessions #LifeOnDeathRow #PrisonDocumentary #RealStories #PrisonTruths #TrueCrimeCommunity

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fatal Accident That Shattered Everything | How I Escaped Opiates After 45 Surgeries Apr 13, 2025

Show notes

In this powerful episode of Rise Above, host Kevin Lanning sits down with John Ulsh, a motivational speaker and coach who has turned personal tragedy into a mission to inspire others.

Seventeen years ago, John survived a devastating car accident that led to over 45 surgeries and numerous setbacks. Through unwavering determination, he transformed his pain into purpose, developing a roadmap for resilience that has empowered countless individuals to overcome their own challenges.

Join us as John shares his journey of recovery, the mindset shifts that fueled his transformation, and actionable strategies to help you build an unbreakable spirit.

#AddictionRecovery #RecoveryIsPossible #MentalHealthAwareness #SoberLife #OneDayAtATime #CleanAndSober #TraumaHealing #SelfImprovement #MindsetMatters #Motivation #Inspiration #Transformation #LifeAfterAddiction #HealingJourney #RiseAbovePodcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside an Alcoholic's Chaotic Lifestyle | The Dark Side of Alcohol Addiction & How I Found Sobriety Apr 13, 2025

Show notes

Kelsey grew up fast in a home filled with alcoholism and chaos — with both parents struggling and her father disappearing from her life for 14 years. By age 10, she was caring for her younger sister and operating far beyond her years. On the outside, she was a high achiever: great college, rising corporate career — but on the inside, addiction and depression were taking over. In this raw and unfiltered interview, Kelsey shares what it was like living inside an alcoholic’s chaotic lifestyle, the dark spiral she fell into, and how she finally hit rock bottom. With nowhere left to turn, she followed the same path as her parents — a 12-step program — and slowly rebuilt her life. Now seven years sober and a successful entrepreneur, Kelsey opens up about the reality of addiction, the pain behind the mask, and what it truly takes to find freedom.

#addictionrecovery #AlcoholismAwareness #SoberLife #12StepProgram #MentalHealthMatters #RiseAbove #RockBottomToRedemption

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside a Nitrous Oxide Addict’s Brutal Lifestyle After Being Paralyzed by the COVID Vaccine Apr 05, 2025

Show notes

Jessica nearly lost everything to addiction — including her life. While she struggled with various substances, it was nitrous oxide that almost killed her. Her true rock bottom came in an unexpected way: after receiving the Johnson & Johnson COVID shot, Jessica became paralyzed. But what could have ended her story became her awakening.

Four years sober today, Jessica has completely transformed her life. She now dedicates herself to helping others as a life coach and sober coach, using her experience to guide people out of the darkness she once knew so well.

In this powerful and emotional interview, Jessica opens up about:

• The dangers of nitrous oxide addiction

• The moment she became paralyzed

• How she found the strength to get sober

• Her journey from addiction to purpose

• The work she’s doing now to help others heal

This is a story of resilience, recovery, and redemption you don’t want to miss.

#RecoveryIsPossible #SoberLife #AddictionRecovery #SoberCoach #MentalHealthAwareness #Sobriety #RecoveryJourney #SoberLiving #LifeCoach #SoberCommunity

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brooklyn's Drug Kingpin | From Prison at 16 to Building a Jewelry Empire Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

Nick lost his father at just 7 years old and was homeless soon after. By his early teens, he was selling drugs to survive—and at 16, he stabbed someone and was sentenced to Rikers Island. After reoffending, he served another prison term. But after that second stint, everything changed.

Nick got sober, walked away from the street life, and started over. He launched a moving company, bought real estate, and—alongside his brother—opened one of the most successful jewelry stores in Brooklyn, New York. Today, he’s a clean and sober family man, a father of two, a business owner, and a symbol of what’s possible when you never give up.

In this episode of Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, Nick shares the raw and inspiring story of how he overcame trauma, addiction, violence, and incarceration—and rose above it all.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe "Tiger King" Exotic Drops BOMBSHELL About Trump Pardon… Tiger King 2 Coming?! Mar 30, 2025

Show notes

In this explosive prison phone call interview, Kevin Lanning connects with Joe Exotic, the notorious “Tiger King,” for a raw and unfiltered conversation straight from behind bars.

Joe shares a shocking update on his ongoing fight for a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, opens up about the possibility of Tiger King Part 2, and doesn’t hold back on his current legal battles. He also delivers a heartbreaking account of the inhumane conditions he's facing in prison, shedding light on the reality of life on the inside.

This isn’t just another Joe Exotic story — this is a plea for justice, a call for change, and a glimpse into a man the world thought it knew.

Subscribe now and leave a review — you’ve never heard Joe like this before.

#JoeExotic #TigerKing #TrumpPardon #PrisonInterview #FreeJoeExotic #TigerKing2 #BreakingNews #JoeExoticInterview #DonaldTrump #TigerKingUpdate #joerogan

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside A Heroin Addict's BRUTAL Lifestyle Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

In this gripping episode of Rise Above, Kim shares the unfiltered truth about life as an IV heroin addict — from shooting up daily to selling heroin alongside her own mother. Caught in a generational cycle of addiction, Kim’s story is unlike anything we’ve shared before.

She opens up about the codependent bond she shared with her mom, how they used and dealt drugs together, and the moment she knew she had to break away — not just to survive, but to finally live.

Now sober and rebuilding her life, Kim’s journey is a raw look at the brutality of addiction, the courage it takes to walk away from family, and the hope that recovery brings.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ex-GOOGLE Exec Who Stole Millions With John McAfee | Tech's Dark Side Mar 23, 2025

Show notes

Kyle Sandler was once hailed as the tech savior of a small Alabama town — a former Google executive launching a startup incubator with big promises. He raised millions, inspired dreams, and even claimed to have worked closely with cybersecurity pioneer John McAfee. But it was all a lie.

In this exclusive interview, Kyle opens up about the truth behind the scam, the fantasy he created, and how he convinced an entire community — and even national media — to believe in him. From tech deception to prison time, this is one of the most unbelievable stories in startup history.

This is a raw, honest conversation about ego, addiction to power, and the cost of deception.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside a College Football Player’s Tragic Injury That Left Him Paralyzed & His Unbelievable Comeback Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

Chris Norton’s life changed in an instant when a tackle during a college football game left him paralyzed. Doctors gave him just a 3% chance of regaining movement, but Chris refused to accept that fate. Through relentless determination and unwavering faith, he not only defied the odds but also made headlines when he walked across the stage at graduation and later down the aisle at his wedding. In this powerful conversation, Chris shares his journey of resilience, mindset shifts, and what it truly means to rise above adversity.

🔹 Overcoming paralysis

🔹 The mindset that changed everything

🔹 Walking at his wedding against all odds

🎧 Listen now and be inspired by Chris’s incredible story!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices