Best Vivian Van Podcasts (2025)

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S1 Ep36: Paul - "The Bullet Bounced off My Head" 49:35

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8d ago49:35

49:35

Paul Rousseau was accidentally shot in the head by his best friend. What happened after would change Paul's life forever. Paul's book, "Friendly Fire: A Fractured Memoir," is available here or in audiobook here. Paul's Instagram: @paulwrites47 Paul's website: paul-rousseau.com Join me on Patreon! I have bonus episodes, chat, a newsletter, extended …

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S3: Announcement - Season 3 & Patreon! 1:15

22d ago1:15

1:15

Season 3 coming October 22! Patreon available now at Patreon.com/livedtotell!By Lived to Tell

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S1 Ep35: Improved Audio - Vivian - "I Looked Behind Me and Saw the Wolves" 49:40

1M ago49:40

49:40

While the show is on hiatus, I'm re-releasing some episodes with better audio quality. Hopefully, these will be a better listening experience! Vivian Mayo and her husband, Scott were experienced campers in Alaska. But one trip up to their camp in Monahan Flats was anything but typical. Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @LivedToTellPodcast…

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On life's journey, make each step count, with Amina J. Mohammed - UN Deputy Secretary-General 41:21

1M ago41:21

41:21

How does one out of five sisters from rural Nigeria grow up to be UN Deputy Secretary-General? Blessed with tenacity, determination and grit, Amina Mohammed has always been driven to improve the lives of her fellow human beings and our planet. Rising to the top of the United Nations, her vision has helped shape the world's blueprint for a brighter …

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A ray of hope for cancer patients, with Dr. May Abdel-Wahab - Director of the Division of Human Health at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 35:29

2M ago35:29

35:29

Whenever a new cancer patient entered her office in the U.S., Dr. May Abdel-Wahab knew she could help by palliating their pain and working towards a cure. Now, as Director of the Division of Human Health at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), she delivers hope to patients in places where treatment has until now been unavailable. "So much…

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S1 Ep34: Improved Audio - Sheri - "I Could See the Bone Sticking Out of My Face" 48:07

2M ago48:07

48:07

While the show is on hiatus, I'm re-releasing some episodes with better audio quality. Hopefully, these will be a better listening experience! While on vacation in Hawaii, Sheri was brutally attacked when out for a run. She struggled with PTSD for years, but the attack inspired her into activism. Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @LivedTo…

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Nothing keeps me awake, everything keeps me going, with Peter Hawkins - UNICEF Representative in Yemen 39:44

2M ago39:44

39:44

Every day, Peter Hawkins wakes up filled with determination to make a difference. As the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Yemen, he puts that boundless energy into helping young people survive one of the world's most intractable humanitarian crises. "Despite serving in some of the most challenging and difficult places, I've…

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Working for peace in the DR Congo, with Vivian van de Perre - Deputy head of peacekeeping in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 42:44

2M ago42:44

42:44

Vivian van de Perre's calling is to help nations transition from conflict to peace. Now the deputy head of peacekeeping in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), she leads a life-saving operation in the rebel-held city of Goma. "It's tragic and it's unimaginable, but at the same time, people live their lives and they do the best they can, and …

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S1 Ep33: Improved Audio - Peter - "Read my lips: F. B. I." 40:08

2M ago40:08

40:08

While the show is on hiatus, I'm re-releasing some episodes with better audio quality. Hopefully, these will be a better listening experience! Peter Brandt trusted his contractor enough to let him temporarily stay in his home. But when Peter threatened to call the police over a missing video camera, the contractor brutally attacked him. Show Instag…

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When war comes home, with Yacoub El Hillo - Regional Director for Africa at the UN Development Coordination Office 39:08

2M ago39:08

39:08

Yacoub El Hillo spent more than thirty years serving refugees and displaced people in some of the world's worst conflict zones. But when cataclysmic war erupted in his hometown of Khartoum, Sudan, the Regional Director for Africa at the United Nations Development Coordination Office (DCO) had to help his own family flee the violence. "I don't think…

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Why I'll always champion Afghan women, with Georgette Gagnon - the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan 31:39

3M ago31:39

31:39

With her background in human rights law, Georgette Gagnon was once said to represent the conscience of war. Currently serving as the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, she has been devastated by the sweeping loss of rights for women and girls there. "You used to see across the country hundreds of girls going to schoo…

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S1 Ep32: Improved Audio - Julia - "Why Is My Arm Not Moving?" 35:43

3M ago35:43

35:43

While the show is on hiatus, I'm re-releasing some episodes with better audio quality. Hopefully, these will be a better listening experience! Julia Kwamya was thrown from a cab in 2019, severing her foot and fracturing her spine. Her spinal injury caused her to lose the use of her right arm and Julia was up against the clock to get it addressed be…

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Do not take Democracy for granted, with Nicholas Haysom - Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of UNMISS 33:42

3M ago33:42

33:42

As a young white activist in South Africa, Nicholas Haysom risked detention to oppose the apartheid regime, later working alongside Nelson Mandela. Now Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of the United Nations Mission there, he is still striving tirelessly in pursuit of peace and human rights. "The lesson of [Ne…

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What next for Syria's refugees, with Gonzalo Vargas Llosa - UNHCR Representative to Syria 36:53

3M ago36:53

36:53

Rather than follow in the footsteps of his late father, a Nobel-prize winning writer, Gonzalo Vargas Llosa opted instead to serve humanity. Now the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' Representative to Syria, he just witnessed a historic end to 14 years of conflict and crisis. "There were these long, long lines of cars of Syrian refugees coming back…

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S1 Ep31: Improved Audio - Johan - "The First Things I See Are Teeth and Claws" 57:10

3M ago57:10

57:10

While the show is on hiatus, I'm re-releasing some episodes with better audio quality. Hopefully, these will be a better listening experience! Johan Otter and his daughter, Jenna are attacked by a bear in Glacier National Park in 2005. He would have to spend three months in a medical halo for his spinal injuries but was determined to run a marathon…

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Season 11 1:03

3M ago1:03

1:03

Our troubled world can be a source of great joy, and great suffering. United Nations staff witness both, day in day out, as they serve humanity in some of the toughest places on earth. They do so at considerable risk, and with shrinking resources. Yet despite all the challenges, dedicated UN staff around the world continue to find the strength to k…

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S1 Ep30: Improved Audio - Melissa - "He said, 'You're Worth Going to Prison For'" 48:07

4M ago48:07

48:07

While the show is on hiatus, I'm re-releasing some episodes with better audio quality. Hopefully, these will be a better listening experience! Melissa Benson finally broke it off with her abusive ex-boyfriend, LaShawn King. But when he tells her he's leaving town for good, she meets up with him one last time. What should have been a 5-minute goodby…

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S1: Announcement/Appology 2:13

4M ago2:13

2:13

Hey everyone! I've been down for the count for two weeks at this point and have not been able to finish today's episode.By Lived to Tell

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S1 Ep29: Bryon - "I Was Paralyzed and the Pain Was So Intense" 34:14

5M ago34:14

34:14

Bryon Jones was out spending a day with his dog, Buddy, when a storm that seemed miles away literally struck Bryon. Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @LivedToTellPodcast Caitlin's Instagram: @caitlinvanmol email: [email protected] Lived to Tell

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S1 Ep28: Tamecka - "Did You Just Say I Had a Pair of Scissors in My Head?" 50:23

5M ago50:23

50:23

In the early hours of 1996, Tamecka was coming home from celebrating the New Year. An act of kindness for a neighbor turned into a bloody New Year's Day. Check out Tamecka's Book: https://www.tameckafrazier.com/book Tamecka's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tameckafrazier?_rdr Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @LivedToTellPodcast Caitl…

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S1 Ep27: Dave Part Two - "Give Me the Knife Right Now" 49:54

6M ago49:54

49:54

Part Two of David's story. If you haven't listened to part one, "Dave Part One - "Darkness Falls Quick in the Forest," go listen to that first. Dave and Crystal have been lost in the Amazon Rainforest for six days. Crystal's feet have been rubbed raw from her boots, and she can barely walk. If they can't walk, they have no hope of survival. Show In…

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S1 Ep26: David Part One - "Darkness Falls Quick in the Rainforest” 40:18

6M ago40:18

40:18

David Boyer and his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Crystal, take their dream vacation to the Amazon Rainforest. But a misunderstood map and a confusingly marked trail led them to get lost in one of the most remote places on earth. Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @LivedToTellPodcast Caitlin's Instagram: @caitlinvanmol email: livedtotell…

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S1 Ep25: Angela - "You're Lucky You're a Fighter" 48:50

7M ago48:50

48:50

Angela Champange-From was leaving work one day when a man attacked her in the parking garage. But he got more than he bargained for with Angela. Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @LivedToTellPodcast Caitlin's Instagram: @caitlinvanmol email: [email protected] Lived to Tell

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S1 Ep24: Tom - "Soaked in Aviation Fuel Burning Alive" 49:19

7M ago49:19

49:19

In 2008, Tom Wilson, six of his coworkers, and a pilot took off from Vancouver in a small floatplane. Tom would be the only one who would make it home. More about Tom: https://www.momentsofimpact.online/ https://www.facebook.com/momentsofimpactbytomwilson Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @LivedToTellPodcast Caitlin's Instagram: @caitlinv…

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S1 Ep23: Julie - "This Dude Just Stabbed Me" 45:14

8M ago45:14

45:14

Julie Carlson was enjoying a night home alone when a man burst through her back patio door. Later, she learned she was the 19th victim of a serial rapist plaguing the Dallas/Fort Worth area for the past 2 years. But Julie's quick thinking during her attack would put him away for the rest of his life. Julie's Instagram: @jujusamuraicreations This ep…

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S1 Ep22: Kenn - “There Was Blood All Over the Wall, There Was Blood All Over the Ceiling” 42:21

8M ago42:21

42:21

Manager Kenn Perrier and his team at an assisted living facility were trying to move resident Linda into a different housing situation better suited to her needs. But Linda was NOT going to go quietly. Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @LivedToTellPodcast Caitlin's Instagram: @caitlinvanmol email: [email protected]…

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S1 Ep21: Audra - "This Is an Awful Way To Die" 30:31

9M ago30:31

30:31

Audra Dillon was finally going to be with the man of her dreams after circling each other for many years. But trying to help a woman in distress would end that dream for good. This episode contains mentions of suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling, call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: …

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Women's rights are human rights, with Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda - ASG and Deputy Exec. Director of UN Women 30:38

9M ago30:38

30:38

Having grown up in war-torn rural Zimbabwe, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda overcame extreme hardship to pursue a career at the highest levels of the United Nations. Now UN Assistant Secretary-General, and one of two deputy executive directors of UN Women, she wants little girls everywhere to aspire to the same heights. "Peace is a prerequisite. It's so cr…

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Protecting children in crisis, with Catherine Russell - Executive Director of UNICEF 34:58

9M ago34:58

34:58

Catherine Russell never forgets the children she meets. As Executive Director of UNICEF, she bears witness to the stories of tens of millions of children and young people suffering around the world, and shares causes for optimism and hope wherever she finds it. "Children just want to be children. No matter what, the bleakest situation, the most ter…

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S1 Ep20: Anne - "I Felt Fire Going Through My Body" 37:53

9M ago37:53

37:53

After several unsuccessful relationships, Anne decided to give an old boyfriend another chance. But that would prove to be a near-fatal mistake. This episode contains descriptions of domestic violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call 1-800.799.SAFE or 1-800-799-7233. You can also find resources at thehotline.org. …

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The battle to protect children from online abuse, with Carmen Corbin - UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 40:24

9M ago40:24

40:24

Carmen Corbin dreamt of serving with the United Nations from an early age. Now head of transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking and terrorism prevention programs at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in East Africa, she is dedicated to protecting children from shocking online exploitation. "We won't know who is real and …

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How to save humanity from climate breakdown with Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) 37:51

10M ago37:51

37:51

Celeste Saulo has always been fascinated by the weather. Now Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), she is seeing climate breakdown warp global weather systems beyond recognition, with devastating impacts on countless lives and livelihoods. "We can see how many people are suffering…We can see that people are running out o…

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S1 Ep19: Lana - "You're About to Feel the Most Pain You've Ever Felt in Your Life" 32:24

10M ago32:24

32:24

Lana Hudspeth had a terrible 2005. Within a span of months, she was drugged and raped, and in a rollover car accident that ended with her getting hit by a freight train. This episode contains descriptions of domestic violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call 1-800.799.SAFE or 1-800-799-7233. You can also find reso…

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#75 - Season 2 Finale: Embracing the Unknown in Marriage, Motherhood & Major Life Transitions 49:53

10M ago49:53

49:53

🎙️ And with that, the 2nd season of Voice Hugs has come to an end 🎵 As always, to wrap up another wonderful 365 days around the sun, we’re sharing upcoming big life changes, along with lessons we learned from the year from growing pains, our friendship, and the unexpected twists & turns 👀 With how uncertain life may seem at times, we’re grateful to…

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S1 Ep18: Ronny - "Is This Really How I'm Going to Die?" 39:13

10M ago39:13

39:13

Ronny Ahmed was shot by an active shooter on the Florida State University campus in 2014. He was immediately paralyzed and had to figure out how to live a whole new life. This episode contains mentions of suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling, call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @Live…

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Love Is the One Thing that Solves Everything - Benjamin Perks - Head of Campaigns and Advocacy - UNICEF 39:49

10M ago39:49

39:49

Having overcome a childhood marked by violence, abuse and neglect, Benjamin Perks has always drawn strength from an innate sense of optimism. Now Head of Campaigns and Advocacy at UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, he helps protect young people in similar situations all over the world. "I think it was very clear that we were in a bad spot,…