In Part 1 of this powerful two-part episode, we meet Kaegan — an EMT and paramedic from Arizona — who opens up about the early days of his career, the loss of his firefighter father at 18, and the crushing weight of nonstop 911 calls. Kaegan shares what it was like to be thrown into the chaos of emergency medicine while silently carrying trauma, burnout, and anxiety. He takes us inside the culture of silence, the pressure to keep going, and how toxic leadership can quietly erode a responder’s mental health. This first half of his story is raw, honest, and a reminder of how many are struggling behind the uniform — and what it really takes to survive the job. 💙 Support the mission: Donate to the William H. “Bill” Butler Jr. Foundation: 🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com/donate 🌐 Website: 🔗 https://www.8158podcast.com 🎙 Want to be a guest? Schedule an interview here: 🔗 https://8158podcast.com/contact-us 📢 Join our community & get exclusive content: 🔗 http://Patreon.com/8158podcast ⸻ 📲 Hashtags: #FirstResponderMentalHealth #EMSBurnout #StoriesOfSacrifice #BackTheBlue #YouAreNotAlone #fyp Let me know when you’re ready for Part 2’s version!