Proactive Prevention Podcast

In this conversation with Jimbo in Stereo, Tina Snyder shares important details about her son's struggle with addiction, his recovery, and his death as a result of an unintentional opioid overdose.

Listener Advisory: This episode contains discussion of drug use, overdose, and death. To preserve the impact and authenticity of this testimonial, we have not edited this content. Listener discretion is advised.

Lee’s struggle with addiction started in 2011 when he was a teenager after he was prescribed opioid painkillers during a hospitalization. In February 2016, after battling addiction for 5 years, he was admitted to rehab.

Lee successfully completed rehab. He was clean for 9 months. In November 2016, shortly after returning home from rehab, Lee left home to meet up with a friend. He never returned.

On November 12, 2016, Lee passed away due to a heroin overdose.

Lee’s mother, Tina Snyder, was devastated by his loss.

What follows are her words.

Her voice.

Her raw emotion.

Unedited and unfiltered.

It is her hope that by sharing the pain of her loss, she can make a difference.

Listener Advisory: This episode contains discussion of drug use, overdose, and death. To preserve the impact and authenticity of this testimonial, we have not censored this content. Listener discretion is advised.

This episode of the Proactive Prevention Podcast is a huge dose of reality, providing insight into the impact of the opioid epidemic on communities across the US. Today's testimonial is a sobering reminder that addiction does not discriminate. It can impact anyone, of any age, at any time.

Our conversation today is with a young traveling nurse. Although she's only 24, both her personal and professional life have been greatly impacted by other people's drug use, overdoses, and deaths.

Listen as she shares how her school, classmates, community, and even her high school graduation were impacted by heroin and shares some of her experiences with overdose patients while working in the  ER.

Road Radio USA extends our gratitude to the nurses, doctors, emergency staff, and other health care  providers who work diligently to respond to medical emergencies and provide life-saving care for those who experience an overdose.

The best way to solve the opioid problem is to  educate ourselves  and others, to spread the word about the very real dangers of opioid addiction and overdose.

That's why Road Radio USA thinks it is so important to share stories like this on the Proactive Prevention Podcast to communicate the reality that drug addiction, drug overdoses, and drug-related deaths are preventable.

 If you or a  loved one are struggling with addiction, help is out there.

 In Pennsylvania, individuals seeking treatment for substance use for themselves  or a loved   one can call the PA Get Help Now Hotline. This free, confidential hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is staffed by trained professionals. You can contact them  at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

You can also contact The National Drug Helpline. The hotline is open to any individual dealing with addiction issues, including family members and  other loved ones. Resources are available for those struggling with any addictive substance, including alcohol, and professionals are available to help twenty four seven, every day of the  year . You can call the National Drug Helpline 1 - 844 - 289 - 0878.

For more resources and supports, check  out the resources section on our website at www.roadradiousa.org.

Jimbo’s interviewee talks about how a person they knew lost their passion for football due to a mistake made through drinking and driving. They discuss the losses and the alternative passages they went through, further influencing others to not follow in their footsteps.

In this final installment of our three part Special Podcast series, our guest shares the events that led to a critical Turning Point in his life.

In our last episode, our guest said "I'm ready." Listen now to find out what he was ready for and how his life changed for the better when he resigned himself to make one decision.

This moment was a critical turning point in his life, leading him down the path of sobriety, recovery, and redemption - and a renewed life.

In this episode our guest shares part two of the riveting and intense story of his spiral into addiction. We pick up where we left off in Episode 1, after a THC overdose almost found him left for dead in the gator-infested swamps of Florida.

This episode chronicles his continued fall into the depths of addiction, his struggles with cocaine and crack, and how loss and another near-death experience left him ready for change.

These moments were critical turning points in his life, leading him down a path of drug use, addiction and despair - and finally, readiness for change and redemption.

In this episode our guest shares the story of the first critical moments in his life, from childhood through young adulthood, when he tried alcohol and other drugs for the first time. From sneaking hard liquor at age 8, to a night of partying in his young adulthood that almost ended with him left for dead in the gator-infested swamps of Florida, hear how one poor decision led to another...and another...and another.

These moments were critical turning points in his life, leading him down a path of drug use, addiction and despair.

Jimbo speaks with a person who describes living in a town where there was not much to do but get drunk. Due to the trend of drinking, many passed away from drugs and alcohol, leading to their final consequence.

In today's episode, Jimbo chats with Carolyn Miele, a mother who tragically lost her son Zachary to a fatal drug overdose. She talks about the signs and indicators of addiction, the impact Zachary's death had on her family, and why she founded Saving Lives for Zachary, a nonprofit dedicated to spreading awareness and reducing the stigma of opioid addiction.

To learn more about Saving Lives for Zachary, check them out on social media or visit www.savinglivesforzachary.org

Jimbo speaks with a person who got into a lot of trouble with the law for being at a party with people who were providing alcohol and partying too loud. Parents were called, and the 16-year-old at the time was put into a “drunk tank” where his parents had to bail him out at one in the morning.

In today's Special Episode, Jimbo chats with Tim Welliver, the principal of Muncy Junior/Senior High School, about the impact of the Road Radio USA show on students. Tim and Jimbo emphasize the importance of sharing the message with the realities of underage drinking with youth and how parents and caregivers of teens can use programs like Road Radio USA as an opportunity to initiate The Talk with the youth they love and care about.

Jimbo speaks with a person who dealt with family trauma including a DUI, and how it completely ripped their family apart. The town was known for its partying, deaths, crashes, and concerts that usually led to mistakes being made. They emphasize how alcohol abuse ruined their relationship with their family member.

Jimbo talks to a man who had been in jail and rehab for abusing alcohol and drugs, expressing how life felt at that time. He then talks about how he completely turned his life around using the concept of “The Seven Phases of Transformation”, and now he’s a successful businessman who rebuilt his entire life after seeking help.

Jimbo speaks with a woman who has been struggling to get her proper medication due to the hospital’s precautions against addiction. They talk about how the abusers of opioids prevent the people who need them from getting them, leading to more pain and fewer solutions to it. She talks about how the medical system needs to revalue the people who need prescription opioids for pain control.

Jimbo interviews the staff and sponsors of Camp Cadet, a youth police camp experience, about their thoughts on underage alcohol and drug use. The staff begins by talking about the impact of the show Road Radio USA put on, and how the kids felt connected to Jimbo. They then continue to talk about the consequences of actions and changing the perceptions of the kids.

Jimbo visits a coffee shop where he finds a man sitting by himself and decides to interview him on his perspective of the drug and alcohol epidemic. This man speaks about his struggles with gateway medical prescriptions leading him to use heroin and completely ruin his life, but continues to provide updates on the better life he is experiencing to this day. His previous addiction was overcome, but the urge will always be there.

Jimbo visits a Job Corps in New York where he interviews the staff about what they’re doing to promote prevention education. The staff enlightens him with their drug/tobacco/vaping/alcohol prevention groups and awareness within the entire center. The entire school knows about the struggles and issues that substance abuse comes with, therefore encouraging prevention.

Jimbo and his interviewee talk about the issues of texting and driving, which are comparable to driving while drunk. They also talk about the mental issues that alcohol and drug abuse can cause such as self-harm, suicide, and other mental illnesses. Alcohol and drug abuse is a serious issue that leads to serious consequences and results.

Jimbo talks to an administrator about the issues of drug abuse and alcohol abuse already present in middle schools, and the problems with parents who abuse substances in front of their children, creating a negative influence. They also talk about how using illegal substances can lead to further issues already existent in the environment such as shootings, stabbings, and violence.

Jimbo visits Red Rock Job Corps to interview many different people who all shared their experiences in life before and during their education at their center. A person explains their dramatized experience of being under the influence of drugs leading to incarceration many different times, and others speak about how they’ve never been incarcerated or “caught”, but have learned their lessons on the issues with drug use and alcohol use.

Jimbo speaks to multiple people about their experiences with the drug and alcohol epidemic, and each person speaks about their personal use or personal experiences. He speaks with an EMT about how there are more DUI-related calls than others, and how they had to revive more people from DUI accidents which sometimes led to death.

At Jimbo’s bingo event, he speaks to a woman who describes the trauma that was inflicted upon her family members and others due to driving while intoxicated. She talks about how her sister’s friends were in a terrible accident where an adult provided them with alcohol and was driving while intoxicated, leading the vehicle to flip over, killing one friend, and breaking the back of another. She concludes with how the situation has affected her and her sister, who blames herself.

Jimbo speaks to an administrator of a catholic school about the issues with alcohol and drug use. They speak about the issues with alcohol that are plaguing society and bring up past accidents that have happened with DUI crashes, and innocent lives being taken due to the negligence of others.

Jimbo speaks to John Fetterman at an organized event called a “listening tour”, where the Lt. Gov. goes around to many different counties and listens to the community stress their thoughts and concerns about the potential legalization of recreational marijuana use.

Jimbo interviews a person about the effects of drugs and alcohol, and the interviewee talks about how there were many funerals and memorials for young people who passed away from alcohol-involved incidents. Knowing what’s at stake is a thought that many people under the influence do not think of before they begin drinking, and it causes many more future issues and incidents.

Jimbo interviews a staff member at a counseling and rehabilitation center for young girls who were sent there by their parents, or the court ordered them to be there. The counseling benefits some, but some always end up coming back due to similar issues occurring. They talk about how issues such as drugs and alcohol can start at a young age due to friends, classmates, or family, and it affects mental health and well-being.

Jimbo begins an interview about responsibility, and the interviewee shares a story about being from a college town where alcohol was almost everywhere with enforcement trying to prevent the widespread issue. They talk about how a girl in their old high school passed away from a DUI crash due to prevention education not being expressed a lot.

Jimbo talks about starting Road Radio USA and making an impact on today’s youth. For 2 and ½ decades, Jimbo has changed thousands of lives with prevention education and wishes to continue to do so.

Jimbo interviews a person who has dealt with their family and friends getting into fights at bars, passing from DUI crashes, and misjudging their alcohol consumption. They recommended to the audience to always have someone with them to keep them safe, not drink and drive, and control their potential misjudgment of safety and sobriety.

Jimbo interviews a woman about her decision to stay in a substance-free dormitory throughout college, and how avoiding alcohol her entire life has saved her from a lot of potential issues. Her college and work exposed her to others who drank and were involved in DUI accidents, leading her to eliminate the pressure of drinking when she turned 21. The advice, experiences, and trauma assisted her to listen to the wisdom of others and end the cycle.

Jimbo and his interviewees discuss the terrible impact alcohol has on youth and how to get out of the mindset of alcoholism. They talk about how alcohol breaks lives apart, tears up families, and ruins the perception of you to others. Topics like family alcoholism, parental alcoholism, and redemption are discussed and transitioned to how God touched the soul of a struggling father who changed his life with positive influences and his faith.

Jimbo and his interviewees talk about the pain that comes from losing a loved one to DUI crashes and how it’s hard to get over it, even years later. They also talk about bad decisions that can be made when under the influence, which can cause life-long trauma and regret. The rising drug issues in colleges are touched upon and explained to ruin lives.

The Prevention Podcast is about Jimbo, a man who has an emotional and traumatic backstory due to a drunk driving accident in 1984. He talks about his life-changing experience and how it affects him still to this day. In each episode, he’ll interview children, teens, and adults and talk about their experiences with the impact of the drug and alcohol epidemic. The goal is to teach youth how to become good learners and make the right choice.