A single photo made him famous overnight.
But fame doesn’t treat trauma. It just puts it on display.
Chris Fields was a captain with the Oklahoma City Fire Department when the Murrah Building was bombed. He spent that day doing what we all do — working the problem, moving forward, not stopping to feel anything until the shift is over… except this shift never really ended.
Because the next day the photo went worldwide — and Chris got stuck carrying more than memories. He carried a symbol.
In this episode, we go past the picture and into the parts nobody sees: the guilt that didn’t make sense, the isolation that felt safer than talking, the ways pride and ego keep responders from reaching out, and the moment he hit rock bottom.
This isn’t history class. It’s what trauma looks like when it ages — and what it takes to survive it.
⚠️ Content warning: PTSD, addiction, suicide ideation, and dark first-responder humor.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast contains graphic content, emotional storytelling, and dark humor based on real-life EMS and first responder experiences. Listener discretion is advised.
Any medical discussion is personal opinion, not medical advice. Always follow your local protocols, medical direction, and training guidelines.
This podcast isn’t about fairy tales. It’s about real calls, real chaos, and the medics who survive both.
Dispatched & Dysfunctional — because sometimes the worst calls… make the best stories.
