Shows
Blink | Jake Haendel's StoryBLINK Q&A: You Asked, Jake Answers Part 2Hannah Smith sits down with Jake Haendel to answer the questions listeners have been waiting for—what really happened behind the scenes, why the show suddenly paused, and how legal realities shaped what he could and couldn’t say at the time. Jake revisits the sperm-bank situation in greater depth, breaking down what’s known, what remains unresolved, and how returning to it has reshaped his understanding of that moment. The conversation also dives into the limits of transparency, lingering fears of running into Ellen, and what comes next for blink.
Content warning: Drug use/ab...
2025-12-2358 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryBLINK Q&A: You Asked, Jake Answers Part 1Journalist Hannah Smith hosts an intimate BLINK Q&A with Jake Haendel, responding to listener questions submitted across platforms. Jake revisits locked-in syndrome, the exact moment he finally broke free—and what it felt like—along with storming, recovery updates, and life after going public. The conversation also explores addiction, resilience, and what comes next.
Part 2 dives into the break, the legal fallout, and the truth behind what’s been unfolding off-mic—details Jake has never fully shared before.
Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, medical trauma, serious illness, paralysi...
2025-12-2352 min
Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelBrooke Tells Us: Part 2 – The Case That Ended in Death and the Corruption Around ItIn Part Two, Brooke takes us deeper inside Missouri’s family-court system, sharing the most intense cases she has encountered as an advocate and court watcher — including one case that ended in death and raised serious, unanswered questions.
She breaks down recurring patterns she says are impossible to ignore: the same judges, the same GALs, the same families financially and emotionally devastated, and a system that appears to punish those who speak out while protecting itself.
Brooke also discusses a leaked GAL Zoom call, now publicly available on YouTube, which she says provides a rare look at j...
2025-12-2147 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelBrooke Tells Us: Part 1 - How She Beat Addiction and a Corrupt System to Win Her Kids BackBrooke tells us how she beat addiction and a corrupt system to win her kids back. Her story starts in California, where doctor shopping spiraled into a pain-pill addiction, then heroin, then homelessness. Thirteen years sober, Brooke rebuilt her life in Missouri — but when a divorce and custody battle hit, the St. Louis family-court system made her feel like she was the problem.
She wasn’t.
As Brooke pulled back the curtain, she discovered what countless parents have been whispering for years: an ongoing RICO case, allegations of corruption inside the Missouri family courts, and GALs abus...
2025-12-1442 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelKarl Tells Us All The Way From Sweden How A Simple Tick Bite Became A NightmareKarl joins us all the way from Sweden to share the story of the tick bite he got at his summer home in the archipelagos — a chain of islands off the coast of Sweden — a bite he barely noticed but that almost cost him his life. What began as an ordinary weekend turned into a full medical emergency when his body suddenly crashed, forcing doctors to airlift him by helicopter from the islands to Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
There, he finally got the diagnosis: TBE — a tick-borne illness similar to Lyme disease in America, but far more deadly. Karl breaks...
2025-12-0750 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelElizabeth Tells Us: Part Two - The Eight-Year Search for Answers in Margaret’s Unsolved Death (20 and Pregnant)In this chapter, Elizabeth walks us through the eight-year investigation into her sister Margaret’s death — the unanswered questions, the inconsistencies, and why certain details in this episode are censored and beeped because the case is still open. Margaret was 20 years old and pregnant when she died, adding even more weight to the mystery and the grief that followed.
We also talk about her father, the root of so much of her trauma, and the moment he threatened to toss his daughter’s ashes if the kids didn’t come to his separate memorial with his questionably shady new girl...
2025-11-3050 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelElizabeth Tells Us: Part One — Growing Up in a Cult, Purity Culture, Abuse, and Her Sister’s Unsolved DeathIn Part One of Elizabeth’s story, she opens up about a childhood shaped by a cult-like environment, strict purity culture, and an abusive father. She walks us through the hidden rules, the fear, and the control that defined her upbringing—and how it all set the stage for a deeply painful, messy marriage she didn’t see coming.
Elizabeth also shares the heartbreaking story of her sister’s death at 20 years old—a case that, eight years later, remains unsolved.
Jake and Elizabeth draw unexpected parallels between their lives, including the moment Jake reflects on his own ma...
2025-11-2345 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelCindy and Marcus Tell Us How She Died, Came Back After 20 Minutes, and Faced a New Battle: Surviving Washington’s SystemIn this powerful episode, Cindy and Marcus tell us how she died, came back after 20 minutes, and faced a new battle: surviving Washington’s system.
Cindy is still regaining her speech, but she shares pieces of what she remembers — being found unresponsive, declared gone, and then miraculously revived. She describes waking up virtually paralyzed, able to tap Morse code or attempt sign language to show she was still in there… yet no one could understand her.
Marcus speaks for much of the episode, giving the fuller picture — the fear of those early days, watching his wife trapped...
2025-11-1644 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelLeah Tell Us How Her Back Surgery Caused CRPS And Her Sober Father Started Growing Her MarijuanaLeah tells us how one back surgery changed her entire life. What should’ve been a simple procedure ended up causing CRPS, a nerve condition so brutal that many people lose hope the moment they hear the diagnosis. For Leah, it started in her foot and turned into nonstop pain — something she describes as feeling like she was “walking to her death daily.”
Her sober father started growing her marijuana just to help ease the pain. We talk about ketamine treatments, what it’s really like living with chronic pain, and how she went to grief therapy to mourn the...
2025-11-091h 03Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelKyle Tells Us How Weed Literally Saved His LifeKyle’s story is unlike anything you’ve ever heard. A prolific weed grower, a transgender man, and a terminal brain cancer survivor — somehow, he’s still here.
After years of building his life in California and Colorado, Kyle was diagnosed with an aggressive, “incurable” form of brain cancer that no one else has survived. Forced to leave everything behind and return home to the South Side of Chicago, he faced his mortality head-on.
Through a groundbreaking experimental immunotherapy, Kyle began to defy every medical prediction. Along the way, weed became both his medicine and his metaphor — a...
2025-10-261h 04Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelDr. Ellen Reed Tells Us How She Helps People Grow — While Big A and I Talk About Our Own Recovery and GrowthIn this episode of Ya Never Know, Dr. Ellen Reed (@drellenreed) joins us to share her journey as a performance coach and expert in Relentless Solution Focus. We talk about how we met, how she’s helped me as my coach, and how her work has shaped both my mindset and Big A’s approach to recovery.
Dr. Reed opens up about what it means to help people unlock their potential, stay solution-focused, and grow through life’s challenges. Big A and I also get real about our own recovery journeys and the daily work it takes to kee...
2025-10-191h 05Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelBreaking Free From The Cult — Daniella’s Journey From The Children Of God To Military Intelligence (Part 2)This episode picks up where Part One left off — after Daniella’s daring escape from the Children of God cult. What came next was a new kind of structure, discipline, and control: the U.S. military. Daniella (@daniellamyoung_) opens up about serving two tours in military intelligence, the psychological aftermath of leaving one cult only to find herself in another, and how she ultimately reclaimed her freedom and voice.
Her bestselling memoir, Uncultured: A Memoir (available everywhere), tells the story of her journey from indoctrination to independence. Her forthcoming book, The Culting of America (available now for pre-sale at k...
2025-10-1254 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelDaniella The Knitting Cult Lady Tells Us What It’s Like Growing Up In Children Of God — And How She Escaped The Cult (Part One)
This episode dives into a story so wild it sounds like fiction — but it’s all very real. Daniella, also known as the knitting cult lady, was born into Children of God as a third-generation member. From birth, she suffered control, abuse, and was even trafficked across borders under the guise of loyalty to the cult.
What makes her story even more extraordinary is how she broke free. As a teenager she escaped, built a new life for herself, and later served in the U.S. military. Her resilience led her to become an author. Her first memo...
2025-10-051h 05Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelCaitlyn Tells Us The Power Of Speaking Up As A Model TikTok Star And AdvocateCaitlyn (@caitlyn.cohen) is a model, TikTok star, and passionate advocate who’s opening up about life with a stutter. In this episode she shares what it’s really like, how she found the courage to speak out, and why using her platform matters so much.
Keep up with Caitlyn’s journey here: linktr.ee/caitlyn.cohen
2025-09-2849 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelJoanne Tells Us How She Survived The Tragedy Of The Century After The Captain And Crew FledA vacation ferry ride turned into the Greek Tragedy of the Century when the ship began sinking like the Titanic. Joanne shares what it felt like to be trapped on a foreign vessel as the captain and crew abandoned ship and left everyone to die. Against all odds she survived—and even risked her life going back inside to grab her brand-new $40 Skechers. From chaos on the water to the shocking aftermath that put the captain behind bars, this is one story you won’t forget.
2025-09-2157 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelAshley Tells Us What It’s Like To Love Someone Who’s Trapped In Locked-In SyndromeAshley tells us about her high school sweetheart, Travis, whose life was turned upside down when he became locked in. He is still currently fighting to survive, fluctuating through different states of consciousness while facing the medical complexity of locked-in syndrome. Ashley opens up about the challenges of navigating hospital care, the emotional weight of raising their young daughter during this fight, and the heartbreak of watching her first love endure such a rare condition.
This episode is raw, emotional, and deeply human—a story of love, resilience, and advocacy!
You can support Ashley and her family dur...
2025-09-141h 00Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelHannah Tells Us What It Was Like Being Sexually Assaulted By A Teacher For Years Content Warning: This episode discusses sexual assault.
Hannah opens up about how her entire high school career was shaped by years of sexual assault from a teacher — which later turned into a full-blown inappropriate relationship. She shares how she survived, found justice, and now maintains a powerful outlook on life. Hannah also offers advice for anyone currently going through something similar, and explains why she’s breaking her silence and sharing her story today.
2025-09-071h 03Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelEmily Tells Us Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Strange Nipples, And How She’s Living for TomorrowEmily joins us with a story that starts with something unexpected: strange nipple changes that turned out to be cancer. She opens up about the fear, the fight, and the strength it took to survive — and why paying attention to your body could save your life.
We also talk about what it means to live after cancer, how to stay empowered through the hardest battles, and what to say to your kids when you’re facing the unthinkable. I open up about my own experience with almost dying, and the years I spent living with a terminally ill moth...
2025-08-311h 03Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelLindsey Tells Us About T & A Art, Desert Life In Terlingua, And Picking Up Cartel Guns.Lindsey tells us about building her startup T & A Art @titsandartwork, what it’s really like living out in Terlingua, Texas, and the wild story of picking up cartel guns. From shady run-ins to desert survival, this episode has it all—art, chaos, and grit.
Follow Lindsey on Instagram: @lindseyroseweiss
2025-08-2454 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelSam Tells Us How Having The World’s Biggest Gape Led To Going Viral And A Massive AudienceIn this episode, we sit down with Sam Ramsdell — the Guinness World Record holder for the biggest gape in the world. We talk about what it’s like stepping on stage for America’s Got Talent, building a massive following, and why Sam’s hysterical, open-book personality is exactly how we should all be.
From hilarious stories to freaking out on way too many mushrooms in Italy and calling the cops on herself, Sam brings nonstop laughs and authenticity.
Follow Sam on Instagram: @samramsdell5
2025-08-1756 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelAlex Tells Us About An Abduction Attempt In Fiji And Living With Chronic IllnessIn this episode, Jake Haendel and Adrienne sit down with Alexandra Cain to hear her wild story of almost being abducted as a teenager while traveling with friends in Fiji. But that’s just the beginning — Alex talks with us about living with chronic illness, navigating life’s curveballs, and how she manages it all.
2025-08-101h 02Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelStreet Deals To Scrubs, Adrienne Talks Elle And Signs Onto CohostIn this episode Jake goes deep with his ex girlfriend Adrienne into his relationship with Elle. What did she think of her when she first met her? What was their relationship like? Were there any red flags? Then Adrienne talks about where she is now, which concludes with a partnership with Jake?!
2025-08-0134 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelOld Photos, A $50,000 Bail, And The Fall That Set Her FreeIn this episode, Adrienne talks about her arrest, her crazy bail, and how it all helped her get clean. Jake and Adrienne talk about life after addiction, and give some words of advice to others who might be struggling. Oh, and some old photos of Jake and Adrienne are quite something.
2025-07-2534 min
Calling In SickJake Haendel on Locked-In Syndrome, Pain, and What It Means to Be AliveThis week on Calling in Sick, I’m joined by @miraclman31 -- podcaster, speaker, and survivor of one of the rarest neurological conditions on earth: Locked-In Syndrome from Acute Toxic Progressive Leukoencephalopathy (ATPL). Jake’s story is raw, gripping, and—somehow—hilarious
.We’re digging into:
🧠 What the mind does when you’re fully aware but can’t move
💥 The absurdity of pain, and the power of humor in surviving it
☁️ What near-death teaches you about presence, faith, and the fragility of life
🪫 Why full recovery might be the wrong goal—and what really matter...
2025-07-211h 24Ya Never Know w/ Jake HaendelI Needed Her, She Needed More, And The Crossroads Of Adrienne And ElleIn this episode, Jake and Adrienne discuss why she left him, what she was in search of, some of her story that includes arrests, getting clean, and a glimpse into life after.
2025-07-1729 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelYoung Love, Drugs, And The Madness Before Illness With Ex-Girlfriend AdrienneIn Episode 5 we bring in Jake's ex-girlfriend, Adrienne, to talk about his life before illness. Crazy stories include being young and dumb, love, arrests, and so much more.
2025-07-1143 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelDid She Try To Save Me, But Actually Destroy Me?In this episode Jake tells his side of the story. Given everything that's happened in his life the last 7 years, the hospitalization, locked in, hospice stay, slow but steady recover, what is his theory as to what actually happened?
2025-07-0440 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelA Chef's Knife, A Gun, And The Apron She Bought For The OccasionIn this episode, Chelsea returns with stories that include changed locks, a knife, a gun, a frilly apron, and so much more.
2025-06-2531 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelAn Old Roommate, The Lube, and A Kiddie PoolWe meet one of Jake's ex-wife's roommates, Chelsea - the stories are unhinged. The involve first falling in love, then 100s of bottles of lube and a kiddie pool. Buckle up — this one’s as messy as it sounds. There's so much here that our interview with Chelsea will be split into 3 parts. Strap in!
2025-06-1837 minYa Never Know w/ Jake HaendelReflections On Blink, Legal Review, Sperm Related Medical RecordsIn episode 1, Jake reflects on the last 3 months of Blink, what it's been like, who's reached out, and more. We also dive into some of legal matters that surrounded the podcast, and pull up a medical record related to his sperm. Juicy first episode, lock in!
2025-06-0949 min2025-06-0901 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryWork in ProgressIn the final episode of Blink, Jake brings us into his world today, offering a raw, powerful look at what healing truly means—and what comes after survival.
Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, medical trauma, mental health crises, emotional distress & mature content.
Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.com
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Hosted and produced by Corinne Vien
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2025-06-0849 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryThe Proxy TrapJake’s search for answers pulls him into the unsettling world of Munchausen by proxy—a rare, insidious form of abuse where illness is manufactured for attention. And as he revisits his own medical history, he’s left to wonder: did a real diagnosis conceal something even darker?
Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, medical trauma, child abuse, child loss, pregnancy loss, medical child abuse, death and dying, mental health crises, emotional distress & mature content.
https://www.munchausensupport.com/
Resources can be found on our webs...
2025-06-0142 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryBad BatchJake’s long-held theory—that his illness wasn’t accidental—takes a jarring turn when a Facebook message arrives from someone he’s never met.
Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, medical trauma, death and dying, mental health crises, emotional distress & mature content.
Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.com
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Hosted and produced by Corinne Vien
Co-created by Jake Haendel
Original composition by Michael Marguet Learn more about your...
2025-05-2548 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryOne-Hundred Pound BabyAs old memories resurface and old connections are rekindled, Jake starts to suspect that someone in his inner circle may have been orchestrating far more than just his care. Alarming details come to light, offhand comments take on new meaning, and a once-unthinkable theory begins to feel dangerously plausible.
Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, medical trauma, death and dying, emotional distress & mature content.
Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.com.....Hosted and produced by Corinne VienCo-created by Jake HaendelOriginal composition...
2025-05-1839 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryThe Silent WitnessJake’s case exposed an unsettling reality: countless patients may be fully aware, yet locked inside unresponsive bodies—misdiagnosed and dismissed. But just as medicine starts to grasp the scope of covert consciousness, Jake’s experience veers into the uncanny. His consciousness didn’t just endure—it slipped free.Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, medical trauma, death and dying, emotional distress & mature content.Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.comBlink is part of The Binge - subscribe to The Binge to get new...
2025-04-2739 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StorySigned, Sealed, SilencedWhat started as a straightforward effort to move on spiraled into a bitter and complicated divorce—one that called Jake’s right to share his own story into question. As the layers begin to peel back, deeper questions emerge—about love, control, and the versions of a relationship we choose to believe. Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, divorce, discussions of consent, sexual assault, emotional distress & mature content. Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.comBlink is part of The Binge - subscribe to The Bing...
2025-04-2034 min
Scams, Money, & MurderIntroducing: Blink - Jake Haendel’s Story. Heroin, Secrets. Deadly Betrayal.Jake Haendel has been handed a death sentence. He has a terminal progressive disease that's eating away at the white matter of his brain. In six months, he'll be dead. As the months progress, Jake slips into a coma, laying there in total darkness. But something odd has happened... Jake is fully conscious.Nobody knows that he can hear them. They’re certain he's no longer in there.With the promise that Jake will never recover, friends and family visit less and less. Until th...
2025-04-1736 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryDude, Where’s my Sperm?As Jake lay locked-in and unable to move or speak, a sperm sample was taken without his explicit consent, sparking a complex legal and ethical battle that would stretch far beyond his hospital bed, and Jake’s fight to reclaim what was his. Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, death and dying, medical trauma, discussions of consent, marital rape, sexual assault, emotional distress & mature content. Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.comBlink is part of The Binge - subscribe to The Binge to get...
2025-04-1333 min
Crime Writers On...True Crime ReviewBlinkJake Haendel was a heroin user diagnosed with a rare brain disease. He soon slipped into a vegetative state and was thought to be brain dead. But Jake was fully aware of his surroundings, unable to move or communicate. It would be 18 months before doctors realized he was awake, the only known patient to survive Locked-In Syndrome. But as he returned to the world, Jake had stories about the things said to him when no one thought he could hear them.In the podcast “Blink,” host Corrine Vein and Jake Haendel tell the story of his incredible medi...
2025-04-1045 min
Two Girls One GhostHaunted with Jake Haendel of BlinkHaunted with Jake Haendel of BlinkLife can be stranger than fiction, and that’s why our guest this month is a perfect addition to the weird world of Two Girls One Ghost! Corinne’s co-creator and subject of the podcast Blink, Jake Haendel, joins us to share some supernatural elements of his story.Blink tells the unbelievable true story of Jake, a former chef and drug dealer who, after battling addiction, was diagnosed with an ultra-rare and terminal brain disease. Given just months to live, Jake defied all odds...
2025-03-2551 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryThe Resurrection of JakeAlone and abandoned in a hospital, Jake is forced to focus on his recovery. That is, until a single phone number suddenly pops into his mind. A phone call sets off a chain of events that will reconnect him with his past and lead to staggering revelations.Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, death and dying, medical trauma, sexual abuse, emotional distress & mature content.Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.comBlink is part of The Binge - subscribe to The Binge...
2025-03-1639 min
The Anxiety Encyclopedia114. L is for Locked-In SyndromeKatharine does not leave five minutes into the podcast even though she briefly threatens to. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locked-in_syndromehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559026/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1300432/I-lay-paralysed-unable-speak-18-months--familys-unyielding-loved-brought-true-miracle.htmlhttps://www.unilad.com/community/life/richard-marsh-locked-in-syndrome-experience-218594-20241119https://brainandspinalcord.org/faqs/abi/how-many-people-are-diagnosed-with-locked-in-syndrome-each-year/https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23003-ponshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasher_(software)https://www.science.org/content/article/locked-patients-can-follow-their-noseshttps://www.technologyreview.com/2022/03/22/1047664/locked-in-patient-bci-communicate-in-sentences/https://theconversation.com/what-is-locked-in-syndrome-the-extraordinary-stories-that-help-us-understand-this-rare-condition-236371https://www.buzzfeed.com/kelley_greene/locked-in-syndrome-survivor-jake-haendel
2025-03-1153 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryBlink TwiceAgainst all odds, Jake was alive. In the depths of suffering, he discovered an extraordinary power within himself—the will to survive. But survival wasn’t the only battle he’d have to fight. As he clawed his way back to life, one heartbreaking revelation at a time, the question remained: Was his recovery truly a second chance… or just another game of control?Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, death and dying, medical trauma, emotional distress & mature content.Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.com
2025-03-0949 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryMaking Peace with DeathJake was given just six months to live, and now that deadline is closing in. As his body is wracked by a series of violent autonomic storms, his hospice nurse fears the worst. The final moments seem inevitable—last rites are read, and his wife prepares to say goodbye. But then, Jake comes face to face with death itself… and what happens next defies all expectations.Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, death and dying, medical trauma, emotional distress & mature content.Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.com
2025-03-0234 min
Nurses Uncorked - A Nursing Podcast Delivering Nursing NewsEP 90: Surviving Locked In Syndrome: The Jake Haendel Story- Part 2Part 2
Jake Haendel, the only known survivor of stage four Locked-In Syndrome, joins the Nurses Uncorked Podcast to share an unbelievable story of survival, addiction, and a miracle recovery. Acute Toxic Progressive Leukoencephalopathy (ATPL) is a complex rare neurological condition that attacks the white matter of the brain. Sometimes referred to as a pseudo-coma, it has been described as your body becoming a prison. Jake discusses the awkward moments he overheard while in a locked-in state, the significance of nurses' interactions, and his journey to regaining communication. The conversation emphasizes the need for healthcare professionals to maintain awareness of their...
2025-02-251h 15Blink | Jake Haendel's StoryHeroin or HeroineJake meets the woman who would soon become his wife. The two embark on a whirlwind romance, but life is anything but easy. Jake is an addict, and his addiction to heroin is all-consuming. Tension builds between the two, and we are left wondering who the real hero of this story is. Content warning: Pregnancy loss, drug use/abuse, addiction, emotional distress & mature content.Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.comBlink is part of The Binge - subscribe to The Binge...
2025-02-2341 minNurses Uncorked - A Nursing Podcast Delivering Nursing NewsEP 88: Surviving Locked In Syndrome: The Jake Haendel Story - Part 1Part 1
Jake Haendel, the only known survivor of stage four Locked-In Syndrome, joins the Nurses Uncorked Podcast to share an unbelievable story of survival, addiction, and a miracle recovery. Acute Toxic Progressive Leukoencephalopathy (ATPL) is a complex rare neurological condition that attacks the white matter of the brain. Sometimes referred to as a pseudo-coma, it has been described as your body becoming a prison. Jake discusses the awkward moments he overheard while in a locked-in state, the significance of nurses' interactions, and his journey to regaining communication. The conversation emphasizes the need for healthcare professionals to maintain awareness of...
2025-02-181h 03
Iconically IllWe Talk Locked-In SyndromeWe talk Locked-In Syndrome with Jake Haendel. Jake Haendel, the "miracle man," is the only documented person to survive stage four Acute Toxic Progressive Leukoencephalopathy, a rare brain disease that left him locked in. While he couldn't move, speak, or breathe on his own, Jake remained fully aware and retained all feeling in his body. His covert consciousness and eventual recovery have fascinated Boston's top medical doctors, who continue to study his case to better understand this disease and others like it. For the last four years, Jake has dedicated himself to his recovery while p...
2025-02-1855 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryWayward SonHow does a man like Jake find himself with only six months to live? Friends and family give us a glimpse into Jake’s past—a childhood that seemed ordinary until everything changed. His descent started early, having been introduced to drugs in middle school and running the trade by high school. But when his mother is diagnosed with cancer, his world shatters, and drugs become his escape. What begins as a way to numb the pain soon pulls him into a high-stakes world of addiction, dealing, and danger. As his choices drag him deeper into a world of crim...
2025-02-1651 min
Creeps and CrimesIntroducing BLINK - Jake Haendel’s Story. Heroin, Secrets. Deadly Betrayal.
Jake Haendel has been handed a death sentence. He has a terminal progressive disease that's eating away at the white matter of his brain. In six months, he'll be dead. As the months progress, Jake slips into a coma, laying there in total darkness. But something odd has happened... Jake is fully conscious. Nobody knows that he can hear them. They’re certain he's no longer in there.With the promise that Jake will never recover, friends and family visit less and less. Until there is just one person left. A person who begi...
2025-02-1302 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryLocked-InIf the disease doesn’t kill Jake, the medical system just might. As his condition worsens, he endures brutal treatment and increasing isolation while tensions explode between his family and his wife. But when he finally slips into a coma, the real nightmare begins—trapped in silence, Jake overhears something chilling. Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, medical trauma, serious illness, paralysis/coma, death & dying, domestic violence, assault, murder, emotional distress & mature content.Resources can be found on our website, blinkthepodcast.comBlink is part...
2025-02-0939 min
Live Inspired Podcast with John O'LearyLocked-in Syndrome Survivor Jake Haendel (ep. 748)A once-thriving chef, Jake Haendel's life took a devastating turn when he was diagnosed with a rare and terminal condition. Known as Locked-In Syndrome, Jake was left completely paralyzed—fully aware but unable to move or communicate. Doctors said there was no way out, and yet Jake's story is one of unimaginable adversity, resilience, and hope. Today, Jake shares how he survived 10 months trapped inside his own body, what he learned in that time, and the extraordinary steps that led to his recovery. He opens up about the darkest moments, the mental resilience it took to endure, an...
2025-02-061h 01
National Park After DarkIntroducing Blink - Jake Haendel’s Story. Heroin, Secrets. Deadly Betrayal.Jake Haendel has been handed a death sentence. He has a terminal progressive disease that's eating away at the white matter of his brain. In six months, he'll be dead.
As the months progress, Jake slips into a coma, laying there in total darkness. But something odd has happened... Jake is fully conscious.
Nobody knows that he can hear them. They’re certain he's no longer in there.
With the promise that Jake will never recover, friends and family visit less and less. Until there is just one person left. A person who begins to w...
2025-02-0405 min
We're All InsaneTrapped in a Coma: Fully Aware but Unable to Move#podcast #coma #neardeathexperience #survival Imagine being trapped in your own body—unable to move, speak, or respond—while everyone around you believes you're gone. This is the terrifying reality one man faced after being diagnosed with a terminal brain disease that left him in a coma. Doctors thought he was brain dead, but inside, he was fully conscious, aware of every conversation, every tear, and every moment slipping away.Jake's Links:Personal socials:• YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@miraclman31• Instagramhttps://www.instagra...
2025-02-032h 02
The Chronically Positive PodcastTrapped in His Own Body: Jake Haendel’s Unbelievable Survival Story Ep. 10In this gripping episode, the 'Miracle Man' Jake Haendel shares his extraordinary journey of surviving stage four acute toxic progressive leukoencephalopathy, a rare brain disease that left him fully conscious but unable to move or speak for ten months. Jake opens up about his descent into addiction, the horrifying misdiagnosis of being brain dead, and his incredible recovery journey. We delve into his current endeavors, including his advocacy work, his new accessibility-focused app 'Ahoi,' and his tell-all podcast 'Blink.' Despite the sound issues, Jake's story is a powerful testament to resilience, hope, and making meaningful change.
2025-02-031h 10
Two Girls One GhostCorinne's New Podcast: Blink | Jake Haendel's Story OUT NOW!!!Jake Haendel has been handed a death sentence. He has a terminal progressive disease that's eating away at the white matter of his brain. In six months, he'll be dead.
As the months progress, Jake slips into a coma, laying there in total darkness. But something odd has happened... Jake is fully conscious.
Nobody knows that he can hear them. They’re certain he's no longer in there.
With the promise that Jake will never recover, friends and family visit less and less. Until there is just one person left. A person who begins to w...
2025-02-0208 minTwo Girls One GhostEpisode 307 - The San Pedro Poltergeist: Deadly Attacks, Ouija Revelations, and a Murder Mystery | PART TWOIt’s one thing to survive a poltergeist… but it takes a whole lotta guts to follow the poltergeist to an entirely new house and take it head on. This is PART TWO of the chilling story of the San Pedro poltergeist, exploring the supernatural events surrounding Jackie Hernandez, her family, and the team of investigators determined to save her.
We learned in part one that this poltergeist can be relentless, but it can also be a killer. Physical attacks, levitating chairs, eerie light phenomena, and a dramatic Ouija board session that reveals shocking truths about this entities past and...
2025-02-021h 08Blink | Jake Haendel's StoryBlinkJake Haendel knows something isn’t right—his body and mind feel disconnected in a way he can’t explain. That realization hits hardest at the worst possible moment... in the middle of getting arrested for smoking heroin while driving. But the real punishment isn’t the cuffs or the charges—it’s the diagnosis that follows. Doctors give him six months to live. A death sentence. And the clock starts now.Content warning: Drug use/abuse, addiction, medical trauma, serious illness, paralysis/coma, death & dying, emotional distress & mature content.Resources...
2025-02-0235 minBlink | Jake Haendel's StoryBlink - Coming February 2ndHeroin. Secrets. Deadly Betrayal. The untold story of Jake Haendel. Unlocking February 2nd.https://www.blinkthepodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2024-11-1401 min
AdaptX Podcast#064- Locked In: Jake Haendel on Recovery and Building an Accessible WorldAhoi is an accessibility app that identifies barriers in the environment and prioritizes businesses that are accessible. It also offers personalized accessibility ratings based on individual needs. The app aims to take the mystery out of accessibility and provide a customizable solution. The founder, Jake Haendel, was diagnosed with acute toxic progressive leukoencephalopathy and went through a four-year recovery process. The idea for the app came from his personal experiences of encountering accessibility challenges. The team focused on building a functional MVP and prioritized user research to address the biggest pain points. In terms of sustainability, Ahoi is working...
2024-09-041h 13
The Audio Long ReadFrom the archive: ‘Is anybody in there?’ Life on the inside as a locked-in patientWe are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2020: Jake Haendel spent months trapped in his body, silent and unmoving but fully conscious. Most people never emerge from ‘locked-in syndrome’, but as a doctor told him, everything about his case is bizarre. By Josh Wilbur. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
2024-03-2735 min
Snap JudgmentImpossible WeightWhen no one can hear you and nobody sees you anymore, how do you tell the world you are still there? One man's impossible journey back to the world that forgot him.
This story contains descriptions of drug use, medical situations, and adult language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.
Thank you, Jake, so very much, for sharing your story with Snap.
Jacob Haendel is writing a book about his experiences and documents his recovery on his YouTube channel and website. He recently started Access, an app to help people with disabilities more confidently get around.
Producer: James Reddick
Editorial & production...
2022-05-1248 min
Snap JudgmentImpossible WeightWhen no one can hear you and nobody sees you anymore, how do you tell the world you are still there? One man's impossible journey back to the world that forgot him.
This story contains descriptions of drug use, medical situations, and adult language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.
Thank you, Jake, so very much, for sharing your story with Snap.
Jacob Haendel is writing a book about his experiences and documents his recovery on his YouTube channel and website. He recently started Access, an app to help people with disabilities more confidently...
2022-05-1248 min
The Religious Studies ProjectLocked In, Locked Down, and Vaccinated? On Agency and Autonomy | Discourse! November 2020
This month’s Discourse! – with Chris Cotter, Ray Kim, and Theo Wildcroft – kicks off with a festive twist on our now-traditional focus upon Covid-19. The panelists discuss the recent decision in the UK to relax lockdown over the Christmas period, and how this intersects with the category of ‘religion’. Sticking with Covid-19, the discussion then moves to the production of vaccines and whether these will be considered ‘halal’ in Islamic communities. This leads to some fascinating conversations around bodily autonomy, agency, the interaction between ‘science’ and ‘religion’, and much more.
The discussion then moves to an emotional long-read from The Gua...
2020-11-3038 min
The Mountains We ClimbEpisode 17: Perspectives and The Making of 'Keeper' with Maren Lavelle and Matt SteinerIn this week's episode we're going to be exploring Maren and Matt's journey through the writing, directing, and producing of 'Keeper' as well as how their relationship played into their work dynamic throughout the project.
Maren and Matt seek to offer new perspectives on familiar narratives to illuminate the full scope of our shared humanity. You can find out more about them and their projects at https://www.one-eyedrabbit.com/
Maren's email/socials: maren@one-eyedrabbit.com ; https://www.instagram.com/marenlavelle/ ; https://www.facebook.com/maren.bernadette/
Matt's email/socials: matt@one-eyedrabbit.com...
2020-09-1257 min