The Day Everything Broke | PTSD Recovery for First Responders | John Kinzie

Brooke sits down with John Kinzie, a Florida firefighter-paramedic who worked Logan’s crash and later became a close family friend. John traces how cumulative loss, the crash, and job culture pushed him toward heavy drinking, the December 2018 night he checked into a hotel intending not to leave, and the moment he chose help instead. They talk frankly about stigma in fire and EMS, why some clinicians and programs miss the mark, and what real support can look like for first responders and families. John shares how 12-step community, peer support, and concrete department changes made recovery possible, and he closes with the simple practices he uses on hard days: prayer, brief quiet, and helping someone else. We explore:The day of the crash from the medic’s side, including getting struck by a vehicle while rushing in, and the first time he cried on a call. Depression, drinking to numb, and the hotel night that became a turning point toward sobriety. Stigma, peer support, and building real pathways to help inside departments. Practical tools for regulation and perspective when the job gets heavy. GUEST LINKS:Contact John: [email protected] ; 352-403-1230Meditation for Fidgety Skepticshttps://amzn.to/3KTkT0rNational Alliance on Mental Illnesshttps://www.nami.org/Hernando County Fire Rescue PEER Support Teamhttps://www.facebook.com/share/17ooNQrLY2/?mibextid=wwXIfrFirst Repsonders Foundation https://firstrespondersfoundation.org/Hernando County Fire Rescue Community Paramedicshttps://www.facebook.com/share/17iZMD7sEv/?mibextid=wwXIfr Email Us: [email protected] & More: https://www.traumauncensored.com/Be a guest: [email protected] Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/traumauncensored/episode-releasesInstagram: @traumauncensoredTikTok: @trauma.uncensoredYouTube: @traumauncensoredContent Disclaimer:This episode includes discussion of pediatric death, first responder trauma, depression, alcohol use disorder, suicidal ideation, emergency psychiatric care, stigma in public safety, and recovery resources including 12-step community and peer support. If you are struggling or worried about someone, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for free, confidential support, 24/7.