S2 E24 Kelly Burton and Kevin Saak episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 14, 2025 · 1H 40M

S2 E24 Kelly Burton and Kevin Saak

from Pondoff's Anonymous · host Chris Pondoff, Zoë Mendenall

🚨 Trigger Warning: This episode includes frank and emotional discussion of childhood sexual abuse, addiction, relapse, hospitalization, and incarceration. It’s raw, real, and may be triggering for listeners with past trauma. We don’t hold back—because healing doesn’t either. Listener discretion is strongly advised.---Who this episode is for: – Anyone who’s ever looked in the mirror and thought, “What the actual f*ck am I doing with my life?” – People buried in addiction or dragging themselves out of it with broken fingernails. – Survivors of trauma who are sick of pretending they’re fine. – The families still standing by, hoping for a miracle that doesn’t come in a straight line. – And those not in recovery who can’t look away from a comeback story that punches you in the gut and somehow still makes you laugh.---🎙️ Episode Title: Kelly, Kevin & the Magic of MayhemChris and Jakob sit down with Kelly and Kevin—two beautifully wrecked humans with a love story that starts in relapse, crashes through jail cells and hospital beds, and somehow circles back to spiritual magic.Kelly was 9 years sober… and then wasn’t. Kevin was the “do-not-call” guy she called anyway. There’s vape smoke, ER visits, dead grandmas, addiction-fueled lies, and somehow, still… hope. This one’s rawer than a sunburn, funnier than it should be, and way too real to be fiction.---⏱️ Timestamp Breakdown:0:00 – 5:27 Chris kicks it off with a warning: this one’s gonna hit hard. Jakob’s smiling like he knows we’re all about to cry. Kelly and Kevin introduce themselves and the chaos begins.5:28 – 14:12 Kelly talks about relapsing after nearly a decade sober. Kevin’s the guy from her past who walks right into the storm. Jakob asks the questions we’re all too afraid to ask.14:13 – 24:37 Hospitalizations. Jail. A Vegas wedding that shouldn't have worked but somehow did. Kevin shows up when Kelly’s at rock bottom, and the story shifts.24:38 – 32:00 Grandma’s jewelry box becomes a full-blown spiritual metaphor. Chris gets choked up. Kevin didn’t plan on being anyone’s savior—he just wanted to get laid.32:01 – 44:55 Vape pens and half-truths. Jakob introduces the word “magic.” Everyone tries to laugh through the pain. Kelly's in and out of consciousness. Kevin’s showing up even though he’s not all there himself.44:56 – 1:00:33 Kelly wakes up in the hospital and Kevin is by her side. Jakob calls it divine. Chris just yells “That’s God!” a few times. Everyone agrees it’s something.1:00:34 – 1:19:45 Kevin talks about his past—dealing, stealing, manipulating—and how recovery didn’t start until the lies stopped. Kelly opens up about the real reason she relapsed: buried trauma, including childhood sexual abuse, that she had never fully faced.1:19:46 – 1:34:10 They break the cycle. Or try to. Kevin starts meditating. Kelly glows. Chris throws down a sermon about grace. Jakob drops mystical wisdom bombs.1:34:11 – 1:52:18 Listener questions come in hot. Kelly: “I thought if I got sober again, I’d have to feel.” Kevin talks about rebuilding trust brick by painful brick.1:52:19 – END (2:13:45) Final reflections. Jakob says something that makes everyone pause. Kelly and Kevin are raw, redeemed, and still healing. The room is wrecked. But nobody’s alone.---🎤 Guest Titles: Kelly – Recovery Queen with Battle Scars & Spiritual Bling Kevin – Ex-Dealer Turned Meditating Miracle-Man with Vape Breath---📌 Mentioned in the Episode:📚 Magic Is Real – Jakob’s spiritual holy grail, a book that dives into spirituality through the lens of addiction and mental illness: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-is-Real-1-book-series/dp/B087JM8W38💰 Sponsored by: 🛏️ Illinois Recovery Center – https://illinoisrecoverycenter.com/ 🛡️ McKelvey Insurance – http://mckelveyins.com/

🚨 Trigger Warning: This episode includes frank and emotional discussion of childhood sexual abuse, addiction, relapse, hospitalization, and incarceration. It’s raw, real, and may be triggering for listeners with past trauma. We don’t hold back—because healing doesn’t either. Listener discretion is strongly advised.---Who this episode is for: – Anyone who’s ever looked in the mirror and thought, “What the actual f*ck am I doing with my life?” – People buried in addiction or dragging themselves out of it with broken fingernails. – Survivors of trauma who are sick of pretending they’re fine. – The families still standing by, hoping for a miracle that doesn’t come in a straight line. – And those not in recovery who can’t look away from a comeback story that punches you in the gut and somehow still makes you laugh.---🎙️ Episode Title: Kelly, Kevin & the Magic of MayhemChris and Jakob sit down with Kelly and Kevin—two beautifully wrecked humans with a love story that starts in relapse, crashes through jail cells and hospital beds, and somehow circles back to spiritual magic.Kelly was 9 years sober… and then wasn’t. Kevin was the “do-not-call” guy she called anyway. There’s vape smoke, ER visits, dead grandmas, addiction-fueled lies, and somehow, still… hope. This one’s rawer than a sunburn, funnier than it should be, and way too real to be fiction.---⏱️ Timestamp Breakdown:0:00 – 5:27 Chris kicks it off with a warning: this one’s gonna hit hard. Jakob’s smiling like he knows we’re all about to cry. Kelly and Kevin introduce themselves and the chaos begins.5:28 – 14:12 Kelly talks about relapsing after nearly a decade sober. Kevin’s the guy from her past who walks right into the storm. Jakob asks the questions we’re all too afraid to ask.14:13 – 24:37 Hospitalizations. Jail. A Vegas wedding that shouldn't have worked but somehow did. Kevin shows up when Kelly’s at rock bottom, and the story shifts.24:38 – 32:00 Grandma’s jewelry box becomes a full-blown spiritual metaphor. Chris gets choked up. Kevin didn’t plan on being anyone’s savior—he just wanted to get laid.32:01 – 44:55 Vape pens and half-truths. Jakob introduces the word “magic.” Everyone tries to laugh through the pain. Kelly's in and out of consciousness. Kevin’s showing up even though he’s not all there himself.44:56 – 1:00:33 Kelly wakes up in the hospital and Kevin is by her side. Jakob calls it divine. Chris just yells “That’s God!” a few times. Everyone agrees it’s something.1:00:34 – 1:19:45 Kevin talks about his past—dealing, stealing, manipulating—and how recovery didn’t start until the lies stopped. Kelly opens up about the real reason she relapsed: buried trauma, including childhood sexual abuse, that she had never fully faced.1:19:46 – 1:34:10 They break the cycle. Or try to. Kevin starts meditating. Kelly glows. Chris throws down a sermon about grace. Jakob drops mystical wisdom bombs.1:34:11 – 1:52:18 Listener questions come in hot. Kelly: “I thought if I got sober again, I’d have to feel.” Kevin talks about rebuilding trust brick by painful brick.1:52:19 – END (2:13:45) Final reflections. Jakob says something that makes everyone pause. Kelly and Kevin are raw, redeemed, and still healing. The room is wrecked. But nobody’s alone.---🎤 Guest Titles: Kelly – Recovery Queen with Battle Scars & Spiritual Bling Kevin – Ex-Dealer Turned Meditating Miracle-Man with Vape Breath---📌 Mentioned in the Episode:📚 Magic Is Real – Jakob’s spiritual holy grail, a book that dives into spirituality through the lens of addiction and mental illness: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-is-Real-1-book-series/dp/B087JM8W38💰 Sponsored by: 🛏️ Illinois Recovery Center – https://illinoisrecoverycenter.com/ 🛡️ McKelvey Insurance – http://mckelveyins.com/

NOW PLAYING

S2 E24 Kelly Burton and Kevin Saak

0:00 1:40:47

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Reading Roulette: Choose Your Own Adventure Podcast readingroulette Reading Roulette is a Choose Your Own Adventure literary podcast, covering the classic children's books from the 80's and 90's Explicit Bumming with Bobcat Bum Wine Bob Bum Wine Bob is the everyman's drinking man and bum wine connoisseur. Featuring all your favorite bottom shelf and budget beverages that are cheap in price, but not in quality. Bum wine, beers, 40's, malt liquor, and MORE! Bringing you the best of the worst in cheap booze at bumwinebob.com since 2014. Come take a ride with Bum Wine Bob and some special guests! Cheers! Explicit The Anonymous Eskimo Podcast Ralph Sara The Anonymous Eskimo Podcast is an Indigenous podcast devoted to uplift Indigenous peoples, with a mission to send hope to those struggling with the negative stigma placed upon mental health issues, the disease of alcoholism, and drug addiction. To also bring awareness to the MMIWG2S & MMIP crisis. Through guests sharing their experiences, inspiration, strength, and hope. I want to break the stigma that is associated with indigenous people, mental health and recovery. Host: Ralph Sara Explicit God, S*x, & Everything In Between with Anahita Joon Anahita Joon Welcome to God, S*x & Everything Inbetween. I am Anahita Joon. Born and raised in Islamic Iran, I migrated to the US when I was 14 and began the journey to embodied freedom. For over a decade, I have been supporting female leaders to break free from systemic oppression and embrace the sacredness that is the core of every woman. This is the place you come to remember your innate wholeness, your innate Divinity and your utter and complete permission to be just the way you are. Each week, I will bring you interviews along with my spiritual and practical teachings. We’ll explore both the sacred and profane and dive deeply into all the things that have robbed women of our power and that good girls don’t talk about. Explicit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Pondoff's Anonymous?

This episode is 1 hour and 40 minutes long.

When was this Pondoff's Anonymous episode published?

This episode was published on July 14, 2025.

What is this episode about?

🚨 Trigger Warning: This episode includes frank and emotional discussion of childhood sexual abuse, addiction, relapse, hospitalization, and incarceration. It’s raw, real, and may be triggering for listeners with past trauma. We don’t hold...

Can I download this Pondoff's Anonymous episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!