Fearless: Stories of strength, resilience, and rising anyway

In this episode of FEARLESS, I sit down with Raylene Lewis—founder of AVM Alliance and mom to Kyler, a stroke survivor whose life changed in an instant.What started as a normal day turned into emergency brain surgery, a diagnosis no parent is prepared for, and a journey filled with impossible decisions, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty.Raylene shares the raw reality of navigating a brain AVM diagnosis—the fear, the constant “choose your own adventure” decisions, and the weight of knowing that every choice matters when it comes to your child’s brain. But this conversation isn’t just about crisis—it’s about what comes after.From multiple treatments and setbacks to Kyler now being considered “no evidence of disease,” this story is a powerful reminder that hope is real—even when the path is anything but clear.Out of her own experience of feeling lost and unsupported, Raylene created AVM Alliance—a community dedicated to helping families navigate pediatric stroke and brain vessel disease so no one has to walk this journey alone. We also talk about:• The emotional toll on families and siblings• The silent weight parents carry making life-altering decisions• What support actually looks like during and after a medical crisis• How simple acts—like letters or care packages—can make a real differenceIf you’ve ever wondered how to help… or needed a reminder that strength doesn’t always look loud—this episode is for you.🎧 Listen now and be part of the community that reminds families: they are not alone.Episode Resources: Check out the AVM Alliance Website: https://www.avmalliance.org/Email the AVM Alliance: [email protected] out the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/AVMAlliance

In this deeply personal solo episode of FEARLESS, Kilene shares, for the first time, the full story of her daughter Caddie’s AVM—and the day that changed everything. What began as a normal August afternoon quickly turned into a life-threatening emergency, leading to a massive brain bleed, emergency surgery, and moments where the outcome was uncertain. Through a mother’s eyes, Kilene walks listeners through the fear, the decisions, the waiting, and the unimaginable conversations no parent is ever prepared to have.But this story isn’t just about what happened that day—it’s about what came after.From 64 days in the hospital to relearning how to walk, communicate, and navigate life after a brain injury, Caddie’s journey is one of resilience, determination, and strength beyond her years. Now, as Caddie turns 16, this episode becomes both a reflection and a celebration of how far she’s come—and the life she continues to build.Kilene also shares the realities many don’t see: the ongoing challenges, the invisible impacts of brain injury, and the emotional weight families carry long after the crisis has passed.This episode is for anyone walking through the unknown, for families navigating medical trauma, and for those who need a reminder that even in the hardest moments… there is still hope.🎗️ March is Brain Injury Awareness Month.If you’re not familiar with AVMs, this episode is a powerful place to start.

In this episode of FEARLESS, Kilene sits down with Tiffany, a mother whose daughter Kaya experienced a sudden AVM rupture at just nine years old.What began as an ordinary day quickly turned into every parent’s nightmare. With no warning signs, Kaya collapsed at home and was rushed to the hospital, eventually being airlifted to Duke for emergency brain surgery. Doctors warned Tiffany and her husband that the outcome was uncertain and that Kaya might not survive.But Kaya’s story didn’t end there.Tiffany shares what those terrifying hours and days were like in the PICU, the long road of recovery that followed, and the small milestones that meant everything along the way—from Kaya’s first words after being extubated to learning to walk again.Nine years later, Kaya is thriving and attending her dream school, Florida State University.Together, Kilene and Tiffany talk about the emotional impact of traumatic brain injury on families, the challenges siblings face, and the lessons that come from surviving something that changes your life forever.For parents walking a similar path, Tiffany offers one piece of advice: focus on the baby steps.Because sometimes the smallest victories are the ones that matter most.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month — and until this year, it wasn’t even on my radar.In this solo episode of FEARLESS, I share what brain injury really looks like beyond the emergency room, beyond the hospital stay, and beyond the first 72 critical hours.Because when most people hear “brain injury,” they think about the moment it happens — the car accident, the stroke, the fall, the rupture of an AVM. They think about the ambulance ride and the surgeries.But what we’ve learned is that brain injury is not just a moment.It’s what happens every single day after.I talk about Caddie’s AVM rupture, the layered and invisible nature of neurological recovery, the emotional ups and downs of healing, the frustrating fight for therapy within a broken insurance system, and the pressure of the 12–18 month recovery window.This episode is about what awareness truly means:Not just reposting a ribbon — but extending grace.Not just saying “she looks great” — but checking in months later.Not assuming the struggle disappears just because progress is visible.Brain injury changed our life — but it didn’t take it.We are still here.Still healing.Still moving forward.If you’re walking a brain injury journey — or loving someone who is — this episode is for you.

In this episode of FEARLESS, Kilene sits down with Dr. Laura Franco, a certified trauma specialist and psychotherapist with clinical experience across the U.S. and Europe, to talk about what happens after a crisis—when the adrenaline is gone but the impact still lingers.Together, they explore secondary trauma in first responders, why not knowing the outcome of an emergency call can be just as heavy as a difficult outcome, and why resources for first responders to process what they witness are still too limited. Dr. Franco also speaks directly to families navigating medical trauma, sharing how a single event can reshape the entire household—parents, siblings, relationships, and identity.They discuss what “take care of yourself” actually means in real life, why healing looks different for everyone, and why movement—even small steps—matters. The conversation closes with hope, practical insight, and a reminder that trauma doesn’t have to be carried alone.Dr. Franco also shares details about a free first responder wellness retreat happening April 18 in Tampa, and how to connect with her team at Life Solutions Services.Dr. Franco's Website: https://www.lifesolutionsservices.com/Dr. Franco's Socials: FACEBOOKINSTAGRAMAre you a first responder? Join Dr. Franco for her First Responder Wellness Retreat. FREE to all first responders and their families. Check it out HERE

In this deeply honest and unexpectedly funny episode of FEARLESS, Kilene sits down with her most requested guest—her daughter, Caddie—to share her side of the journey.Caddie opens up about life after her AVM rupture, what she remembers (and doesn’t), and what it’s really like to navigate recovery as a teenager under constant pressure to be “strong.” With humor, insight, and maturity far beyond her years, she talks about the role her friends, family, music, and future dreams play in keeping her moving forward—even on the hard days.This episode explores boundaries, identity, comparison, grief, and resilience through Caddie’s own words. She reminds us that strength isn’t about pretending everything is okay—it’s about not giving up, even when things feel unfair.Raw, real, and full of heart, this conversation is a reminder that survival doesn’t mean shrinking your dreams—and that future you is watching.🎧 A must-listen for parents, teens, caregivers, and anyone learning how to rise anyway.

Comparison has a quiet way of sneaking into our lives — especially during seasons of uncertainty, healing, and waiting.In this solo episode of FEARLESS, Kilene shares a deeply personal reflection on how comparison showed up during her daughter Caddie’s recovery journey and the unexpected weight it carried. What began as connection and community slowly turned into fear, self-doubt, and the pressure of measuring progress against someone else’s timeline.Through honest storytelling, this episode explores how comparison steals presence, joy, and compassion — even in moments meant to bring hope — and why awareness, grace, and grounding ourselves in our own story can help us reclaim what comparison takes away.This episode is for anyone who has ever felt behind, caught in the quiet spiral of comparison, or struggled to hold gratitude and grief at the same time.You’re not alone. Your journey is valid. And your joy still belongs to you.

In this episode of FEARLESS, Kilene sits down with Anne Honkala — registered nurse, trauma-informed coach, yoga instructor, and grief guide — for a deeply honest conversation about loss, healing, and learning to live again after devastation.Anne shares her personal journey after losing her daughter, Piper, and how that loss reshaped her identity, her sense of safety, and the way she moves through the world. Drawing from both her professional background in mental health and her lived experience of grief, Anne speaks candidly about what no textbook can prepare you for.Together, Kilene and Anne explore what it means to hold joy and grief at the same time, why grief has no timeline, and how rebuilding safety in the body is a crucial part of healing after trauma. They discuss boundaries, receiving support, guilt around moments of happiness, and the importance of compassion toward yourself in every stage of the process.This episode is for anyone navigating loss, supporting someone who is grieving, or searching for a way to feel whole again after life has been shattered.You are not broken. You are not behind. And you are not alone.Find and connect with Ann:Instagram: Embodied.Nurse.AnnFacebook: The Embodied Nurse, Ann Honkala-Troiano

So many of us don’t choose to be “the strong one” — we become her.In this episode of Fearless, Kilene shares what it really means to carry strength quietly. The unspoken expectations. The emotional weight. The way you hold everything together for everyone else while learning how to manage your own fear, exhaustion, and uncertainty behind the scenes.Through personal reflection and lived experience, this episode explores the cost of always being the steady one — and the permission we all need to redefine strength. Not as being unbreakable, but as choosing where fear is allowed to live, protecting peace when it matters most, and knowing when it’s okay to loosen the armor.If you’re the one people lean on…If you’ve ever felt strong out of necessity, not choice…This episode is for you.Fearless is about strength, resilience, and rising anyway.Till next time, stay strong.

Waiting can be one of the hardest parts of fear — because there’s nothing to do but feel it.In Episode 3 of Fearless, host Kilene Schelle reflects on the season of waiting that follows crisis — when progress slows, answers aren’t clear, and life feels suspended between what was and what’s next.From the exhaustion of hospital life to the frustration of slow recovery, this episode explores how fear evolves over time and why the quiet, in-between moments can feel heavier than the emergency itself. Kilene shares what it’s like to sit with uncertainty, release control, and learn that strength is still being built — even when it feels like nothing is happening.If you’re waiting on healing, answers, clarity, or the next step forward, this episode is for you.

Fear doesn’t always scream. Sometimes it whispers — and then slowly takes over the conversation.In Episode 2 of Fearless, host Kilene Schelle explores the fear that surfaces after the crisis has passed — when life gets quiet, expectations shift, and the mind finally has space to process what happened.Kilene shares her experience with panic attacks, post-crisis anxiety, guilt, and mourning the “before” while navigating life after her daughter Cadence’s medical trauma. This episode speaks to the hidden fears that don’t show up in the emergency — but live in the aftermath.If you’ve ever wondered why fear feels louder when things are supposed to be “better,” this episode is for you.

Fear doesn’t always show up loudly. Sometimes it lives quietly in the background of our lives.In this first episode of Fearless, host Kilene Schelle shares the deeply personal story that led to the creation of this podcast — the moment fear entered her family’s life in an unimaginable way, and how strength showed up when survival became the only option.After her daughter Cadence suffered a massive AVM rupture, life changed in an instant. What followed was a journey marked by uncertainty, waiting, resilience, and the kind of courage that exists not in the absence of fear, but alongside it.This episode isn’t just about the crisis — it’s about what comes after.After the hospital.After the shock.After life looks completely different.Fearless exists to tell those stories — the stories of strength, resilience, and rising anyway.If you’re navigating disruption of any kind, this episode is for you.