*This episode contains strong descriptions of sexual situations and abuse, listener discretion is advised. As a closeted gay teenager, lying was familiar to Mark Olmsted. Concealing parts of his identity was just part of the deal–and he was good at it. But when the AIDS crisis threatened his life and left him with little to lose, the lying would turn so grandiose that no one who knew him could quite believe it.  In our previous two episodes Mark Olmsted spoke on his upbringing and the complicated history with his brother–and how an unexpected transformation in their relationship would eventually lead to a life of debauchery, all culminating in a dramatic encounter with law enforcement. For our third and final part of the story, Mark describes the chaotic months he would spend being shuffled throughout the California detention system. As a gay inmate concerned for his safety, lying would initially become a means for survival as he struggled to gain footing in a tense environment. Eventually finding common ground as an outsider with a small group of inmates, Mark would slowly begin to re-examine his life–ironically reclaiming his sanity in a place most would consider insane. With the burden of lying lifted after his release and a certain memory about his mother re-surfacing, would the need to live a life of deception remain? Or will reckoning with a shocking childhood secret and his closeted childhood open the door for contemplation and a new way of life? --- Produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman. Music by Mike Etten. Sound design by George Drake, Jr. Photos by Clarke Tolton. For more about Mark, you can purchase his book Ink From The Pen: A Prison Memoir. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*This episode contains descriptions of sexual situations, listener discretion is advised. As a closeted gay teenager, lying was familiar to Mark Olmsted. Concealing parts of his identity was just part of the deal–and he was good at it. But when the AIDS crisis threatened his life and left him with little to lose, the lying would turn so grandiose that no one who knew him could quite believe it.  In part two, Mark discusses his increased trajectory of deception in the immediate years after a death in the family. With his health hanging in the balance and hopes dashed after a dream screenplay project falls through, casual drug use and debauchery would eventually give rise to dealing methamphetamine in the Los Angeles gay scene–a desperate scenario that would lead to a dramatic encounter with law enforcement. With things escalating beyond his control, Mark would devise a plan to carry out the biggest act of fraud deception yet, but would it be enough to finally turn his life around for good? For more about Mark, you can purchase his book Ink From The Pen: A Prison Memoir HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*This episode contains descriptions of sexual situations, listener discretion is advised. As a closeted gay teenager, lying was familiar to Mark Olmsted. Concealing parts of his identity was just part of the deal–and he was good at it. But when the AIDS crisis threatened his life and left him with little to lose, the lying would turn so grandiose that no one who knew him could quite believe it. In part one of our three-part series, Mark vividly recounts his childhood upbringing and the complicated relationship with his brother that would ultimately transform in one of the most unexpected ways. And after thriving in the mecca of 70s and 80s New York City gay life he found himself facing a hard question: How would he cope following an unthinkable family tragedy and react to a future life he assumed had vanished? --- Produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman. Music by Mike Etten. Sound design by George Drake, Jr. Photos by Clarke Tolton. For more about Mark, you can purchase his book Ink From The Pen: A Prison Memoir. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the year 2000, more than 3,500 border-crossers have met a gruesome fate throughout the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. With over 1,000-and-counting still missing, the numbers have only continued to rise as more attempt the trek each year in pursuit of a better life. This is the story of Alvaro Encisco, an immigrant who found his own version of the myth of the American dream, and with his art, has been on a mission giving a voice to the seekers who have died in search of theirs. --- Produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman. Music by Mike Etten. Sound design by George Drake, Jr. For more about this story, including photos by Clarke Tolton, visit everythingisstories.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*This episode contains strong descriptions of sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised. Susan Pavlak is at work hospicing the Catholic Church, and after spending her youth in the crosshairs of a sexual predator, found solace in forgiveness and truth. Pavlak describes how she reconciles her history of abuse with her continued faith in the Catholic Church and the goodness it provides - and how that faith would lead her to Gil Gustafson. A former priest, Gustafson has become Susan’s unlikely partner in a quest to shine light on the church's darkest secrets. In this episode, both describe their troubling experiences on opposite sides of abuse, how they came together as friends to heal, and their push for accountability. --- Produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman. Music by Mike Etten. Sound design by George Drake, Jr. Originally produced by Stephanie Lepp for her podcast Reckonings, this episode has been re-edited and expanded to include all new audio and sound design. For more about this story, including photos by Casey Steffens, visit everythingisstories.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where do we go when we can’t make it in mainstream society? As someone who has often battled mental illness and rage, Del Hendrixson Jr. connects the dots between a violent mental breakdown and his struggle to find a sense of belonging as a child. In this episode, Del talks about a successful career in printing that would eventually turn criminal, hitting rock bottom, and fighting an insatiable urge to kill. Following a suicide attempt and a slow journey toward peace and acceptance of living outside the mainstream, life would eventually come full-circle to the place everything bottomed out - prison - where Del taught newly-released inmates creative skills in order to help them lead productive lives at his Bajito Onda Foundation. --- Produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman. Music by Mike Etten. Sound design by George Drake, Jr. For more about this story, including photos by Clarke Tolton, visit everythingisstories.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the time her boyfriend became violent, Kim Dadou Brown was confident she could handle it. It was just one of those things the women in her family dealt with. It wasn’t until Kim found herself in prison that she realized how seriously the years of abuse had skewed her reality – and what little support the system offered women like her. Kims' story continues in part 02, where she shares what transpired in the wake of her boyfriends' death and how she came out on the other side into a career as an activist for domestic violence victims. *This episode contains strong descriptions of domestic violence, please listen with care. --- Produced by Grace Heerman, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Mike Etten Sound Design by Armen Bazarian Intro/Outro music by Anand Wilder For more about this story, including photos by Casey Steffens, visit everythingisstories.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the time her boyfriend became violent, Kim Dadou Brown was confident she could handle it. It was just one of those things the women in her family dealt with. It wasn’t until Kim found herself in prison that she realized how seriously the years of abuse had skewed her reality – and what little support the system offered women like her. In Part 01, Kim meets us in her home in Rochester, New York, where she shares what ultimately led to a final act of violence and how much work she’s had to do in order to free herself from the trauma. *This episode contains strong descriptions of domestic violence, please listen with care. --- Produced by Grace Heerman, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Mike Etten Sound Design by Armen Bazarian Intro/Outro music by Anand Wilder For more about this story, including photos by Casey Steffens, visit everythingisstories.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forty years ago, military-backed death squads descended on Dora Rodriguez’ hometown as a civil war spiraled out of control in El Salvador. Forced to flee as a teenager and leave her family behind, Rodriguez began what she thought would be the only journey north through Mexico and into the harsh Sonoran Desert. In this episode, Dora recounts her harrowing start-stop passage across the desert, predatory smugglers that nearly cost her life, and an unlikely relationship with a man from the other side of the wall. *This episode has been edited from the original version for safety and editorial purposes. --- Produced by Clarke Tolton, Grace Heerman, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Sound Design by George Drake Jr. Music by Mike Etten Intro/Outro music by Anand Wilder For more about this story, including photos by Clarke Tolton, visit everythingisstories.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They say stealing cattle in Texas can get a man hung by the neck until dead. From a young age Roddy Pippin was ready to take that risk, as he and his crew would take home close to a million dollars rustling cattle over the course of 3 years. In this episode Pippin speaks of his idyllic childhood and love for the ways of the old west, the precarious choices he made while chasing the steal that would lead to brushes with death, and how those few years on the run pushed him and his lifelong friendships to the limit.  --- Produced by Grace Heerman, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Sound Design by George Drake Jr. Music by Mike Etten and Dominic Palermo Intro/Outro music by Anand Wilder For more about this story, including photos by Justin Hollar, visit everythingisstories.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Death, life’s ultimate closure, often casts a long shadow over the funeral that follows. These ceremonies rarely spark protest or public outcry, but in the spring of 2013 Lonewolf Smith was thrust into a national dilemma when he and his colleagues at Graham, Putney, & Mahoney Funeral Parlors were asked to tend to the body of one of America’s most reviled terrorists. In this story we hear from former mortician Lonewolf on his dedication to his often-misunderstood work, a personal moral dilemma following his own experience with a horrific act of terrorism, and how he answers the question of who deserves a proper burial. --- Produced by Grace Heerman, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Sound Design by George Drake Jr. Music by Mike Etten. Intro/Outro music by Anand Wilder For more about this story, including photos by Robert Johansson, visit everythingisstories.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of our episode we pick up with Jerry as he returns to New York City from Saudi Arabia. With money in his pocket he decides to indulge in a free lifestyle, immersing himself in the gay community at various bath houses and night clubs on a regular basis. After running a successful business and ultimately losing a loved one to the AIDS epidemic, he struggles with addiction in the rough and tumble 1980s East Village. From there we follow as he drives his taxi cab through a rapidly changing landscape, watching old haunts and the character of the city he once knew slowly disappear Produced by Bart Barshaw, Paulus Van Horn, Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Total Control, Cocoa Leaf, and Dan Svizeny. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part one of this two-part episode follows Jerry Torre – well known for his appearance in the 1975 documentary Grey Gardens. As a child he ran from his home in Brooklyn and began working as a gardener for the wealthy in East Hampton, NY. While there he stumbles upon the now-famous Grey Gardens property and begins regularly staying with the Beales, helping maintain the property and becoming friends with the two women. At the same time he begins to discover his own sexuality, traveling back to Manhattan and immersing himself in the gay community at various bath houses and late night clubs. Following the passing of the Edith Beale, Jerry is given an opportunity to travel overseas – becomingthe gardener for the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh. Produced by Bart Barshaw, Paulus Van Horn, Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Total Control, Cocoa Leaf, and Dan Svizeny. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At age 60, Jay Byrd lives by himself off the grid in northern Arizona where he often meditates and reads theology. However, his past tells a different story of biker clubs, violence, prison, and heroin addiction. In this episode, Jay Byrd recounts his experience with the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and gun-toting girlfriends. Yet after escaping personal chaos, he’s now eager to describe his philosophies concerning beauty and nothingness. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Jon Martinez. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abraham Bolden was the first black Secret Service agent on the White House detail. Serving under John F. Kennedy, Bolden cracked counterfeiting cases and provided security for the President. However, the segregated 60s led Bolden from the White House to prison. In this story, EIS finds Bolden inside his Chicago home as he recounts his experiences of racial tension and why he considers himself a tool of fate. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Zachary Reid. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charles Farrell could be labeled a number of things: pianist, writer, boxing manager, and hustler. As a teenager, Farrell lived in the streets of Boston, playing piano in mafia-owned clubs. With a love for boxing, he started gambling on high-profile matches while also managing fighters. He fixed an array of professional fights by using code-talk with trainers, foolproof matchmaking, and buying referees and judges. In this story, the highs and lows of gangster culture are explored as Charles Farrell describes the ease of taking advantage of society’s vulnerable parts. Sesquipedalian is a collaboration between Everything Is Stories and Love and Radio. Produced by Brendan Baker, Nick Van Der Kolk, Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Dan Svizeny. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the final part of La Retirada, Rocío Gómez and her family enter the United States Federal Witness Security Program. The family must create new identities, while moving from state to state. But they soon realize that fabricated identities do not change their personal history. La Retirada is a collaboration between Everything Is Stories and Love and Radio. Produced by Brendan Baker, Nick Van Der Kolk, Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The story continues as Rocío Gómez divorces her husband Rodrigo, a master drug trafficker in Colombia. Rocío and her children move to Miami where she begins a relationship with a new man, Carlos, whose dangerous past with the mafia catches up with Rocío’s family La Retirada is a collaboration between Everything Is Stories and Love and Radio. Produced by Brendan Baker, Nick Van Der Kolk, Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Colombia, Rocío Gómez marries into an empire of wealth and power. She is told the family operates a low-profile import/export business and finds comfort in her role as wife and mother. However, she soon learns the family business is not what it seems as Rocío becomes entangled with drugs, money, and mafioso. La Retirada is a collaboration between Everything Is Stories and Love and Radio. Produced by Brendan Baker, Nick Van Der Kolk, Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle Lyons witnessed over 270 executions carried out by the state of Texas. At age 22, Lyons started reporting for The Huntsville Item, which gave her the opportunity to see her first lethal injection. In 2001, she became the Director of Public Information for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), a spokesperson for 110 prisons across the state. Here, Lyons talks the politics of death row, the infamous Walls Unit execution chamber, and processing her emotions death after death. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Silent Isle. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison for aggravated sexual assault of a child, Greg Torti has spent the the last two decades in the shadow of a system that places a high priority on banishing sex offenders even after their release. Living in rural Texas with children of his own now, Torti would be the first to tell you he agrees with the system. Yet still, after years behind bars and now subject to the process a sex offender must go through each year, bitterness and anger remain after what he feels was no more than a vindictive accusation. In this story Greg speaks on his upbringing in Irving, attempts on his life throughout his prison sentence, and the complexities of innocence. Produced by Guatam Srikishan, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray Music by Justin Frye, Mike Etten, and Greg Fox of the band PC Worship. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Summer of 2016, members from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe began organizing demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), an underground pipeline that would stretch over 1,300 miles. If completed, it would carry oil through North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. Many believed DAPL’s route would destroy sacred Sioux grounds and affect the local water source. As Indigenous tribes from all over the world united against the pipeline, private security soon used guard dogs and pepper spray on demonstrators. Local police arrived in riot gear and armored vehicles. On the brink of halting the pipeline, voices in this episode tell stories of resisting DAPL physically and spiritually. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by High Aura’d. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For over two decades, Duane “Chili” Yazzie has been an activist for Native American rights. Of the Navajo tribe, Chili has spent his life on the reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico, following tribal traditions and questioning the relationship between Native Peoples and Anglo-Americans. As a young man, he became a member of the influential Native American rock band, XIT, playing at political rallies across the United States. Chili would later become involved in Navajo politics, being sworn into the administration of the Shiprock Chapter House, where he now serves as president. In this story, Chili explains the principles of the Diné people, while also recalling his experiences of the United States Indian Affairs relocation program, armed take-overs of corporate factories, political riots in the Navajo Capital, and an assassination attempt by a local white man to take Chili’s life. A LINE DRAWN IN THE REZ DIRT illustrates the struggle of Native Americans transitioning into a modern day America that has renounced the traditions of its past. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by High Aura’d. Transcripts available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the final part of this series, EIS visits the Deported Veterans Support House in Tijuana. Commonly known as “The Bunker” by residents, the house hosts veterans released from the military and deported out of the United States. A number of veterans tell stories of hardships in Mexico, efforts to join military branches in other countries, and retaining American pride after banishment. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Sontag Shogun. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At age seven, Hector Barajas crossed the Mexico border into United States as an illegal citizen. His family soon settled in Compton, California, where Hector encountered crime, gang violence, and racial division. Hector escaped the lifestyle by joining the United States Army as a non-citizen, becoming a medic for the 82nd Airborne Division. But personal problems soon led him to honorable discharge, prison, and deportation back to Mexico. In the first episode of this two-part series, Hector chronicles the humanity of being banished, and how he seeks to return to the country he once swore to protect. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Sontag Shogun. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After anti-war protests at Washington University in 1970, Howard Mechanic became the first person arrested and charged under the Civil Obedience Act. Claiming innocence, Mechanic jumped bail to avoid prison time. He moved out West and created a new identity. For 28 years, he lived as Gary Tredway while raising a family and starting his own business. But what happens when Gary Tredway’s background is questioned? Can he continue under an assumed name or will his past finally be open to the public? Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by GOG (Mike Bjella). Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin Baker dreamed of becoming a Hollywood starlet. As a teenager in the 60s, she became a Whisky a Go Go dancer, socializing with famous actors and musicians. After meeting and marrying Jim Baker, a World War II veteran, restaurant owner, and spiritual leader in Los Angeles, Robin’s life took a different path. With her husband, she established the Source Family, a commune with over 140 members. But when Jim changed his name to Father Yod and adopted strange rules for the commune, Robin’s role in the family changed forever. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Filthy Huns. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An anonymous couple live in an undisclosed part of northern California. Spearheading the back-to-the-land hippie movement, the Husband moved to the area in the early 70s while the Wife traveled the world as part of the Peace Corps. Now, the couple’s home rests off the grid where they grow a very special garden. This garden provides a peaceful and private lifestyle for the marriage. But what happens when outsiders jeopardize the couple’s way of life? Will the garden be destroyed? Or can the couple preserve their land and everything that grows within it? Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Holy Gallows. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Gerwitz’s son was born on April 20th, 1988 and kidnapped four hours later. In this story, Gerwitz describes the peculiar circumstances of the disappearance which includes his hometown, a lifelong friend, and the many corridors of Interstate 40. Gerwitz also explains his emotions at the time which ranged from paranoia to forgiveness. 20 years later, he wonders if the whole experience was a coincidence or miracle. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by J.S. Aurelius. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first seven years of her life, Sulome Anderson never met her father, journalist Terry Anderson. Three months before she was born, her father was kidnapped and imprisoned by Shiite Muslim militants in Lebanon. Through hostage videos and letters, Sulome began forming an image of a perfect parent. But after his release, she soon realized Terry Anderson was not the person she imagined. Years later, Sulome began investigating the events that led to her father’s kidnapping. In this episode, she tells her story of a personal journey into the Middle East and confronting the extremists responsible for her family’s fracture. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At age 15, novelist Vanessa Veselka ran away from home and began living life as a hitchhiker in the United States during the 1980s. From highway to highway, coast to coast, truck stop to truck stop, Veselka experienced poverty, perversion, and a showdown with a potential serial killer. She shares her story at the MacDowell Colony for Artists where she works on her second novel, Light the Lamp With the Last of the Whale Oil (Riverhead Books). Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Dan Svizeny. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

B.B. St. Roman is the only staff member for the New Orleans Police Department Homeless Assistant Unit. Before helping the homeless, she traveled the world, recording sound for documentaries involving shamans, Buddhist monks, and Mother Teresa. And at one point, she became the tour manager for Dr. John, Louisiana musician and legend. Now, she works full-time with the homeless. She tells her stories of Hurricane Katrina, shelter issues in the city, as well as planning and dreaming of ways to help those living in the streets. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Holy Gallows. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scooter Tramp Scotty is a writer who’s lived on the road for over 20 years. Traveling across North America on an old Harley Davidson, Scotty never stays in a single place more than two months. In this episode, we find Scotty in New Orleans, Louisiana and Harlingen, Texas where he talks about becoming a drifter, finding places to stay, and the loneliness of the road. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Destruction Unit. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For over 30 years, Peter Willcox has been a sea captain for Greenpeace, an environmental organization based out of Amsterdam. Willcox helps international campaigns against whaling, anti-nuclear activities, and global warming. In this episode, he tells his experiences of growing up in an activist family, his first protest at sea, being attacked by the French government and jailed in Russia. He also shares the history of the Rainbow Warrior, the famous Greenpeace vessel that continues to sail today. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Villages. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a young man growing up in the Dominican Republic, Miguel Vargas-Caba had an early interest in foreign language. With minimal resources in a country wrapped up in political turmoil and an eventual civil war, Cabas began writing to people overseas to request books and stamps for his collection. After teaching himself various languages from Latin to Russian, it was ultimately his curiosity in the latter that would land him in the United States after his mother feared for his life amongst an anti-communist culture. After adjusting to life in the U.S., Vargas-Caba would eventually earn his green card and contribute to the work force for the next 30 years in the computer industry. In the days following the attacks on 9/11 he would put his love of language to the test. Music by Lee Noble and Cough Cool.You can hear and purchase their music over at Pale Blue Records. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lois Gibson is considered by many to be the most successful forensic artist in the world. Using skills in art, witness interviewing, and facial reconstruction, Gibson has helped solve over 1,200 cases by sketching portraits of both victims and criminals all over the United States. In 2005, she was even placed in the Guinness Book of World Records because of her success in suspect identifications. EIS finds Gibson at her home in Spring, Texas where she tells stories of an early career in modeling, surviving a brutal attack, and her fascination with faces. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by High Aura’d and Mike Shiflet. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mat Fraser is a performance artist who starred on the FX television show American Horror Story: Freak Show. Born with phocomelia, a condition that results in malformation of the limbs, Fraser embraces his disability through activism, art, and the carnie-sideshow experience. In this episode, Fraser tells the stories of his condition, his relationship with Coney Island, and how he entered show business with a physical deformity. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by PC Worship. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After surviving cancer, Forrest Fenn, a dealer of antique luxuries, hid a treasure chest filled with gold coins, gold dust, gold nuggets, rubies, and other valuable things. The treasure is said to be worth over one million dollars, and he’s only given clues to where it may be in his poetry, prose, and the occasional television appearance. In this story, Forrest Fenn is interviewed at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he shares stories from his childhood, experiences of being a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, and what exactly made him want to hide a treasure. Local friends and treasure hunters also describe their encounters with Fenn and ideas of where the treasure may be found. Music by High Aura’d. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Originally released in 1969, Dave Bixby’s Ode to Quetzacoatl is considered an underground classic in the psychedelic folk genre. With tracks such as “Drug Song” and “666″, the album remains dark, revelatory, and spiritual even in the 21st century. For years, rumors of Bixby’s disappearance and death spread amongst listeners. No one knew his story or his whereabouts or what influenced him to create an album dedicated to a Mesoamerican deity. He was a mystery. In this episode Everything Is Stories finds Dave Bixby in Northern Arizona where he shares his incredible adventures with hallucinogens in the 60s, a Christian cult in the 70s, sailing the open sea alone in the 80s, and what exactly influenced him to produce an album named after a feathered serpent. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Dave Bixby with additional music by Khris Reinshagen of Nostilevo and Men of Bissau. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diego Palma is a healer. Kush is a shaman. Both are located in Peru.Their methods for spiritual discovery include medicine songs, mantras, icaros, tobacco smoke, and ayahuasca. Ayahuasca is a brew made from the caapi vine and the chacruna shrub. Amazonas have used ayahuasca for centuries. When ingested, it opens the mind to cosmic possibilities. Peter Gersten is a retired lawyer. In 1987, he sued the United States Government for UFO information. Years later, Gersten began following visions and signs which led him to Sedona, Arizona. He began to believe reality was a simulation that could be manipulated by action. On December 21, 2012, Gersten traveled to the top of Bell Rock, a butte with an elevation of 600 ft. There, he believed a portal would open that could take him to the center of the universe, but only if he jumped into it. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by Kwaidan and William Cody Watson. Transcripts are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tommy Cotter worked as a soundman for network television show COPS. For one year, Cotter experienced several forms of crime alongside officers in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Fort Wayne, Texas. He captured sound of prostitution stings, robberies, and domestic disputes. Ten years after leaving the job, Cotter reveals how this experience transformed him. ****** **** is a photographer who spent time as a crime scene specialist in a southwestern state. He recounts the elaborate hiring process which included a lie detector test, a mock crime scene, and a trip to the morgue. Photographing evidence, suspects, and autopsies, the experience began affecting his subconscious. Memories forgotten resurfaced, and the elements of a crime scene even began appearing in his personal photography. Produced by Garrett Crowe, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray. Music by William Cody Watson. Transcript are available at everythingisstories.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices