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The most common name in the United States is Smith, and if that's your surname, you'll have around 4.5 million others in the world to share it with.

But just because you have a popular name like, say, Pat Smith, that doesn’t mean that you’re common!

The four Pat Smiths you’ll meet are unique: an environmental activist, an adventurous videographer, an African-American kindergarten teacher in Japan, and a beloved mentor who taught me in 3rd and 5th grade.

Enjoy the Pat Smith Show!

The most common name in the United States is Smith, and if that's your surname, you'll have around 4.5 million others in the world to share it with.
But just because you have a popular name like, say, Pat Smith, that doesn&rsquo;t mean that you&rsquo;re common!
The four Pat Smiths you&rsquo;ll meet are unique: an environmental activist, an adventurous videographer, an African-American kindergarten teacher in Japan, and a beloved mentor who taught me in 3rd and 5th grade.
Enjoy the Pat Smith Show!

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood. Guided by deep curiosity and genuine compassion, the team behind Audacious creates space for the kinds of stories that rarely get told - and the kinds of questions we're often afraid to ask. From those speaking publicly for the very first time to voices already known around the world, every guest is met with care, and every story is honored as both deeply personal and profoundly human.

For more: ctpublic.org/audacious

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood. Guided by deep curiosity and genuine compassion, the team behind Audacious creates space for the kinds of stories that rarely get told - and the kinds of questions we're often afraid to ask. From those speaking publicly for the very first time to voices already known around the world, every guest is met with care, and every story is honored as both deeply personal and profoundly human.
For more: <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf">ctpublic.org/audacious</a>

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood. 

Audacious with Chion Wolf

Five incredible years. One big, bold list.

Here’s a handpicked top 10 playlist of shows that shook us, moved listeners to write in, won awards, sparked conversations, and made us say: Wow! Some are our most popular downloads. Others are the ones we mention when people ask us what we do for a living. All of them are uniquely, unmistakably audacious.

Five incredible years. One big, bold list.
Here&rsquo;s a handpicked top 10 playlist of shows that shook us, moved listeners to write in, won awards, sparked conversations, and made us say:&nbsp;Wow! Some are our most popular downloads. Others are the ones we mention when people ask us what we do for a living. All of them are uniquely, unmistakably audacious.

The Audacious Hall of Fame: Our Top 10!

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood.

Guided by deep curiosity and genuine compassion, the team behind Audacious creates space for the kinds of stories that rarely get told - and the kinds of questions we’re often afraid to ask. From those speaking publicly for the very first time to voices already known around the world, every guest is met with care, and every story is honored as both deeply personal and profoundly human.

Listen at ctpublic.org/audacious

Support is provided by a generous contribution from Suzanne Hopgood, in Memory of Frank Lord.

Audacious with Chion Wolf spotlights the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood.
Guided by deep curiosity and genuine compassion, the team behind Audacious creates space for the kinds of stories that rarely get told - and the kinds of questions we&rsquo;re often afraid to ask. From those speaking publicly for the very first time to voices already known around the world, every guest is met with care, and every story is honored as both deeply personal and profoundly human.
Listen at <a href="http://ctpublic.org/audacious">ctpublic.org/audacious</a>
Support is provided by a generous contribution from Suzanne Hopgood, in Memory of Frank Lord.

The One Where All The Guests Are Named Pat Smith

After cancer, one woman swam farther than anyone ever had in a lake. Another ran 104 marathons in 104 days on a carbon-fiber running blade.

Marathon swimmer Sarah Thomas returned to the water following aggressive breast cancer and went on to complete multiple record-setting open-water swims. 

And Jacky Hunt-Broersma lost her leg to bone cancer, then redefined endurance one marathon at a time.

Their stories are about ambition, adaptation, and the audacity to ask the body for more.

 

Suggested episodes:
From wingsuit BASE jumping to record-breaking South Pole expeditions with Ellen Brennan Frat and Liv Arnesen
What a runner’s high feels like when you’re 105 years old
What it’s like to be allergic to water
Below the surface: The stories behind underwater world records 

 

GUESTS: 
Sarah Thomas: marathon swimmer who holds multiple world records for the longest current-neutral swims ever completed, including a 104.6-mile swim in Lake Champlain. After aggressive breast cancer treatment, she returned to the water and became the first person to complete four consecutive crossings of the English Channel
Jacky Hunt-Broersma: an ultrarunner and amputee who lost her left leg to bone cancer at age 26. In 2022, she ran 104 marathons in 104 consecutive days on a carbon-fiber running blade, setting a Guinness World Record and raising nearly $200,000 to help other amputees access running prosthetics. Her memoir, Duct Tape and Determination: A True Story of Turning Devastation into Grit, is coming out in August 2026 

After cancer, one woman swam farther than anyone ever had in a lake. Another ran 104 marathons in 104 days on a carbon-fiber running blade.
Marathon swimmer Sarah Thomas returned to the water following aggressive breast cancer and went on to complete multiple record-setting open-water swims.&nbsp;
And Jacky Hunt-Broersma lost her leg to bone cancer, then redefined endurance one marathon at a time.
Their stories are about ambition, adaptation, and the audacity to ask the body for more.
&nbsp;
Suggested episodes:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2025-02-14/from-wingsuit-base-jumping-to-record-breaking-south-pole-expeditions-with-ellen-brennan-frat-and-liv-arnesen">From wingsuit BASE jumping to record-breaking South Pole expeditions with Ellen Brennan Frat and Liv Arnesen</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2021-09-16/audacious-elders">What a runner&rsquo;s high feels like when you&rsquo;re 105 years old</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2021-11-05/extreme-allergies-and-rare-conditions-can-teach-us-a-lot-about-human-tolerance">What it&rsquo;s like to be allergic to water</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2023-07-31/below-the-surface-the-stories-behind-underwater-world-records">Below the surface: The stories behind underwater world records&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
GUESTS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://sarahthomasswims.com/">Sarah Thomas</a>: marathon swimmer who holds multiple world records for the longest current-neutral swims ever completed, including a 104.6-mile swim in Lake Champlain. After aggressive breast cancer treatment, she returned to the water and became the first person to complete four consecutive crossings of the English Channel</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ncrunnerjacky.com/">Jacky Hunt-Broersma</a>: an ultrarunner and amputee who lost her left leg to bone cancer at age 26. In 2022, she ran 104 marathons in 104 consecutive days on a carbon-fiber running blade, setting a Guinness World Record and raising nearly $200,000 to help other amputees access running prosthetics. Her memoir, <a href="https://us.amazon.com/Duct-Tape-Determination-Turning-Devastation/dp/146425558X">Duct Tape and Determination: A True Story of Turning Devastation into Grit</a>, is coming out in August 2026&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

A marathon swimmer and ultrarunner: surviving cancer, breaking records 

Meet two men who survived suicide attempts, and built lives around helping others imagine a future beyond despair. 

Kevin Hines, one of the few to survive a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge, reflects on the instant regret, the long recovery, and the tools he uses when “brain pain” returns - recorded just days before the 25th anniversary of his attempt. 

Then, Connecticut therapist Steve MacHattie shares what it means to live with chronic suicidal urges, after his first attempt at six years old, and how reaching for connection can change the outcome. 

Resources:
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline  
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board
In an emergency, please call or text 911

 

Suggested episodes:
911, What's Your Emergency? Tales From Dispatch
Finding purpose in life after accidentally killing someone
What it's like surviving a plane crash
Equine therapy

 

GUESTS: 
Kevin Hines: suicide attempt survivor, author, film producer, and mental health advocate. At 19, he survived a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge. Over the past 25 years, he has dedicated himself to suicide prevention, sharing his story to reduce stigma and help people through moments of crisis. Kevin is the author of Cracked, Not Broken, The Art of Being Broken, and The Art of Wellness, hosts the HINESIGHTS podcast, and was a leading voice in the effort to install safety nets on the Golden Gate Bridge. His latest documentary, Death Bridge, is set to be released in 2027
Steve MacHattie: a suicide attempt survivor, clinical social worker (LCSW), and founder of the Charter Oak Family Center in Manchester, Connecticut. He first attempted suicide at six years old, and today he supports clients ages 5 to 105 and serves as co-chair of the Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board’s Lived Experience Committee. He also writes poetry used in clinical trainings to help care providers see the humanity and strength in the people they serve

Meet two men who survived suicide attempts, and built lives around helping others imagine a future beyond despair.&nbsp;
Kevin Hines, one of the few to survive a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge, reflects on the instant regret, the long recovery, and the tools he uses when &ldquo;brain pain&rdquo; returns - recorded just days before the 25th anniversary of his attempt.&nbsp;
Then, Connecticut therapist Steve MacHattie shares what it means to live with chronic suicidal urges, after his first attempt at six years old, and how reaching for connection can change the outcome.&nbsp;
Resources:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://988lifeline.org/">988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline </a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.crisistextline.org/">Crisis Text Line</a>: text HOME to 741741</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.preventsuicidect.org/">Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">In an emergency, please call or text 911</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Suggested episodes:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/mental-health/2021-05-21/911-whats-your-emergency-tales-from-dispatch">911, What's Your Emergency? Tales From Dispatch</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2021-12-09/finding-purpose-in-life-after-accidentally-killing-someone">Finding purpose in life after accidentally killing someone</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2022-04-21/what-its-like-surviving-a-plane-crash">What it's like surviving a plane crash</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Equine therapy</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
GUESTS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://kevinhinesstory.com/">Kevin Hines</a>: suicide attempt survivor, author, film producer, and mental health advocate. At 19, he survived a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge. Over the past 25 years, he has dedicated himself to suicide prevention, sharing his story to reduce stigma and help people through moments of crisis. Kevin is the author of Cracked, Not Broken, The Art of Being Broken, and The Art of Wellness, hosts the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1ToYhTjeTKabh9Os8vIiEp">HINESIGHTS podcast</a>, and was a leading voice in the effort to install safety nets on the Golden Gate Bridge. His latest documentary, Death Bridge, is set to be released in 2027</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.charteroakfamilycenter.com/about-5">Steve MacHattie</a>: a suicide attempt survivor, clinical social worker (LCSW), and founder of the Charter Oak Family Center in Manchester, Connecticut. He first attempted suicide at six years old, and today he supports clients ages 5 to 105 and serves as co-chair of the <a href="https://www.preventsuicidect.org/">Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board</a>&rsquo;s Lived Experience Committee. He also writes poetry used in clinical trainings to help care providers see the humanity and strength in the people they serve</li>
</ul>

What two suicide attempt survivors want you to know about staying alive 

TV shows and movies set in places like field offices, courtrooms and hospitals entertain us, sure... But they also tell us something - about crime, medicine, danger, and heroism. So who makes sure they don’t get it wrong? 

Meet three entertainment consultants whose real jobs exist far beyond the screen: a former FBI profiler behind Criminal Minds, an ER doctor, who advised on The Pitt, and NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, who worked on the Amazon film Space Cadet. 

They reveal what Hollywood gets right, what it often misses, and the surprising responsibility that comes with shaping what millions of people believe.

Suggested episodes:
Behind The Screens: Hollywood Hairstyling, Coordinating Intimacy, And Illustrating The Great British Bake Off 
Becoming fluent in English by watching 3 hours of American and British television every day
Behind The Screens: Dressing Schitt’s Creek, Special Effects Make-Up, and Casting Queer Eye 
Stunt performers David Holmes and Jonathan Goodwin on life after paralysis 
When actors teach: Embodying the lives of an enslaved woman and a medical patient 
Who decides? Ethicists help doctors and patients answer big, nuanced questions 

 

GUESTS: 
Jim Clemente: Former FBI special agent and prosecutor, who spent more than 20 years working in criminal behavioral profiling and became an entertainment consultant, writer, and producer on the Criminal Minds series
Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah: Emergency medicine physician, EMS medical director, and educator, who also serves as a medical consultant for the Emmy Award-winning HBO series, The Pitt
Nicole Stott: NASA astronaut, engineer, artist, and author, who spent more than 100 days living and working in space. She also consults on film and television, including the Amazon movie Space Cadet

TV shows and movies set in places like field offices, courtrooms and hospitals entertain us, sure... But they also tell us something - about crime, medicine, danger, and heroism. So who makes sure they don&rsquo;t get it wrong?&nbsp;
Meet three entertainment consultants whose real jobs exist far beyond the screen: a former FBI profiler behind Criminal Minds, an ER doctor, who advised on The Pitt, and NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, who worked on the Amazon film Space Cadet.&nbsp;
They reveal what Hollywood gets right, what it often misses, and the surprising responsibility that comes with shaping what millions of people believe.
Suggested episodes:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/arts-culture/2020-11-13/behind-the-screens-hollywood-hairstyling-coordinating-intimacy-and-illustrating-the-great-british-bake-off">Behind The Screens: Hollywood Hairstyling, Coordinating Intimacy, And Illustrating The Great British Bake Off&nbsp;</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2023-01-19/all-in-a-year-3-guests-3-goals-365-days">Becoming fluent in English by watching 3 hours of American and British television every day</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/arts-and-culture/2021-01-22/behind-the-screens-dressing-schitts-creek-special-effects-make-up-and-casting-queer-eye">Behind The Screens: Dressing Schitt&rsquo;s Creek, Special Effects Make-Up, and Casting Queer Eye&nbsp;</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2024-05-02/stunt-performers-david-holmes-and-jonathan-goodwin-on-life-after-paralysis">Stunt performers David Holmes and Jonathan Goodwin on life after paralysis&nbsp;</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2024-07-12/when-actors-teach-embodying-the-lives-of-an-enslaved-woman-and-a-medical-patient">When actors teach: Embodying the lives of an enslaved woman and a medical patient&nbsp;</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/audacious-with-chion-wolf/2024-11-15/who-decides-ethicists-help-doctors-patients-answer-big-nuanced-questions">Who decides? Ethicists help doctors and patients answer big, nuanced questions&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
GUESTS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.xgproductions.com/jim-clemente">Jim Clemente</a>: Former FBI special agent and prosecutor, who spent more than 20 years working in criminal behavioral profiling and became an entertainment consultant, writer, and producer on the Criminal Minds series</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.drsylvia-o.com/">Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah</a>: Emergency medicine physician, EMS medical director, and educator, who also serves as a medical consultant for the Emmy Award-winning HBO series, The Pitt</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.npsdiscovery.com/">Nicole Stott</a>: NASA astronaut, engineer, artist, and author, who spent more than 100 days living and working in space. She also consults on film and television, including the Amazon movie Space Cadet</li>
</ul>

The One Where All The Guests Are Named Pat Smith

The Audacious Hall of Fame: Our Top 10!

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