Zach Tidwell, Pushing Past  Possible: A Marine's Journey from Despair to Purpose

Zach Tidwell, Pushing Past Possible: A Marine's Journey from Despair to Purpose

Author: rrapaport March 4, 2025 Duration: 1:06:36
Join us for an inspiring episode of "It's a Wrap with Wrap," where host Ron Rapaport welcomes Zach Tidwell, a blind Marine Corps veteran from Denver, Colorado. Known for his lighthearted approach to life's toughest challenges, Zach shares his incredible story of survival and transformation. After a failed suicide attempt that left him blind, Zach has turned his life around, becoming a motivational speaker and advocate for inclusive design in the tech world. At just 28, he has founded his own software development company and participates in extreme sports, challenging societal perceptions of disability. Listen as Zach opens up about his military upbringing, the circumstances that led to his life-altering injury, and how he found a new purpose. He offers valuable insights for those struggling with mental health issues, emphasizing the    importance of seeking help and finding community. This episode is a testament to resilience and the power of rewriting your own story. Sponsors:    Hero Soap Company-Use Code Rap for a 10% discount                    https://www.herosoapcompany.com                    Danny Covey Author of "Scar Tissue"                    www.dannycovey.com                    Mike Aronson Author of "Whatever"                    www.thewhateverbook.com                                     Links:         zachtidwell.net                                     X   @zach.ctidwell                                     https://itsawrapwithrap.com  

The conversations on It’s A Wrap with Rap move beyond simple interviews, digging into the real stories of people who have chosen to confront difficulty with generosity and grit. Each episode is a deep, personal exploration of how individuals from all walks of life have transformed their own struggles into strength, not just for themselves, but for their communities. You’ll hear from guests who have faced down profound challenges-whether personal, professional, or societal-and emerged with a drive to lift others up. These aren’t tales of easy success, but honest reflections on perseverance, the decision to act selflessly, and the cultural and educational insights gained along the way. The podcast thrives on authentic dialogue, offering listeners a chance to understand the mindset and the pivotal moments that define a resilient life. It’s about the practical wisdom found in real-world experience, focusing on how we grow through adversity and how that growth can ripple outward. Tune in for thoughtful, often surprising conversations that wrap up each story with a sense of connection and tangible inspiration for your own journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

”It’s A Wrap with Rap”
Podcast Episodes
Risa August-The Road Unpaved [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:10
Ron talks to Risa August, an artist, writer, world traveler, certified Gestalt practioner, endurance athlete, and a Acromegaly patient and survivor. In 2011 Risa noticed something was wrong with her body, she began to gr…
Dr Charley Ferrer-The Cancer Tamer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:34
Meet Dr Charley Ferrer, world renowned clinical sexologist and sex therapist. She is an award-winning author of several books on relationships, sexuality, self-empowerment and breast cancer. Diagnosed with breast cancer…
Dan Clouser-The Journey of my Mother’s Son [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:18
Meet Dan Clouser, author, podcast host, speaker, coaching trainer and consultant. In 2019 after founding and running a non-profit youth sports organization for 30 years working with kids and teaching them leadership skil…
Timothy J West,  Stevens Johnsons- Syndrome Survivor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:17
Meet Tim West who is legally blind and lost all his skin at age 4 due to Stevens- Johnsons Syndrome. Tim stands tall, he is a disability and mental health advocate who fights for those who feel they cannot. Listen and ge…
Eric Christiansen-Unmasking Hope [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:48
Ron talks with Eric Christiansen, an acclaimed documentarian and seven-time Southwestern Region Emmy Award recipient whose films focus on the impact of trauma on individuals, families and communities. A trauma survivor h…
Leslie Hope Holthoff-The Evolution of a Teen Mom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:08
Ron talks with Leslie Hope Holthoff, a mom by the age of sixteen. Leslie tells us of her experiences in turning a life destined for failure into a life of abundance which inspired her to help others using herself created…
Kim Sorrelle-Love Is All You Need [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:14
Meet Kim Sorrelle, author of the best seller "Love Is", serial entrepreneur, director of a humanitarian organization, activist, mother and lover of all people. In 2009 while battling breast cancer, her husband Steve rece…
Michelle Shekhinah, From the Floor to the Door [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:47
Meet Michelle Shekhinah who was married for many years and was a stay-at-home mom with two special needs children. In 2015 she realized her husband was addicted to drugs. In this time, she had experienced financial, emot…
Tyler Wittkofsky-You Are Not Your Past, Moving Forward [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:10
Meet Tyler Wittkofsky, multi-genre author, poet, mental health and travel blogger, podcaster, winning marketing and communications professional who grew up homeless and abused by his father for the first ten years of his…