Diary of a Nation

James Osborne is one of the coldest people to ever survive dry land hypothermia. He watched his friend die of the same fate during a winter hike in the White Mountains, and then James went unconscious himself. He left the hospital with several amputations, but the accident also led him to find love again. 

This interview is a follow-up to the previous episode in which New Hampshire author Ty Gagne details the mountain rescue and recovery effort in his book, The Last Traverse...

A New York woman climbed four of the famed Seven Summits but lost her life in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The core body temperature of a New Hampshire man dropped to a record 76 degrees in an unrelated climbing accident that killed his hiking buddy on the same mountain range. 

Ty Gagne is the author of two books that explored those winter climbing accidents. He's the CEO of Primex, the New Hampshire Public Risk Management Exchange...

The following episode contains explicit language and descriptions of disturbing incidents. My guest spent a decade in prison after he accepted a plea deal on drug conspiracy and gun charges. He went from stashing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash under his bed at home to earning a few dollars a day in federal prison while managing over $200 million in military contracts. 

The United States is the incarceration capital of the world...

In New Hampshire, this summer was a banner season for mushrooms. Enthusiast Christine Gagnon with the Uncanoonuc Foraging Company recently led me on a walk in the woods and schooled me on the science of mushrooms.

From opposing the death penalty despite the murder of his father to opposing nuclear power to defend the will of the people, the impact of Renny Cushing's activism reaches beyond the borders of his home state of New Hampshire. The state representative continues to dedicate his life to a wide range of social justice issues, but a diagnosis of prostate cancer is now making demands on his time.  Photo credit: Jim Cole, Associated Press.

Update: Renny passed away on March 7, 2022...

Worldwide, one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds. Steve Boczenowski's son, Jeffrey, died by suicide. So did my first boyfriend. Together, Steve and I share our loved ones' stories and discuss how to prevent more suicides. If you're struggling, help is available. Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting “home” to 741741.

A Saudi Arabian cat that immigrated to New Hampshire. A rooster that helped a teenager get to college. A dog that evaded cop cars and a helicopter. A raccoon that overstayed its welcome. A poodle with a Tinder profile. Through a series of short stories, this episode explores our bonds with our pets. Some stories are funny. Some are sad. Some aren't even appropriate for children.

Abortion is a constitutional right, though access in the US often depends on your resources and your zip code. New Hampshire activists Eileen and Bob serve as clinic escorts, enabling women to access abortion and other forms of reproductive health care by providing a safe barrier between patients and protestors.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/diaryofanation/message

Were he alive, Harold Ward would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. As the oldest resident in town, he was the recipient of the Boston Post Cane. As the first Black family in Lee, New Hampshire, the Ward family left a positive and enduring impression. On his deathbed, Harold recounted family stories and asked his son Michael Cameron Ward to preserve the memories in writing. The result is a collection of books titled "Sketches of Lee". Learn more at www.sketchesoflee.com...

New Hampshire mother Carrie Cariello has five children. One of her sons has autism. She's a blogger and the author of two memoirs. Her experience has broadened my understanding of autism, and I hope her stories will do the same for you. Books: Someone I'm With Has Autism and What Color is Monday? How Autism Changed One Family for the Better. Subscribe to Carrie's blog by visiting: carriecariello.com. Additional resources: autismspeaks.org.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters...