John Carter: Part 2- Never Give Up — Sobriety, Forgiveness, and Finding Purpose After Trauma

What happens after you survive something that should have killed you? In Part 2, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles continue their conversation with John Carter about waking from a coma, living with permanent injuries, maintaining long-term sobriety, choosing forgiveness, staying grateful, and turning a brutal past into a life of purpose.

Awards & Downloads

Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries.

Feedback

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a

Mental Health Quote

“Never give up. You are much stronger than you think.” — John Carter

Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder

This episode includes conversations about gun violence, addiction, overdose, incarceration, depression, disability, and loss. Please take care of yourself while listening.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs immediate emotional support in the United States, call or text 988 or visit:
https://988lifeline.org/

For crisis resources outside the U.S.:
https://findahelpline.com/

Episode Description

In Part 2 of John Carter’s story, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles go deeper into the moments that shaped the man he is today—and the mindset that keeps him moving forward.

John describes the vivid dream he experienced while unconscious after being shot in the head. In the dream, he was repeatedly challenged to swim a race he could not win until an unknown older man appeared, coached him, and refused to let him quit. John eventually won the race—and woke up. To him, that mysterious coach represented a higher power delivering a message that would follow him for the rest of his life: keep going.

The conversation explores the long road of physical recovery, John’s decision not to carry hatred toward the man who shot him, and why he sees accountability differently after surviving the consequences of his own choices.

John also talks about maintaining sobriety by refusing to forget how bad addiction became. Today, storytelling, speaking at recovery centers, mentoring younger people, training clients, supporting Mobility Danes of New England, and being present for his children and grandchildren all help keep him connected to his purpose.

He is candid about one challenge that remains difficult: accepting changes in his mobility. But instead of pretending those feelings don't exist, John keeps returning to gratitude.

His message is beautifully simple: never give up, accept help when it comes, and remember that you may be stronger than adversity has allowed you to believe.

Keywords: John Carter, trauma recovery, long-term sobriety, addiction recovery, forgiveness, gratitude, resilience, mental health recovery, overcoming adversity, purpose after trauma, disability awareness, personal growth, second chances, recovery motivation, never give up

Meet Our Guest — John Carter

John Carter is a personal trainer, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, author, and owner of Titanium Health and Fitness in Boston. After surviving a near-fatal gunshot, addiction, incarceration, disability, and profound loss, John rebuilt his life and now uses his experience to help others through fitness, speaking, recovery advocacy, mentorship, and service.

His first book, Triggered to Change, documents a life he describes as having contained “a hundred lives”—and the second chances that made his current one possible.

• Website: https://www.johncarterauthor.com/
• Book: https://www.amazon.com/Triggered-Change-Life-Full-Turbulence/dp/B0DWLVRWW5
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fitnessbycarter
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@turbulencebook
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turbulencebook_/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-carter-b29a0a337/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@titaniumfitnessbr?_t=ZP-8wcklttkhhe&_r=1

Key Takeaways

• Long-term recovery requires remembering where addiction can take you—not romanticizing where you came from.
• Forgiveness can mean recognizing your own choices without carrying hatred for someone else.
• Purpose often grows when we turn painful experiences into something that can help another person.
• Accepting help can be every bit as important as having the strength to keep fighting.
• Gratitude does not erase difficulty; it changes what you choose to focus on inside it.
• Being present for the people you love can become one of the strongest reasons to protect your recovery.

Actionable Items

• Write down the reality of a difficult period you never want to return to. Keep it somewhere you can revisit when your memory starts softening the hard edges.
• Identify one way your lived experience could help someone else—even if it is simply having an honest conversation.
• When adversity hits, replace “I can’t do this” with one smaller question: “What is the next thing I can do without giving up?”

References Mentioned

• John Carter’s website:  https://www.johncarterauthor.com/
• John Carter’s memoir, Triggered to Change:  https://www.amazon.com/Triggered-Change-Life-Full-Turbulence/dp/B0DWLVRWW5
• John Carter’s TEDx talk is available through his website:  https://www.johncarterauthor.com/
• Mobility Danes of New England:  https://www.mobilitydanesofnewengland.com/
• Books for Prison: https://prisonbookprogram.org/

Important Chapters

• 00:00:53 — What Happened After John Was Shot
• 00:01:30 — The Dream John Remembers From His Coma
• 00:04:18 — Waking Up Unable to Move or Speak
• 00:05:19 — Physical Recovery and Aqua Therapy
• 00:06:43 — What Happened to the Man Who Shot John
• 00:07:23 — Choosing Accountability Over Resentment
• 00:09:03 — John’s Documentary and What Comes Next
• 00:10:20 — Getting His Book Into Prisons
• 00:11:25 — How John Maintains His Sobriety
• 00:12:27 — Being Present for His Family
• 00:14:37 — Accepting Changes in His Mobility
• 00:18:00 — Fatherhood After Prison
• 00:19:23 — What John Would Tell His Younger Self
• 00:22:19 — John’s Advice: Never Give Up
• 00:23:00 — Anxiety, Turbulence, and the Word John Hates Most

Closing CTA

Subscribe, Rate, and Review!

Subscribe for more inspiring stories. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our Website:
https://goesoninourheads.net/add-your-podcast-reviews

#MentalHealthPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #Grex #DirtySkittles #Podmatch #TraumaRecovery #SobrietyJourney #AddictionRecovery #NeverGiveUp #Forgiveness #GratitudePractice #PurposeAfterTrauma #SecondChances #Resilience #RecoveryIsPossible #DisabilityAwareness #PersonalGrowth #RecoveryMotivation #TriggeredToChange #JohnCarter

***************************************************************************

If You Need Support, Reach Out

If you or someone you know is facing mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline in your area. Remember, it’s OK not to be OK—talking to someone can make all the difference.

• United States: Call or Text 988 — 988lifeline.org
• Canada: Call or Text 988 — 988.ca
• Worldwide: Find a Helpline
• Mental Health Resources and Tools: The Help Hub

Stay Connected with G-Rex and Dirty Skittles

• Official Website: goesoninourheads.net
• Facebook: @shltthatgoesoninourheads