276: What if you left your kids held hostage?

After surviving a stranger’s shove into the path of a subway train, a man confronts his mortality and viral fame, and finds himself transformed by community, clarity, and the everyday poignancy of being alive. Today’s episode featured Joe Lynskey. You can email Joe at upfromthetr ...  Show more

Growing up Black and queer in the South, a man finds an identity for himself through the arts and establishes a wonderful marriage with children, until one day, when his husband is late coming home, there’s a ring at the door and his entire life unravels. Today’s storyteller chos ...  Show more

After Laura Ackerson lost full custody of her sons, she was heartbroken, but she sprang into action. Within 2 weeks, she got another hearing but she still only got weekends. She had to completely overhaul her life. Within a year, Laura found a great apartment and opened her own a ...  Show more

It was Christmastime 2009 and eleven year old Sarah Haley Foxwell was getting ready to celebrate with her family. She and her little sister skipped off to bed together, but that would be the last time Sarah’s family got to see her. Sarah was kidnapped, assaulted and brutally m ...

This week we will hear Ashley Hall’s story -- told by her Mother Lucia, and her sister Jessa. 

Please note, due to the public nature of this story, real names will be used for this episode. 

*Content warning: This episode contains descriptions of psychological an ...

The story of the Purrington murders is so horrific it sounds like something out of a movie. James Purrington seemed to have plans of killing himself after suffering from what was likely undiagnosed mental illness. When one of his children brought this to the attention of their ...