Attitude is everything—and this week’s storytellers prove it. Even when life throws challenges their way, they show how perspective and perseverance can make all the difference.

Part 1: Paralyzed but undeterred, Scott Imbrie is on a mission to regain movement.

Part 2: After an accident leaves them with severe burns on over a third of their body, Emily Hespeler works to find their way back to themselves.

Scott Imbrie, BCI Pioneer, Scott is an incomplete quadriplegic with fine motor skill limitations. His spinal cord injury (C4 through C6) happened from a car accident in 1985 when the seat belt failed. Today Scott is a participant in spinal cord injury research at the University of Chicago where he controls a robotic arm and hand with sensory feed-back. The goal of this study is to restore independents to people with spinal cord injuries. His story is about hope and determination.

Emily Hespeler is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS), burn survivor, speaker, and storyteller based in New York City. Drawing from their experiences after a major burn injury, Emily combines professional expertise in recreation therapy with powerful storytelling to inspire others to embrace their inner strengths. In their everyday life, Emily finds joy in simple routines: daily walks, spontaneous conversations with strangers, and their weekly jar of peanut butter.

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This week we present two classic stories from people who got called into action to save an animal they didn’t know they’d be called to save.

Part 1: While running an errand, Andrea Azarian happens upon a lost horse that needs her help.

Part 2: Left in charge of the farm for the first time, Gwynne Hogan panics when a goat goes into labor.

Andrea Azarian has an undergraduate degree in Public Administration and Political Science from UW-LaCrosse. She completed her teacher certification and Master’s degree in Education at Alverno College. Andrea taught English, Math, Reading, and Family and Consumer Education in grades 5-8 in Milwaukee Public Schools before coming to UWM. She has been at UWM as an Academic Advisor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction for twelve years. Her time outside of work is spent traveling with her friends and family laughing and being present in the moment.

Gwynne Hogan is a reporter and producer in the WNYC newsroom who seems to keep ending up covering disease and communities from measles to COVID-19.

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In this week’s episode, both storytellers must navigate heartbreaking dilemmas as they try to figure out how to convey crushing news.

Part 1: While doing fieldwork in the Congo, Stella Mayerhoff must track down a local researcher to deliver devastating news.

Part 2: During his second year of residency, Sam Blackman is tasked with caring for a dying child whose mother’s unwavering faith clashes with his scientific approach.

Stella Mayerhoff is a primatologist turned science communicator. As a scientist, Stella traveled the world—from Puerto Rico to the Democratic Republic of Congo—studying various primate species. She now draws inspiration from her time in the field, writing to share the sense of adventure and real-world impact that science offers. Stella has written for Georgia State’s College of Arts & Sciences, Georgia State University Research Magazine, and Science ATL, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Science Communication at UC Santa Cruz. When she’s not chasing a story, Stella enjoys spending her time with her cat, TBD, who owes his perfectly odd name to a moment of writer’s block.

Sam Blackman is a physician-scientist and pediatric oncologist. He's was founder and former head of research and development at Day One Biopharmaceuticals, a company focused on drug development for childhood cancers. He’s currently an entrepreneur-in-residence at Google Ventures. Sam is an avid storyteller, baker of bread, and recently climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. Sam lives on Orcas Island with his wife, having successfully launched their first and only child off to college.

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