Their Story Matters with Sara Troy and her guests David Kaye and Elle. On air from August 4th
“Did you know wind makes sound?”
After being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and a rare genetic variation, Ella Coonen learned that she would eventually lose her hearing completely. In early 2025, she received her first hearing aids and, for the first time, heard the world as others do. Knowing time was limited, Ella created a bucket list of sounds she wished to experience for the first—and perhaps last—time. This film follows her moving journey to fill her heart with the beauty of sound while she still has the chance.
Ella Coonen is a recent high school graduate living life with profound hearing loss and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. She has spent the last year going on a journey of sound discovery. David Kaye is a filmmaker and longtime family friend of Ella and her mother. He has had films in festivals throughout the United States, as well as in Canada and Australia. The Sound of a Bucket List is his first feature.
Self Discovery Wisdom is sustained by those who believe in conscious conversation. If this episode resonated with you, subscribe and, if you feel called, make a donation. Your support helps us keep amplifying voices that inspire growth, courage, and compassion. Thank you. Please join Our Forgotten Seniorsanthology and help to bring this book to awareness.
Their Story Matters with Sara Troy and her guest Valentina Pinzon, on air from June 16th
Our mission is to honour and support ancestral wisdom through Indigenous-made and sustainably grown cultural offerings from Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. We share ceremonial tools, statement jewellery, organic edibles, and sacred creations that invite people into deeper self-awareness, connection, and appreciation of ancestral cultures.
Our offerings include ceremonial-grade cacao, cacao tea, palo santo, rattles, medicine bags, beaded jewellery, clothing, accessories, and other handcrafted items created with intention and respect for tradition. Each piece carries a story, reflecting the people, culture, and sacred processes behind its creation.
What began as a journey of sharing Indigenous art has evolved into a deeper focus on ceremonial edibles, particularly cacao. Through learning the needs and interests of our local community, we have expanded into designing and creating products that resonate more closely with those seeking meaningful and conscious living practices.
By offering authentic Indigenous products and educating people about the traditions, craftsmanship, and cultural significance behind them, we aim to foster awareness, respect, and curiosity for ancestral wisdom and Indigenous communities across South America and beyond.
Through our ceremonial cacao, we are also beginning to facilitate workshops and talks on the conscious consumption of cacao, helping others reconnect with the ancestral spirit of Mama Cacao and cultivate a more mindful and heart-centred relationship with themselves and the world around them.
Hello, Hola! I’m Valentina Pinzon, I am originally from Colombia and have been living in Canada since 2008, but my passion for indigenous culture and traditions has been with me for decades. ? This inspiration led me to establish IndiArts Collective, allowing me to honor and support these remarkable communities. I feel incredibly fortunate to engage in such meaningful work.
Our mission is to showcase the extraordinary talents and cultures of South American indigenous artisans, providing them with a platform to share their handmade bags, accessories, jewelry, ceremonial tools, and edibles with the world. ?The best part? Each item carries a unique story, reflecting the rich cultures of the amazing indigenous people who create and harvest our products. We collaborate closely with artisans from Colombia, Peru, Mexico, and Ecuador to bring you exceptional products that celebrate their unique cultural heritage. ?
Join us in our mission to empower and uplift artisan communities and enjoy stunning handcrafted goods and delicious and nutritious foods along the way.
10% OFF any online purchase with code “selfdiscovery10”
Self Discovery Wisdom is sustained by those who believe in conscious conversation. If this episode resonated with you, subscribe and, if you feel called, make a donation. Your support helps us keep amplifying voices that inspire growth, courage, and compassion. Thank you. Please join Our Forgotten Seniorsanthology and help to bring this book to awareness.
Their Story Matters with Sara Troy and her guest Dr. Abraham George. On air from February 24th
Mountains to Cross: Finding Life’s Purpose in Service
From Global Finance to a building a school in India
Dr. Abraham George’s Story Redefines Service and Success
Dr. Abraham George’s remarkable journey spans continents and careers. After achieving extraordinary success in international business, he returned to India to devote his life to helping the most vulnerable. In Mountains to Cross: Finding Life’s Purpose in Service, he reflects on the experiences that shaped him—from narrowly surviving a military accident at 18, to building Shanti Bhavan, a world-renowned residential school for children born into extreme poverty.
Through gripping personal stories and a clear moral philosophy, Dr. George’s memoir delivers a deeply human message: You don’t need to be born into hardship to care about others. His work in education, environmental reform, and healthcare shows how one individual—armed with compassion and commitment—can create generational change. In an interview, he can talk about:
Dr. Abraham George is the author of the memoir Mountains to Cross: Finding Life’s Purpose in Service, a powerful reflection on his extraordinary journey from soldier and entrepreneur to social reformer. He began his career in the Indian Army as an artillery officer stationed at the Se La mountain pass on the India–China border, then the highest battleground in the Himalayas. Following his military service, he moved to the United States, where he earned two master’s degrees and a PhD in business administration from New York University. For nearly twenty-five years, he built a successful entrepreneurial career before returning to India in 1995 to confront systemic discrimination and economic oppression.
Over the decades, Dr. George has championed social justice and expanded opportunities for the underprivileged through groundbreaking educational and healthcare initiatives. His projects include founding a school that provides world-class education to socially and economically disadvantaged children, creating a postgraduate institution to foster an independent press, and establishing a rural hospital serving fifteen villages. His pioneering work in environmental health also played a pivotal role in eliminating leaded gasoline across India in April 2000—a milestone achievement in public health.
Dr. George has served on the boards of esteemed organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the International Center for Journalists, and he has been honored with awards including the Hind Rattan. In addition to his memoir, he is the author of three books on international corporate finance and two on social reform, further cementing his lifelong dedication to service, justice, and education.
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Please support Our Forgotten Seniorsanthology and help to bring this book to awareness.
Their Story Matters with Sara Troy and her guest Tom Green, on air from Janaury 20th
McDaniel College Seniors Receive “Dress for Success” Graduation Suits Through Philanthropic
Gift from 60-Year-Old Teammate Tom Green
— Students fitted at Men’s Wearhouse Westminster express gratitude and optimism as they prepare for life after football —
WESTMINSTER, Md., December 11, 2025 – More than a dozen McDaniel College football seniors stepped into their next chapter this weekend suited for success thanks to teammate Tom Green, the 60-year-old student-athlete whose story of resilience, reinvention, and community spirit continues to inspire the nation.
Green, owner of Northeast Pallet, LLC, a cancer survivor, and communications major, purchased suits, shirts, and formal footwear for 15 senior football players at Men’s Wearhouse in Westminster. Two groups arrived Saturday morning for personalized fittings, style guidance, and the opportunity to prepare professionally for their post-college careers.
“These young men have pushed me, supported me, and inspired me every single day,” Green said. “Helping them prepare for their next step in life is my way of giving back. They’re incredible leaders, and they deserve to walk into their future with confidence.”
Senior offensive lineman Carter Bucci, graduating with a degree in Elementary Education and pursuing a master’s in Special Education shared, “This is an amazing opportunity. I can’t thank Tom enough. I’m heading home to teach after graduation, and having a suit for interviews means a lot. Huge thank you to Tom and to Men’s Wearhouse for doing this for us.”
Running back KD, from Pittsburgh and majoring in Communications, said he felt both confident and grateful. “I feel great in this suit. Thank you, Tom. This means a lot. As I go into communications work after graduation, this is exactly what I need.”
Senior Collier, a Florida native preparing to become a plumber after graduation added, “I appreciate your time. You’re the man, Tom. This really helps me as I get ready for what’s next.”
The fitting sessions were filled with energy, gratitude, and emotion as teammates supported each other, admired their new looks, and shared their plans for life after football ranging from teaching and trades to communications and public service.
Tom Green is a 60-year-old student-athlete, small business owner, and cancer survivor who has inspired thousands through his journey documented as 0to60in6Decades. After surviving Stage IV kidney cancer and rebuilding his life following significant financial hardship, Tom made the bold decision to return to college at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, where he is pursuing a communications degree and playing football for the Green Terror. His mission is to show that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself, chase a dream, or start again.
Tom shares his story of perseverance, fitness, faith, and second chances on Instagram at @tomgreen0to60in6decades, where he encourages others facing adversity to keep moving, physically, mentally, and purposefully. Whether training with teammates one-third his age, building community through service, or championing faith-forward initiatives, Tom leads by example as a living reminder that age is an asset, and resilience is a superpower. Tom continues to use his platform to uplift others, promote healthy living, and inspire people of all ages to pursue the goals that once felt out of reach.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation; if you enjoyed this show, please support us here with either a one-time donation and subscribe. Thank you. Please support Our Forgotten Seniorsanthology and help to bring this book to awareness.
Their Story Matters with Sara Troy and her guest Roger Chiocchi, on air from November 25th
“If you’re drawn to politically charged thrillers that reveal the human cost of policy decisions, this is a must-read.” — Literary Titan. In this wrenching political novel, a school shooting turns suburban parents into federal criminals, raising the urgent question: How long can grieving parents be ignored? — BookLife, Editors Pick The Brushy Ridge Militia is about how the intersection of grief and helplessness leads a group of parents to become so enraged after a mass shooting to conclude that enough’s enough, compelling them to commit a major act of civil disobedience. It’s the fictional version “A Civil Action” meets “The Trial of the Catonsville Nine.’
Roger Chiocchi graduated from Ithaca College and then the Wharton School (MBA) with distinction. He spent over 25 years as a senior executive on Madison Avenue as a Senior Vice President at Young & Rubicam and then as President of Y&R subsidiary, The Lord Group where he worked on advertising campaigns for Advil, ATT, Verizon, Bell Atlantic, USAA, Kraft Foods and many others. Throughout his life, Chiocchi has had a passion for writing. In his spare time, he wrote the fictional ghost story Mean Spirits, which rose to number one in its genre on Amazon and Baby Boomer Bust? How the generation of promise became the generation of panic, which addresses the impact of the 2008/2009 recession on that generation. In 2019, he published Time Framed, a sci-fi paranormal thriller to critical acclaim. Chiocchi regards himself as a perpetual student, constantly scouring YouTube for lectures on astrophysics, quantum mechanics, human consciousness, politics and whatever else suits his fancy. The Brushy Ridge Militia is his latest novel.
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