349: What if nothing could tear us apart? Part 1: Donna
This Is Actually Happening
Wondery
4.6 • 9.9K Ratings
🗓️ 11 February 2025
⏱️ 71 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A young woman swept up in a whirlwind romance spirals into drug addiction, which takes everything from her, but when a “friend” comes to help her pick up the pieces, she finds herself in the grip of a psychopath and must find her way back to freedom, recovery, and the love of her life.
Today’s episode featured Donna Gilchrist. You can reach out to her at [email protected]
Donna and Daniel’s Hard Knox Talks Podcast YouTube: Here
You can visit their website at hardknoxtalks.com. They are always open to speaking engagements - for inquiries, reach out to [email protected].
Donna’s story came to us by way of Todd Rennebohm (wren-a-bomb). Todd's podcast, Bunny Hugs and Mental health, focuses on conversations with survivors, professionals and families of those who have lost someone to mental illness and addictions. So please check out Bunny Hugs and Mental Health, and a special thanks to Todd for referring today's guest. Although Donna was not on Todd’s show, her husband, Daniel, was, and he will be our storyteller next week.
Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Sara Marinelli
Content/Trigger Warnings: drug use/abuse, risky pregnancy, miscarriages, abuse/domestic violence, sexual assault including rape, homelessness, poverty, explicit language
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Intro Music: "Illabye" – Tipper
Music Bed: Uncertain Outcomes
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If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Wondry Plus subscribers can listen to exclusive episodes of This Is Actually Happening |
| 0:05.0 | by joining Wondry Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts. |
| 0:09.0 | This Is Actually Happening features real experiences that often include traumatic events. |
| 0:14.0 | Please consult the show notes for specific content warnings on each episode |
| 0:17.0 | and for more information about support services. |
| 0:20.0 | Wondry and for more information about support services. |
| 0:32.5 | Hi listeners, with Valentine's Day coming up this week, we decided to air a two-part episode arc, |
| 0:39.3 | showcasing the incredible power of love between two people who've been to rock bottom and back, several times over. In this first week, we'll hear the harrowing story of Donna, and then next week |
| 0:44.9 | we'll hear from her husband Dan, with his life's story as well and what happened from his |
| 0:49.8 | perspective. But now, for today's episode, we bring you, what if nothing could tear us apart. |
| 0:55.7 | Part one, Donna. He would tell me repeatedly, I could kill you and throw you in a garbage bin, |
| 1:04.6 | and nobody would care because you'd be just another dead junkie. And what he was saying was true. |
| 1:12.2 | It was like I was in a dream. |
| 1:14.1 | It was like I had stepped into some weird alternate reality. |
| 1:18.3 | How did this happen? |
| 1:19.9 | And how do I get out? |
| 1:21.6 | Can I get out? |
| 1:22.5 | I don't think I can get out. |
| 1:23.5 | I don't think I can get out. |
| 1:38.6 | Okay. out. From Wondery, I'm Witt Mizzledine. You're listening to This Is Actually Happening. Episode 349. |
| 1:49.0 | What if nothing could tear us apart? |
| 1:52.0 | Part 1, Donna. |
... |
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