5 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 8 September 2025
⏱️ 56 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
What if the hardest thing you’ve ever faced wasn’t 60 days in the wilderness, but the weight of leading your family through suffering?
In this episode, Jerrad sits down with Alone Season 5 winner, Sam Larson, whose victory on national TV was followed by a far heavier reality at home: all three of his children being diagnosed with CLN3 Batten Disease, a rare terminal illness.
With raw honesty and gospel hope, Sam shares how grief stripped away every illusion of control, what it means to father children with a limited timeline, and how Jesus became more real than ever in the middle of heartbreak.
With insight from 2 Corinthians 12, Matthew 5, and Romans 8, you’ll discover:
Whether you’re walking through grief, feeling the crushing weight of fatherhood, or just longing for purpose in your everyday life, this episode will remind you that Jesus has conquered even the darkest parts of our story—and He is with you.
Scriptures Mentioned
2 Corinthians 12:9–10
Matthew 5:4
Romans 8:18–25
John 16:33
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
Psalm 34:18
1 Peter 1:6–7
James 1:2–4
Philippians 1:6
Resources & Links
Today’s Sponsors: World Watch News
Visit Sam’s church: Redemption Hill Bible Church – Hickman, Nebraska
Invite Jerrad To Speak At Your Church
Become A Monthly Partner
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| 0:00.0 | Today's episode of The Dad Tired podcast is brought to you by my friends over at World Watch News. |
| 0:04.5 | World Watch delivers fact-based news that you can feel good about as a parent. |
| 0:07.9 | They help your kids explore the world while also recognizing God's design. |
| 0:11.7 | It's all fact-based, and they embrace journalistic integrity, which means they're never going to take a political or doctrinal stance. |
| 0:18.4 | You can feel good and let your guard down as a parent knowing that their |
| 0:21.1 | content is deeply dependable. It's incredibly safe and it's specifically geared towards children. |
| 0:27.3 | They have a passion for giving kids a richer understanding of the world around them and also |
| 0:31.7 | helping your kids recognize God's designed around them. World Watch points to faith in everything |
| 0:36.3 | they do. Their posture, their content |
| 0:38.3 | choices, and their message all revolves around the fact that God is in control. You can get 90 days |
| 0:43.9 | for free when you visit worldwatch.news, 4.S. Dadd Tired. Again, that's Worldwatch. News, ford slash dad tired |
| 0:50.3 | to try for 90 days for free. Today I sit down with Sam Larson. |
| 0:54.7 | He is the season five winner of the TV show alone. |
| 0:57.9 | And when I came into this conversation, |
| 0:59.4 | I was expecting to talk about grit or mental toughness. |
| 1:03.6 | But our conversation shifted almost immediately once we started talking. |
| 1:08.1 | I learned about Sam's story and how he has faced challenges much deeper than the show alone. |
| 1:15.3 | I want to give you a warning that today's conversation is super heavy. It's incredibly raw and sensitive and personal. |
| 1:22.6 | So I just want you to know that for your own heart and be aware of your surroundings as you listen to today's podcast. |
| 1:27.8 | If you are struggling in any way, I promise you Sam's story is going to be a beacon of hope. That being |
| 1:33.6 | said, let's dive in. So do you know, should I like, do you know about me? Do you know my stuff? |
| 1:40.3 | I don't know your personal story other than, you know, your stuff on alone. |
... |
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