Jolt: Stories of Trauma and Transformation

The death of a child. Life-threatening illness. Plane crashes. Terror attacks. Natural disasters. Some of us never fully recover from unimaginable traumas like these, but some not only survive—they bounce back to thrive and grow.

Jolt tells the stories of people transformed by trauma, and the new paths that they pursue.

• Molly McDonald was an affluent suburban Detroit mom who faced financial ruin following a diagnosis of breast cancer. She started The Pink Project, which provides transitional financial assistance to low-income breast cancer patients.

• Liz and Steve Alderman lost their son in the World Trade Center on 9/11. As a tribute to him, they launched a foundation that builds and operates mental health clinics in post-conflict countries. More than ten years later, the foundation is going strong.

• John Gallina and Dale Beatty, both veterans of the Iraq War, suffered traumatic injuries. When they came home, they started Purple Heart Homes, a nonprofit that provides housing solutions for homeless and low-income veterans.

• Lucy McBath suffered the horrifying murder of her teenage son in a high-profile white-on-black shooting. Lucy quit her job as a flight attendant and has become a nationally known advocate for gun control.

Jolt: Stories of Trauma and Transformation tells the compelling stories of people who have moved beyond trauma to ask, “How can I make my life—and the lives of others—better?”