Get a Grip Podcast

In this episode of the Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Josh Shaw to unpack a wild story of early crime, addiction, and building an underground empire during the height of the pill mill era.Josh’s journey starts young—getting arrested at just 9 years old, fighting in juvenile detention, and being prescribed high doses of Adderall as a kid. By high school, he was already dealing weed, getting expelled, and quickly moving into selling harder drugs. Everything escalated when he was introduced to Oxy, eventually leading him to sell and use pills taken from his own home.By just 19 years old, Josh found himself running an opiate operation through pain clinics—sponsoring people, moving large amounts of pills, and becoming deeply embedded in Florida’s pill mill scene. With connections inside pharmacies and money pouring in, he lived fast—blowing hundreds of thousands through gambling and addiction while his empire grew.But it didn’t last. Federal agencies shut everything down, and what followed was a rapid سقوط into heavier drug use, risky behavior, and life-threatening moments—including overdoses, hallucinations, and encounters with powerful psychedelics.Amid the chaos, Josh also faced devastating personal loss and his own battles with mental health, leading to a breaking point that forced change.After serving time and hitting rock bottom, Josh finally found his way into treatment and recovery—marking the beginning of a new chapter.This is a raw look inside the rise and fall of a young “pill mill kingpin,” and what it takes to come back from the edge.⚠️ Viewer discretion advised: This episode contains discussions of drug use, addiction, violence, and mental health.

🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this powerful and emotional episode of the Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Shaye Shunkle to share a story that is as heartbreaking as it is inspiring—a journey through addiction, motherhood, chaos, and ultimately, recovery.
Shaye’s story begins with a difficult childhood, born to a mother who was just 15 years old. Growing up surrounded by instability, she was exposed to alcohol and drugs early on, setting the stage for a turbulent teenage life. By high school, Shaye was already deep into substance use, experimenting with pills like Darvocet and getting caught in a cycle of trouble that led her in and out of juvenile detention.
Things escalated quickly—stealing her mom’s car, getting pulled over, and diving deeper into dangerous behaviors, including abusing Triple C’s and other substances that took a serious toll on her mental and physical health. Despite the chaos, life didn’t slow down. Shaye became pregnant while battling addiction, navigating relationships, and dealing with a baby’s father who was on the run in Florida.
Her story takes even darker turns as she opens up about trying meth for the first time—a moment she describes as a major turning point—and her struggles balancing addiction with motherhood in what she calls “Meth & Motherhood.” She also shares about a near-tragic suicide attempt, and the moment that stopped her from going through with it.
From car accidents and opiate use to intense confrontations and violence, Shaye doesn’t hold anything back—including a moment where she stood up and fought back against racism directed at her child.
But through all of it, there’s resilience.
This episode is a raw look at what it means to survive when everything is stacked against you—and what it takes to finally choose a different path. Shaye closes by reflecting on her journey into recovery and what life looks like today on the other side of addiction.
⚠️ Viewer discretion is advised: This episode contains discussions of addiction, mental health, violence, and suicide.
If you or someone you know is struggling, this episode is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is still a way out.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this intense and unfiltered episode of the Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Matt Wiseman to unpack a life story that is as shocking as it is deeply human.Matt’s journey begins in a chaotic childhood where innocence was stripped away early. He shares what it was like taking his first drink at just 6 years old—forced to grow up fast in an environment filled with trauma, violence, and confusion. As his family faced devastating accusations against his father, Matt recalls the moment law enforcement came to take him away—and how, as a child, he reacted in a way no kid ever should have to.From there, his life spiraled into a cycle that would define his adolescence: addiction, crime, and incarceration. By the age of 12, Matt already believed he was a full-blown addict, and from that point forward, freedom became rare. In and out of juvenile detention and prison, he opens up about spending the majority of his formative years behind bars—detailing charges ranging from robbery and kidnapping to grand theft auto, arson, and more.This episode dives deep into the mindset of someone institutionalized at a young age—what it’s like getting caught stealing a semi truck by multiple departments, surviving prison riots, and even breaking into a volunteer fire department in search of needles. Matt also shares stories from working on oil rigs, the violence he encountered both inside and outside prison walls, and the moments that continued pulling him back into the system.Perhaps the most raw moments come from his time serving a 16-year sentence, including his transfer to Lebanon Correctional Institution, where the first six months tested him mentally and physically. He speaks openly about making moonshine behind bars, and what it really looks like to join the Aryan Brotherhood—including the brutal initiation process.But through all the chaos, there’s a question that lingers—what’s different this time?Now, after spending the majority of his life locked up and only a few years of true freedom since childhood, Matt reflects on the patterns, the pain, and the possibility of change.This is not just a story about crime and addiction—it’s about trauma, survival, identity, and whether someone can truly break free from a life that seemed destined from the start.⚠️ Viewer discretion is advised: This episode contains graphic discussions of violence, addiction, and prison life.If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, this conversation is a powerful reminder that no matter how far gone things may seem, change is still possible.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this powerful and raw episode of Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Vinny Ramirez to uncover a life story that spirals from chaos and survival into addiction, crime, and ultimately redemption.Vinny takes us back to his childhood growing up in East Chicago, where instability was the norm. With nine people packed into one house and violence never far away, he looked up to his older brother while navigating a world that hardened him early. One night, that reality came crashing in when three trucks pulled up to attack their home—setting the tone for the life he would soon be pulled into.By his teenage years, Vinny was already deep in the streets—getting paid to drive cars loaded with drugs and quickly learning the game. What started small escalated fast. In what feels almost unreal, he went from a high school student to a full-blown heroin dealer overnight—breaking down rocks in science class and moving serious weight before most kids graduate. At one point, he was selling quarter bricks and even found himself entangled in situations involving stolen evidence tied to a murder.But the fast money came with devastating consequences.Vinny opens up about losing his daughter, his addiction spiraling out of control, and the dangerous lifestyle that followed—getting raided, crashing into a guardrail while fleeing police, and using increasingly deadly heroin like “cop killer.” He shares the moment he first injected heroin and how his life became consumed, with rigs everywhere and no escape in sight.Eventually, it all caught up to him. After getting high and arrested, Vinny confessed to everything—leading to prison time filled with violence, fights, and hard lessons. But even after release, the cycle continued. Relationships, addiction, and loss collided again, including a haunting moment where his child’s mother overdosed and was brought back to life.At his lowest point, Vinny overdosed four times in a single day.But this isn’t just a story about addiction—it’s about survival and transformation.Vinny shares how finding faith and rebuilding his life gave him a way out. Today, he reflects on meeting his wife, blending their families into a household of six kids, and what it truly means to come back from the edge.This episode is intense, unfiltered, and unforgettable—a firsthand account of what it looks like to fall into the depths of heroin addiction and somehow find a way back.

🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

Louis takes the conversation beyond the studio and into the streets, sitting down face-to-face with people experiencing homelessness to hear the stories most of us never get to hear. In this raw and unfiltered episode, he speaks with men who are living day-to-day survival, many of them battling serious addiction while navigating life without stability, safety, or support.What quickly becomes clear is that homelessness is far more complex than most people assume. Behind every person is a story—of trauma, loss, mental health struggles, and, for many, substance use that started as a way to cope and slowly took control. These conversations shed light on the harsh reality that a large percentage of those living on the streets are caught in cycles of addiction, often with little access to the help they need.Through honest dialogue, Louis breaks down the stereotypes and humanizes a population that is often overlooked or misunderstood. These aren’t just “homeless people”—they are individuals with families, histories, regrets, and hopes. Many express a deep desire for connection, for someone to listen without judgment, and for a way out that feels possible.This episode is eye-opening, emotional, and, at times, difficult to watch—but it’s also a powerful reminder that empathy and understanding are essential. Real change doesn’t start with assumptions; it starts with conversations like these.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives