S3_E19: Brad Romp - Stronger Than He’ll Ever Let You See
What Strength Really Looks Like Brad was diagnosed with MS at 45. Now 64, he’s a speaker, a cyclist, and a face of strength for others living with the disease. But behind the workouts, the travel, and the public optimism is a more complex truth—one that doesn’t always fit into a social media caption or a feel-good campaign. In this episode, Brad sits down for a different kind of conversation. One that doesn’t ask him to inspire, perform, or push through. Instead, we talk about the days he can’t move. The pressure to keep showing up. The identity that forms around always being the strong one—and what happens when that strength runs out. We talk about guilt, body betrayal, and the silent fear of losing momentum. And we ask the questions that rarely get asked: Who sees you when the cape comes off? Are you helping others because it heals you—or because you don’t know how to stop? This isn’t about overcoming. It’s about truth. And sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is admit how much it hurts. Brad's Website: https://romptocurems.net/
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S3_E18: Dan - I do what I can when I can while I can
School Dan - I do What I Can, When I Can, While I Can Dan has been a teacher for over 20 years, a school spirit leader, a cyclist, and a quiet force in his Florida community. His energy is infectious. His optimism is constant. But behind the vibrant classroom persona is a man living with relentless, invisible pain—and the pressure to never let it show. In this episode, Dan opens up about how MS has shaped every part of his identity, from the walking stick he once felt ashamed of to the pride that makes asking for help harder than it should be. He talks about the dual realities of living with a disease that makes him stronger while slowly wearing him down. And he shares the emotional cost of performing “School Dan” when “Real Dan” is quietly falling apart. This is a story about vulnerability, not victory. About a man who shows up every day with humor, grit, and quiet dignity—even when it hurts. And a reminder that being strong doesn’t mean pretending you’re fine. Sometimes it just means telling the truth.
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S3_E15: Emma’s Story — “At 17, I Thought My Life Might Be Over”
S3_E15: At 17, Emma Thought Her Life Was Over Emma Archuletta, from Utah, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2019 at just 17 years old. One day, she was preparing for high school graduation. The next, she was sleeping 20 hours a day, vomiting without explanation, and using a wheelchair. There was no slow decline—only confusion, fear, and the quiet thought that her life might already be over. In this episode, Emma talks candidly about the chaos of her early diagnosis: missing senior prom, crawling up stairs, and finishing school from a hospital bed while juggling college-level coursework. She shares how her body became unfamiliar, how people questioned her because she “looked fine,” and how she built a dating rulebook to protect herself from rejection. Now an elementary school teacher, Emma reflects on what it means to pursue a dream career while managing invisible symptoms. We talk about the fatigue that threatens her work, the cost of treatment, and the moments she’s chosen to live boldly—through surfing, snowboarding, and refusing to let MS define her. This is not a story of triumph. It’s a story of persistence. A story of living with the unknown, and refusing to let it decide who you get to be.
The Other Side of MS isn’t here to inspire you—it’s here to tell the truth.
This podcast gives voice to the raw, unfiltered stories of people living with multiple sclerosis—the ones you rarely hear.
Hosted by longtime MS advocate Casey Murphy, each episode pulls back the curtain on the emotional, invisible, and often uncomfortable realities of MS. From navigating public spaces with incontinence, to losing careers, marriages, or mobility, these aren’t just stories of strength—they’re stories of being human.
We don’t chase silver linings. We hold space for pain, for humor, for grief, for resilience—and for the voices that deserve to be heard without being sanitized or simplified.
If you’re ready for a podcast that doesn’t sugarcoat the experience of living with MS, this is it.
This is The Other Side of MS.
South Africa