Who are you when the thing that defined you is gone?

When Dave Corey lost his job, he felt like he was failing his family. His career had become his identity, and losing it led to a mental health crisis.

In this conversation with Curtis Christopher, Dave shares how professional help, faith, and people who kept reaching out helped him begin rebuilding his life. He also opens up about forgiving his father, choosing to stop drinking, and learning that strength includes accepting help.

Curtis shares how friends showed up after his wife, Michal, died, sometimes simply sitting with him when there was nothing to say. Together, they explore what it means to face pain, make room for change, and help someone else feel less alone.

If loss has left you asking, "Who am I now?" this conversation is for you.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicidal thoughts, a suicide plan involving firearms, childhood abuse, and alcohol use.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Losing a job without losing your worth.
• Accepting therapy and support instead of facing pain alone.
• Forgiving a parent without dismissing what happened.
• Knowing when to keep going and when to walk away.
• Dave's decision to stop drinking and change what he modeled for his children.
• How friends can show up for someone who is grieving.
• Why "I'm good" can be the beginning of a deeper conversation.
• Finding purpose through service and community.

CHAPTERS

00:00 "Where is God?"
00:21 Meet Dave Corey
02:16 Remembering 9/11 and the families left behind
07:51 The wake-up call that changed Dave's health
12:36 Job loss, identity, and a mental health crisis
17:41 Accepting therapy and a friend's invitation
19:16 Growing up in a military family
24:06 Forgiving his father and letting go of resentment
28:21 Curtis's own story of forgiveness
31:21 Fatherhood, friendship, and a new direction
36:51 Quitting versus knowing when to walk away
39:26 Why Dave stopped drinking
49:01 Making room for what comes next
53:11 Curtis on grief, Michal's words, and friends who showed up
56:36 Looking beyond "I'm good"
58:36 A trip to Belize and an unexpected friendship
68:51 Supporting the Michal Foundation
71:01 Helping men become better
74:16 Closing encouragement and prayer

BOOK MENTIONED

Discipline Determines Destiny: Because the Life You Want Won't Wait by Dave Corey.

DONATE TO THE MICHAL FOUNDATION:
https://www.runtothehard.com/give

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Remember, "Running to the hard is better, when we run together"