Beyond the headlines of the Idaho College murders are four victims, four families, and lives that were forever changed. In this episode of I Want You To Know, we sit down with Kristi Goncalves, mother of Kaylee Goncalves, to talk about Kaylee beyond the headlines and what it has been like navigating unimaginable loss in the public eye. Kristi shares her experience with media attention, misinformation, the investigation and trial, and why her family chose to speak out.

She also shares the work of the Kaylee Goncalves Foundation, what she wishes she had known along the way, and the victim impact statement she delivered in court. At the heart of this conversation is a mother remembering her daughter, advocating for other families, and trying to make something meaningful out of an unimaginable loss.

Resources:

Murder Has a Name Foundation: https://www.murderhasaname.com/

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

What happens when the trauma you experienced as a child follows you into your relationships, your parenting, and every part of your adult life? In this episode, we are joined by June Berlinger, a nurse, survivor, and author, for an incredibly honest conversation about surviving abuse and finding a way forward.

June shares what it was like to grow up surrounded by abuse, how those experiences shaped her self-worth and relationships, and why she found herself drawn to chaos and unhealthy relationships rather than the safety and kindness she deserved. We talk about the guilt and shame survivors often carry, how trauma can affect the way we trust and connect with others, and what it means to finally understand that the abuse was never our fault.

We also talk about something that is so important: breaking generational cycles. June shares how becoming a mother changed her perspective, how she worked to protect her own children from the patterns she had experienced, and how years of counseling, support groups, education, and advocacy became part of her healing journey.

If you or someone you love has experienced abuse, I hope you'll listen to this episode knowing that you are not alone, your story matters, and there is hope beyond what you've survived. June has also created free resources for survivors and those who want to help them at RisingAboveTrauma.net, where you can find information from her book and additional support resources.

Resources:

Buy June's Book: https://www.risingabovetrauma.net/

June’s Website: https://www.risingabovetrauma.net/

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

What happens when the person entrusted with guiding your faith becomes the person who betrays your trust? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Diana Hernandez, who shares her story of being sexually abused as a teenager by a Catholic priest who also served as a vice principal and disciplinarian at her high school. Diana opens up about the grooming that began when she was 16, how her vulnerability following her parents' divorce was exploited, and the complicated ways abuse can affect a survivor's sense of safety, identity, relationships, and faith. We also discuss how authority, secrecy, and institutional silence can allow abuse to continue for years.

Diana shares what healing has looked like for her, how finding a community of fellow survivors changed her life, and what she would want other survivors to know if they are still carrying their stories in silence. Her message is clear: what happened to you does not define you, and healing happens on your own timeline.

If you or someone you know has been affected by abuse, we hope this conversation reminds you that you are not alone. Listen to Diana's story, share this episode with someone who may need to hear it, and continue creating space for survivors to be heard, believed, and supported.

Resources:

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

A tragedy can become a headline in seconds, but for the families left behind, the story never ends. In this episode of I Want You To Know, we sit down with Happy Perry, the mother of D’Sean Perry, one of three University of Virginia student athletes killed on November 13, 2022. Happy shares the story of D’Sean beyond the tragedy: his creativity as an artist, his kindness as a friend and teammate, his role as a protector, and the dreams he was still building.

We talk about what happens when the news cycle moves on but a family’s grief remains, how losing a child changes everyday life, and why remembering the person behind the headline matters.

Happy also opens up about turning unimaginable grief into advocacy, carrying on D’Sean’s passion for helping others, and fighting for gun safety and prevention. She talks honestly about the realities of grief, the triggers that can surface years later, the importance of giving yourself grace, and what she wants other families affected by violence to know.

Resources:

Learn more about the D’Sean Perry Foundation: dseanperry.com/

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

Some stories make national headlines. The story that follows almost never does.

When Lori Poland was just three years old, her abduction made national headlines and captured the attention of the entire country. Decades later, Lori joins us in this episode to share the story the public never heard. Instead of focusing on the crime itself, this conversation explores what it means to grow up carrying a story that the world already thinks it knows.

Lori opens up about reclaiming her identity beyond the headlines, navigating trauma that shaped her sense of self, and the lifelong process of healing. She shares what survivors truly need from the people around them, why justice is about more than a courtroom, how advocacy helped her reclaim her voice, and the powerful meaning behind her memoir, I Live Here. This is a conversation about resilience, identity, grace, and choosing to write your own story, no matter what has happened to you.

Resources:

Check out Lori's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1BPCSSX?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

Erika Mahoney spent years reporting on other people's stories. She never imagined she would become one herself.

In this episode, we sit down with Erika to talk about the day everything changed. While working as a journalist, she learned that an active shooter had opened fire at the grocery store where her father was shopping.

She shares what it was like to navigate those agonizing hours as both a reporter and a daughter, why it's so important to remember victims for the lives they lived instead of the way they died, and how she's using storytelling to ensure her father's legacy lives on. We also discuss the realities of grief after the headlines fade, the healing that can come from sharing your story, and why there is no timeline for moving forward.

Resources:

Tune in to Erika’s podcast: https://www.erikamahoney.com/podcast

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

Some of the most devastating crimes begin with trust. In this episode, we’re joined by Charles "Chip" Wallace, author of The Caregiver's Game, to explore the quiet and often overlooked reality of financial elder abuse.

After the death of his mother, Chip uncovered a trail of suspicious financial decisions, a rewritten will, and a pattern of manipulation that forced him into a years-long investigation.

We discuss how caregiving can slowly shift into control, why these cases are so difficult to recognize, and how predators exploit both emotional dependence and systemic blind spots before families even realize something is wrong.

Chip shares the warning signs he wishes he had recognized sooner, the painful lessons he learned while fighting for answers, and why so many safeguards fail the very people they are supposed to protect.

Resources:

Connect with Chip: https://thecaregiversgame.com/

Buy The Caregiver’s Game on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G322349C

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

Some families are left grieving. Others are left investigating. In this episode of I Want You To Know, we sit down with Madison McGhee, creator and host of the investigative podcast Ice Cold, to talk about her father's unsolved murder and the years she has spent searching for answers.

After believing for the first ten years of her life that her father had died of a heart attack, Madison learned he had actually been murdered. She shares how that revelation changed everything, the loss of trust that followed, and what it has been like to become the driving force behind her own father's case.

We also explore what happens when homicide investigations grow cold, the emotional toll of becoming your own advocate, and how Madison's podcast has helped uncover new leads while keeping her father's story alive.

Resources:

Check out Madison's podcast Ice Cold at: https://www.icecoldcase.com/

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.