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On May 16, 2020, what appeared to be a commercial structure fire in downtown Los Angeles changed in seconds.

LAFD firefighter Stephen Osterberg and his crew were operating at the Boyd Street fire when conditions rapidly deteriorated and a massive fireball erupted from the building. Firefighters were engulfed in extreme heat as they fought to escape.

Stephen survived, but his fight was only beginning.

In this episode of LET’S GO!, Steven takes us inside the Boyd Street explosion from a firefighter’s perspective. He walks us through the initial size-up, the moment conditions changed, the desperate crawl to safety, and what happened after he realized how badly he had been burned.

Steven suffered burns over approximately 30% of his body and endured an intense recovery involving surgeries, skin grafts, debridement, painful dressing changes, rehabilitation, and the long process of regaining function in his hands.

But some of the deepest injuries weren’t visible.

We talk openly about PTSD, trauma triggers, therapy, identity after a career-ending injury, faith, marriage, fatherhood, and what happens when the attention surrounding a traumatic event fades but the survivor is still trying to heal.

Stephen also shares why he stepped away from telling his story for years, what ultimately brought him back, and how surviving Boyd Street changed the way he looks at success, family, firefighting, and life.

In this episode:

• The Boyd Street fire and explosion
• Steven’s path into the Los Angeles Fire Department
• What firefighters encountered during the initial size-up
• The seconds leading up to the massive fireball
• Crawling out through zero visibility
• Severe firefighter burn injuries
• Skin grafts, debridement and burn recovery
• Recovering from serious hand burns
• PTSD and trauma after a firefighter line-of-duty injury
• Why therapy matters for first responders
• Faith, surrender and trusting God through suffering
• Marriage and family during recovery
• Leaving the fire service after a career-ending injury
• Finding purpose after trauma
• Advice for firefighters and anyone struggling after a life-changing event

Stephen’s story is about far more than surviving a fire.

It’s about what happens after the sirens stop, the headlines disappear, and you still have to figure out how to rebuild your life.

If this conversation helps you, share it with a firefighter, first responder, burn survivor, spouse, or anyone walking through trauma and recovery.

Follow LET’S GO! and leave us a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Thanks for taking the time to listen in. Please leave us 5 stars on Spotify & Apple Podcasts with a review. THANK YOU!

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At only 40 years old, Mark Sevillano Jr. began experiencing difficulty swallowing. At first, he blamed dehydration and continued running 5Ks, working, raising his children, and living his normal life. But when he could no longer swallow solid food—or even liquids—an emergency-room visit revealed a mass in his chest.

Mark was eventually diagnosed with stage 2 esophageal cancer.

In this powerful conversation, Mark shares the complete story of surviving cancer: the warning signs he initially ignored, the terrifying moment he went into sepsis shock, receiving the cancer diagnosis while alone, enduring chemotherapy, losing weight and strength, and undergoing an eight-hour surgery that removed the tumor and part of his esophagus.

But this episode is about more than cancer treatment.

Mark opens up about the emotional reality of life after cancer, grieving the person he was before his diagnosis, losing friendships, rebuilding his life, and learning that surviving cancer does not mean everything immediately returns to normal.

He also explains how his faith became stronger during the most uncertain season of his life. Instead of asking God, “Why is this happening to me?” Mark began asking, “What do You want me to do with this?”

In this episode:

• The early signs of esophageal cancer
• Why difficulty swallowing should not be ignored
• Surviving sepsis and a life-threatening hospital emergency
• What chemotherapy physically and emotionally feels like
• Major esophageal cancer surgery and recovery
• Learning to advocate for yourself as a patient
• Faith and trusting God during cancer
• Grief, trauma and emotional healing after cancer
• Losing friendships during difficult seasons
• Finding purpose and hope after survival

This is an honest conversation about cancer survivorship, faith, grief, healing and what it means to rebuild your life after everything changes.

Share this episode with someone currently fighting cancer, supporting a loved one through treatment, or learning how to live again after a life-changing diagnosis.

Please follow LET’S GO!, leave a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and tell us which part of Mark’s story impacted you most.

Medical disclaimer: This episode shares personal experiences and opinions for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Cancer patients should discuss treatment decisions, symptoms and concerns with qualified healthcare professionals.

Thanks for taking the time to listen in. Please leave us 5 stars on Spotify & Apple Podcasts with a review. THANK YOU!

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A leather wallet making kit. A grandfather who fell in love with the craft. And a family shop that quietly became part of firefighter culture for decades. We’re sitting down with Torri D’alesio to talk about what people rarely see behind custom firefighter leatherwork: the real production process, the costs, the pressure of deadlines, and the pride of building gear that shows up on helmets and turnouts across the country.

We get into the legacy work many firefighters know, including traditional leather fire helmet manufacturing, and what changes when you’re shipping at scale while material prices rise from tariffs and leather supply costs. Torri breaks down how the workflow actually moves from leather cutting, molding, and sewing to the finishing steps done later, and we talk about the broader lineup too: helmet shields, identifier panels, chin straps, radio straps and radio cases that firefighters and EMS love, plus the custom projects that keep the craft fun.

Then we go deeper than gear. Tori shares what it’s like to take over a family business, learn every role from the ground up, and finally step back enough to lead without micromanaging. We talk networking and relationship building at fire conferences and expos like FDIC, social media burnout and privacy, and the constant tension first responders know well: overtime money versus time with your kids.

If you care about the fire service, small business leadership, firefighter equipment, or simply doing meaningful work without losing your life to it, you’ll take something from this conversation. Subscribe, share this with a friend in the firehouse or in your community, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Thanks for taking the time to listen in. Please leave us 5 stars on Spotify & Apple Podcasts with a review. THANK YOU!