A missed bus. A dead phone. Smoke over lower Manhattan. A life that should have ended at work that morning went in a completely different direction, and years later, it turned into a mission to help wounded warriors feel alive again.
This conversation carries the weight of 9/11, the long shadow of war, and the hard truth that many veterans come home with pain nobody around them fully understands. It also brings something a lot of men need to hear. That healing does not always begin in a clinic or an office. Sometimes it starts when someone builds a place where veterans can breathe, move, and remember they still have a future.
Lyubim Kogan shares how surviving the 9/11 attacks in New York City shaped the way he sees service and sacrifice, why the Red Cross became a major inspiration in his life, and how Wings 4 Heroes grew from a paragliding idea into a hands-on mission that includes physical Therapy, community, and a deeper sense of purpose. Scott also opens up about Grief after losing his brother in Afghanistan, the slow slide into anger and self-destruction, and the moment he finally reached for help.
For veterans carrying loss, transition Stress, survivor’s guilt, or the feeling that nobody gets it, this episode might be what you were looking for. You will walk away with a stronger sense that recovery can take many forms, that support is out there even if you don’t see it, and that one person taking action can change far more lives than you think.
Timestamps:
View the transcript for this episode.
