Silent Killer: A Christmas Tragedy and One Man’s Fight to Save Others

*WARNING: This podcast mentions grief, loss & trauma and may be triggering.

Episode Summary In this episode, guest Wes Bruns recounts the 1992 carbon monoxide poisoning that killed 4 of his family members and left him critically ill. He shares waking from a 5-day coma, coping with survivor guilt, rebuilding his life, coaching and family, and turning his experience into advocacy and a memoir called "When Life Changes the Game." The episode includes practical safety reminders about carbon monoxide detectors and resources for grief and recovery.

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Takeaways

Carbon monoxide as the silent killer Personal story of loss and survival The importance of safety detectors Turning tragedy into purpose through writing and advocacy Resilience and mental health after trauma The role of community and support in healing Lessons learned from a near-death experience The process of writing a memoir about trauma

Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and episode overview 00:27 - Expanding the scope of the podcast to include survival stories 00:56 - Introduction to Wes Bruns and the dangers of carbon monoxide 01:23 - Wes shares his personal experience with CO poisoning 02:25 - Wes discusses his life after the incident and his mission 03:18 - Connection through shared loss of fathers 04:16 - Wes talks about his family and current life 05:11 - The impact of the 1992 tragedy on Wes’s life 07:46 - The night of the tragedy 09:31 - The events leading up to the CO poisoning 11:28 - Detection signs and the night of the incident 16:27 - The rescue and aftermath of the tragedy 20:20 - Medical treatment and Wes’s recovery 21:50 - The upcoming book and its purpose 24:48 - Reflections on survival and purpose 27:02 - Survivor guilt and coping mechanisms 28:18 - The impact on Wes’s mental health 29:58 - Advice for those experiencing loss 42:05 - The importance of safety and prevention 46:24 - Wes’s book release details and advocacy 47:24 - Final thoughts and message of hope

Mental Health Resources

If you or someone you know is struggling, please call 988 for help. The Survivors Podcast Website – https://thesurvivors.net/ National Domestic Violence Hotline – Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7223) Surviving: Finding Hope After Suicide Loss (Familius Books) The HelpHUB™ – Mental health resources, tools, and support networks – https://www.thehelphub.co/ About Carbon Monoxide Poisoning https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html Connect with Wes Bruns https://wes-bruns.com/

Order your copy of Wes's book When Life Changes The Game: A story of survival, second chances, and the power of perseverance on Amazon. Release Date: Thursday, August 20th 2026. Book Signing at NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, IA. Aug 20th, 4-6PM

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See you next week! In the meantime, keep surviving.