213: Healing Head Trauma, Finding Hope — The Journey of Team USA Bobsledder William Person
Release Date: 01/06/2026
230: Cancer Didn’t Break Him — It Set Him Free
Warriors Unmasked
What if the worst diagnosis of your life became the greatest gift you’ve ever received? When Glenn Sturm got the call at an airport in 2009 telling him he had an aggressive, incurable form of T-cell lymphoma, everything should have stopped. Instead, something unexpected happened — his perspective shifted. Rather than letting cancer define him, Glenn made a decision: he would celebrate life every single day and make someone else’s life better whenever he could. Seventeen years later, still undergoing treatment, Glenn isn’t just surviving — he’s living with purpose, gratitude, and a...
info_outline
229: Why Transition Is So Hard — And What Veterans Can Teach Us About Purpose and Identity with Matt Smith
Warriors Unmasked
The hardest battles don’t always happen in combat. For Major General (Ret.) Matt Smith, the real challenge began after the uniform came off. After 32 years of service leading thousands in high-stakes environments, he found himself facing a different kind of question, Who am I now? This conversation goes beyond leadership and into something much deeper. It’s about what happens when your identity has been built around purpose, structure, and mission… and then suddenly, all of that changes. Matt shares what it actually feels like to transition out of military life, why so many veterans...
info_outline
228: When You Can’t Carry It Anymore: A Marine’s Story of Burnout, Surrender, and Healing with Keith Cole
Warriors Unmasked
There’s a point where pushing through just doesn’t work anymore. For Keith Cole, that moment didn’t come in combat. It came decades later — after war, loss, responsibility, and years of carrying more than anyone could see. A Vietnam Marine veteran, CPA, husband, and provider, Keith spent over 50 years holding it all together… until one night, alone in his office, everything finally broke. This episode is about what happens when the weight becomes too much to carry, and what can happen when you finally let it go. Keith shares his journey from combat and trauma to decades of silent...
info_outline
227: The Cost of War, The Power of Truth: Sean Martin on Trauma, Healing, and Finding His Voice Through Music
Warriors Unmasked
What happens when you come home from war… but your mind doesn’t? Sean Martin didn’t just serve in the military, he went searching for meaning, purpose, and truth at the highest level. What he found came with a cost. After his service, he was left navigating PTSD, disillusionment, and a reality that no longer felt like home. This conversation goes beyond the surface of “life after service.” It explores what it actually feels like to carry those experiences, the internal battles that follow, and the long road back to clarity. Sean shares how he moved from self-medication and breakdown...
info_outline
226: How Eric Mazzeo Rebuilt His Life and Now Leads the Next Generation
Warriors Unmasked
Sometimes the life you’re living doesn’t feel like your own. Before becoming a leader in youth substance use prevention, Eric Mazzeo was stuck in a cycle he couldn’t break: addiction, jail, loss, and a constant battle with himself. On the outside, he came from a good home and had real opportunities. On the inside, he was overwhelmed with fear, anxiety, and a deep sense of not feeling like he belonged. What changed wasn’t one single moment. It was a decision to try something different when everything else had failed. In this conversation, Eric shares what it really looks like to live...
info_outline
225: What Happens When You’re Forced to Fight for Your Own Life? Shannon Ivey on Self-Advocacy and Survival
Warriors Unmasked
When Shannon Ivey was diagnosed with late-stage colorectal cancer at 42, she was a single mom in a new city with no built-in support system. What followed wasn’t just a medical battle. It was a crash course in self-advocacy, resilience, and learning how to navigate a system that wasn’t designed for someone in her position. In this episode, Shannon shares what it really looks like to face a life-threatening diagnosis while holding everything else together. From recognizing the symptoms she almost dismissed, to building her own medical team, to making the decision to fight when she wasn’t...
info_outline
224: How to Finally Build Confidence with Simone Knego
Warriors Unmasked
Confidence is often seen as something you either have or don’t. But what if that’s not true at all? Simone Knego has spent years helping women unpack the stories that keep them stuck in self-doubt, overthinking, and the constant pressure to be “more.” In this conversation, she shares how confidence isn’t built through perfection, achievement, or external validation — it’s built by learning to trust yourself exactly as you are. Chuck and Simone dive into the hidden patterns that quietly shape how we see ourselves, why so many high-achieving women still feel “not enough,” and...
info_outline
223: Healing From the Inside Out — Trauma, the Body, and the Power to Recover with Bob Ross
Warriors Unmasked
What if the body already knows how to heal, and the missing piece is learning how to get out of its way? Bob Ross has spent a lifetime at the intersection of science, medicine, emergency response, and human potential. With a background in physics, medical research, and decades of hands-on experience helping people survive trauma, Bob has seen firsthand how unresolved emotional shock can quietly shape physical health, behavior, and identity. In this episode, Bob Ross and Chuck Thuss explore the deep connection between emotional trauma and the body’s biological responses. From cancer research...
info_outline
222: A Second Chance at Life — Identity, Resilience, and Rebuilding After Hockey with Robert Pallante
Warriors Unmasked
Losing your way can sometimes be the beginning of finding who you really are. Robert Pallante’s life revolved around hockey from a young age. Growing up in the Toronto area, he played at the highest levels, earned a college scholarship, and chased the dream so many young athletes believe defines them. But when his hockey journey didn’t unfold the way he expected, Rob was left struggling with identity, confidence, and unanswered questions that followed him long after he left the game. Years later, a near-fatal motorcycle accident forced Robert into stillness, reflection, and a complete...
info_outline
221: When the Uniform Comes Off — Identity, Purpose, and Hope After Service with Jeremy Stalnecker
Warriors Unmasked
When the mission ends, the questions often begin. Jeremy Stalnecker spent years building his identity around service, leadership, and responsibility as a United States Marine infantry officer. But when combat ended and the uniform came off, Jeremy found himself facing a different kind of battle, one marked by anger, isolation, loss of identity, and a quiet belief that he was completely alone. This episode traces Jeremy’s journey from combat leadership to personal collapse, and ultimately to clarity. Through painful self-reflection, accountability, faith, and community, Jeremy discovered that...
info_outlineIn this episode, Chuck Thuss welcomes former Team USA bobsledder William Person for a raw and deeply revealing conversation about life after elite sport, the hidden toll of repeated head trauma, and the unexpected therapy that helped pull him back from the brink. William spent nine seasons competing at the highest level, enduring extreme G-forces, repeated impacts, and the emotional strain that so many athletes carry in silence.
When the symptoms of CTE began to take over his life, William found himself in a dark, isolated spiral — until one piece of information, and one unexpected influence, helped him turn everything around. His comeback is nothing short of remarkable, and it is now fueling a mission to help veterans, athletes, and everyday people find relief and hope.
Guest Bio
William Person is a former nine-year Team USA Bobsled athlete whose career left him battling the devastating effects of CTE. At his lowest point, he was unable to function, lost in confusion, depression, and cognitive decline. Everything changed when he discovered Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, which restored clarity, color, and hope back into his life. Today, William is dedicated to raising awareness about brain injury in sports and the military, and he is working to launch a nonprofit CTE Recovery Center to provide healing support for athletes and veterans at no cost.
You’ll hear About
-
The extreme G-forces and crashes that contributed to William’s head trauma
-
The silent suffering many athletes experience long after retirement
-
How his symptoms escalated into cognitive decline, depression, and hopelessness
-
The discovery of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and why it changed everything
-
His mission to help veterans and athletes access life-saving care
Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
01:26 How Joe Namath’s Story Helped Spark William’s Recovery
03:19 From Track Athlete to Team USA Bobsledder
05:29 What Life Is Really Like Inside a Bobsled
06:54 Understanding G-Forces and the Hidden Toll on the Brain
09:05 Crashes, Head Trauma, and Silent Suffering
11:01 The Symptoms: Fog, Memory Loss, Depression, and Confusion
13:53 Hitting Rock Bottom and Praying for Relief
16:50 The Article That Changed Everything
20:15 Discovering Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Immediate Results
23:23 Managing Symptoms, Daily Challenges, and Misunderstood Concussions
26:25 William’s Mission to Create the American Post-Concussion Wellness Center
29:07 Why Veterans and Athletes Desperately Need Better Support
32:21 The Larger Crisis: CTE, Suicides, and Unseen Struggles
35:48 William’s Message to Anyone Feeling Hopeless
37:50 Chuck’s Closing Reflections
Chuck’s Challenge
This week, check in on someone who may be struggling behind the scenes. A teammate, a veteran, a friend, or even a family member. Ask the question, listen without judgment, and let them know they're not alone. Your courage to reach out might be the lifeline they need.
Connect with William Person
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/one.man.with.a.chamber.hbot?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/william.person.792233
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-person-4072b417/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@braininjurysurvival?si=KfTK-iFXlhLORgQC
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hyperbarichealing?_t=ZT-8zD0dNeEvPi&_r=1
Connect with Chuck
Check out the website: https://www.thecompassionateconnection.com/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-thuss-a9aa044/
Follow on Instagram: @warriorsunmasked
Join the Warriors Unmasked community by subscribing to the show. Together, we’re breaking stigmas and shining a light on mental health, one story at a time.