The Heart of the Story with Gary Metivier

In The Heart of the Story with Gary Metivier we focus on positive, inspiring stories of everyday people doing cool stuff. What drives people to go after their dreams? What can the rest of us get out of hearing their stories? We take you deeper into the story as we get to the heart of why this is so important to them.

Whistles, Warning and Words: The Language of the Prairie Dog 07/08/2025

Whistles, Warning and Words: The Language of the Prairie Dog I was out producing a couple of video on prairie dogs for my Youtube series-- "That's Wild with Gary Metivier." I looked up local experts while on a trip to Colorado. What you are about to hear is just fascinating --from how they have unuique language skills to how they have managed to survive so long as a prey specials. Special thanks to my new friends for helping us share this with you, also to my great partners Petersen Plumbing and heating and Morrison Community hospital for sponsoring inspiring stories like this. Here is a link to the video story I produced. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/37339820

[That’s Wild] Storm Chasing and Wildlife Watching with Paul Brooks 06/21/2025

[That’s Wild] Storm Chasing and Wildlife Watching with Paul Brooks 🎙️ This episode is part of our special *That’s Wild with Gary Metivier* series—a nature-focused journey inside *The Heart of the Story* podcast. In this story, [brief 1-sentence summary—e.g., “we follow a family of bald eagles nesting along the Mississippi Flyway as they raise their young.”] 🦅 *Watch the companion video* on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThatsWildGaryMetivier 📚 *Download your free Explorer Activity Guide*: [Insert Link] 🌿 *Learn more and support*: https://metiviermedia.com **Keywords**: nature stories, wildlife, conservation, birds, That’s Wild, kids and family, behind the scenes, field reporting From storms to snowy owls. Paul Brooks started with a film camera as a young boy. Now on breaks from his life earning a paycheck to pay the bills in a shop--he goes outdoors for a little 'photo therapy.' Now he is helping others learn the process so they can enjoy these moments on their own. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/37098450

Change of Focus. From Crime Scenes to Wildlife Photography 08/09/2024

Change of Focus. From Crime Scenes to Wildlife Photography Tim Brandenburg took his love of photography and built a career. Trained by the FBI for crime scene work, when he retired he changed his focus and started capturing images that inspire and educate. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/32521017

Injured Firefighter Inspires Through Sports: The Bob Juarez Story 06/04/2024

Injured Firefighter Inspires Through Sports: The Bob Juarez Story A firefighter injured battling a blaze in his hometown, finds a way to inspire others to live life to the fullest. Listen how Bob Juarez turned his darkest days into hope for himself and hundreds of others through adaptive sports. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/31600812

Mom and Pop Shop Restores Classic Cars 05/10/2024

Mom and Pop Shop Restores Classic Cars We sit down with a couple who have dreamed all their lives of building something together. Turns out they shared a love for restoring classic cars. Listen to their story of turning their passion into a business and making so people happy along the way. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/31235107

Rare Lung Disorder Takes Breath Away 04/04/2024

Rare Lung Disorder Takes Breath Away He was a morning show host, radio news person and on air personality for decades. But Dan Kennedy would discover at the end of his career a problem he never expected. The man who used the air in his lungs to power a voice as his instrument, we finding it harder and harder to breathe. He takes us along on his journey in a battle with life or death on the line. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/30682983

Levi the eleven year old artist that turns pet paintings into treasures 08/29/2023

Levi the eleven year old artist that turns pet paintings into treasures Eleven year old spent time during lockdowns learning how to pain. Now Levi has become an internet sensation turning photos of pets into incredible art for the families. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/27884760

Ford Fronty: Classic Car Made by Hand in Bob and Donna's Garage 06/17/2023

Ford Fronty: Classic Car Made by Hand in Bob and Donna's Garage Bob Petersen, and his trusty sidekick Donna, have brought new life to dozens of old classic cars. In this story we introduce you to a Ford Fronty-- a 1920's version made from scratch in Bob and Donna's Garage. Buckle up for this adventure! And catch the whole series in the playlist. https://www.premiumbeat.com Song: Soda Jerk By: The Lone Wranglers Song: (No Copyright) Inspiring Uplifting Motivational Cinematic By: Infraction /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/27182616

Retired Track Coach Takes On Boston! 04/06/2023

Retired Track Coach Takes On Boston! Fred Whiteside has spent his life finding ways to give back --from volunteering and organizing races to coaching the next generation of athletes. Now Fred is challenging himself on a whole new level. Can he come in top ten in the biggest marathon of all---Boston???? #boston #bostonmarathon #running #runningmotivation #runningmotivationvideo #quadcities #quadcitymarathon Thanks to our sponsors! QCA Pools and Spas http://www.qcapoolsandspas.com/ Petersen Plumbing and Heating https://www.petersenplumbing.com/ /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/26468628

Born To Run: Pre-teen National Champ Shares Her Strategy 03/04/2023

Born To Run: Pre-teen National Champ Shares Her Strategy Born to run. Sarah Foad is not even a teenager yet, but she is raking up medals on the track. The standout runner has a maturity and a sense of caring for competitors that is both inspiring and motivating. We sit down with her to talk about her national championship and other events. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/26125986

Left Behind, But not Forgotten: The Final Chapter 12/22/2022

Left Behind, But not Forgotten: The Final Chapter A man code-named Jaquar was left behind after serving as an interpreter helping American forces in a war zone. He moved his family from house-to-house, town-to-town, as he was being hunted by his own people after the Americans withdrew from Iraq. But the soldiers he helped get home to their families never forgot about him and his family. They were on a new mission to get him to safety. Here is their story. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/25411482

Randall's Thankful Journey 11/22/2022

Randall's Thankful Journey Randall Rutledge doesn't take no for an answer. Even when covid struck him and his wife, and she ended up having a heart attack-- the couple was determined to see Randall go for his dream. He had plans to take his screenplay to a film festival with hopes of getting others involved. He takes us on his journey. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/25101486

Disabled Veteran Gets Surprise 11/11/2022

Disabled Veteran Gets Surprise Marc never expected to be deployed to a war zone. He was earning his way through college when he ended up in Iraq. Now dealing with severe PTSD--he is fighting to get his life back, with a little help from his friends. Wait until you hear his voice when a local veteran founded company surprises him! /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/24976347

THE WILD BUNCH FILM FESTIVAL 11/03/2022

THE WILD BUNCH FILM FESTIVAL We take you inside a unique film festival dedicated to the western genre. From short films, to features to screenplays and books--- this charming multi day event brings in people from all around the world. It the brainchild of Rock and Brenda Whitehead. It showcases established filmmakers while giving newcomers a chance to have their work showcased. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/24895122

Special Kneads Bakery 08/24/2022

Special Kneads Bakery A mom and son are cooking up quite the business with their small town bakery. In this podcast we give you an inside look at how a family is using their talents to overcome other barriers in life. Welcome to Special Kneads Bakery /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/24158895

Horseshow Honors Lost Rider 08/23/2022

Horseshow Honors Lost Rider Gone, but certainly not forgotten. When a young woman loses her life to a rare disorder a community comes together in a unique way to honor her memory and spread awareness inside her favorite horse arena. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/23935476

Toby Keith Fan Shows Her Support 08/09/2022

Toby Keith Fan Shows Her Support Shannon has a rare disorder. When she first heard Toby Keith's music --the young girl was changed by the sounds and the character of the country superstar. She traveled hundreds of miles to see him in person. What happens next changed both their lives. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/23935320

The American: Fan Gets Memorable Moment 08/02/2022

The American: Fan Gets Memorable Moment When Herb Farber and his friends decided to try something cool, it became a tradition. Work hard to get the attention of big name acts at the Mississippi Valley Fair in Davenport, Iowa. But what they didn't expect was about to far exceed what they were hoping for. Called on stage in front of thousands of cheering fans. His dream finally comes true. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/23935251

Grandpa Grinds in Demo Derby 06/21/2022

Grandpa Grinds in Demo Derby Grandpa Garey Carey is up for one more demolition derby. He loves to spend time with his family. Crashing into them is his favorite activity:) Just one more is now a running joke as he lives his life doing what he loves. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/23496917

Angela's Gift: Honor Flight Tribute 05/26/2022

Angela's Gift: Honor Flight Tribute Angela Meyer has a gift. It started with a gift of a guitar from her grandparents. She has spend the rest of her life finding ways to share that gift with others--including veterans. #music #songwriter #honor flight #angelameyer23 /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/23240624

Travis Mills: A Man on a Mission 04/22/2022

Travis Mills: A Man on a Mission Director/actor/producer Travis Mills took on a challenge that few would even consider. He produced 12 Westerns in 12 Months. Now he is taking what he learned and building toward something even better. He is also sharing what he discovered on his journey with others hoping to bring their projects to life. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/22882259

Diego Raya Plumber Performs on International Stage 04/07/2022

Diego Raya Plumber Performs on International Stage He realized his dream to become a tradesman, a plumber. But then he took a chance to see if a one in a million shot would make another dream come true. Diego Raya made it onto the world stage with his music and then he came back home to his family. He takes us along on the journey. Special thanks to Petersen Plumbing for supporting his dream and ours. Executive Producer/Host Gary Metivier http://metiviermedia.com /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/22719950

Seal Family Legacy: The Mission Continues 03/16/2022

Seal Family Legacy: The Mission Continues In this The Heart of the Story with Gary Metivier we talk to members of a unique nonprofit. Their mission is simple at Seal Family Legacy---- make sure that Gold Star families get the support they need. From fundraisers to scholarships, a dedicated team is on the move to be there for families who have lost a loved one in service to their country. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/22470497

Cards Of Hope For Ukraine 03/06/2022

Cards Of Hope For Ukraine The world is watching. Our children are watching. We sit down with a small group of school children to talk about the war in Ukraine. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/22355252

Diver Goes In To Get Others Out 01/08/2022

Diver Goes In To Get Others Out When one of your best days on the job is recovering a loved one lost in a river. It takes special people to go into the dangerous water to help a family find some sort of closure. This man, and his team, have spent much of their careers answering those calls--day and night --24/7 --365. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/21713564

Diego Raya Raps For Mom 11/30/2021

Diego Raya Raps For Mom He was raised in a house with a dirt floor in Mexico. But Diego Ray always had big dreams. His mother helped him get there by raising the family and getting them to the United States where he earned his way into a successful career as a tradesman. Now, as he workers as a plumber throughout the day, he spends his nights working on his music and has worked his way onto the international stage. This is how he got there. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/21331412

Combat vets Journey up and Down range 11/10/2021

Combat vets Journey up and Down range A combat veteran has found a way to help himself and others heal from injuries and his re-integration struggles. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/21111050

Train Therapy : Man Builds Model Railroad Track Around Home 10/15/2021

Train Therapy : Man Builds Model Railroad Track Around Home Kevin Huggins loves trains--big and small. See how he has taken this hobby and transformed his life with model trains and tracks. He is sharing his passion hoping to create a spark in those who see it --young and old alike. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/20829692

ep 97 Behind the Blue: From TikTok to Tunes 09/10/2021

ep 97 Behind the Blue: From TikTok to Tunes A police officer uses social media tools to try to connect while working through the challenges of wearing the blue in tough times. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/20437166

ep 98 MY GOLD STAR: Jesse Jr.'s Story 09/02/2021

ep 98 MY GOLD STAR: Jesse Jr.'s Story Three GOLD STAR children share their brave stories of sacrifice, loss and inspiration after losing a parent in service to our country. Please listen and share. /episode/index/show/theheartofthestory/id/20349785

The Heart of the Story with Gary Metivier

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