Episode 1: Introduction and My First Memory
Explicit content warning
03/30/25 • 21 min
Brandon Held shares his first memory—witnessing his father's brutal assault on his mother when he was just two years old—and how this traumatic experience shaped his identity as a protector for the next 50 years. This raw, unfiltered introduction to Brandon's life story begins his journey through childhood trauma, abandonment, and finding purpose through protecting others.
Go to my site BrandonHeld.com
• 51-year-old Brandon holds degrees in Mass Communications and a Master's in Business Administration
• Served eight years of military service split between Air Force and Army
• Created this podcast to leave a legacy for his three sons and help others facing similar challenges
• Mother Eva divorced his abusive biological father when Brandon was two
• At age 9, his mother abandoned him and his sister at their grandmother's house for over a year
• When his mother returned with a new abusive husband, she once used Brandon as a human shield
• The birth of his half-brother RJ awakened a deep sense of protection and responsibility
• Plans to release two 20-30 minute episodes weekly with honest, authentic storytelling
Brandon Held shares his first memory—witnessing his father's brutal assault on his mother when he was just two years old—and how this traumatic experience shaped his identity as a protector for the next 50 years. This raw, unfiltered introduction to Brandon's life story begins his journey through childhood trauma, abandonment, and finding purpose through protecting others.
Go to my site BrandonHeld.com
• 51-year-old Brandon holds degrees in Mass Communications and a Master's in Business Administration
• Served eight years of military service split between Air Force and Army
• Created this podcast to leave a legacy for his three sons and help others facing similar challenges
• Mother Eva divorced his abusive biological father when Brandon was two
• At age 9, his mother abandoned him and his sister at their grandmother's house for over a year
• When his mother returned with a new abusive husband, she once used Brandon as a human shield
• The birth of his half-brother RJ awakened a deep sense of protection and responsibility
• Plans to release two 20-30 minute episodes weekly with honest, authentic storytelling
Next Episode
Episode 3: Tidy Whities and Trash Cans: My Shocking Introduction to Military Life
Brandon Held recounts his transformative four years in the Air Force, a period that changed his life trajectory and helped him escape a troubled upbringing with minimal guidance and support.
Please start with Episode 1. Go to my site BrandonHeld.com
• Graduating high school early with a 1.5 GPA to join the Air Force at age 17
• Struggling through the ASVAB test, failing the first attempt but passing on the second try
• Driven by determination to break family cycles of alcoholism, drug abuse, and underachievement
• Experiencing culture shock during his first solo travel to Cleveland and first-ever flight
• Enduring the physical and psychological challenges of boot camp at Lackland Air Force Base
• Gaining 20 pounds of muscle during basic training and finding pride in military accomplishment
• Facing the heavy responsibility of Security Police technical training at just 17 years old
• Having his Security Police badge pinned by his cousin, a Lieutenant Colonel and Thunderbird pilot
• Receiving orders to Minot, North Dakota despite requesting only warm-weather locations
Dynamic Content Middle
Brandon Held - Life is Crazy - Episode 1: Introduction and My First Memory
Transcript
Imagine this, you're two years old, you're sitting in the living room of your trailer, and your dad walks into your house.
SPEAKER_00You see your dad go into the bathroom, pull your mother out of the shower, and
SPEAKER_00then bring her out of the room and throw her over the couch and start beating her and hitting on her. Right in front of you, this two-yea
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