A Survivor’s Journey

True Story Media.

If you just can't get enough of me in your ears, first of all, thank you.

I have a job because of you.

And secondly, did you know that I have a new audiobook out this year?

The Mother Next Door, which I co-authored with Detective Mike Weber, is available in all formats wherever books are sold.

It's a deep dive into three of Mike's most impactful Munchausen by proxy cases, and I think you'll love it.

Here's a sample.

When Susan logged in, what she discovered shocked her to the marrow of her bones.

Though the recent insurance records contained pages and pages of information about Sophia, there was nothing about Hope.

Susan dug deeper and looked back through years of records.

There wasn't a single entry about Hope's cancer treatment.

For eight years, the Putcher family had lived with a devastating fear that their beloved daughter and sister was battling terminal cancer.

For months, they'd been preparing for her death.

But in that moment, a new horror was dawning.

For nearly a decade, Hope had been lying.

On this season of Nobody Should Believe Me, we are following the story of Joe Hope.

Hi, mom.

It's Joe.

I hope you can hear me.

Joe is a survivor of Munchhausen by proxy and grew up in a small town where everyone seemed to know that something was wrong at home.

I know I talked to my mom about it and was like, we need to get her out of there, blah, blah, blah.

And I know at one point I was over and we were like, we need to record your mom.

My overall impression was that she very much wanted an audience for her good parenting when she wasn't present as a parent.

Now as an adult, Joe is trying to put the pieces back together and reconnect with the people who helped them survive.

I hate that you had to do all of that and obviously I'm like forever grateful.

I know things could have been good at home but I don't think we talked a lot about exactly what was going on because that would be pretty classic of a child of an alcoholic.

But even during a national television appearance, Joe's mom stuck to her story.

I never took my daughter to

any doctor for a reason other than she was sick.

I never laid a hand on my child.

She never even got a spanking.

But as Joe will discover, that's not how anyone remembers it.

Mom's favorite phrase growing up is, I brought you into this world.

I can take you out.

There's nobody that can stop me.

She would brag to people that she hit me so hard my nose bleed.

And the system that was supposed to protect Joe did nothing.

I filed reports because I'm a mandated reporter and nothing would happen.

I always just thought, like, if that much is going on and they know I'm seeing it, what am I not seeing?

Now, after everything, Joe searches for healing on the other side.

And I love you so much.

I just had to have boundaries of all

to take care of myself, too, you know.

Joe is silly and thoughtful

and

loves to dance.

I hope that they get stability and peace financially and emotionally.

Today, I feel more hopeful, but I'm just trying to hold on to

baby steps and baby progress and figure out little shifts that I can continue to make no matter my physical state.

So, hopefully, I can continue to do that.

Season four of Nobody Should Believe Me drops June 20th, wherever you get your podcasts.