Veteran identity. Service shaming. The toxic culture of comparison.

In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, host Matthew Heneghan, a former Canadian Armed Forces medic and long-time paramedic, breaks down the ugly truth behind a viral moment in the Canadian Veterans Marketplace — a story where a fellow veteran was mocked for only serving one year.

💥 From service shaming to fragile ego warfare, we dig into:

• The toxic comparison culture in veteran communities

• Why every year of military service counts — no matter the length

• The hypocrisy of valor gatekeeping

• Why compassion should outweigh credentials

• The emotional fallout of intra-community bullying

🎧 Whether you're a veteran, a first responder, or someone navigating identity, trauma, or mental health in high-stress professions — this episode is for you.

Nine paramedics lost to suicide in British Columbia in just seven months.
This is not just a mental health crisis — this is a system failure.

In this raw and unfiltered episode of Unwritten Chapters, former Canadian Armed Forces medic and civilian paramedic Matthew Heneghan pulls back the curtain on the hidden mental health emergency affecting first responders. With over 17 years of service, Matthew has seen — and lived — the toll this job takes: the PTSD, burnout, addiction, and silent suffering behind the sirens.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• The reality of paramedic suicides and why the numbers are climbing

• First-hand stories from over a decade in emergency services

• How PTSD and addiction develop in first responders

• Why political platitudes and policy memos don’t save lives

• A call to truly listen to — and act for — the people behind the uniform

Keywords: Paramedic mental health, paramedic suicide rates, PTSD in first responders, first responder burnout, Canadian paramedic crisis, mental health in emergency services, trauma and addiction recovery, suicide prevention for first responders, Unwritten Chapters Podcast, Matthew Heneghan

🚨 If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available:

• Canada: Talk Suicide Canada — 1-833-456-4566

• U.S.: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or Text 988

🟢 Subscribe to Unwritten Chapters for real stories and uncomfortable truths about trauma, healing, and the human cost of service.
📤 Share this episode to help break the silence around first responder mental health.

#ParamedicMentalHealth #FirstResponderSuicide #PTSD #TraumaRecovery #UnwrittenChapters #MatthewHeneghan #SuicidePrevention #CanadianParamedics #FirstResponderLife #MentalHealthMatters

On July 24th, Terry Bollea — better known as Hulk Hogan — passed away at the age of 71. I wrote a post reflecting on what that meant to me, and the backlash was swift.

In this video, I unpack that post, the controversy that followed, and the deeper meaning behind my words. This isn’t about celebrating a flawed man — it’s about nostalgia, grief, growing up, and losing the icons of our childhood.

➡️ This isn’t a tribute to Terry Bollea the person.
➡️ This is about Hulk Hogan the character — and what he meant to a generation of kids.
➡️ It’s about memory, innocence, and the power of holding on to moments that made us feel safe.

I confront cancel culture, toxic projection, and the nuance of separating flawed public figures from the personal memories they helped create.

Whether you're a wrestling fan, a child of the '80s/'90s, or someone grappling with how we mourn complicated figures — this is for you.

🧠 Keywords & Topics:
#HulkHogan #TerryBollea #Nostalgia #CancelCulture #WrestlingIcons #ChildhoodMemories #UnwrittenChapters #Grief #GrowingUp #FlawedHeroes #SocialMediaBacklash #WWEHistory #SaturdayMorningCartoons #WrestlingLegends #PopCultureIcons #EmotionalReflection

📖 Read the original blog post here:
👉 https://authormheneghan.com

🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify / Apple Podcasts:
Unwritten Chapters Podcast – Available on all platforms.

🫱 If this story resonates with you, please like, comment, and share your own childhood icons below.
⭐️ Don’t forget to leave a 5-star review on Apple/Spotify if you enjoy this kind of content.