On this episode of Our American Stories, when Shiloh Carozza’s father was diagnosed with brain cancer, her family’s days began to split in two: the life they had before, and the one that followed. He had been a teacher, a storyteller, the kind of father who could turn a drive into a lesson. As the disease took more from him, he still tried to give what he could.

One night, he gathered his family and said, “You are my best investments.” They were simple words, but they carried a lifetime of meaning. In the months after his death, Shiloh learned how those words could steady her in the same way he once did. Shiloh joins us to tell his story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in June of 1984, President Ronald Reagan visited the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc to mark the 40th anniversary of D-Day. Before him stood the surviving Army Rangers who had scaled those cliffs under constant fire to help turn the tide of World War II.

Often called the Great Communicator, he delivered one of his most powerful speeches, linking the courage of the men who fought at Normandy to the enduring promise of freedom. Listen to one of the defining moments of Reagan’s presidency and his moving tribute to those who fought in World War II.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when Gina Ramsey moved her father into a memory care home, she thought she was watching him lose everything that made him who he was. Then he met May, a woman who had just turned one hundred and still laughed like a girl. Their friendship grew into a kind of love that gave both of them something to hold on to inside the fog of dementia.

Gina Ramsey joins us to tell the story of the highs—and lows—of managing her father's dementia.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on the morning of October 27, 2018, a quiet neighborhood in Pittsburgh turned into the scene of one of the deadliest attacks on a Jewish congregation in American history. Paul Kengor was driving with his wife when a text from their daughter appeared on his phone. She was hiding in a van just across the street from the Tree of Life Synagogue, where gunfire had erupted.

What followed was an hour of panic and helpless waiting as they tried to reach her. Eleven worshippers were killed, and dozens of lives were forever changed. Paul shares how faith and fear collided that day when his family came within moments of tragedy.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, after years of arguing cases before the Supreme Court, Barry Levinson took a sharp turn. He left the law behind to open the world’s largest mustard museum, a place that celebrates more than 6,000 varieties of the condiment that changed his life. What started as a joke became one of America’s most unique tourist attractions, and a reminder that passion can take you places logic never would.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, at the dawn of the twentieth century, radium was hailed as a miracle of modern science. Factories across the country began hiring young women to paint watch dials and instrument panels that lit up in the dark. It was considered a respectable, even glamorous job. No one warned them that the glow they wore on their skin and teeth came with a deadly cost.

Kate Moore, author of Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women, brings to life the story of the women who unknowingly poisoned themselves while doing their jobs. In time, their fight for justice helped build the foundation of modern workplace safety and occupational health standards across the United States.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, everyone has a funny Thanksgiving story, but this one still makes Stephen Rusiniak cringe. He promised his mom he’d be on time for Thanksgiving dinner. He wasn’t. What followed was a mix of family drama, cold turkey, and a lesson in what it means to keep your word.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before chewing gum became part of American life, William Wrigley Jr. was selling soap door to door. He gave away gum as a bonus and discovered people wanted that more than anything else. From that moment, he built one of the oldest gum brands in history and a life that revolved as much around his wife as his business.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, William C. Rhodes started as a kid tagging along with his dad on Saturdays in Memphis. Years later, he was guiding AutoZone across the Americas as Chairman, President, and CEO. Along the way, he learned what leadership looks like on the floor, in the field, and in the boardroom, and how corporate governance turns good instincts into durable results. Here's Rhodes with his story of success.

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