ALIVE AGAIN is a weekly podcast that showcases first-hand accounts of Near Death Experiences. Our mission is to find, explore and share these stories to remind us all of our shared human condition.

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In this hauntingly evocative episode, the ferryman, brought to life with the profound resonance of Dan Fogler's voice, guides a soul whose legacy is as complex as it is misunderstood. Mary Mallon, known to history as Typhoid Mary, voiced by Therese McLaughlin, steps aboard, her story a chilling reminder of the fine line between victim and villain, between innocence and culpability.

As the vessel navigates the murky waters of moral ambiguity, Mary recounts her life, marked by an invisible specter that cast a long shadow over her existence. This "shadow man," a personification of death and disease, becomes a constant companion, a dark figure lurking in the peripheries of her vision, a harbinger of the outbreaks that follow in her wake.

In this episode, we delve into the depths of Mary's psyche, exploring the experience of being branded a pariah, the first known asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever in the United States. Quarantined for nearly three decades, Mary's existence became a living testament to the fear and misunderstanding surrounding infectious diseases– a dread that is alive and well today.

But beneath the surface of this tragic tale lies a deeper question: Was her "shadow man" merely a monster, the embodiment of the death she unwittingly spread, or was he her ally, a warning of the unseen dangers she posed? As Mary reflects on her life, she reveals the anguish and defiance of a woman caught in the gears of the Industrial Revolution, witnessing first-hand the suffering of workers and the impoverished. Did she weaponize herself against the wealthy families she served, turning her condition into an instrument of vengeance or retribution for the injustices she observed?

Written by Nicholas Tecosky

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In this emotionally resonant and poetic episode of The Passage, the Ferryman navigates the complex structural and emotional landscapes crafted by one of America's most iconic figures. Frank Lloyd Wright, voiced by Michael Cooke (Mulholland Drive), a visionary architect, designer, and educator, awaits in a realm of his own creation—a self-designed purgatory where the lines of genius and sorrow blur.

As they traverse this meticulously constructed space, a manifestation of Wright's philosophy of organic architecture harmonizing with humanity and the environment, the Ferryman engages with the architect in a dialogue that spans the spectrum of creativity and tragedy. Wright reflects on his illustrious career, a span of seven decades during which he shaped the architectural movements of the twentieth century and left an indelible mark.

However, the conversation soon delves deeper, into the shadows of a personal tragedy that haunted Wright—the brutal mass murder at his beloved Taliesin estate. While he was away, his mistress, her children, and his servants were mercilessly killed, a horrifying act that imprinted itself upon his soul and cast a long shadow over his achievements and days.

In this episode, the Ferryman becomes a visitor in Wright's self-imposed exile, a space where the great architect grapples with the duality of his legacy—of monumental creations and an intimate catastrophe. Wright confronts the haunting questions of regret and blame, pondering the price of greatness and the fragility of the human spirit amidst the structures meant to celebrate and shelter it.

In this episode of The Passage, listeners are invited to explore the inner chambers of Frank Lloyd Wright's mind and heart, where the foundations of brilliance are interwoven with the tremors of personal loss and remorse.

It’s a journey through the corridors of creativity and the hidden alcoves of grief, where the blueprint of regret forms the architecture of a soul seeking peace and understanding.

Written by Christeene Alcosiba

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