About this episode

Tennille Heitkamp shares her family's painful journey through addiction and the hope that emerged from it.

Never Lose Hope with Tennille Heitkamp Tennille Heitkamp joins Pondoff’s Anonymous to share the long, painful, and hopeful story of walking through addiction with her son, Jacob. What starts as a conversation about Underground and finding the right support community turns into a brutally honest look at what addiction does to an entire family. Tennille talks about Jacob’s childhood, ADHD, early struggles to fit in, his exposure to pills and fentanyl, emergency room visits, detox, sober living, relapse, and the emotional chaos that came with trying to keep him alive. She also opens up about the toll it took on her, her marriage, her other son, and her own mental health as she tried to hold everything together. But this episode is not just about the darkness. It is also about not giving up. Tennille shares how Jacob eventually found real help, how Florida became a turning point, how he is now six months sober, and how hope slowly started to return. The conversation also highlights Tennille’s work with Addiction is Real, where she now helps other families recognize warning signs, find resources, and feel less alone. This episode is for parents, loved ones, and anyone who has ever…

People in this episode

Hosts: Chris Pondoff, Jeff Allen, Zoë Mendenall

Guest: Tennille Heitkamp

Topics covered

• addiction
• family struggles
• mental health
• support communities
• hope and recovery

Keywords

• addiction
• recovery
• mental health
• support
• family
• hope
• sober living
• fentanyl
• ADHD

Sponsors

McKelvey Insurance Group, LightSource Psychotherapy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Addiction is Real

More episodes of Pondoff's Anonymous

• Building the Plan on Day One with Blake Wellen · May 4, 2026 · 1h 31m
• Grace After Chaos with Alyssa Jarvis · April 20, 2026 · 2h 2m
• S3 E12 Addiction, Sobriety, and Community with John Nettles · April 13, 2026 · 2h 8m
• S3E10 The Weight of Shame with Julie Wiseman · March 30, 2026 · 2h 16m
• S3E9 Lyndsey Jacob · March 16, 2026 · 1h 60m
• Fentanyl Killed My Son at a Sleepover | A Mother's Fight for Justice with Tiffany Foster · March 9, 2026 · 2h 19m

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