A Contagious Smile Podcast · Victora Cuore; A Contagious Smile, Who Kicked First, Domestic Violence Survivor, Advocate, Motivational Coach, Special Needs, Abuse Support, Life Skill Classes, Special Needs Social Groups

We Tried To Help His Dad And Uncovered A Nightmare

March 25, 2026·1 hr 27 min·1 clip

I was strangled to the point my blood vessels popped in my eyes.

This episode of A Contagious Smile Podcast features hosts Victoria and Michael sharing a deeply personal story about family, trauma, and trust. Victoria reveals a significant moment of vulnerability with Michael regarding her past physical abuse. The conversation then shifts to a complex and distressing situation involving Michael's father, whom they tried to help after his wife's death. Victoria describes showing Michael over 12 scars from being stabbed by her former husband, allowing him to feel them for the first time. She explains how surgical scars differ from the chaotic scars left from defensive wounds during an attack. Victoria also details lasting physical damage from strangulation, including required throat surgeries and prolonged vocal cord issues. The hosts recount a recent scare during Victoria's mammogram, where markers on her surgical scars prompted an ultrasound that ultimately showed no cancer. Their story about Michael's father begins with a call saying his wife had died, leading them to immediately travel to help him move into their home. They discovered he was a severe hoarder and began extensive renovations to accommodate him, even while Victoria was days post-op from major surgery. Michael's father carried multiple locked safes, initially claiming they held only vitamins but later admitting to opioids. After he overdosed, requiring two rounds of Narcan, doctors diagnosed him with dangerous polypharmacy and instructed Victoria to manage his 13+ medications. His demeanor turned hostile when they took control of his pills, and they found prescriptions for conditions he didn't have, like seizures. A telehealth call revealed he was also taking his deceased wife's medications, defiantly stating "because I can." The most surprising insight is the lasting, specific medical procedures required due to strangulation injuries, like throat stretching surgeries. Victoria's moment of showing her scars in the light represented a major breakthrough in trust after decades. The hosts uncovered that their offer of care was met with deception and prescription fraud, fundamentally altering their view of Michael's father. The episode reveals how calculated abuse can be, with Victoria's ex-husband testifying he waited until she was pregnant to intensify violence. The tone is raw, conversational, and emotionally charged, blending heartbreaking confession with dark humor about their family's farting competitions. Listeners who appreciate stories of resilience, marital partnership, and navigating complex family trauma will find this compelling. Those sensitive to detailed descriptions of domestic violence or medical crises may want to skip it.

As heard by us

A raw family confrontation with humor, anger, and care that does not look away.

The episode opens in joking, on-air banter before turning toward a telehealth confrontation shaped by prescription bottles, broken promises, and a father-in-law who has plainly gone too far.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play if you want a blunt, messy family story that jumps from a funny cashier bit to a serious medication confrontation.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from A Contagious Smile Podcast