Univision reporter and author Juan Carlos González shares the story of his son, Ale who committed suicide after struggling with drug use and discusses how his new book encourages conversations between parents and their children about drugs and suicide.

On this episode, Juan Carlos talks to Matt about:

• How his son was always kind and friendly despite his addiction and when Juan Carlos realized his son was doing drugs
• The tragic night when he learned about his son’s death
• The damage social media can cause to young people and families
• Getting inspired to write his book and his mission to heal his family and help other families struggling with similar issues
• The positive messages Juan Carlos received from people who heard his story and read his book
• What parents can do to give their children more love and attention and put them on a path away from drugs and suicide
• The importance of being positive and kind to those around you
• And More

Juan Carlos’ book  A call to heaven. Why did you do it, my son? will be available soon in English and available in Spanish now HERE.

This episode is sponsored by The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Centers – one of the oldest residential drug and alcohol rehab programs. ARC is a non-profit and was hit hard financially as a result of COVID. For more information, and to donate or sign up for their quarterly newsletter, visit https://tinyurl.com/SalArmyARC.

About Juan Carlos González

​Juan Carlos Gonzalez’ impressive journalism career spans over thirty-four years, including multiple national coverage areas. Juan Carlos’ experience includes radio, television, and authorship. A seasoned and well-respected journalist, he currently works as the national correspondent for Univision Communications, Inc., the leading Spanish language content, and media company in the U.S. He has worked as a newscaster with renowned radio personalities such as Pepe Barreto, Humberto Luna, and El Cucuy de la Mañana, where he produced, researched, and read news on the air. Juan Carlos’ versatility is not limited to news, he produces, hosts, and writes extensively. He also narrated play-by-play for Fox Sports in Spanish including basketball (Lakers), baseball (Angels) and football (NFL). Along the same lines, he currently narrates and writes content for various TelevisaUnivision, Inc & Co. digital platforms.

Recently, Juan Carlos wrote “¿Por qué lo Hiciste, Hijo?”, a heartfelt and deeply personal book that narrates his and his family’s experience through the loss of a son due to suicide. With this new venture, he strives to shed light into the drug abuse epidemic, signs, and red flags that parents and family members need to be aware of, and other testimonials of how such painful moments can be transformative in the lives of those who experience them. Juan Carlos hopes to bring awareness to this difficult, yet very real topic by walking readers through his family’s experience and resilience.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.