We’re Donna and Wayne—partners in life, love, and purpose (with a few scars and a whole lot of fire).

Our journey to each other wasn’t exactly a straight line—it was more like a GPS reroute full of detours through grief, illness, trauma, and a truckload of perseverance. Wayne has battled serious health challenges throughout his life, and in her early adult years, Donna weathered profound losses and found herself navigating the storms of PTSD and anxiety.

But here's the twist: all of it brought us here—to each other, and to a life built on faith, fire, and the kind of love that doesn’t flinch when things get hard.

We laugh loud, cry sometimes, and continue to dance through life together. We travel when we can, host game nights and theme parties when we’re able, and show up for each other—no matter what. Wayne’s collected more hospital bracelets than we can count, and we’ve faced enough setbacks to write a book (actually, we are writing books). But through it all, we’ve learned:

Falling isn’t the end of the story—it’s where the rise begins. 

That’s why we created Keep Rising Higher—a podcast, a platform, and a heart-led movement for anyone who’s ever been knocked down, lost their way, or felt like hope was out of reach.
Inspired by the phoenix in our logo, this isn’t just a podcast—it’s a rising.
A movement of healing, resilience, and fire-forged strength. Because from the ashes, we rise—together.

We're here to remind you:
 You’re not alone.
 There’s power in your comeback.
 And no matter what’s behind you, your rise is still ahead.

This is our love story. This is our mission.
Let’s ignite the rise—together.