The People We Meet with Ty Bruner

The Trouble With Those Pesky Immigrants

This episode of The People We Meet takes a calm, story-driven walk through America’s past — from Ellis Island and the words etched at the base of the Statue of Liberty to the people who arrived carrying hope, fear, and very little else.
Along the way, we revisit moments many of us half-remember from school — the Irish, Chinese, Italians, Jews, Mexicans, Japanese Americans — not as villains or footnotes, but as neighbors who helped build the country we live in now.
Told with humor, empathy, and a firefighter’s eye for proportion, this is a reflection on who we’ve been, how we’ve grown, and why understanding our history matters when things get loud and complicated again.
It’s not a lecture. It’s not a rant.
It’s a reminder that America’s story has always been bigger — and better — than its fears.

The No-Li Journey: The Building Of A Brewhouse with John Bryant

Settle into the warm hum of the No Lie Brewhouse in Spokane as host Ty Bruner and owner John Bryant trace a line from Dust Bowl survival to a thriving riverfront brewery. Through vivid family stories—grandparents who wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, mornings with a chainsaw, and Grange Hall gatherings—this episode unfolds how grit and old‑school generosity shaped a man and his mission.
We follow John’s bootstrapped climb through the brewing world, the nights he couldn’t sleep over unpaid bills, and the moments he chose community over profit. Along the way you’ll meet the characters, stakes, and small rituals that turned a pub into a purpose-driven hub—where every pint carries a piece of legacy.
By the end, you’ll understand why No Lie is more than beer: it’s a promise to a city, a family, and the idea that generosity and uncompromising standards can change a place. Tune in for a candid, heartfelt story about leadership, sacrifice, and the taste of home.

The Title Of Ehea: A Tactical Athlete's Journey

When Ty Bruner sits down with Ehea Schuerch, a corrections officer by day and elite tactical athlete by night, a story of grit, faith, and hard-won grace unfolds. From a childhood in Spokane shaped by creativity and scarcity to the brutal discipline of the Tactical Games and a decade inside the jail, E. reveals how training became a lifeline — pushing her body, sharpening her mind, and teaching her what really matters.
Along the way she confronts the cost of ambition, the power of community, and the quiet reclaiming of faith after pain. Candid, fierce, and surprisingly tender, E.’s journey is about more than medals: it’s about resilience, belonging, and the risky work of choosing to be seen.

The 5am Club with Rob Haff

When Ty Brunner notices the same familiar figure in the gym before dawn, curiosity turns into conversation. Meet Rob Hoff — a former military kid, a Comcast sales manager, and a gym regular whose day begins long before sunrise. Through anecdotes about his fighter-pilot father, a life shaped by routine, and the wake-up call of a diabetes diagnosis, Rob reveals how small, stubborn habits became the backbone of a life well-lived.This episode traces Rob’s path from Yokosuka to Spokane, from late-blooming athlete to the man who won’t skip a morning. It’s a story of resilience: learning to manage health with grit and consistency, reflecting on leadership learned at the kitchen table and the base, and the friendships and rituals that anchor him. Along the way Ty and Rob trade hard-earned lessons about willpower, legacy, and the quiet power of showing up.Listen as two ordinary men unpack the extraordinary: how an early alarm, a rowing machine, and honest self-reflection can reshape a day — and maybe a life. By episode’s end you’ll hear not just advice, but a lived example of how discipline, humility, and kindness create the people we meet.

The Reinvention Of Angela

Angela Fletcher's life unfolds like a weathered map of danger, risk and resilience. From a turbulent childhood and the crushing spiral of addiction, to high-powered corporate success and the dizzying burnout that followed, Angela’s story is an unflinching look at what it takes to walk away and start again. In this episode, she traces the moment-by-moment choices that led her from streets and hotels to backpacks and homesteads—ultimately finding purpose in the healing dirt of her gardens.Listen as Angela describes near-ruin and redemption: the overdose that became a turning point, a groundbreaking role in a marketing company that fed both pride and emptiness, and a bold decision to sell everything and live with less. Through vivid details—dumpsters and clicker data, mountain trails and hummingbirds—her narrative reveals how survival, curiosity and quiet spiritual awakenings can replant a life. By episode’s end, you’ll feel the pull of her gardens: small ecosystems that teach patience, nourishment, and how to build a life worth living without the weight of “stuff.”

Escaping the Script

Born into the FLDS and married as teenagers, Ange and Cade’s story reads like a slow-burning escape: ritualized control, a prophet’s death, and a community split that left them adrift. When rebellion and heartbreak push them apart, two restless youths choose very different paths—one into the unbridled thrill of apostasy, the other into a furious search for meaning.
Together they unlearn a lifetime of rules, rebuild their lives, and begin to parent and love on their own terms.
This episode traces the ache and the light: the trauma of coercion, the tenderness of small mercies, and the fierce work of healing. It’s an intimate, hopeful portrait of two people who refused to let a closed world define their future—and who now tell their story to help others find the courage to leave.

Lean In: Conversations That Change Us

Ty Bruner invites you back for season two with a personal, surprising story — from backyard tape-recorded childhood adventures to the awkward, humbling lessons of hosting real conversations. He discovers that the ordinary moments and offhand remarks often reveal the most honest, human truths.
This episode is an experiment in leaning in: asking one more question, listening past the noise, and chasing common ground in a world built for outrage. Expect candid reflection, small revelations, and a reminder that connection takes curiosity and courage.
Join Ty as he reclaims the simple joy of sitting with someone and hearing what comes out — messy, sincere, and unexpectedly connective. Lean in with him and see what you might find.

The Brown Kid: A journey with my friend Tony

In this special episode of The People We Meet, host Ty Bruner interviews his long-time friend Tony Sequina, embarking on a journey through the decades of their shared experiences. An unexpected deep conversation with his daughter sets the stage for this heartfelt narrative, as Ty reflects on how simple format changes can unveil new insights.
With his new equipment ready, Ty is determined to uncover untold stories from Tony's life, forged during their years together in the fire department. As they delve into Tony's life journey, from his roots in Montana to his steadfast career in the Spokane Fire Department, poignant stories of challenges faced as a "brown kid in a predominantly white environment" emerge.
Tony's tale of falling into firefighting, overcoming difficult beginnings, and nurturing a lifelong friendship with Ty offers listeners a compelling narrative filled with humor, grit, and heartfelt moments. This episode, encapsulating the essence of friendship and growth, invites you into an enlightening conversation forged by years of camaraderie, resilience, and overcoming adversity. Cheers to a story of friendship that transcends life’s fires and triumphs over its trials.