The Moth The Deep End: The Moth Radio Hour
14 snips
Feb 24, 2026 Guest
Mukosi Shimaka-Mbasu
Guest
Gary Sizer
Guest
Claire Walder
Guest
Mi-Trang (Mietrang) Nguyen
Guest
Ianna Banfield
Ianna Banfield, a young storyteller and student testing independence after a hotel fire scare. Mi-Trang Nguyen, a public interest lawyer who cared for elderly bearded dragons during lockdown. Claire Walder, an Australian storyteller who learned grit in a swimathon. Gary Sizer, a writer who navigates caring for a mother with ALS. Mukosi Shimaka-Mbasu, a first-generation American who found voice at a science fair. They each dive into moments that forced growth.
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Childhood Science Fair Victory Amid Social Panic
- Mukosi Shimaka-Mbasu won first place at a fifth-grade science fair despite being overwhelmed by talking to strangers due to undiagnosed autism.
- He built a four-by-four pulley display and froze during adult Q&A, then cried but still received the top award that shaped his confidence for life.
Early Struggle Becomes Readiness For Future Challenges
- Mukosi reflects that early painful challenges became sources of lifelong resilience and readiness for future risks.
- He expects to accept future nudges into deep ends, suggesting early successes reframe fear into willingness.
Caring for A Mother With ALS During Lockdown
- Gary Sizer cared for his mother with ALS at home during COVID, sleeping on her spare-room floor and listening for a bell signaling need.
- He witnessed rapid decline, suffered a psychotic break, later released grief through furious physical labor and regained feeling and strength.