Football Career and Catastrophic Knee Injury

Welcome back to Beautifully Broken, where healing meets high performance. Today’s guest, John Golden, is a walking miracle—and a man who’s defied odds most of us can’t even imagine. After coding on an ER table from a full arterial blockage known as a “widowmaker,” John was revived and left with a second chance at life. We talk about the raw emotion of facing death, how gratitude becomes your default operating system afterward, and why community, family, and reflection matter more than anything else.

John shares his journey from college football linebacker to multiple knee surgeries, a human bone transplant, and ultimately, summiting Mount Everest. Through that journey, he learned how the body compensates, adapts, and rebuilds—and how the same principles apply to the brain. Now as CEO of Vital Neuro, he’s leading a new era in personalized neurofeedback—where real-time EEG and neuro-responsive music help calm the nervous system, restore focus, and reduce overwhelm.

Together, we unpack the neuroscience of balance, the volume of modern life, and the small daily practices that bring peace and performance back online. This one’s about more than surviving—it’s about learning how to be vital.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] – “I died last week”: John’s Widowmaker heart attack and the miracle of modern medicine

[05:50] – Facing mortality: emotional recovery and gratitude for a second chance

[09:40] – Lessons from near-death: family connection, presence, and living intentionally

[15:22] – John’s football career, catastrophic knee injuries, and the first-ever leg tissue transplant

[20:50] – Relearning how to move: compensatory patterns, 20 surgeries, and climbing Mount Everest

[24:08] – From EXOS to Vital Neuro: merging neuroscience, music, and mental health

[29:10] – How Vital Neuro reads your EEG and tunes music to your personal brain frequency

[35:45] – The “volume” analogy: why our brains can’t think clearly when overstimulated

[41:26] – Cold plunges, fly fishing, and the daily rituals that bring us back to zero

[47:15] – Tiny habits and behavior change: building resilience through practice

[51:40] – The next evolution of wellness tech: oxygen baths, vibration therapy, and data synergy

[57:00] – Setting realistic goals and finding community support for lasting change

[1:11:30] – “Be vital”: John’s message of compassion, control, and collaboration

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