In this episode, Mike Dempsey shares his incredible survival story from September 11th, 2001. The impact of this attack spans his life then he is again confronted with mass violence again in Las Vegas during the Route 91 shooting. Being one of a growing number of Americans impacted by multiple tragedies Mike shares his thoughts on his journey and how he approaches life after the impact of trauma.

Mike Dempsey is a founding Board member for the WTC United Family Group, which is now known as The September 11 Education Trust. Mike coordinates peer support programs such as a recent event in Parkland, FL as well as the Oklahoma City/September 11th Family Exchange, which is a mutual peer support program, which unites the September 11th community with the members of the Oklahoma City bombing community held each year in April and September. Throughout each portion of the exchange, peer support activities are held to promote healing and connection that include support groups, panel discussions and visits to respective memorials and commemorative ceremonies. Mike was also a member of the Coalition of 9/11 Families from 2003-2006.
Mike Dempsey heads up enterprise risk management services for Dixon Hughes Goodman’s Financial Services Group and is based in North Carolina. Mike was previously a director at KPMG for 7 and a half years in the regulatory safety and soundness team specializing in operational risk, enterprise risk, and third party risk management. Mike also worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, where he was the lead examiner and team leader for Large Bank Supervision based in Charlotte and a member of the inter-agency Basel Qualification Team. Prior to the Fed, Mike was regional head of Operational Risk and global head of business continuity at Hypo Real Estate Group based in Munich, Germany and Depfa Bank based in Dublin, Ireland from 2007-2009 and was head of investment banking operational risk for Credit Suisse from 2000-2007.
Mike holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Nova Southeastern University and a bachelor’s degree from SUNY / Albany.

Amy C. O’Neill, MS,LPC has built a career in mental health over two and a half decades, and traveled a personal path that has proven over and over again that resilience is key to truly living healthy, both in mind and body. Resilience enables us to face tragedy and still take the necessary steps to go through. Resilience is mandatory for us to recover when obstacles interfere. And, as Amy can attest, resilience can be harnessed. After methodically training and successfully completing three Ironman Triathlons, and the prestigious Boston Marathon five times, Amy knows how mental and physical focus can lead to success. Perhaps her biggest life test was being thrust into the role of a Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor. Her testimony understanding the path of the unthinkable has opened up her eyes to a new way of going through adversity. Amy’s goal is to share her keen and personal insight share her lived and learned knowledge with others. The survival journey is complicated but we can not only survive challenges, but also thrive and create a life we love.