Heart transplants, mental health, and finding humor in life's darkest moments, with Jonathan Bogner

Mid-life Men: the mental health podcast

In this episode, I am joined by Jonathan Bogner, executive producer of reality TV & movies, and entrepreneur with multiple businesses. In 2007, life was great for Jonathan, living in Beverly Hills with his wife and children, living his dream job producing movies and had just sold a movie at a major film festival. Life was to change drastically in a moment, forever. Jonathan suffered heart failure, two massive strokes and lost the ability to speak. He survived but unable to talk or write, he lost his business and had a defibrillator implanted in his chest just to keep his heart beating.

Jonathan rebuilt his life, becoming a producer of reality TV shows until his defibrillator fired twice within seconds, and he was rushed to Cedars Sinai hospital and told he would not be discharged until a heart became available for a transplant. Four weeks later and after enduring a nine-hour operation, Jonathan had his new (used) heart from a female donor, however just when he thought his problems were over, there was much more to come.

Join us, and hear Jonathan’s story, how it has impacted his mental health and how he has learned to take each day as it comes. He talks about his rehabilitation and how he has adapted his life to his own philosophy around exercise, healthy eating, but most importantly, maintaining his sense of humor.