Honor the Warrior: Tennyson Jacobson’s Story of Survival, Healing, and Radical Courage

There are moments that change the shape of a life in an instant — and then there are the long months and years after, when survival becomes a practice and courage becomes a choice.

Tennyson Jacobson’s story is both. It’s a story of a brutal, life-altering night, yes — but more importantly it is a story of what came after: the slow, fierce rebuilding of a life, the rediscovery of intuition, and the quiet acts of bravery that don’t make headlines but remake a person.

We’re not here to relive the horror. We’re here to honor the warrior.

A day that should have been ordinary

It was her first Mother’s Day. Tennyson, her husband, their eight-month-old daughter — ordinary, simple, loving. What unfolded that night was anything but. An intruder walked in through an unlocked door and immediately attacked Tennyson around 1:30pm, stole money, and left. Twelve hours later, at 1:30am, he came back. The story unfolds like a scene you’d see in a movie, leaving Tennyson and her husband to fight to protect all of their lives in a way you never imagined. The night was one thing, but the shock and terror of that night would change them in ways that would take years to work through.

But this isn’t about the knife. It isn’t about the bat or the broken bat. It’s about what rose afterward: intuition, community, love, and a relentless commitment to feel normal again — Not only “normal” —- to feel happy again even if it felt so far from reality.

The aftermath most people never see

You’ve heard the headlines. You’ve seen the reenactments. The camera stops when the ambulance leaves.  Or in Tennyson and Kyle’s case, after their rights were read.  That’s where Tennyson’s real work began.

She and her husband were left with a nervous system that would not be fooled. Sleep became a battleground. Walking thirty feet to the mailbox in a safe small town, felt unimaginable. Everyday tasks — going to the grocery store, closing a door, falling asleep at night — were moments that triggered the thought that someone was going to attack and they weren’t safe. As we know, the body always keeps the score..

What saved her was not a single moment of bravado. It was a thousand small, brave acts that required so much more than toughness:

• Getting up in the middle of the night and doing burpees to help stop the nightmares.
   

• Laying in bed and practicing breathing techniques instead of desperately wanting to check the locks for a second or third time.
   

• Sitting alone in a room fighting back tears, while doing exposure therapy trying to teach her body she was safe — even when all her body would do is disagree.
   

• Asking for help. But more so, accepting help. From friends and community, but from a life-changing therapist who slowly introduced her to tools utilizing the Polyvagal Theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and meditation. These weren’t just tools to heal from Big T trauma. Because the fact is, we all face trauma big or small. These were tools that supported both.
   

• Healing with intention: tools that turned survival into life

Tennyson’s recovery is an inspiration for anyone felt held back by fear. Not just in life or death situations, but in the quiet, unseen moments, that often hold us back from stepping into our most authentic selves. This isn’t a “how-to” manual, but a real-life playbook that will inspire you to find your own path. She learned — not through platitudes but through practice — that:
 

• The nervous system is the foundation. Our bodies are designed to keep us safe. And often, life experiences teach us otherwise. You can’t heal with a dysregulated nervous system. You have to get into your body to start to rewire chaos into presence.
   

• The right therapist matters. Not every therapist has the most well-equipped toolbox. The truth is, you may have to try a few before you find the right one. And of all the tools, IFS has been one of the most life-changing as she learned how to accept all of her parts. The part consumed with fear, but also the perfectionist, people pleaser, unworthy, and angry parts. Parts that needed love, compassion, and to be seen and validated.
   

•  Community matters. Her husband’s fire department covered his shifts. Friends and family became the scaffolding that allowed the Jacobson’s to rebuild.
   

• Intuition is real — and we all have it. We just need to pay attention. To regulate our systems so we can hear those inner whispers. What she thought was just something that helped her know if she was physically safe or not, was actually the strongest guiding force in her life.

The quiet, heroic moments

When people praise Tennyson’s “bravery,” she deflects to the small, everyday wins. The nights she lay in bed forcing herself to not check the locks even though it was all her body was screaming at her to do. The grocery trips she took alone. The moment she did burpees at 3 a.m. so she could break the cycle of nightmares. Those are the victories that don’t fit on a news crawl — but they are the ones that we can all relate to and that actually create change.

This is a raw and vulnerable story of a relentless desire to heal and find purpose. And how this event became a catalyst not just to heal from fear, but the most beautiful path to self-discovery. She’s honest about the frustration, hopelessness, and struggle to reclaim her life. But also, the growth, awareness, and fulfillment that came as she took steps forward. Our darkest moments truly can become our brightest paths to help others.

Why you should listen — and why you’ll be glad you did

Tennyson’s interview on the Crackin’ Backs Podcast is not voyeurism. It’s an invitation: to witness, to learn, and to be equipped. You will hear about tools that can help anyone struggling with trauma, anxiety, or dysregulation. You will hear the humility of a woman who could have let the story define her — and instead used it to redefine how she lives.

If you care about courage that’s honest, recovery that’s practical, and stories that actually help — listen. Subscribe. Share it with someone who needs to know they aren’t alone.

► Listen now: Apple Podcasts • Spotify
► Watch the full episode: YouTube — Crackin’ Backs Podcast

A final word

Tennyson’s book — “The Mother of All Days”- is a deeper telling of the “after” — is an offering, not a spectacle. It is not another expert’s account telling you the steps to healing. It is a lived experience that will inspire you to look within and believe in your own potential.

If her story moves you, don’t stop at the article. Hear her speak. Watch the conversation. Subscribe. Be part of a community that chooses recovery, honesty, and radical care.

Dr. Terry Weyman & Dr. Spencer Baron co-host the weekly Crackin’ Backs Podcast, where we sit down with people who teach us how to be healthier — mentally, physically, and nutritionally. Find our show on all major podcast platforms and on YouTube. Click the links above to listen, watch, and subscribe — and help this vital conversation reach someone who needs it.