Hey Heal Squad! This Throwback Thursday is a meaningful one. This week marks Athena's 3rd birthday, so we're bringing back the episode that tells the incredible story of how she came into our lives. Maria and Kev sit down with their surrogate, her husband, and the team who helped make their dream of becoming parents a reality. Together, they share the emotional highs and lows of the surrogacy journey, the lessons they learned about trust, faith, and letting go of fear, and the unexpected bond that formed between their two families along the way. They also discuss the realities of surrogacy, what intended parents and surrogates wish more people understood about the process, and how compassion, communication, and genuine human connection can transform the experience for everyone involved. Maria also opens up about receiving a shocking health diagnosis during the pregnancy and the perspective it gave her on family, gratitude, and what truly matters most. This episode is a powerful reminder that families are built in many different ways, and that sometimes life's greatest blessings arrive after its hardest chapters.! Join us at our Canyon Ranch 2026 Retreat: https://www.canyonranch.com/lenox/retreats/heal-retreat-maria-menounos HEAL SQUAD SOCIALS IG: https://www.instagram.com/healsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healsquadxmaria HEAL SQUAD RESOURCES: Heal Squad Website: https://www.healsquad.com/ Heal Squad x Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HealSquad/membership Maria Menounos Website: https://www.mariamenounos.com My Curated Macy’s Page: https://stylecrew.macys.com/@mariamenounos EMR-Tek Red Light: https://emr-tek.com/discount/Maria30 for 30% off Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/host ABOUT MARIA MENOUNOS: Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV personality, actress, 2x NYT best-selling author, former pro-wrestler and brain tumor survivor, Maria Menounos’ passion is to see others heal and to get better in all areas of life. ABOUT HEAL SQUAD x MARIA MENOUNOS: A daily digital talk-show that brings you the world's leading healers, experts, and celebrities to share groundbreaking secrets and tips to getting better in all areas of life. DISCLAIMER: This Podcast and all related content (published or distributed by or on behalf of Maria Menounos or http://Mariamenounos.com and http://healsquad.com) is for informational purposes only and may include information that is general in nature and that is not specific to you. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Company’s Podcast are their own; not those of Maria Menounos or the Company. Accordingly, Maria Menounos and the Company cannot be responsible for any results or consequences or actions you may take based on such information or opinions. This podcast is presented for exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a specific illness. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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