Joel Waldman, a successful broadcast journalist, and his mother, Karmela Waldman, a psychotherapist and Holocaust survivor, have embarked on a true crime podcast called Surviving the Survivor. He joined guest host Richard Syrett (Twitter) to delve into true crime cases they have covered and what it's like working on a podcast together as a mother and son team. He shared his mother's Holocaust survival story when at just four and a half, she was separated from her family and hidden by a Catholic nun in Yugoslavia. After surviving numerous atrocities and eventually reuniting with her mother, she went on to live a life of resilience, optimism, and humor, despite immense personal losses, including the death of a son, Waldman revealed. This experience, combined with her work as a therapist, enables her to provide unique insights into the psychology of both victims and criminals on their podcast, he added.
Waldman provided a detailed account of the Dan Markel case, beginning with Markel's background as a Harvard-educated law professor at Florida State University. He was married to Wendy Adelson, and after their relationship deteriorated, they engaged in a bitter custody battle over their two children. On July 18, 2014, Markel was shot twice in the head outside his home in Tallahassee, following a gym visit. Though he initially survived the attack, he succumbed to his injuries the next day. Investigators had little evidence initially, but they eventually traced the crime to two hitmen, Sigfredo Garcia, and Luis Rivera, connected to Wendy's brother, Charlie Adelson, and his ex-girlfriend, Katie McBanua.
According to Waldman, the case remains complex, largely due to the involvement of multiple family members, including Wendy, Charlie, and their overbearing mother, Donna Adelson. Wendy had expressed dissatisfaction with living in Tallahassee and was influenced by her mother, who strongly disliked Markel. The investigation uncovered connections between the hitmen and the Adelson family, with Charlie convicted in 2023 for orchestrating the murder-for-hire plot. However, questions remain about Wendy's involvement, as she has not been charged despite suspicions surrounding her behavior and statements to the police shortly after the murder. Donna Adelson was recently arrested and is awaiting trial, which has been delayed due to legal complications involving her attorney. Waldman also reported on the murders of a wealthy Toronto couple, Honey and Barry Sherman.
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Open Lines followed in the latter half of the program. Avery from California shared a paranormal experience involving his grandmother's house, where he saw a projection of Native American cave paintings on the wall. According to Avery, his father confirmed he had a similar experience in the same house, leading them to theorize about the location's history. Robert from New Orleans recounted a story about working overnight at an old hotel where he experienced a strange water leak incident. The water leak continued even after shutting off the valves, and the guest in the room, an amateur ghost hunter, found it amusing, he recalled. Joe from Monterey, California, discussed his experiences with astral plane encounters, including being bitten by an astral body and waking up paralyzed. He shared his belief in the power of calling on the armies of God to protect against demonic and extraterrestrial entities. Joe suggested traditional paraphernalia like garlic and crucifixes are effective against astral vampires.