Living Forward: A Farm Kid’s Story of Hope, Humor, and Holding On with Mark Handlos

The Rural Dispatch

The Rural Dispatch
Living Forward: A Farm Kid’s Story of Hope, Humor, and Holding On with Mark Handlos
Jul 02, 2025 Episode 20
Behrens & Co

Send us a text

In this episode, we are honored to have Mark Handlos on to share his story — a farm kid turned medical warrior whose life is rooted in resilience, hope, and an unshakable sense of humor. Mark opens up about what it was like growing up in rural Iowa and then facing a mysterious illness that began at age 15. With no diagnosis and no treatment that worked for more than a decade, he battled episodes that left him unable to walk, urinate on his own, or even see.

Mark shares how he navigated some of his darkest days with humor, the importance of the people he keeps close, and the mindset that’s carried him through. We talk about how his experience shaped the way he shows up in the world today and what he’s learned through the years.

For all the heaviness of what he’s faced, this conversation is surprisingly light-hearted. I hope it leaves you with a deeper appreciation for the little things and serves as a reminder that even in the unknown, we can choose to live forward.

BEHRENS & CO | Join Our Email List — BEHRENS & CO

Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Subscribe, leave a review and share this episode to support rural voices!

Episode Artwork Living Forward: A Farm Kid’s Story of Hope, Humor, and Holding On with Mark Handlos 59:26 Episode Artwork Hedging 101 for Cattle Feeders: Real World Risk Management with Zach Tindall 56:53 Episode Artwork From the Ground Up: How Justin Heiman Built a Thriving Cattle Operation from Scratch 43:12 Episode Artwork Dad Always Said... Lessons from Rural America's Hardest Workers 45:25 Episode Artwork Life, Love & Livestock: The Real Side of Rural Business and Marriage 46:31 Episode Artwork 93 Years in the Cattle Business: Wisdom from a Lifelong Cattleman 49:40 Episode Artwork From Hauling Livestock to Car Lots: Howard Curry on Trucking, Business, and the Power of Good People 1:01:57 Episode Artwork From $300 to Owning Agar Transportation: Buying Blue Sky, Dispatching Through Slowdowns, and the Mental Load in Trucking 57:59 Episode Artwork Turning Iowa Farmland into Grass & Building a Seed Business from Scratch with James & Megan Holz 1:02:54 Episode Artwork Truckin' Through Trouble: Marty Wilken on Lot Lizards, Border Runs and Jail Time 55:03 Episode Artwork Small Steps, Big Impact: Josh Snyder on Nutrition, Movement & Community 53:38 Episode Artwork Will Epperly: From Rural Roots to World Champion Auctioneer 55:55 Episode Artwork Old-School Trucking Stories: Denny Kluver on 40+ Years of Hauling Livestock 59:59 Episode Artwork From Broke to Business Owners: Smoke Behrens and Mark Toms Unfiltered 25:52 Episode Artwork Master of Trades: Mark Toms on Trucking, Coyotes, and Hard Work 56:45 Episode Artwork Trucking Talk: Peterbilt vs. Kenworth, Wilson vs. Eby & the Current Cattle Market 26:29 Episode Artwork CDLs, ELDs, and Independent Trucking: Real Talk with Jeremy Behrens 32:23 Episode Artwork Cattle Feeding Realities: Cash Flows, Hedging & Passion with Jeff "Bug" Schroeder 36:45 Episode Artwork Stories with Smoke: The Road to Resilience 26:04 Episode Artwork From Corporate Hustle to Rural Roots: My Journey into Rural Business Life 20:11 Episode Artwork Welcome to The Rural Dispatch 2:25