Given Up on Love? This Story Will Change Your Mind–With Tina Eliana
In this episode of Shot At Love, Kerry Brett sits down with Tina Eliana, whose love story defies every metric — starting with the fact that it should never have happened at all. On January 21, 2012, JD logged onto Plenty of Fish to delete his profile. He ran one last search, expanding his radius to 50 miles. Tina lived 200 miles away. She was one of the first profiles that appeared. What followed was a marriage tested almost immediately by the unthinkable. Tina opens up about the trauma behind the scenes when they met: a second divorce, threats to her life, and the devastating decision to dissolve the adoption of her two sons after nine years — a choice made to keep everyone safe, and one that grieved like a death. She shares the nervous breakdown that mimicked MS symptoms, the depression so heavy that showering felt impossible, and the 40th birthday she spent sleeping in a vehicle at a truck stop, wondering if her life still had meaning. Then she shares what JD did next — and how unconditional love, one small accomplishment at a time, carried her to a life she now can't dream big enough for: 100 pounds lost, four degrees earned, a company serving clients worldwide, and a memoir on the way. For anyone who has ever felt too broken, too far gone, or too late for love, this episode is proof that you're not.
Given Up on Love? This Story Will Change Your Mind—with Tina Eliana: On her 40th birthday, Tina Eliana was sleeping in a RAV4 at a truck stop—broke, broken, and wondering if her life had any meaning left. Two failed marriages. An adoption dissolved after nine years. A nervous breakdown so severe her body mimicked MS symptoms. She couldn't dream anymore.
Then her husband JD said seven words that changed everything: "I'll dream for you until you can dream again."
He meant it. And he proved it — for years.
Today, Tina is down 100 pounds, holds four degrees, runs her own company serving clients around the world, and has a memoir on the way. In this episode, she shares the exact moment she knew JD was different (from his very first dating app message), how she rebuilt her life one impossibly small step at a time, and what she'd say to anyone who feels too broken to be loved.
If you've ever wondered whether it's too late, whether you're too much, or whether the right person could really stay through the worst of it — press play.
In This Episode, You'll Learn
•How Tina spotted the green flags in JD's very first message on Plenty of Fish — and what set him apart from every other match
•Why JD expanded his search radius one final time before deleting the app (and how Tina appeared 200 miles outside that radius)
•The impossible decision Tina faced as a mother — and how it led to a complete nervous breakdown
•What "I'll dream for you until you can dream again" looked like in practice, day after day, for years
•The one small daily action that started Tina's climb out of rock bottom
•How unconditional love — without conditions on staying — rewired a lifetime of expecting men to leave
•Tina's message to anyone who feels stuck, unworthy, or ready to give up
Timestamps
| Time | Topic |
| 00:00 | Introduction — Tina Eliana's story and what's ahead |
| 01:00 | January 21, 2012 at 3:02 PM — the first message on Plenty of Fish |
| 02:00 | The green flags: humor, sincerity, and no "creep factor" |
| 03:00 | He was about to delete the app — expanded his radius one last time |
| 04:00 | Behind the scenes: two divorces, life threats, and unaddressed trauma |
| 05:00 | Adopting two brothers through foster care — what they weren't told |
| 06:00 | When safety became the crisis: voices, threats, and sleepless nights |
| 07:00 | The hardest decision: dissolving the adoption after nine years |
| 08:00 | The nervous breakdown — trauma presenting as MS symptoms |
| 09:00 | Why JD stayed when anyone else would have walked away |
| 10:00 | Hiding knives and taking turns sleeping — the reality of early marriage |
| 11:00 | Fleeing the town where all the trauma lived |
| 12:00 | Living in the vehicle — sleeping in a RAV4 at a truck stop on her 40th birthday |
| 14:00 | The turning point: crossing the state line and everything shifting |
| 15:00 | A year of wondering if she'd still be alive when he got home |
| 16:00 | "I love you enough to not put conditions on me staying" |
| 17:00 | Finding purpose through pain — developing empathy you can only earn by living it |
| 19:00 | Losing 100 pounds, earning four degrees, and building a new life |
| 20:00 | JD's gift: "Your jobs are your health and your education. I have us." |
| 22:00 | From not being able to dream — to not being able to dream enough |
| 23:00 | Living with nearly 50 health diagnoses and refusing to let them define her |
| 25:00 | Tina's message to anyone who feels stuck or is considering giving up |
| 27:00 | "I am a testament — you can. It's not easy, but it's so worth it." |
| 28:00 | Where to find Tina and what's coming next |
Key Quotes
"I'll dream for you until you can dream again."
"His love healed wounds inflicted on me by other people and other circumstances."
"I love you enough to not put conditions on me staying. Even if you haven't had the strength to take a shower today, I'm gonna love you and I'm gonna kiss you anyway."
"I spent my whole life expecting men to leave me. And he's like, 'No, I'm here and I'm staying.'"
"I was put on this earth to do something besides hurt and go through trauma."
"I've gone from not being able to dream — to not being able to dream enough."
About Tina Eliana
Tina Eliana is a leadership and learning systems advisor, author, speaker, and podcaster. She holds a bachelor's degree plus three master's degrees, has lost 100 pounds, and now works with clients around the world through her company, Tina Presents. Her memoir, Even the Sweetest Jam, is forthcoming.
Connect with Tina
•Podcast: Jam Sessions with Tina Eliana — jamsessionswithtinaeliana.com
•Company: Tina Presents
•Social: LinkedIn (Tina Presents)
Connect with Shot At Love
•Host: Kerry Brett
•Subscribe on Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode
•Leave a review if this story moved you — it helps others find the show
Resources Mentioned
•Plenty of Fish (dating app)
•Western Governors University (online degree program)
•If you or someone you know is in crisis: Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.)
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