In this powerful episode of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast, we sit down with Charlie Fortik, owner of 3D Fitness and co-founder of Bunker Supplements, to share one of the most raw redemption stories ever featured on the show.

Charlie opens up about growing up in extreme poverty and chaos. He endured abuse from his mom’s boyfriends, grew up surrounded by crime, and at times survived by eating out of McDonald’s garbage cans. By the age of 11, Charlie was living completely on his own in a small camper in a field, forced to survive with no guidance, no protection, and no safety net.

He shares how fighting became his outlet, eventually leading him into a professional MMA career, but also how unresolved trauma followed him into adulthood. After the passing of his father, Charlie entered a downward spiral that resulted in five years in prison, a moment that could have ended everything.

Instead, it became the turning point.

This episode dives deep into how Charlie used pain, discipline, and accountability to rebuild his life, build successful fitness businesses, and help others understand that their past does not define their future.

If you have ever felt trapped by your circumstances, weighed down by trauma, or unsure if real change is possible, this conversation is for you.

🌧️ You have to go through some rain to get the growth on the other side.

🎧 Guest Information

Charlie Fortik is the owner of 3D Fitness, a private members-only gym, and the co-founder of Bunker Supplements. He is a former professional MMA fighter and a survivor of childhood abuse, homelessness, and incarceration. Charlie’s mission is to help others build discipline, confidence, and purpose, especially those who feel stuck because of their past.

🧠 Topics Covered in This Episode

Childhood abuse and extreme poverty
Living alone at 11 years old
Homelessness and survival
Growing up around crime
Professional MMA fighting
Losing a parent
Spending five years in prison
Rebuilding life through discipline and fitness
Entrepreneurship and second chances

🔗 Guest & Business Social Media Links

Charlie Fortik Instagram
https://instagram.com/maryandcharliefortik

3D Fitness Instagram
https://instagram.com/3dfitnessllc

Bunker Supplements Instagram
https://instagram.com/bunker_supplements


🎙️ Host Information

This episode is hosted by Matthew Sidwell, host of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast. Matthew is an online fitness coach for parents over 30, a father of four, and an advocate for mindset, discipline, faith, and generational growth. He created Rain Brings Growth to share real, unfiltered stories of people who have walked through darkness and come out stronger.

🔗 Host & Podcast Social Media Links

Matthew Sidwell Instagram
https://instagram.com/sidwell.fitness

Matthew Sidwell Facebook
https://facebook.com/
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Rain Brings Growth Podcast Instagram
https://instagram.com/rain.brings.growth.podcast

Rain Brings Growth Podcast Facebook
https://facebook.com/
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Rain Brings Growth Podcast YouTube
https://youtube.com/@rainbringsgrowthpodcast

Rain Brings Growth Podcast TikTok
https://tiktok.com/@rain.brings.growth.podcast

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on

Redemption
Fitness
Mental toughness
Faith
Prison reform
Overcoming trauma
Fatherhood
Discipline

This episode is a special one. We sat down for a raw, real, and hilarious four-way conversation with four former corrections officers who spent years inside the walls most people never see behind. Joining the roundtable are Matthew Sidwell, Kyle Nations, Brock Sande, and Jeffery Anderson, and together we share the stories you don’t hear unless you lived it.

We dive into the reality of prison life from the officer’s side—major incidents, intense moments, fights, adrenaline dumps, and what it truly takes to stay calm when chaos breaks loose. But we also talk about the funny memories, the pranks, the camaraderie, and how you find ways to make a dark environment enjoyable just to survive it mentally.

There’s laughter. There’s perspective. There’s honesty. And there’s also reflection on what we miss, what we don’t, and how those years shaped us as men, fathers, and leaders today.

If you’ve ever wondered what prison is really like for the people working behind the gates, buckle up—this one is wild, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable.

Rain brings growth… even in the hardest places. 🌧️➡️🌱

Listen, laugh, learn, and gain a new appreciation for the men and women who suit up and step into that world every day.