After The Call: Hope with Freedom Coffee

In this powerful episode, we sit down with the heart and soul behind Freedom Coffee Co. — a brand built on purpose, sacrifice, and remembrance.

Located in Arizona City, Hope has created more than just a coffee company—she’s built a mission. Each bag of coffee honors fallen heroes, carrying their stories forward in a way that is both meaningful and deeply emotional.

Her “why” is something you don’t just hear… you feel.

This is a conversation about purpose, resilience, and honoring those who gave everything. Hope’s story will stay with you long after the episode ends—and it’s one you don’t want to miss.

If this episode moves you, we encourage you to support her mission by visiting her shop or checking out her incredible coffee online: https://freedomcoffeeco.co/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Because the job doesn't just leave the cards on the bottom.

SPEAKER_02 0:37

Alright, welcome to another episode of After the Call. I'm your host, Patrick, followed by Veronica.

SPEAKER_03 0:42

And Josh.

SPEAKER_02 0:43

And today we have hope with Freedom Coffee. So we have kind of a cool connection because not only do you do coffee, but you do something very special for fallen service members. And it's very dear to my heart because you have honored me by putting my daughter on a bag of coffee. Sorry. So it's very, it's very um near and dear to me because this is something that not only do I have my house now that I can look at forever, but you put it up in your shop, and then you know it just keeps passing on the memory of that. And it's just amazing. Yeah, it's pretty cool. Um, so I personally just wanted to thank you because that's pretty wild that you you do that for my daughter, but you also did it for another co-founder of Afterwatch for DJ for his son, which is just cool, and you do it for 12 others throughout the year.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah, it you know, it's an honor. I'm I'm humbled that um have this opportunity to do it. Um how it came about um obviously was very, you know, it was nearly took me out, but um but that was my my purpose to to find a a purpose to stay, you know. Um when I lost my husband, he was killed in action in 2020. Um that that nearly took me out. I um the devastation of that, I just I never thought I was gonna come back from it. And uh and one day I just um had this, you know, uh something just clicked and I I made a promise to God and I that was to um for the rest of my life honor his sacrifice and and then over time I realized it wasn't just about his sacrifice, it was about so many others. Um, you know, some of the families that I've come to love and one of the things that their biggest fear was, you know, that their their loved one would be forgotten. And so in my mind, I'm like, what can I do to at least here in Arizona and this little our little state, how can I make a change in that? And so over time, um, the coffee idea started to grow and my husband loved coffee, so that was uh it was gonna be with coffee somehow, some way. But um, but yeah, you know, in in the process of of getting through grief and and it never ends, you know, grief never ends. There are some moments I'll be at work and I'll just be cleaning or at the coffee shop or I'll be moving something around and it'll just hit me, I'll see a picture, or the realization of, you know, this is really this is really it. And or he's the one person that I want to see and he's not here. He'll never see it. But then I look at other heroes and and it's almost as if I can feel the pain of the families, and that's what you know, it's it's been hard, it's been challenging um starting a business uh as a solo mother um with a small child and just starting a business in general and in this in this day and age, but um but what drives me is is I look at the bags and I know it's not just about it's not just about me, it's about all the families, it's about them. And uh, you know, I'm I'm firm on my faith. And you know, John 15, 13, greater love hath no man than this, and he that gives his life for his friends, and each one of them has displayed that courage, and and each one of them fought a battle, you know, and um and they didn't make it back home. So, you know, it and we're just expanding and every year we honor, you know, different heroes. And um, I'm gonna have a whole wall. I'm still decorating, but I'm gonna have a whole wall where each each year of heroes, I'll display those heroes, and so those their faces will always be there. As as long as that coffee shop is there, they're gonna be there. And I encourage our customers to go in and look at their faces, say their names. Um, you know, we live with that every day. So it's cool.

SPEAKER_02 4:46

Yeah. No, it's cool. Uh the other thing that was really um humbling for me was you allowed us to like pick the name, which is cool.

SPEAKER_01 4:58

So yeah, you know, I I um again, it it's this whole thing was not about me. I I'm just the Lord's hands and feet, and you know, I'm I just I I just really pray through everything, but I wanted the families to feel like they were part of it. Like that I wouldn't be doing this, um, I wouldn't be able to do this without um the help of so many others, the support. But this is all this is for them as well. This is about their heroes, and so I do, I I allow, I let the families know, you know, if um because it's all by word of mouth. So I don't I don't go out, you know, and and I, you know, it's all by word of mouth. So if someone says, hey, I have a friend, then I'm like sending my way. Um, and you know, I let them know, like, you know, you you can pick the name, um, pick the picture. Um, so I I want them, the families to feel like they they have involvement in it as well.

SPEAKER_02 5:49

Definitely had involvement, yeah. So it was cool. And it I mean it's it's weird because the first time I think we had a meeting, like this wasn't even on my radar. I mean, obviously the tragic loss of my daughter didn't happen until you know December, but um it's just weird how we're put in certain positions at the right time, you know, all these connections are made with the right people, and it was just it was crazy. Divine appointments.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

Yeah, there's there's I've had so many divine appointments, but um lately the the one of the you know, a divine appointment that just brought me to tears was uh I was in the coffee. We have we have a patch wall and a coin challenge box on our walls for anyone to bring in any patches and coins and things like that. And um I was I was running late, I was supposed to leave work and I was running a little late and uh and I so I finally was heading out the door and I saw a gentleman putting a patch some patches on the wall. So something in me to say m said, go go see what he's putting up there. So I did. I I you know thanked him for his service and we chatted a little while uh come to find out he um there was one of the guys on our first team of heroes, I believe it was 2021. Um, his widow is a good friend of mine, and uh we met at a widows of heroes retreat, and uh he he was uh he was in training in Eloy and lost his life there. Um and uh his parachute didn't, you know, there was a malfunction or something, and he lost his life during training and two weeks away from being home. I feel like that's how it always is. And um and so that was back in 2020 when he lost his life and he was a Marine. And so this this guy, you know, this was maybe a week ago, a week and a half ago, he's putting a patch on the wall and we're talking, and he says, you know, there was we lost a Marine out here, and I said, Oh, I said, I didn't know that. And in in my mind, I'm thinking, well, if you find out who he is, let me know. Hit let you know, let me know his family and we can honor him. And but I didn't say that, and he was talking about it, and he says, Yeah, I I'm the first one to find him, you know, and and they were both Marines, so he felt that connection and it hit him hard. And um, and so he he mentioned a name and it sounded familiar. And I said, What was the name? And and so um and then it clicked. That's my my friend's husband. And so I pulled out a picture, I said, Is this him? And he said, Yeah, that's him. And so um my friend had never met this guy, and and he's the one who found her husband and still has the parachute, and he said, You know, I don't know why I held on to this, but I found it in the desert and it's his and I don't know why I held on to it. And so I said, I I know the widow, I know his kids. Um, so there was there was that connection that was made, and you know, I called her right away on my way home and I said, you know, hey, I got some news for you, you know, and and so I I I shared it with her, and she's just she said, you know, I don't even know what to say right now. She says, I I just need time to process this. So you know, she's able, she's you know, able to be connected with the the person that found her husband and and retrieve the f the parachute that you know that was his. And um and and just thank the people of Arizona City, you know, they're such a great community and um they were such a huge support to her. So now she's gonna um have my grand opening March 28th, and she's gonna try to fly out and just thank the city of Air the Arizona City for you know for their support, their prayers, and um and meet the gentleman that was there with her husband.

SPEAKER_03 9:16

That's cool.

SPEAKER_02 9:16

Yeah, what a crazy story. Like could you just um I mean I couldn't imagine like just years later getting a random call and I and I know you have connection with her, but I mean who who puts all that together? I mean that's just insane.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

And it's and it's crazy because my front door to the coffee shop, he he stood there and told me, he said, you know, he opened the door, he says, right down the street is where he was. And so I feel like you know, it's it's just it's a divine appointment, another divine appointment, you know. Um and you know, it's just God making those connections. But um, but yeah, it's it's bittersweet, you know, it's it's very bittersweet. Um I I I don't know, there like I said, it it hits me. And even though I may not have known these heroes in person, a lot of the families I do, and so it it affects me personally. How long have you been doing this? Um I want to say I the idea came to me, I want to say it was the I lost my husband in 2020, so maybe 2021-ish. Um but honestly I have widow brain and I forget so much. But I want to this is my third year of actually having the coffee bags.

SPEAKER_02 10:26

Oh that's pretty cool. That's really cool. Um what are your what are your plans to go from here?

SPEAKER_01 10:33

Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_02 10:34

Um I mean I know I know you say widowbrain, but I mean I'm sure you have ideas coming out of the world.

SPEAKER_01 10:39

I do, I do. I mean, so many things just are popping off, and I, you know, I don't get to sleep a lot just because I'll be laying there and a new idea will pop up, and I'm like, hold on, like I I gotta, you know, make sure our breastas know how to make this coffee first. And you know, we have amazing breastas. I'm I'm so um blessed that you know we have our breistas who are they're all experienced and and they just you know they they bring the ideas to the table and um you know I don't really have to spend a lot of time with them just because they they're so experienced. So it allows me to place myself in other areas that are that's needed as well. Um, but you know, honestly, I'm I'm not sure and pray I pray through everything. Like I'm just like, all right, God, you know, what specials are gonna we're gonna do today? You know, it sounds silly, but literally that's how I've done everything. I mean, from the day that I was um told about the coffee shop, it was a seven-day process. So a friend of mine, he owned uh the building and where the coffee shop was in Arizona City, calls me on a Sunday night and says, Hey, I need to talk to you. Up up to this point, I had there was nothing in the works for a coffee shop. I mean, the idea was there, but it was more like if it ever happens, great, if it doesn't, I'll just do the bags. Um, and so it was on a Sunday night that he called me and within seven days I had the keys in my hand. And I I just sat there and I'm like, wow, that was quick. And ever since then, we've just been it's been busy, you know. Um, but as far as moving forward, I I really would like to get our coffee shop solid um and and really just you know have a great layout, a solid layout. And if the Lord willing, I'd like to do a a franchise and have it in other places for other families to maybe pick up and um honor their loved one while honoring others. You know, I I have a a wall where it it sh sort of shares our story um and I'm adding to it, but it'll it'll be kind of personalized to to how the how it all started with my life um and my story. But for other families who would like to maybe do it, um, you know, there would be a a solid foundation, but they'd get to have the opportunity to kind of share their personal story. So that that's what I'm hoping. Um I know it's given me purpose and it gives me a reason to wake up and and um be able to talk about my husband. And so I I thought, well, you know, maybe there are other families who this might help them too. But it's definitely not been, you know, it's not been smooth. We've had some hiccups. Um I there's been a few days where I've gotten a call like at six in the morning or a text, the you know, our grinder's not working, and I'm like, great, you know, grinders are expensive, or you know, we're out of ice, and you know, there I am running to the store for 10 bags of ice, and people are just looking at me like, you having a party? I'm like, no, I have a coffee shop. Six o'clock in the morning. And you know, in Arizona City, there's there's not a lot of stores there. So going to picking up ten bags of ice, they just kind of give you a look, or you're also taking the ten bags of ice that are in there.

SPEAKER_02 13:41

Last ten bags.

SPEAKER_01 13:43

Pretty much, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:44

Uh a buddy of mine who works at Eloy Fire, his name is Jeremy Leary, he's been there forever, but his parents own an ice company right off there, Bataglia.

SPEAKER_01 13:53

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_03 13:54

Battaglia and uh Frontier, I think. There's a I can't remember what it's called, like Igloo Ice or something like that. But they got a sign out there in front and everything. Have you seen it? I haven't, but I need to look it up.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

Okay. Oh, I know where that's at.

SPEAKER_03 14:08

So like right next door to the Dollar General, there's like an ice sign or whatever, and that's my buddy Jeremy Leary store for the fire department down there.

SPEAKER_01 14:14

Yeah, I'm gonna have to go check him out. We I just heading there. I'm gonna um I'm gonna get a little contract with them. But uh but no, I just ordered a an ice machine that puts out double the ice. So I'm thinking, you know, on on our busy days, I I may only need like five bags instead of ten. But uh yeah, we're growing. It's great. That like I said, this the city of um Arizona City, they're amazing people. They love the coffee and huge supporters of veterans out there. Yeah, I didn't realize it. Um, you know, I asked the previous owner, I said, you know, are there veterans out veterans out here? And he said, Oh yeah, there's a lot. And now I realize like there's a huge uh community of veterans out there. So it it's great. Yeah. And we're right down the street from the fire department, too. So it's they come in, you know, they'll buy us out our our pastries, they'll buy like a couple dozen, and they don't have enough every now and then. Um there's a few that come in almost daily, but um, but yeah, it's it's great to see our servicemen coming in and first responders coming in and having a a place where they, you know, they're welcomed. Um and I make sure all all my staff, all my my baristas know, like, hey, you know, treat these these individuals, you know, um extra special for what they do.

SPEAKER_02 15:29

I'm not gonna lie, I've seen some of the videos of the drinks that you guys are making. It's like straight up diabetes in a bottle.

SPEAKER_01 15:36

I know I know, I know. I feel so guilty sometimes. I know, I feel so guilty sometimes. I'm like, oh my gosh. But you know, it's our bre my breasters are great, but they're young, you know. They're and they're all about the, you know, the the the fru the fun drinks and stuff. And I'm I'm more of like, just give me like three shots of espresso with some protein in it, and I'm I'm good. Um that was my drink that I I came up with was the well not came up with, but my version of adding to the menu was all right, we gotta have something like protein coffee. Like we can't just have all this sugar and coffee. Like, uh, you know, I don't want our our customers to get sick, and but it is good though, like our coffee's good. My roaster, he's a um he lives in Tucson, he's a Border Patrol agent, um, canine handler. So he uh, you know, he's very passionate about what I'm doing as well, what you know we're doing together. And um his how I chose him, I I interviewed like three different roasters, top roasters near um Gilbert. And um, and so I was trying to decide like who you know who am I gonna go with? And he and I somehow got connected through Instagram, I believe, and I saw something along the lines with with the grinder or I don't know, espresso machine, and we started chatting, and I I asked him, I said, Are you a roaster? And he says, Yeah, and I said, Well, where are you? And he he's like, I'm in Tucson. And so in my mind, I'm like, Do I really want to make that drive? And I'm like, Well, why not? You know, give it one one more try. So met with him and his wife in Tucson, and it was like instant. And as soon as he made the comment of, you will always have the best quality beans because uh these families and these heroes deserve the best. I knew I was like, All right, you're you're my guy. Um, not to mention he's a canine handler and we uh honor canines on our bags as well.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

Yeah, that's awesome. That's really cool. So I did get chills when he said the seven-day thing, because like when I was going through my journey of finding religion, like I kept seeing seven and I never knew what it actually represented. And then uh through a little bit of research and talking to my buddy who's like the encyclopedia of Bible, like this you can ask him anything, but the whole thing of seven, you know, representing completion and all this stuff, like that's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 17:51

Yeah, that's the that was uh someone mentioned that to me because it never seven was kind of a special number to me. My birthday is uh falls on November 7th, and then my daughter is no September 7th, and my husband picked her birthday, you know. The doctor asked him, which I'm like, why didn't he ask me? But the doctor asked him, you know, she can be born on the seventh or the eighth, and I look at him and I'm like, he better say now, like let's get this, let's get this ball rolling now. He did, he did good. He's like, All right, let's do the seventh, because my wife is the seventh as well. So n seven was special to me. So when when I realized like, wow, that was a seven-day like process, and someone said day of um seven represents completion. And and then it hit me, I said, okay, you know, I I asked, you know, through the whole process of it, I was asking God for prayer, like confirmation, confirmation. And then when that when my friend said that, I said, Okay. Then, you know, because there's always that question of did I do the right thing? What did I just as a solo mom, what did I just get myself into? Because my daughter, you know, she goes to school in Gilbert. The coffee shop is in Arizona City. Um, you know, and and I don't have a whole lot of help with her. I have, you know, my sons that, you know, if if they're available, they might be able to pick her up or something. So it was it was I was pretty nervous about making that step. Um, but so far, you know, we've had our minor hiccups as to be expected, but I feel like everything's just going right along. You know, God's bringing the right people to us and um it's just it's growing.

unknown 19:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:22

Well, with our connection, he'll he'll get the Eloy fire fire department down there, I guess.

SPEAKER_03 19:27

Yeah, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 19:28

Yeah, we yeah, it was really cool.

SPEAKER_03 19:29

We had um I've spent a lot of time at that SkyDog clinic. I spent a lot of time though over the years at the end of the year.

SPEAKER_01 19:36

Bring him let me know first though, so I can make sure we have all the everything ready to go, full full of pastries. But um, but yeah, it's it's it's it's great. Um last week, I think it was, we had uh a whole team of Border Patrol that showed up and they asked not to be you know featured and they didn't want us to post, but it was really cool because I have one on my wall is like a big flag, and I wanted the biggest flag that I can get on there. Um I think I think the next size up, it would have like been dragging on the floor, and I'm like, no, we can't have that. So we went with the size down and it covers pretty much our whole wall, and they stood against the wall, and I did get a picture because I I thought it was cool, but uh because they're all in their uniforms. But um, but yeah, if we can get the fire department in there, if we can get a picture, that'd be awesome.

SPEAKER_03 20:21

Sounds good. I'll call.

SPEAKER_02 20:22

Make it happen. Captain. So are you located along the main road in Arizona City?

SPEAKER_01 20:31

Yeah, so um you know it's kind of a special location. Um it's right off of exit 200 on I 10. So if you're going south, like you'll pass the the Florence, uh all those shopping areas, and then you'll pass the San Diego exit, and then it's the very next exit, which is exit 200. Um, and and that highway is kind of special. Um when I first met my husband, he lived in Gilbert. I live in Tucson. And so I made that drive. We he and I both we would make that drive like non-stop. Um, I know that road, like I can probably drive it blind, which I sort of do because I can't see very well. And I refuse to wear glasses. But um so that the highway was kind of special to me. So the fact that it's right off the freeway um of that that road sometimes when I'm driving, it and it again it's kind of silly, but I I just envisioned that he's sitting in the car next to me. And and you know, just like old times, we would make that drive a lot. Um and so yeah, it was a matter of fact, it was on that drive that um that I knew that he was the one. We were we we had just started dating and we were driving and I had this like um weird fear of me losing him. And w I mean we had only been dating maybe two months, and um, but this this wave of sadness came over me and I had this weird fear of and I had never cried in front of him, and so I'm looking out the window and like I just get really emotional, and I it just came out of nowhere. I'm I'm not a back then I wasn't a crier. Like I I just never I don't know, I guess I knew how to control my. Feelings. But um, and so I looked out the window and I'm like, this is so embarrassing. And so then he, you know, he said, What's wrong? And I said, Nothing, I'm okay. He he says, Look at me. And so I turned and I had these tears just rolling. And he says, Why are you crying? I said, I have no idea. I said, I just had this strange feeling that what if I lose you? And he says, Well, you're not gonna lose me. And I said, No, I said, not like I I don't know. I said, I just have this strange feeling of losing you, and I can't ever lose you. And so it was it was on that road, on that freeway, that I realized like he, you know, he there's something special about him. Um and then the rest was history, obviously. But um, so yeah, it it's a special highway for me. Um and you know, of course, coffee is is was his thing. He loved coffee. So that's um so everything is just kind of intertwined. Um you know, and I know that that's that's how I know like God, this was a divine appointment from God.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

Do you want to give a backstory on your husband's career, not what happened, but just what he did?

SPEAKER_01 23:01

Yeah, um, he was uh for for about 10 years, give or take, he um was a ISR pilot, um, intelligent surveillance reconnaissance pilot, um, working as a civilian contractor for the Department of Defense, working alongside our military. Um, and uh, you know, he was one of the he was a very highly skilled pilot, which is why he was doing what he was doing. Um he was directly working with the global war on terrorism. Um, and that is eventually how he lost his life, um killed in action by the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab.

unknown 23:36

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 23:37

Well, thank you for his service and all that stuff. Um please give a shout-out uh address and stuff for the shop. And if you want to shout out to the baristas or whatever, give him a shout out.

SPEAKER_01 23:48

Yes. So um our baristas, when you go in, our baristas are Ayla, McKinley, um, Lexi, and Elias. Elias only works on Saturdays, and I have a feeling there's a lot of females that come in to see him, but um, and that's okay.

SPEAKER_02 24:03

Is that older folks out there?

SPEAKER_03 24:05

I don't know. But can we can we request Elias to bring us coffee on a 24-hour broadcast? He's gonna be the one to bring it.

SPEAKER_01 24:14

But yes, um, so but for the most part, it's mostly our girls, my girls, and um, I feel like I just gained three daughters, but it's um yeah, McKinley, Lexi, Ayla, their amazing Briestas. We are located again off exit 200-13640 South Sunlin Gin Road in Arizona City. And our hours are Monday through Friday, um, six to four, and then weekends eight to Saturday is two, no, five, and then Sunday, eight to three.

SPEAKER_02 24:43

Okay, three.

SPEAKER_00 24:44

And if they can't go there, can they order your your coffee somewhere else?

SPEAKER_01 24:48

We do have DoorDash. Um I I don't have a shop in Gilbert yet or near Gilbert. That's that's kind of also on my project, is you know, I want to get that one balanced and and you know just stable, and then maybe open one near Gilbert somewhere um closer so I can be closer to my daughter as well. But um, but I don't know, we'll see. Well, you can order online. The bag, you can order the bag stuff online. The bag, yeah. We do have a merch store, and then we have a um we have our coffee bags online, and then um there's a few other organizations that we partner with. Um, Dark Horse Racing, that we also have a lot of their or some of their merchandise in our store as well, and they are a veteran racing team.

unknown 25:30

Cool.

SPEAKER_02 25:31

Cool. Well, I appreciate you coming out. Uh I don't know if you have any other questions. Yeah. I think it's great. Um, like I said, I'm truly humbled. I mean, it's it's hard not to be emotional about it.

SPEAKER_01 25:43

Oh, I get it. I'm I'm honored. It it's an honor. You know, I'm I'm it it's I'm just I'm grateful that I get to do this for the families and you know, for you. And I'm I'm grateful for this partnership as well.

SPEAKER_02 25:53

Appreciate it. Thanks. Well, thanks for coming out, and we'll uh we'll have to have you back on once you open your Gilbert shop and then we'll do that.

SPEAKER_01 26:00

You can like record there or something.

SPEAKER_02 26:01

Oh yeah. That would be cool. Because I think you were talking about that originally.

SPEAKER_01 26:05

I would, I would. I eventually I'd like to maybe start some type of podcast or or allow someone to do their podcast in in my shop. And you know, I I you know talking with maybe the families of the fallen and you know, anyone who deals in that um area. But yeah, we'll see. I don't know. Maybe it might be another seven-day process.

SPEAKER_02 26:26

Never know. Well, thanks for coming out. And uh we gave you uh a patch to put up there, and there's also a coin on that coin. So what's significant for us is the bison. Um and the reason we put that on there is the bison, you know, compared to a cow, will face the storm instead of running for shelter. So it's like it'll face a storm and go all the way through it. So that's our representation of our I guess our spirit animal. That's awesome. So you can put that up there.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

Appreciate it. Yep, it's gonna go up today as soon as I get back to the shop.

SPEAKER_02 26:58

Sweet. Well, thanks for coming out. Thank you.