In September 2018, 26-year-old Shawn Sinisi landed in Pittsburgh alone, carrying only a small suitcase after being abruptly discharged from a top national rehabilitation facility. Hours later, Shawn tragically became the first documented victim of serial child abuser Jerry Sandusky to lose his life.

Reported and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim—who originally broke the Penn State scandal—The Mayor of Maple Avenue bridges the gap between two silent crises: childhood trauma and substance use disorder.

Across eight raw and compelling chapters, the series examines:

• The Human Story: Who Shawn was beyond his struggles—a charismatic, fiercely loved young man known fondly to those around him as "The Mayor of Maple Avenue."
• Systemic Gaps: How our healthcare, addiction, and justice systems frequently fail individuals suffering from severe, compound trauma.
• A Family's Fight: A mother's tireless journey to get help for her son and her ongoing advocacy for systemic reform.

Supported by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and created in partnership with Meadowlark Media and Advanced Media, this series has garnered over 1.3 million downloads for its courageous, compassionate journalism.

Available now on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.