From Rock Radio to Alzheimer’s Advocacy

What happens when a rock radio hall of famer, beloved by legions of fans, is forced to reinvent herself after a career setback? For Dayna Steele, the answer lies in courage, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to helping others.

In this episode of Living Ageless and Bold with Christina Daves, Dayna opens up about her remarkable journey—from breaking barriers in the male-dominated world of rock radio, to becoming a trailblazing entrepreneur, to navigating the heartbreaking reality of her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Along the way, she has faced failures, doubts, and even the fear of asking for help. Yet every challenge became a turning point that shaped her legacy and gave her a deeper sense of purpose.

Dayna’s story is not just about success; it’s about resilience. She candidly shares what it was like to build a career in radio when few women had the opportunity, and how she turned being fired—at the peak of her career—into a launching pad for new ventures. She talks about the healing power of sharing her caregiving journey publicly, how it unexpectedly created a community of support, and why she believes helping others is the surest path to finding meaning in life.

If you’ve ever wondered how to bounce back after life knocks you down, or how to find purpose in the middle of heartbreak, Dayna’s journey will resonate deeply. Her story reminds us that resilience is built not in the absence of struggle, but in the choice to keep moving forward with generosity and grit.

From a College Crush to a Radio Career

Dayna’s career began almost by accident. As a 16-year-old college student, she auditioned for the campus radio station—not because she dreamed of radio fame, but because she wanted to impress a DJ she met at a party. Yet the moment she put on those headphones, she felt at home. In that booth, she wasn’t the shy, geeky Dana Nicholson—she had a voice, and she could be anyone.

That spark led her to a Houston rock station where she started as a secretary. One Friday night, fate intervened: the midnight DJ failed to show up, and no one else was sober enough to cover the shift. Dayna lived across the street, so they called her in. She never left. The absent DJ lost his job, and Dayna suddenly found herself on the air. From that point forward, she hustled her way into bigger opportunities, ultimately landing at KLOL, the station she had grown up listening to.

Breaking Barriers in a Man’s World

In the 1980s and 90s, radio was dominated by men. Dayna was told she’d never host morning drive or earn the same money as her male counterparts. But she proved them wrong—hosting every major time slot and building an impressive career. Along the way, she created a loyal fan base known as the “Steelworkers.” Far from being casual listeners, they became lifelong supporters who grew with her through every chapter of her life.

Her authenticity and knack for self-promotion made her stand out. “I didn’t play Van Halen any differently than the next DJ,” Dayna explained. “What I did was promote the heck out of myself.” That skill would later become the cornerstone of her entrepreneurial success.

Forced Reinvention: Fired for Being Pregnant

At the height of her career, Dayna’s path took a sharp turn. Pregnant with her first child, she found herself clashing with management over the station’s increasingly risqué morning show antics. When she pushed back—refusing to go on air until the studio was cleaned up and speaking openly about her pregnancy—management pushed her out. They literally handed her a letter saying she made too much money, complained too much, and should stop talking about her pregnancy.

That setback could have ended her story. After all, radio was all she had ever known since she was 17. But instead, Dayna took it as a challenge. “It was like getting kicked out of the nest,” she said. “And I had to learn to fly.”

Becoming an Entrepreneur

Dayna realized she had valuable skills in marketing and self-promotion. She approached a respected PR professional, Gwen Griffin, and asked if those skills could translate into business. Gwen immediately hired her on a contract basis, launching Dayna’s new chapter. She also worked with firms specializing in crisis communications, sharpening her ability to ask tough questions and hold her own with executives.

Her entrepreneurial path proved she could thrive outside of radio. And while she may not have been spinning records anymore, her ability to connect with people and tell stories remained her superpower.

The Power of Asking

Throughout her journey, one theme stands out: the courage to ask. Dayna encourages others to do the same. Whether it was asking for a chance in radio, asking mentors for guidance, or even asking for campaign donations when she ran for Congress, she learned that most people are more willing to help than we think. “What’s the worst they can say? No. Then you move on.”

Her “Motivation Monday” posts on social media embody this philosophy, encouraging people to share what they need to succeed. That openness has led to surprising opportunities and life-changing connections.

A Mother’s Alzheimer’s Journey

Dayna’s most personal reinvention began with her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2013. Over the next two and a half years, Dayna chronicled her caregiving journey on Facebook. What started as a practical way to update friends and family became a lifeline—for her and countless others. She shared the raw, funny, heartbreaking moments of caregiving, and in the process built a community of support.

Those posts eventually became her book, Surviving Alzheimer’s with Friends, Facebook, and a Really Big Glass of Wine. Half memoir, half resource guide, the book combines her personal stories with expert advice from elder care professionals, neurologists, and attorneys. The book remains relevant today, nearly a decade later, because the need is greater than ever.

Turning Pain into Art: The Woman in the Mirror

Dayna’s advocacy didn’t stop at the book. She co-created and stars in The Woman in the Mirror, a play based on her experiences. With over 126 rewrites, the play blends humor and heartbreak, just like caregiving itself. Dayna plays herself, while another actress alternates between portraying her best friend and her mother. Audiences laugh one moment and cry the next—a perfect reflection of the caregiving journey.

Performing the play is both cathartic and emotionally demanding. Dayna admits she sometimes considers stepping back, but then an audience member will approach her in tears, thanking her for helping them feel less alone. That connection keeps her going. As she describes it, the play is a “love letter to my mom and to caregivers everywhere.”

Lessons from Caregiving

Caregiving changed Dayna forever. After her mother’s death, she realized recovery is its own journey. Her upcoming book focuses on caregivers in recovery, exploring the complex emotions—like jealousy, guilt, and even resentment—that surface after caregiving ends. “When am I going to be me again?” is a question she hears often, and her answer is both sobering and hopeful: you won’t be the same person, but you can grow into a stronger version of yourself.

One of her most powerful lessons is the importance of planning ahead. Alzheimer’s, she stresses, doesn’t come with a manual. Families must have tough conversations before a crisis hits—about finances, care preferences, and realistic expectations. She even provides a free resource on her website with “28 Questions Every Family Should Ask.”

Finding Humor Amid the Hardship

Despite the seriousness of Alzheimer’s, Dayna insists that laughter is essential. She shares stories like the time her mom and fellow residents dressed up as cows for Chick-fil-A’s anniversary, only to topple over like dominoes in the restaurant line. Everyone was fine—and everyone got free chicken. She calls it “cow tipping,” a moment of levity that perfectly captured the absurdity and humanity of caregiving.

Another story involved a friend’s grandmother who was caught watching hardcore adult films and quipped, “They’ve never done this on The Young and the Restless before.” These stories remind caregivers that humor is not just allowed, but necessary for survival.

What Dayna Would Tell Her Younger Self

Looking back, Dayna says she’d tell her 35-year-old self this: Everything you do to help others will come back to you in ways you can’t imagine.

Helping people has been her guiding principle throughout her life and career. Whether it was through her work in radio, her motivational posts on social media, or even her congressional runs, she’s discovered that when you put yourself out there in service of others, the universe has a way of giving back.

Dayna recalls how asking for help, and offering it in return, has connected her to incredible people and built life-changing relationships. Even when she faced difficult challenges—like the fear of asking for money during her congressional campaigns—she realized that honesty, kindness, and simply putting the ask out there opened unexpected doors.

She also found healing through helping others during one of the hardest seasons of her life—caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s. Sharing that journey openly on Facebook created a community she hadn’t expected. It became her therapy and, ultimately, the foundation of a book and a play that continue to inspire and comfort caregivers years later.

Dayna Steele’s story is one of grit, reinvention, and purpose. From her groundbreaking radio career to her entrepreneurial ventures, from her run for Congress to her advocacy for Alzheimer’s caregivers, she embodies resilience. Her journey reminds us that setbacks can become stepping stones, that laughter can coexist with grief, and that helping others is the surest path to lasting success.

For anyone facing a career change, caregiving challenges, or the uncertainty of reinvention, Dayna’s message is clear: just ask, don’t be afraid to fail, and never underestimate the power of your own voice.

Watch her full episode here: