Fernando “Grizz” Montejano, half of the morning duo behind 93.1 KISS-FM's “Iris & Grizz in the Morning,” is opening up about a childhood marked by trauma and multiple suicide attempts, and the low-cost therapy he began at 18 that helped him find stability. Montejano says his family troubles began at age five, when his mother, an alcoholic, went to jail, leaving him in his father's care and separated from his sisters. He says that period of his life also involved sexual abuse and exposure to drug life, experiences that pushed him toward drugs and alcohol at a young age.
Montejano made his first suicide attempt at age 12 and had about four attempts total before he turned 18, according to KVIA. He first entered a mental health facility following a public suicide attempt, a period he describes bluntly: “It's tough to talk about but that's what we're here for,” he said, per the same report. He began seeking therapy at 18, paying as little as five dollars per session at sliding-fee clinics. At federally qualified health centers, patients may be eligible for discounted services based on family size and income, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Therapy That Changed His Life
Montejano credits attachment therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy with turning his life around, saying the combination changed his life, the station's report notes. DBT emphasizes emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. Montejano says he now uses tools from that therapy to regulate his mood and navigate his emotions, and describes himself as making progress.
His healing has not come without additional loss. Montejano experienced the end of a long-term relationship, and his sister Bianca died from a fentanyl overdose, according to the same KVIA account. He moved back to El Paso and returned specifically to bury Bianca and help care for her young daughter, Aria, and his mother. His mother has since celebrated one year of sobriety, per the report.
A Regional Crisis Behind the Personal Story
Bianca's death reflects a toll that has hit Texas hard. Fentanyl poisoning deaths in the state rose more than 600% between 2019 and 2023 before state health data recorded a 42% drop in fentanyl poisoning deaths from July 2024 through June 2025, according to Texas Border Business.
Locally, the city of El Paso recorded a suicide mortality rate of 14.23 per 100,000 residents in 2023, while roughly 17.6% of local adults reported experiencing frequent mental distress, Hoodline previously reported on the region's mental health strain.
A Brother-Sister Bond on the Air
Montejano's on-air partner, Iris Lopez, a University of Texas at El Paso graduate, has her own history of mental health advocacy.
Lopez and Montejano describe their on-air relationship as something closer to family. The two share a brother-sister bond and say they support each other by listening without judgment. Montejano has also shared his story publicly.
His Message to Listeners
Montejano says he hopes that sharing his struggles will encourage others to pursue healing rather than suffer in silence. “Don't give up. At some point you're gonna get past this. If you try, you will,” he said, according to KVIA's report. For anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or simply needing someone to talk to, 988 is a resource.
