1 00:00:08,978 --> 00:00:13,379 Suze: April 12th, 2026. Welcome everybody to the Women in Money 2 00:00:13,380 --> 00:00:19,090 Suze: podcast and everybody smart enough to listen. Today is Suze School, 3 00:00:19,209 --> 00:00:21,729 Suze: so get out your little Suze notebooks. 4 00:00:22,469 --> 00:00:26,229 Suze: And get out some tissues as well, and you'll see 5 00:00:26,229 --> 00:00:31,229 Suze: why later on in this podcast. All right, a few things, however, 6 00:00:31,309 --> 00:00:35,909 Suze: that I wanna say before I begin. Number one, don't 7 00:00:35,909 --> 00:00:39,909 Suze: forget to go to Suze Orman.com and sign up for 8 00:00:39,909 --> 00:00:43,259 Suze: the live webinar on April 23rd. 9 00:00:43,799 --> 00:00:47,369 Suze: Fabulous. I want you all to be there. And by 10 00:00:47,369 --> 00:00:50,909 Suze: the way, while you are there, why not check out 11 00:00:51,049 --> 00:00:57,369 Suze: the Ultimate Scam Protection? I'm telling you, big difference, everybody 12 00:00:57,369 --> 00:01:02,569 Suze: between identity theft protection and scam protection. So many of 13 00:01:02,569 --> 00:01:02,889 Suze: you 14 00:01:02,970 --> 00:01:07,970 Suze: think that you are being protected against money being lost 15 00:01:07,970 --> 00:01:10,290 Suze: and they're gonna give you your money back. You are 16 00:01:10,290 --> 00:01:15,529 Suze: not if all you have is identity theft protection. I 17 00:01:15,529 --> 00:01:20,400 Suze: created a program that was all about scam protection so 18 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,269 Suze: that when you lose money online, guess what? 19 00:01:26,239 --> 00:01:29,319 Suze: They will replace it. This is with Nord. They will 20 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:34,878 Suze: replace it up to $100,000. And yes, there's also identity 21 00:01:34,879 --> 00:01:38,098 Suze: theft protection in it, cyber protect. It's all in there, 22 00:01:38,239 --> 00:01:40,620 Suze: but the main reason that you want to buy it 23 00:01:40,839 --> 00:01:47,160 Suze: is for scam protection. Got that, everybody? Next, let's just 24 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,400 Suze: talk about the market here for a little bit. Things 25 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,480 Suze: are calming down. They just are, all right. 26 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,319 Suze: We'll see what happens. Oil has come down. Certain things 27 00:01:59,319 --> 00:02:03,639 Suze: have been doing absolutely great, by the way. Semi's SMH, 28 00:02:03,739 --> 00:02:05,559 Suze: which I asked all of you to buy a long 29 00:02:05,559 --> 00:02:09,860 Suze: time ago, it has been skyrocketing. QQQs are doing OK. 30 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,220 Suze: There are things that are doing OK. 31 00:02:12,750 --> 00:02:15,229 Suze: There are things that are not, but if you are 32 00:02:15,229 --> 00:02:19,630 Suze: invested properly, you will be just fine. And when I 33 00:02:19,630 --> 00:02:22,570 Suze: say properly, you don't have all of your money in 34 00:02:22,570 --> 00:02:30,288 Suze: one or two or three seriously speculative stocks. Now, earlier yesterday, 35 00:02:30,619 --> 00:02:33,429 Suze: yesterday morning actually, I got an email from a friend 36 00:02:33,429 --> 00:02:36,149 Suze: who I haven't heard from in a long time, and 37 00:02:36,149 --> 00:02:38,750 Suze: I said, how are you? And she said, well, I'd 38 00:02:38,750 --> 00:02:40,830 Suze: be a whole lot better if the stock market would 39 00:02:40,830 --> 00:02:41,649 Suze: go back up. 40 00:02:42,470 --> 00:02:45,429 Suze: And I wrote her back and I said, Are you 41 00:02:45,429 --> 00:02:46,169 Suze: kidding me? 42 00:02:47,110 --> 00:02:51,509 Suze: Do you remember all the way back during the dot com, 43 00:02:51,788 --> 00:02:55,239 Suze: back in 2000, right in there? Do you remember when 44 00:02:55,350 --> 00:03:00,190 Suze: Amazon went from $100 a share down to $5? 45 00:03:00,850 --> 00:03:07,250 Suze: It declined approximately 97% and became one of the greatest 46 00:03:07,250 --> 00:03:11,829 Suze: stocks of all time. Can you imagine if you sold 47 00:03:12,008 --> 00:03:15,410 Suze: back then, can you even begin to imagine? But it 48 00:03:15,410 --> 00:03:19,049 Suze: wasn't just Amazon, it was Apple. Apple has gone up 49 00:03:19,050 --> 00:03:23,508 Suze: and down and up and down. Do you remember in 2008, 2009, 50 00:03:23,809 --> 00:03:27,089 Suze: it went down 60%. 51 00:03:28,220 --> 00:03:31,750 Suze: Do you remember that? And people were calling and saying, 52 00:03:31,820 --> 00:03:34,100 Suze: just sell, just sell. I need to get out, I 53 00:03:34,100 --> 00:03:37,820 Suze: need to get out. I want you to write this 54 00:03:37,820 --> 00:03:38,740 Suze: saying down. 55 00:03:39,740 --> 00:03:45,580 Suze: You don't make money simply buying great companies. Did you 56 00:03:45,580 --> 00:03:46,460 Suze: write that down? 57 00:03:48,070 --> 00:03:48,639 Suze: All right. 58 00:03:49,630 --> 00:03:52,089 Suze: You make money surviving them. 59 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:53,949 Suze: Surviving them. 60 00:03:55,990 --> 00:03:59,350 Suze: You have to just get through this time, and this 61 00:03:59,350 --> 00:04:03,649 Suze: time is not easy, trust me, I have some serious 62 00:04:03,649 --> 00:04:07,940 Suze: losses of gains on the books now. I didn't say 63 00:04:07,940 --> 00:04:11,669 Suze: losses cause many of the stocks that I bought, I 64 00:04:11,669 --> 00:04:15,309 Suze: bought at very low prices, they went a whole lot 65 00:04:15,309 --> 00:04:17,709 Suze: higher than they are now. Some of them are down 66 00:04:17,709 --> 00:04:18,890 Suze: 100 points. 67 00:04:20,010 --> 00:04:24,170 Suze: But overall I'm still up money, so haven't I said 68 00:04:24,170 --> 00:04:27,089 Suze: to all of you, look at what you have, not 69 00:04:27,089 --> 00:04:30,450 Suze: at what you could have had. My true advice to 70 00:04:30,450 --> 00:04:33,029 Suze: most of you right now is, can you just stop 71 00:04:33,519 --> 00:04:37,209 Suze: looking at all. If you know that you have good 72 00:04:37,209 --> 00:04:42,829 Suze: quality stocks, stocks that people need, that they're gonna be here. 73 00:04:43,369 --> 00:04:46,290 Suze: If you know that you have diversification or whatever it 74 00:04:46,290 --> 00:04:49,010 Suze: may be and that you're not just all invested in 75 00:04:49,010 --> 00:04:54,170 Suze: one speculative area, can you just stop looking and maybe 76 00:04:54,170 --> 00:04:57,469 Suze: come back six months or a year from now, really. 77 00:04:58,170 --> 00:05:01,970 Suze: Because you will make a mistake in my opinion if 78 00:05:01,970 --> 00:05:05,260 Suze: you sell right now. Now how do I know that? 79 00:05:05,529 --> 00:05:09,690 Suze: 'Cause I made a mistake. Not now, but before. And 80 00:05:09,690 --> 00:05:13,049 Suze: let me tell you about it. All of us have emotions, 81 00:05:13,130 --> 00:05:17,049 Suze: and that includes me, and I had a serious position 82 00:05:17,049 --> 00:05:21,529 Suze: in Netflix. Let's just say I had 1,000 shares at 83 00:05:21,529 --> 00:05:23,450 Suze: the time. I bought it at $200 so that would 84 00:05:23,450 --> 00:05:26,170 Suze: have been $200,000. 85 00:05:26,630 --> 00:05:30,679 Suze: And I watched Netflix go from 200 to 300, to 86 00:05:30,678 --> 00:05:36,579 Suze: $400 to 600 to $700 almost 900 $1,000 like I saw... 87 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,609 Suze: I'm like going, oh my God, and then it went down, 88 00:05:39,619 --> 00:05:42,678 Suze: and it finally it's at $200 a share, and now 89 00:05:42,678 --> 00:05:46,420 Suze: I've had it. I sold, cause I couldn't take it anymore. 90 00:05:47,250 --> 00:05:50,409 Suze: Then over the next year or two or three it 91 00:05:50,410 --> 00:05:56,609 Suze: essentially went back up to over $1,000 a share, split 92 00:05:56,609 --> 00:06:00,049 Suze: 10 for 1, which is why it's now at $103 93 00:06:00,049 --> 00:06:04,660 Suze: a share, but that would be worth $1,030 a share. 94 00:06:04,928 --> 00:06:09,690 Suze: I would be up an $800 profit, but no, I 95 00:06:09,690 --> 00:06:11,209 Suze: couldn't deal with the pressure. 96 00:06:11,899 --> 00:06:15,529 Suze: I learned a great lesson then. I just did now, 97 00:06:16,019 --> 00:06:21,109 Suze: to my credit, that was also during the time, seriously, 98 00:06:21,420 --> 00:06:24,959 Suze: when I had gone through that major operation. I wasn't 99 00:06:24,959 --> 00:06:28,708 Suze: really thinking straight. I didn't know what my future held, 100 00:06:28,940 --> 00:06:34,760 Suze: and therefore I made a decision that was not wise. 101 00:06:35,059 --> 00:06:39,399 Suze: I don't want you to make that same mistake. 102 00:06:40,170 --> 00:06:42,209 Suze: So again I will repeat. 103 00:06:42,829 --> 00:06:46,959 Suze: The main lesson of this part of the Suze School, 104 00:06:46,970 --> 00:06:51,750 Suze: which is you don't just make money buying great companies, 105 00:06:52,290 --> 00:06:57,130 Suze: you make money surviving them, surviving their ups, their downs, 106 00:06:57,209 --> 00:07:00,489 Suze: their ins and their outs. A great company is a 107 00:07:00,488 --> 00:07:04,890 Suze: great company and just put it away five years from now, 108 00:07:04,970 --> 00:07:10,369 Suze: 10 years from now, 20 years from now. Just think 109 00:07:10,369 --> 00:07:11,170 Suze: about that. 110 00:07:11,970 --> 00:07:14,079 Suze: But today for me. 111 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,339 Suze: It is a very special day. 112 00:07:18,089 --> 00:07:20,170 Suze: And I'm going to try to get through this with 113 00:07:20,170 --> 00:07:20,809 Suze: all of you. 114 00:07:22,579 --> 00:07:25,940 Suze: For those of you who don't know the story, let 115 00:07:25,940 --> 00:07:31,459 Suze: me just bring you back to July 21, 2020. 116 00:07:32,790 --> 00:07:35,119 Suze: And I had been having trouble. 117 00:07:35,950 --> 00:07:40,350 Suze: My right leg really wasn't working properly. It was kind 118 00:07:40,350 --> 00:07:44,149 Suze: of dragging a little. I couldn't really sign my name 119 00:07:44,510 --> 00:07:48,470 Suze: in books or whatever. I was having trouble doing just 120 00:07:48,470 --> 00:07:49,809 Suze: little things. 121 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:54,760 Suze: So, we decide, OK, let's go and get an MRI 122 00:07:55,239 --> 00:07:59,799 Suze: and July 21st happens to be KT's birthday. 123 00:08:00,820 --> 00:08:04,519 Suze: And we were convinced since it was her birthday that 124 00:08:04,519 --> 00:08:08,290 Suze: there was absolutely no way that we were going to 125 00:08:08,290 --> 00:08:12,329 Suze: get bad news, so she stayed in the car. I 126 00:08:12,329 --> 00:08:15,750 Suze: went in for my MRI. Everybody was always so happy 127 00:08:15,750 --> 00:08:19,809 Suze: to see me because they like Suze Orman and they 128 00:08:19,809 --> 00:08:21,769 Suze: like knowing that they're taking care of me. 129 00:08:22,519 --> 00:08:26,450 Suze: And there I am having an MRI, and in the 130 00:08:26,450 --> 00:08:29,750 Suze: middle of the MRI, the machine stops. 131 00:08:30,570 --> 00:08:35,130 Suze: And all of a sudden I hear my doctor, Doctor Sadowitz. 132 00:08:35,530 --> 00:08:39,968 Suze: His voice come over the loudspeaker. Now his office isn't 133 00:08:39,969 --> 00:08:42,630 Suze: even near where that MRI place is. 134 00:08:43,419 --> 00:08:45,069 Suze: And he says, Suze, I need to come in and 135 00:08:45,070 --> 00:08:48,510 Suze: talk with you. I'm like, OK, now. 136 00:08:49,380 --> 00:08:52,780 Suze: And he comes in, they, you know, kind of scoop 137 00:08:52,780 --> 00:08:54,358 Suze: me out, you know, how they move back and forth 138 00:08:54,359 --> 00:08:55,390 Suze: when you're in an MRI. 139 00:08:56,270 --> 00:09:00,280 Suze: And he says, we have a problem. You have a tumor. 140 00:09:01,409 --> 00:09:07,380 Suze: And the tumor is blocking almost your entire spinal cord. 141 00:09:07,700 --> 00:09:10,260 Suze: We don't know how you're walking. We don't know why 142 00:09:10,260 --> 00:09:13,500 Suze: it hasn't busted, but this is a problem we need 143 00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:16,780 Suze: to deal with right here and right now. 144 00:09:18,219 --> 00:09:22,710 Suze: Well, I had the MRI image and I sent it 145 00:09:22,710 --> 00:09:27,429 Suze: to my friend Ron Walls, who is the CFO of 146 00:09:27,429 --> 00:09:28,609 Suze: Mass General. 147 00:09:29,650 --> 00:09:32,939 Suze: And I sent it to him saying, is this serious? 148 00:09:33,010 --> 00:09:36,618 Suze: Is this true what they're saying? He calls me immediately 149 00:09:36,619 --> 00:09:39,500 Suze: and he says, Suze, I need you to talk to 150 00:09:39,500 --> 00:09:43,140 Suze: somebody at 7 o'clock tomorrow morning. 151 00:09:44,150 --> 00:09:48,039 Suze: So I go, OK, and I call Ron, and he 152 00:09:48,039 --> 00:09:51,869 Suze: has the head of all neurosurgery, all these doctors, Doctor 153 00:09:51,869 --> 00:09:57,589 Suze: Nino Chiocca of Mass General Harvard and puts him on 154 00:09:57,590 --> 00:10:00,549 Suze: the phone with me and he said, Suxe, I need 155 00:10:00,549 --> 00:10:01,909 Suze: you to listen to me. 156 00:10:02,750 --> 00:10:06,590 Suze: There are only one or two doctors in this entire 157 00:10:06,590 --> 00:10:11,650 Suze: world that can do this operation. You can't have somebody 158 00:10:11,909 --> 00:10:15,468 Suze: in Boca do it. You can't have somebody just anywhere 159 00:10:15,469 --> 00:10:20,109 Suze: do it. This is very serious, and I need you 160 00:10:20,429 --> 00:10:25,640 Suze: to come here, and I've picked out the perfect, perfect 161 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:29,330 Suze: doctor that I know can do this operation. 162 00:10:30,940 --> 00:10:34,179 Suze: KT and I didn't question it. We didn't think about it, 163 00:10:34,500 --> 00:10:38,219 Suze: and we got on a plane, a private plane, that 164 00:10:38,219 --> 00:10:42,260 Suze: next morning, and that now is July 22nd. 165 00:10:42,950 --> 00:10:45,630 Suze: And we're on our way to Boston. 166 00:10:46,690 --> 00:10:50,049 Suze: We get off the plane, we get in the car, 167 00:10:50,250 --> 00:10:53,760 Suze: immediately take us, and they're waiting on the curb for me. 168 00:10:55,429 --> 00:10:58,010 Suze: And they have a wheelchair for me, and I go, 169 00:10:58,109 --> 00:11:00,559 Suze: I can walk. It's like, no, you cannot walk. 170 00:11:02,020 --> 00:11:05,719 Suze: Any wrong move, your spinal cord, Suze Orman, is going 171 00:11:05,719 --> 00:11:06,640 Suze: to snap. 172 00:11:07,570 --> 00:11:10,358 Suze: We get in there and they wheel us in. Now, 173 00:11:10,530 --> 00:11:12,570 Suze: this is during COVID. 174 00:11:13,469 --> 00:11:17,719 Suze: And they are not letting anybody into the hospital. 175 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:22,460 Suze: And KT is with me, and thank God we were 176 00:11:22,460 --> 00:11:25,840 Suze: with Ron Walls, head of the whole hospital, and he 177 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,559 Suze: looks at everybody and says, this woman is coming in 178 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,760 Suze: and she's not gonna leave Suze's side. 179 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:35,500 Suze: So KT was able to come in with me. 180 00:11:36,210 --> 00:11:39,090 Suze: It was on that day that I met Doctor Mike 181 00:11:39,090 --> 00:11:41,770 Suze: Groff for the very first time. 182 00:11:42,590 --> 00:11:45,440 Suze: And I loved him. We talked for an hour and 183 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,079 Suze: a half. I have it all on my recorder. 184 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:53,539 Suze: And I said to him, Well, how dangerous is this operation? 185 00:11:53,869 --> 00:11:56,559 Suze: And he said, ah, maybe a seven, maybe an eight, 186 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:59,039 Suze: not a big deal. So KT and I were kind 187 00:11:59,039 --> 00:12:01,679 Suze: of relieved. We didn't think much about it. 188 00:12:02,789 --> 00:12:06,080 Suze: He said, but it's gonna be at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning. 189 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:09,840 Suze: We said, fine. So we went to a little hotel. 190 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,840 Suze: They took us to this place that we were staying 191 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,739 Suze: that's connected to the hospital, and we had the best dinner. 192 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,640 Suze: We ate everything that was, uh, probably wasn't good for us, 193 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:24,159 Suze: french fries, nachos, delicious, and we were like happy because 194 00:12:24,159 --> 00:12:26,880 Suze: we thought everything was gonna be just fine. 195 00:12:27,929 --> 00:12:31,369 Suze: We then show up. They immediately take us in, and 196 00:12:31,369 --> 00:12:34,929 Suze: Doctor Nino Chiocca comes in, and I'm gonna post pictures 197 00:12:34,929 --> 00:12:37,530 Suze: of all of these people so you can see them 198 00:12:37,849 --> 00:12:40,530 Suze: on the Women in Money site just so you know 199 00:12:40,530 --> 00:12:43,369 Suze: on the community app, and he said, Well, I'm gonna 200 00:12:43,369 --> 00:12:46,090 Suze: be in there and I'm gonna be watching Mike and 201 00:12:46,090 --> 00:12:49,809 Suze: I said, OK, and nobody said anything, but everybody was 202 00:12:49,809 --> 00:12:51,830 Suze: acting a little bit strange. 203 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:56,090 Suze: And then the head anesthesiologist comes in. 204 00:12:57,059 --> 00:13:01,109 Suze: And she's talking to me and she's saying, OK, there's 205 00:13:01,109 --> 00:13:02,950 Suze: gonna be four or five of us in there, and 206 00:13:02,950 --> 00:13:06,169 Suze: I'm like, why are there so many anesthesiologists in there? 207 00:13:07,179 --> 00:13:11,010 Suze: And everything again is going smoothly, and now they start 208 00:13:11,010 --> 00:13:12,169 Suze: to wheel me in. 209 00:13:12,809 --> 00:13:15,369 Suze: And I say goodbye to KT and she looks at 210 00:13:15,369 --> 00:13:18,968 Suze: KT just as we're going in, she says, KT I 211 00:13:18,969 --> 00:13:22,710 Suze: just wanna tell you something. It is very, very possible... 212 00:13:23,390 --> 00:13:26,569 Suze: that Suze, when she comes out, she will be blind, 213 00:13:27,070 --> 00:13:29,728 Suze: and KT and I look at each other and we go, 214 00:13:30,039 --> 00:13:32,449 Suze: what are you talking about? 215 00:13:33,270 --> 00:13:37,909 Suze: And she said, but let's just see what happens as 216 00:13:37,909 --> 00:13:42,590 Suze: she's wheeling me down this hall. I'm not under any drugs, anesthesia, 217 00:13:42,900 --> 00:13:47,650 Suze: anything at this point. Still, she's wheeling me down, and 218 00:13:47,750 --> 00:13:50,770 Suze: she says, Now you have to listen to me very closely, Suze. 219 00:13:51,229 --> 00:13:53,429 Suze: When I say wake up, you have to wake up. 220 00:13:53,510 --> 00:13:54,348 Suze: I said, OK. 221 00:13:55,059 --> 00:13:58,200 Suze: Now she's screaming at me. She said, Don't say OK. 222 00:13:58,380 --> 00:14:01,659 Suze: When I say wake up, you have to wake up. 223 00:14:01,940 --> 00:14:05,218 Suze: Say OK. She made me say that nine or 10 224 00:14:05,219 --> 00:14:08,159 Suze: times until I was screaming, OK. 225 00:14:09,229 --> 00:14:13,109 Suze: Then they wheel me into the room, and there's Doctor 226 00:14:13,109 --> 00:14:17,010 Suze: Groff along with 20 other surgeons. 227 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,520 Suze: And I'm looking at everybody and I'm like, is this 228 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:21,349 Suze: a party? 229 00:14:22,710 --> 00:14:25,599 Suze: And they were kind of still joking with me a little, 230 00:14:25,679 --> 00:14:28,020 Suze: but everybody was very lighthearted. 231 00:14:29,109 --> 00:14:31,630 Suze: All right, 12 hours later. 232 00:14:32,820 --> 00:14:37,859 Suze: They're finally wheeling me out, they're having me in recovery 233 00:14:37,859 --> 00:14:42,380 Suze: for quite some time, and then finally, there's KT. I 234 00:14:42,380 --> 00:14:43,419 Suze: get to see her. 235 00:14:44,340 --> 00:14:48,179 Suze: And, OK, I mean, I have tubes everywhere, everything, and 236 00:14:48,179 --> 00:14:53,299 Suze: what ended up happening was that there was a tumor 237 00:14:53,299 --> 00:14:57,640 Suze: known as a schwannoma tumor that did cut off 99% 238 00:14:57,979 --> 00:14:59,500 Suze: of my spinal cord. 239 00:15:00,349 --> 00:15:02,830 Suze: And they were saying, you are a walking miracle. It 240 00:15:02,830 --> 00:15:05,190 Suze: should have snapped, but it didn't. 241 00:15:06,380 --> 00:15:08,940 Suze: They took out two of my discs in my neck, 242 00:15:09,099 --> 00:15:13,580 Suze: put in different ones, whatever they did, and now I'm 243 00:15:13,580 --> 00:15:16,530 Suze: back in the room, and I'm actually feeling pretty good. 244 00:15:18,500 --> 00:15:20,580 Suze: I have a lot of drugs in me, everything, but 245 00:15:20,580 --> 00:15:25,479 Suze: I'm doing pretty well. And the next morning, Ron Walls 246 00:15:25,479 --> 00:15:28,419 Suze: walks back into our room. We had a private room. 247 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:33,760 Suze: And says, I can't believe it. And I'm looking at him. 248 00:15:33,799 --> 00:15:37,429 Suze: I go, What can't you believe? That you're sitting up, Suze. 249 00:15:37,799 --> 00:15:38,719 Suze: I said, yeah. 250 00:15:39,450 --> 00:15:42,400 Suze: And he said, and I can't believe that you're using 251 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:47,890 Suze: your arms, cause I was using my arms. I said, yeah. 252 00:15:48,789 --> 00:15:51,130 Suze: And he said, and I think you're gonna be able 253 00:15:51,130 --> 00:15:53,549 Suze: to walk. I said, well, yeah. 254 00:15:54,419 --> 00:15:58,669 Suze: And he said, essentially what he said to us was, Suze, 255 00:15:59,270 --> 00:16:00,630 Suze: you have to understand. 256 00:16:01,390 --> 00:16:05,489 Suze: That this surgery was one of two things. 257 00:16:06,270 --> 00:16:11,760 Suze: It was either a life-ending surgery, worst case. 258 00:16:12,590 --> 00:16:17,619 Suze: Best case, it was definitely going to be a lifestyle 259 00:16:17,619 --> 00:16:19,349 Suze: altering surgery. 260 00:16:20,309 --> 00:16:21,630 Suze: I said, what does that mean? 261 00:16:22,650 --> 00:16:27,080 Suze: And to put it bluntly, they honestly thought that if 262 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:30,489 Suze: I came out alive, that I would be either a 263 00:16:30,489 --> 00:16:34,849 Suze: quadriplegic or a paraplegic, but I definitely would not have 264 00:16:34,849 --> 00:16:37,010 Suze: use of my arms, OK. 265 00:16:38,349 --> 00:16:41,369 Suze: Now, over the next few months, 266 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:45,239 Suze: I was on a walker. I got back to the island. 267 00:16:45,559 --> 00:16:50,840 Suze: Doctor Groff and Nino actually flew to the island 268 00:16:51,630 --> 00:16:55,190 Suze: and saw me. Nobody still wanted me to do much. 269 00:16:55,469 --> 00:16:57,989 Suze: I did my best to go on TV cause it 270 00:16:57,989 --> 00:17:00,229 Suze: was the pandemic, and it took like an hour to 271 00:17:00,229 --> 00:17:03,190 Suze: put on my, you know, jacket and KT. It was 272 00:17:03,190 --> 00:17:05,699 Suze: not a good three years for me on any level. 273 00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:10,239 Suze: But they came to the island, they saw me, and 274 00:17:10,239 --> 00:17:13,050 Suze: at that point my left arm was numb, but they 275 00:17:13,050 --> 00:17:16,270 Suze: were still like, we can't believe it, but we're so happy. 276 00:17:17,319 --> 00:17:20,739 Suze: Now, why am I telling you this story today? 277 00:17:22,010 --> 00:17:24,089 Suze: And this is what's gonna be hard for me. 278 00:17:24,949 --> 00:17:29,310 Suze: Over the years that this had happened, I became very, 279 00:17:29,469 --> 00:17:34,640 Suze: very close with Doctor Groff. He became my North Star. 280 00:17:34,949 --> 00:17:38,489 Suze: When anything wasn't going right, when the pain was more 281 00:17:38,630 --> 00:17:42,448 Suze: than I could tolerate, whenever anything, I would call him. 282 00:17:43,310 --> 00:17:47,718 Suze: And those calls turned it into a friendship where he 283 00:17:47,729 --> 00:17:51,359 Suze: came to the island again. He went fishing with Colo. 284 00:17:52,109 --> 00:17:54,439 Suze: He came to our house here in Florida all the 285 00:17:54,439 --> 00:17:57,669 Suze: time for dinner. I mean, we were close. We talked 286 00:17:57,670 --> 00:18:00,880 Suze: at least once a month. I would talk to him 287 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:04,619 Suze: about his money. He would talk to me about my health. 288 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:08,760 Suze: Around right now, one year ago, and none of you 289 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,239 Suze: knew this, but I did end up back in the 290 00:18:11,239 --> 00:18:12,819 Suze: hospital for a week. 291 00:18:13,910 --> 00:18:18,589 Suze: And I had called Mike and he was just about 292 00:18:18,589 --> 00:18:21,910 Suze: to go on a little trip with his family, and 293 00:18:21,910 --> 00:18:27,170 Suze: we were supposed to talk on April 14th of last year. 294 00:18:27,599 --> 00:18:30,349 Suze: He said, don't worry, Suze, I'm gonna talk about it. 295 00:18:30,469 --> 00:18:33,030 Suze: We'll get through this. It's OK. Don't worry, I'm here 296 00:18:33,030 --> 00:18:33,430 Suze: for you. 297 00:18:34,839 --> 00:18:39,589 Suze: And so, everything was fine, tests were coming back normal, 298 00:18:39,890 --> 00:18:45,010 Suze: all of that. Now, it's April 12th, and it happened 299 00:18:45,010 --> 00:18:49,760 Suze: to be Passover and Easter, I believe, right at the 300 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:50,489 Suze: same time. 301 00:18:51,579 --> 00:18:56,719 Suze: And Mike, and his wife Joy, who was also a doctor, 302 00:18:57,380 --> 00:18:59,900 Suze: and his daughter, Karenna. 303 00:19:00,709 --> 00:19:06,430 Suze: And her boyfriend James, they were 25, and Jared, which 304 00:19:06,430 --> 00:19:13,439 Suze: was Mike's son, and his girlfriend Alexia, were all going 305 00:19:13,780 --> 00:19:18,609 Suze: to a seder in upstate New York in Copake, New York, 306 00:19:18,660 --> 00:19:19,640 Suze: to be exact. 307 00:19:20,430 --> 00:19:25,229 Suze: And they had called their other daughter, Anika, who's 18, 308 00:19:25,439 --> 00:19:28,599 Suze: and said, Do you wanna come? And she said, No, no, 309 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,959 Suze: it's OK. I know all of you will be back 310 00:19:31,959 --> 00:19:37,569 Suze: tonight because we'll have Seder together and we're gonna celebrate 311 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:42,438 Suze: Karenna's 25th birthday. So I'll just wait here and get 312 00:19:42,439 --> 00:19:43,239 Suze: everything ready for you. 313 00:19:45,239 --> 00:19:49,420 Suze: Well, on April 12th, later that day. 314 00:19:50,219 --> 00:19:54,130 Suze: We got a call from one of the head doctors there, Linda. 315 00:19:55,349 --> 00:19:57,150 Suze: And she said, I have something I have to tell 316 00:19:57,150 --> 00:20:00,829 Suze: you now. KT and I are in the hospital room. 317 00:20:01,270 --> 00:20:03,430 Suze: We found out everything's OK with me, so you don't 318 00:20:03,430 --> 00:20:06,429 Suze: have to worry about that. And she said, Suze, I 319 00:20:06,430 --> 00:20:07,709 Suze: have to tell you something. 320 00:20:08,890 --> 00:20:10,929 Suze: And I said, well, wait, let me put you on 321 00:20:10,930 --> 00:20:13,270 Suze: speakerphone so KT can hear it too. 322 00:20:14,770 --> 00:20:20,729 Suze: And she said, Mike... was in an airplane accident. 323 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:25,969 Suze: And he and his entire family were killed. 324 00:20:27,060 --> 00:20:32,859 Suze: Now Mike was an avid pilot. He had always piloted 325 00:20:32,859 --> 00:20:34,359 Suze: his own plane. 326 00:20:34,969 --> 00:20:38,530 Suze: It was one of his greatest joys in life to 327 00:20:38,530 --> 00:20:41,050 Suze: be a pilot. He could do helicopters. He could do 328 00:20:41,050 --> 00:20:44,810 Suze: all of it, and he had this plane that he 329 00:20:44,810 --> 00:20:46,129 Suze: just loved. 330 00:20:47,410 --> 00:20:51,089 Suze: Anyway, he was flying the plane that day with his 331 00:20:51,089 --> 00:20:52,069 Suze: whole family. 332 00:20:53,660 --> 00:20:57,489 Suze: And he missed the exit of where to land. 333 00:20:58,219 --> 00:21:02,300 Suze: And it was foggy, and he turned around and hit 334 00:21:02,300 --> 00:21:06,219 Suze: the side of a mountain, and all of them died. 335 00:21:06,900 --> 00:21:07,939 Suze: On the spot 336 00:21:09,050 --> 00:21:10,369 Suze: Can you just imagine? 337 00:21:11,910 --> 00:21:15,199 Suze: And to say that we cried and we cried is 338 00:21:15,199 --> 00:21:18,479 Suze: putting it mildly later that day. 339 00:21:19,300 --> 00:21:23,260 Suze: We're sitting there and just so distraught, and the head 340 00:21:23,260 --> 00:21:28,439 Suze: neurologist of Boca and all these other neurology doctors came 341 00:21:28,439 --> 00:21:33,099 Suze: in with the results of my MRI. I'm like, oh God, 342 00:21:33,300 --> 00:21:36,459 Suze: don't tell me. What are you doing here? What do 343 00:21:36,459 --> 00:21:40,540 Suze: you need? And he said to me, he said, I 344 00:21:40,540 --> 00:21:42,739 Suze: just want to tell you something, Suze. 345 00:21:43,849 --> 00:21:45,050 Suze: Everything's fine. 346 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:51,030 Suze: But I don't know what surgeon did this surgery on you, 347 00:21:51,329 --> 00:21:56,750 Suze: but I can tell you that man absolutely saved your life. 348 00:21:57,010 --> 00:21:59,409 Suze: He is the best we have ever seen, and if 349 00:21:59,410 --> 00:22:02,410 Suze: you ever talk to him, can you tell him? 350 00:22:03,209 --> 00:22:08,909 Suze: That the staff here at Boca, the neurological staff, just 351 00:22:09,170 --> 00:22:10,489 Suze: can't even believe it. 352 00:22:12,130 --> 00:22:14,659 Suze: And I just looked at him as they all walked out. 353 00:22:14,739 --> 00:22:15,599 Suze: There were four of them. 354 00:22:17,750 --> 00:22:20,579 Suze: And, and obviously... 355 00:22:24,339 --> 00:22:28,579 Suze: Obviously, Mike wasn't going to be talking to me on Monday. 356 00:22:29,890 --> 00:22:32,619 Suze: Mike could never talk to me again. 357 00:22:34,030 --> 00:22:37,629 Suze: But the reason that I'm telling you this story is 358 00:22:37,630 --> 00:22:39,949 Suze: because it was one year ago today. 359 00:22:41,619 --> 00:22:44,129 Suze: One of the worst days of my life. 360 00:22:45,060 --> 00:22:51,140 Suze: That news was absolutely more devastating to me than the 361 00:22:51,140 --> 00:22:54,900 Suze: medical news that I got those years ago. 362 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:56,968 Suze: It really was. 363 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:02,719 Suze: But a few days later after this happened, there was 364 00:23:02,719 --> 00:23:05,900 Suze: an online funeral and a funeral in Boston. 365 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:12,520 Suze: And Anika, his daughter, who was 18 at the time, 366 00:23:12,839 --> 00:23:15,839 Suze: she was a senior in high school. 367 00:23:16,719 --> 00:23:23,659 Suze: She lost her father, her mother, her brother, her sister, 368 00:23:24,079 --> 00:23:30,339 Suze: their boyfriend and girlfriend. She lost her entire immediate family 369 00:23:30,810 --> 00:23:36,050 Suze: all in one swoop. She got up there by herself, 370 00:23:36,599 --> 00:23:37,989 Suze: and here's what she said. 371 00:23:39,780 --> 00:23:41,869 Suze: She said, I only wish that I was on the 372 00:23:41,869 --> 00:23:42,829 Suze: plain with them. 373 00:23:44,050 --> 00:23:47,169 Suze: And I'll never know why I really wasn't. 374 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:49,629 Suze: But I do know one thing. 375 00:23:50,329 --> 00:23:52,569 Suze: They would want me to be strong. 376 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,760 Suze: They would want me to make them proud. 377 00:23:57,540 --> 00:24:01,139 Suze: They would want me to show the world that against 378 00:24:01,140 --> 00:24:02,260 Suze: all odds. 379 00:24:03,819 --> 00:24:08,819 Suze: You can survive. You can recover. You can smile again, 380 00:24:08,979 --> 00:24:10,380 Suze: and you can make it. 381 00:24:12,859 --> 00:24:14,699 Suze: I want you to think about that. 382 00:24:15,630 --> 00:24:17,909 Suze: I want you to think about that. 383 00:24:20,349 --> 00:24:26,449 Suze: Today she's living with her aunts, uncles, grandparents. She's, she's OK. 384 00:24:26,959 --> 00:24:27,930 Suze: She's in college. 385 00:24:29,060 --> 00:24:32,459 Suze: And she seems to be doing exactly what she said 386 00:24:32,459 --> 00:24:34,379 Suze: she would be doing. 387 00:24:35,300 --> 00:24:36,829 Suze: She's making them proud. 388 00:24:37,630 --> 00:24:42,949 Suze: And she's learning how to thrive against all odds and 389 00:24:42,949 --> 00:24:44,469 Suze: all losses. 390 00:24:45,939 --> 00:24:51,800 Suze: Now, I'm also telling you that for a reason, this story. 391 00:24:53,229 --> 00:24:55,109 Suze: I'm telling you that cause I just want you to 392 00:24:55,109 --> 00:24:59,069 Suze: think about this. When you get so upset about the 393 00:24:59,069 --> 00:25:03,390 Suze: markets going down, when you get so upset about the 394 00:25:03,390 --> 00:25:05,810 Suze: things that are going crazy in this world, 395 00:25:06,989 --> 00:25:11,468 Suze: When you get upset about things that can be changed, 396 00:25:11,709 --> 00:25:14,670 Suze: can be helped, can be brought back. 397 00:25:16,290 --> 00:25:18,189 Suze: I just want you to remember. 398 00:25:18,939 --> 00:25:21,560 Suze: That this one girl Anika... 399 00:25:22,530 --> 00:25:25,599 Suze: 18 years old lost everything. 400 00:25:27,369 --> 00:25:30,859 Suze: And she now has the strength to go on. 401 00:25:32,180 --> 00:25:36,819 Suze: So all of you that suffer a serious loss 402 00:25:37,729 --> 00:25:40,589 Suze: I hope you can take a little bit from this story, 403 00:25:40,849 --> 00:25:44,109 Suze: a little bit from Anika, and go on. 404 00:25:44,949 --> 00:25:50,390 Suze: Go on with strength and faith knowing you have the 405 00:25:50,390 --> 00:25:55,550 Suze: ability to thrive again you can do it you have 406 00:25:55,550 --> 00:25:58,089 Suze: to do it you have no other choice. 407 00:25:59,060 --> 00:26:02,880 Suze: So Mike and family, I miss you so much. 408 00:26:04,859 --> 00:26:05,640 Suze: So much... 409 00:26:06,890 --> 00:26:11,729 Suze: It's all I can say. So, until next week, there's 410 00:26:11,729 --> 00:26:14,969 Suze: only one thing I want you to remember, and that's 411 00:26:14,969 --> 00:26:18,829 Suze: never forget, we all have the ability to thrive.