1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,280 Speaker 1: We'd like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: on which this podcast was recorded, the Gaddigall people of 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: the Urination. We pay our respects to Elder's past and present. Hi, 4 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: welcome back to my head Game podcast. I'm a Middleton. 5 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: We started head Game in September last year and I've 6 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: since spoken to some incredible people. We've got a whole 7 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 1: bunch of new listeners to Headgame and I wanted to 8 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: share one of my favorite episodes, and actually the first 9 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:35,240 Speaker 1: episode we ever dropped. Todd Russell is one top bloke 10 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: and he shared his unbelievable story of surviving in the 11 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: Beaconsfield Mine with me. It's nine twenty six pm on 12 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: Anzac Day two thousand and six when an earthquake hits 13 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: the small town of Beaconsfield in North Tasmania. It only 14 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: reaches a magnitude of two point three on the Richter scale, 15 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,919 Speaker 1: the kind of earthquake that you probably won't even feel, 16 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: but for Todd Russell it changes his life forever. As 17 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: the earthquake hits, he's working almost a kilometer underground. Fourteen 18 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: miners manage to scramble to safety from the rock fall, 19 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: but Todd and fellow miner Brandt's Web are trapped hundreds 20 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 1: of meters under the surface in a cage the size 21 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:33,199 Speaker 1: of a dining table. After cutting their clothes and boots 22 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: to free themselves from the rubble, they assess the situation. 23 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: All they have is the small amount of water seeping 24 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: through the rock overhead and one musely bar between them. 25 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: They agree to wait twenty four hours to eat it. 26 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: They end up waiting four days, but it would be 27 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: another ten days before they're rescued. I'm at Middleton and 28 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: this is head Game today, an extraordinary insight into what 29 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: it's like to be trapped nearly a kilometer underground with 30 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: nothing but a mate, a musically bar, and the hope 31 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: to be reunited with loved ones. Todd, it's great to 32 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: have you on my podcast head Game. So take me 33 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 1: back to the earthquake. Now. The earthquake hits a two 34 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: point three on the Richter scale. Nothing We don't even 35 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: feel it on the surface. However, underground is a lot different. 36 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: Talk me through that moment when that happened and when 37 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: you realized you were in serious trouble. 38 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 2: So the night before I was working in the nine 39 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 2: to twenty five level. It's the same level as what 40 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 2: we got stack in on the ANXECT day. And the 41 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 2: ground was very noisy, popping and cracking, and I actually 42 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,959 Speaker 2: got hit with a rock the night before, which is 43 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: probably the size of a football, and it actually knocked 44 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 2: the helmet off my head. So the next night when 45 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 2: we come in, like I said. 46 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: I was back filling and that's just due to the stretch. 47 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 2: Yep and it's spitting rocks and dropping rock. So the 48 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: next night, on ANAZAC day, like I said, I was 49 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: doing some backfilling and Brent and Larry and arrived at 50 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 2: around about it's about seven twenty five, seven thirty pm 51 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 2: at night, and I remember parking my underground loader back 52 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 2: at the cross Cup. I got out, grabbed my water bottle, 53 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,239 Speaker 2: and I proceeded up to where the light vehicles parked, 54 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 2: which was halfway between where Larry and the bogger was. 55 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 2: I placed that on the back of the vehicle as 56 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 2: I proceeded up to the telly. Later, Brent reached into 57 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 2: his pocket and he pulled out a coin and he 58 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: tossed the coin and he said to Larry, what do 59 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 2: you want heads or tarts? That was the difference between 60 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 2: Brant being in the basket with me and Larry Knight 61 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: being where he was. So the toss of a coin. 62 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 2: The toss of a coin cost Larry his life. But 63 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 2: say Brent, just by the toss of that coint it 64 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 2: was nine to twenty five PM is obviously the seismic event, 65 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 2: which registered two point three on the rector'scale. And even 66 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: though you say you don't feel them vibrations, I have 67 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 2: been informed at stage that some of the vibrations were 68 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:23,160 Speaker 2: fifteen k's away. You know, for us it was instant bang, 69 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: quicker than you can blink, quicker than split second. And 70 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 2: you know, I remember laying there and I'm in a 71 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 2: position that nobody's body should be put in. My left 72 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 2: leg was completely numb from my hip to the tips 73 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 2: of my toes was numb that took six days to recover. 74 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 2: My left knee was punched through one hundred mile galve 75 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: and I steel mesh. My entire body apart from my forearms, 76 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 2: from my elbows down and my neck up was covered 77 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 2: in rock. And when I say rock, some of them 78 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 2: were as small as fifty pieces, some of as big 79 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 2: as footballs. And it wasn't until then that I sort 80 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 2: of started to get my bearings about myself, that I 81 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: realized what had happened. Initially, I thought there'd been a 82 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 2: malfunction on the machine where the tires might have blown 83 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 2: out or something like that, because of the percussion inside 84 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 2: the basket. It's a basket that's one point for me 85 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 2: to square, so it's only nine hundred high, and there's 86 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 2: no roof above us. It's open, so we're open to 87 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,479 Speaker 2: the elements. But you know, and we've now got this 88 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: suspended of ars like a three dimensional jigsaw puzzle. We 89 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 2: only need one piece of that rock to move, and 90 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 2: as a fair chance that we're going to be crushed 91 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 2: to death. But I remember laying there in the darkness, 92 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 2: completely buried in so much pain, and I remember screaming 93 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 2: to Larry and to Brand to get us out. You 94 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 2: get us out, Get us out, and trying to get 95 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 2: Brand to help me get the rock off me. And 96 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 2: I was one of one hundred I think it was 97 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 2: one hundred and sixteen kilo when I was working underground. 98 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 2: I thought maybe I was physically strong enough to heave 99 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 2: up and push the rock off me. But each time 100 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,719 Speaker 2: that I did that, it compacted tighter and tighter, and 101 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 2: I was unable to take a smart's oxygen in. The 102 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 2: pressure was actually starting to push the contents and my 103 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 2: stomach up. I slowly suffocating, And you know, I remember 104 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 2: laying there in excruciating pain, and I just prayed to 105 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 2: the big fellow. I said, you've got to take me. 106 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 2: I said, I can't handle this anymore so, and I 107 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 2: remember laying there wanting it to end. And an image appeared, 108 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 2: and that image was a picture of Caroline, myself and 109 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 2: the three kids. Because only only a week or two 110 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 2: weeks before Beaconsfield happening, we went and had a family 111 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 2: portraits taken and one of the photos was our group photo. 112 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:55,359 Speaker 2: And once that image appeared, I knew I had to fight. 113 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: I couldn't leave my family behind. And to see that 114 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 2: image was the image that brought me back to fight. 115 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:08,280 Speaker 2: And then screamed to brand even though I'm now buried 116 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: at around about read about the four hour mark, worried 117 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 2: about a crush injury. 118 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, you've got the toxins, you've got, you've got the 119 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: you've got the gravity that's against you, You've got the 120 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: rocks that have on you. You've got a situation where 121 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: it's pitch black, and you know how dangerous it is 122 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: down there. You're thinking, I'm never getting out of the situation, 123 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: and then you've got your power next year, that's unconscious. Yep, 124 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: this picture comes up, but that's your reason. 125 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 2: Yep, that's what that's what I now fight for. So 126 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 2: you know, brand's now come come around. We've said about 127 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 2: removing this rock that's covering my entire body, one rock 128 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 2: at a time. Obviously, there was no room to put 129 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 2: it outside the basket, so the bigger rocks had to 130 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 2: be stacked inside the basket. The smaller rocks we found 131 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 2: places for. So now we're in a basket that's one 132 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 2: point four meters by now seven hundred, so we've taken 133 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 2: half the space of the case stacked with rock. We 134 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 2: had one guy on his background laying on his side, 135 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 2: so each time we want to toss and turn, it 136 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:05,559 Speaker 2: was just like laying on a bit of razor blades. 137 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: So after you know the concerns of a crash injury, 138 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 2: four and a half hours later, I am now in 139 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 2: a position where I'm pretty much totally incapacitated because my 140 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 2: left leg's completely numb. 141 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: So when did your power come to? When did he 142 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: when did he sort of come to When did you 143 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: realize there must have been a relief to find out 144 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: that he was actually because looking knowing that he's there 145 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: and he's not responding, you're probably thinking he's dead. 146 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:36,239 Speaker 2: The things I couldn't see because you're in darknes. 147 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:37,959 Speaker 1: And you know he's there and he's not responding. Are 148 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: you thinking in your head he's dead? 149 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 2: Yes, you know, I'm thinking I'm not getting a response. 150 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: To it's pitch black as well. 151 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,559 Speaker 2: Because what people don't realize is when you work underground, 152 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 2: there's a difference between dark and darkness. You're sitting in 153 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 2: a room, you turn the lights off, bang, it's picked 154 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 2: black dark. But over a period of thirty or forty seconds, 155 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 2: your night light starts to come through your and you 156 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 2: can actually see through the darkness. When you're underground, you 157 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 2: cannot see two centimeters in front. 158 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: Now, So how do you know that he's alive? That 159 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 1: brunt's alive? 160 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 2: So we're probably about I don't know, two, probably three, 161 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 2: three and a half hours into it. So once I 162 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 2: made contact with him, like he then yelled out to me, 163 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 2: so he's obviously come around. He's now fearing for his 164 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 2: life as well. So now he's yelling out to me. 165 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 2: The next thing you know, bang right, we're on level 166 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 2: playing field and he's We're talking to each other through 167 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 2: the darkness, not knowing where each other were. Like we 168 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 2: knew were within an area that we were, but I 169 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 2: didn't know what position he was in. He didn't know 170 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 2: what position I was in. 171 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,079 Speaker 1: Was it a relief or did it incite panic? 172 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 2: If Brand hadn't come through, well then and that image 173 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 2: of mine didn't come through, It's just fortunate that we 174 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 2: both pulled through, because there'll be nothing works and you 175 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 2: can imagine learning a small area with a deceased body. Besides, 176 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 2: you know, even now you're now dealing with that as 177 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 2: well as whatever else is going on. 178 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: So that mindset flip. You see that picture, you've now 179 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 1: got Brant on side, what do you how does the 180 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 1: communication happen and what do you start doing to make 181 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 1: to make things better for you? 182 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 2: So without using the words that we probably used underground 183 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 2: throughout the course of the day, but it was a 184 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 2: matter of you know, look, our main priority now is 185 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 2: if your free brandt we need to free me. And 186 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 2: because because of the rock and stuff that we're using, 187 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 2: a lot of was quartz and that too, and quarts 188 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 2: is very sharp, so you know, we've got a lot 189 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 2: of cuts, bruises, and lacerations throughout the course. But you know, 190 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 2: over the over that that period of the few hours 191 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 2: to get the rock off me and then obviously we're 192 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 2: going to the next six stays station there where you know, 193 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 2: there's a lot of things that we were doing, a 194 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:07,839 Speaker 2: lot of things that we're talking about just to try 195 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 2: and keep a morell up. 196 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 1: So you mentioned morale in the military is everything. You know, 197 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 1: we see, you know, humor in the face of adversity. 198 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 1: You know, morale is ultimately, I would say one of 199 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: the key survival methods of staying alive. 200 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 2: Yep. 201 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,959 Speaker 1: Morale, whether that's hope, whether it's just humor in the 202 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: face of adversity, just trying to keep morale high, because 203 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:33,680 Speaker 1: that's what's going to keep you alive, right yep. How 204 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:37,079 Speaker 1: did you keep morale to a level where there was hope? 205 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 2: Well, we're going to two stages there, you know, like 206 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,439 Speaker 2: you have morele and you had that roller coaster ride 207 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 2: as well. So throughout the course of the next six days, 208 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,839 Speaker 2: we had some highs and we had a lot of loads, 209 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 2: but morele we talked about family, and that's what got 210 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 2: us through. You know, both Brand and I were two 211 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 2: completely different people. We'd never worked together before in seven years. 212 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 2: We'd started at the mine on the same day under 213 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 2: the same mining contractor, but never ever worked together to 214 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 2: Anzac day two thousand and six. You know, it was 215 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 2: interesting how everybody's got a different life story. And Brand's 216 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 2: older than him and Rachel. They've got twins who are eighteen. 217 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 2: At the time. I had a younger family, so I 218 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 2: had three children. I had two boys and a girl. 219 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 2: So I had Lam who was six at the time, 220 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 2: Madison who was ten at the time, and my UTIs 221 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 2: was twelve, so they were younger. You know. As part 222 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 2: of our conversations it was about if anything happened to 223 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 2: him or happened to me. We had messages, specific messages. 224 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 2: We want to take them back to our family. So 225 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 2: once we got our bearings, one I think it was 226 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 2: my cap lamp had been smashed in the rock fall. 227 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 2: Brance fortunately was knocked off his head, so after Scramsy 228 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 2: threw the rocks, we found his cap lamp, so we 229 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 2: had lights sparingly. So knew and we knew that the 230 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 2: battery would only last a period day twelve or fourteen hours. 231 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: Maybe you had to rush in your light. How did 232 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 1: you food water? How did you rush in that? 233 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 2: So the first six days, like I said, I had 234 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,959 Speaker 2: my water bottle in the basket, but still to this 235 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 2: day I have no idea where that water bottle went to. 236 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 2: So over the six days we started collecting groundwater in 237 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 2: one helmet, so the dripping of the water, because Beaconsfield 238 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,199 Speaker 2: was a very wet mind but to get a mouthful 239 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 2: of water it took somewhere for sinner, probably two hours 240 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 2: just to get a mouthful of water. So we then decided, then, look, 241 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 2: you know, we can't rely on this, so we started 242 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 2: collecting our urine in another helmet, worst case scenario, not 243 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 2: that we didn't do that. Luckily we didn't have to. 244 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 2: But over the six days I said, you know, I said, 245 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 2: we started collecting the water. We had no food apart 246 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 2: from Musley bar Brandt was. He gave me half his mulybo, 247 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 2: but I lost it. So I didn't eat for the 248 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 2: first six days. We never slept for six days because 249 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,320 Speaker 2: we're too frightened it And like I said, over the 250 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 2: six days before being found alive, there was so much happening, 251 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:15,319 Speaker 2: you know, because I had a watch on and I 252 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 2: knew that the accident happened about nine to twenty five, 253 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 2: So every time I got to nine to twenty five, 254 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 2: I knew it was day shift. I knew it was 255 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 2: night shift. And over the course of the next six days, 256 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 2: like I said, there were so much happening as underground 257 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 2: loaders working in the nine to twenty five level, bogging 258 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 2: the dirt out, taking it back and put it in 259 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 2: the stockpile, even to the extent where it started to 260 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 2: lift the back of the machine that both Brand and 261 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 2: I are on. You know, we've got all this rock 262 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 2: suspended of us, like at three dimeters of jigsaw puzzle. 263 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 2: And unbeknownst to both Brandon and myself at this time, 264 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 2: the body of Larry Knight had been found two days in, 265 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 2: so they didn't give both Brand myself any chance of survival. 266 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 2: So what we're now concerned of is now they found 267 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 2: the back of the machine, they're going to bring in 268 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 2: a big loader, put a big chain on it, drag 269 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 2: it out so they could give our bodies back to 270 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 2: our loved ones so they could bear it. But it 271 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 2: got those stage we could hear the underground drill rigs 272 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 2: drilling away, and it just sounded like they were rahabilitating 273 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 2: the area. But all of a sudden, there's dead silence, 274 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 2: and we couldn't understand why. We could hear the machines 275 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 2: driving off in the distance, you hear the light vehicles 276 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 2: start up and drive off, and we knew that the 277 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 2: day shift had come on and the night shift had 278 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 2: gone off. But after a period of time, like I said, 279 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 2: there was dead silence, and we didn't know whether someone 280 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 2: else had been hurt or something from a potential rock fall. 281 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 2: And then you know, we're laying there in the pitch 282 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 2: black darkness, with which if you haven't been underground, you 283 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 2: don't know what darkness is, and all of a sudden, 284 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 2: there's just this almighty explosion. So what we realized later 285 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 2: thirty meters from where we were laying, they started drilling 286 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 2: and blasting. 287 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: Did you try and communicate with them? 288 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 2: So we tried to make communication. You know, we had 289 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 2: some supplies and shift during some rock it's all bashing 290 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 2: on the steel carriage trying to notify them that, and 291 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 2: then all of a sudden the horn horn beeped, so 292 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 2: we thought we'd been found alive. But it wasn't. It 293 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 2: was just to notify people that were in the area 294 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 2: that the machine was starting up and was driving off. 295 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: In a survival situation like that, which I think is 296 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: really important for the listeners, is any little glimmer of 297 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: hope like that that horn blood did you just and 298 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: you grubbed hold of that? Was that morale in itself? 299 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 2: Yep? That lead to this because you know, and then 300 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 2: then then you get the drilling and blasting and your back, 301 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 2: your back then here at the floor level, Yeah, you know, 302 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 2: you're on the downer. And like I said, we're in 303 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 2: pitchfake dark, and so we've turned the light on the 304 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 2: Spirit because we're using it sparently, And we just looked 305 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 2: at each other and said, what the you know what? 306 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 2: And I took a pen from my pocket and I started, 307 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 2: I mean left leg, I started recording times and dates 308 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 2: so that whatever they did on the outside killed us, 309 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 2: that if they recovered our bodies, there was proof to 310 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 2: prove that what they did killed us and we were 311 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 2: alive at that particular point in time. And then on 312 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,919 Speaker 2: my right leg, this was probably the hardest thing that 313 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 2: I endured while I was underground. So I sat there 314 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 2: and I wrote a goodbye letter or goodbye note to 315 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 2: every individual of the family Mum, Dad, Carolyn, Trent, Madison, Leam, brothers, sister, 316 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 2: a whole lot just on my left leg, you know, 317 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 2: just saying look, I can't I can't even remember what 318 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 2: I wrote. But there was a there was a little 319 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 2: note to each of them so that you know when 320 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 2: our bodies were recovered, and that's what we did. And 321 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 2: that was the first six days, and it wasn't until 322 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 2: the Sunday afternoon. Is there was two gentlemen that came 323 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 2: back down to the nine to twenty five level and 324 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 2: as I said, unfortunately Larry lost his life and his 325 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 2: body was recovered two days into the rescue, and that 326 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 2: area then became a crime scene. So it was caughting 327 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:05,479 Speaker 2: off for investigation purposes. Processes in place, and now it's 328 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 2: a crime scene. It had to be guarded by minds 329 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 2: inspectors and stuff like that, so that you know, if 330 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 2: our bodies were recovered and then they do the full investigation. 331 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 2: And these two gentlemen, like I said, come back down 332 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 2: to that area and they made a remark to the 333 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 2: mind's inspector that maybe you need to have a coffee, 334 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:29,199 Speaker 2: and he sort of twigged on what was happening, and 335 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 2: he said to the guys, he said, look, it'll take 336 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,199 Speaker 2: me about fifteen minutes to have a coffee. So no 337 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 2: sooner did that mind's inspector go out of sight. They 338 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 2: entered the nine to twenty five level at their own risk, 339 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 2: and that's what they did. They entered their own risk 340 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 2: because it was such a heavy, devastated. As I said earlier, 341 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 2: Brandon and I were two completely different people, and apart 342 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 2: from two things we had in common, we both married 343 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 2: high school sweethearts, and we both knew how to see 344 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 2: Kenny Rodgers again. 345 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 1: But so it sounds like Kenny Rodger's going on done now. 346 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 2: With But music in general is another healer and another 347 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 2: motivator and jokes like bow yep, Brandt is a joker. 348 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 2: And you know, throughout the course of the rescue, I 349 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:16,119 Speaker 2: had my strengths, he had his strength. So we relied 350 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:19,119 Speaker 2: on each other strengths to get us through. But that 351 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 2: Sunday afternoon when we did each other yep pretty much. 352 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 2: And then so that Sunday, when these two gentlemen entered 353 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: the nine twenty five levels do that so called risk assessment. 354 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:33,119 Speaker 2: We were singing the gambler. Yeah, And then I remember 355 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 2: I remember lying lying now on our back, singing the Gambler, 356 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 2: and it didn't sound real good, but it was morale boosting. 357 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 2: And then all of a sudden, I just hear this 358 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 2: noise and I said the brand shut up. He said why. 359 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 2: I said, no, no, that shut up, shut up, shut up. 360 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 2: Then I held out, is there anyone out there? And 361 00:19:54,720 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 2: this voice come back? Our hearts just sunk. After six 362 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 2: days and during all this hardness and what we did 363 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 2: to finally have communication to the outside world. You know, 364 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 2: I've spoken to these two gentlemen and they told me 365 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 2: how they both just collapsed to the ground when they 366 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 2: heard our voices. And then after being found alized, that's 367 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 2: when everything changed. Like the first six days felt like 368 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 2: a twelve hour shift, it just went so fast in it. 369 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:43,959 Speaker 2: But after being founderalized, the next eight it felt like 370 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 2: twelve months because they had to put implementations in place. 371 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 2: Now they've got to dot their eyes, cross the t's 372 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:55,680 Speaker 2: and do everything correctly, because now they've got two guys 373 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 2: that are alive, buried under all this rock, and what 374 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 2: they could have done could have us. Then now I 375 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 2: got put implementation in place on how they're going to 376 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 2: extract us from where we are and bring us home safely. 377 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: So you get this hope we've been found, we'll be 378 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 1: out of even a couple of hours and you're still 379 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: under there for eight days. 380 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 2: You know, you can imagine for both Brand and myself 381 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 2: the emotions now that we've been found alive. You know, 382 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 2: here we are thinking the next time they press this button, 383 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 2: they're going to kill us. And they had it was drilled, 384 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 2: it was ready to charge and blast, but they found 385 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:37,959 Speaker 2: us beforehand. 386 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: Because of Two's world as it went against protocol. 387 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 2: Yep, and went into the nine to twenty five level 388 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 2: to do that so called risk assessment for one last 389 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 2: chance before they press that button again. It wasn't charged, 390 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 2: but they were going to charge it and they're going 391 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 2: to blast. So then once these two gentlemen left the 392 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 2: nine to twenty five level, they went out and informed 393 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 2: the Mind's rescue person who were there on site, the miners, 394 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 2: the Mind inspector. They've gone them from underground to the 395 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 2: office and next thing you know, mate, it's just gone 396 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:15,200 Speaker 2: wolf like wild fire. It's gone throughout the countries, throughout 397 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 2: the world, everywhere that these boys have been now found alive. 398 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 2: So for the guys that are looking after the rescue, 399 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 2: the pressures now gone from here to here. So they 400 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 2: had a control room up on the surface and I 401 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:32,360 Speaker 2: think they had somewhere around I think twenty five individuals 402 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:36,159 Speaker 2: in that control room and trying to come up with 403 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 2: scenarios on how they're going to extract us from where 404 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 2: we were. But what they did to start off with 405 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 2: is they brought an underground lader like the one I 406 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 2: said a bit the horn earlier, So the same loader 407 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 2: they brought in and put a communication system in where 408 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 2: they could ask ask a series of questions, and they 409 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 2: also had another transmitter set up so when we yelled back, 410 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 2: it was being transmitted back to a guy writing all 411 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 2: the answers to the questions down and some of the 412 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 2: questions were how high off the ground was the basket? 413 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:08,360 Speaker 2: How far was the boom extended? So that's all that's 414 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 2: all now recorded. They then take that back to the surface, 415 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 2: back to that control room, then put in a plan 416 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 2: or roughly right, I think the boys this is where 417 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 2: they are from what they're telling us, this is where 418 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,679 Speaker 2: we believe they are. So where they started drilling to 419 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 2: us was pretty much in the right vicinity. When they 420 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 2: broke through. They're so precise that that drill still spinning 421 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 2: like that. We both turned and looked out the little 422 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 2: cavity behind us, and here we just sitting there spinning 423 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:36,239 Speaker 2: their like that, looking at us, spurting water at us. 424 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 2: So that then became our link line to the outside world. 425 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 2: So now we're starting to get water. Now we're starting 426 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:46,120 Speaker 2: to get food. They've sent a camera through that's now 427 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 2: set up to a tuva and video recorder recording all 428 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 2: our movements. Twenty four to seven, we had a telephone 429 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 2: sent through in a plastic bag in pieces with a 430 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,719 Speaker 2: diagram and a screwdriver. Over the next eight days there 431 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 2: was so much hat opened, and you know, they had 432 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:04,720 Speaker 2: experts in from all different fields. You know, I don't 433 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 2: beknownst to both Brandon myself. Three hundred meters directly above 434 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 2: us at the six thirty level, they had guys using 435 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 2: explosives and using all different types of explosives so that 436 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:16,479 Speaker 2: if any stages in the final stages of the rescue, 437 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 2: they had to use them, they had all the information. 438 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 2: They had the vibrations monitored and recorded, so that you know, 439 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 2: they knew what exploses is to use. So that was 440 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 2: all happening. Everything that were received came in a Mount 441 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 2: Franklin water bottle which was six hundred mili strapped to 442 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 2: probably four lengths of electrical conjuct. It's fed up and 443 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,120 Speaker 2: down like a pull through on a rifle. Now I've 444 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:38,199 Speaker 2: got a telephone. One of the things I wanted to do, 445 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 2: but they wouldn't allow it. I wanted to ring home 446 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 2: because they had they had, you know, the ways of 447 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 2: doing it. But what they're worried about is because of 448 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 2: the media contingency, and that is tapping lines, trying to 449 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 2: get information, to get a story, and all that sort 450 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:54,400 Speaker 2: of thing. So what they started to do. Every day, 451 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 2: you know, about three or four o'clock, someone had come 452 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:01,360 Speaker 2: down up the huot in Mount Franklin water bottle. You'd 453 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 2: open it up, there be your mail. There'd be letters 454 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,440 Speaker 2: written from home. There was letters that we were writing 455 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 2: writing back, and each time that we were writing to 456 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 2: our family or anything that was coming in. It was 457 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 2: all being monitored by a psychologist because the last thing 458 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 2: I want to do seend things through that we're going 459 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 2: to upsetting it. But one of the things that I 460 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 2: asked for from Carolyn I mentioned to you earlier when 461 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 2: I closed my eyes and that image appeared. One of 462 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 2: the things that I asked from her was that photo. 463 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 2: And it was only a small photo, about two inches square, 464 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 2: but the psychologists wouldn't allow me to have it because 465 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 2: they believed it was upsetting. To me. 466 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:45,199 Speaker 1: That's what kept you alive, That's what that was, the 467 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 1: image that gave you. That why that reason to still fight, 468 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 1: to still be alive. 469 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,879 Speaker 2: Every couple of days we got fresh clothing. Yeah, so 470 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 2: this day, I remember, I got a pair of flat 471 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,920 Speaker 2: lined track pants I made of mine Dean mackerel, who 472 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:05,719 Speaker 2: still is a very good friend of mine. He was 473 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 2: one of the mine's rescue guys that was in charge 474 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 2: of talking to us because if I wasn't talking, brand 475 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:12,479 Speaker 2: had to be, so one of us had to be 476 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 2: talking at all times. And the phone rang and I 477 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 2: picked it up, and it's Mac and he said, hey, 478 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:23,679 Speaker 2: big fellow. He said, just check your trousers pocket. So 479 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 2: once I got into the into the track pants and 480 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 2: was comfortable again, I put my hand in my pocket 481 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 2: and yeah, that that photo was in the pocket of 482 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 2: my track pants. And I took that photo and I 483 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 2: sat it on the rock. You know, three hundred mil 484 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 2: from my face. And when I got down, I looked 485 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,679 Speaker 2: at that photo and yeah, I thought, that's that's the 486 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 2: reason I'm fighting, that's the reason why I need to 487 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,439 Speaker 2: go home. And you know, I lost a lot of 488 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 2: tears over that, that particular fado, and throughout the course 489 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 2: of the fourteen days, I shed a lot of tears. 490 00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 2: And for people that know me, I don't I don't cry, 491 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 2: I don't show emotions. 492 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:07,159 Speaker 1: Ultimately, your emotions saved your life and Brandt's. 493 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 2: Life pretty much. And yeah, it's powerful now, yeah, exactly right. 494 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 2: And the way I said it, and this, unless you're 495 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 2: put in a position where you have to survive, you 496 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 2: don't know what your mindset and your body is capable 497 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 2: of doing. 498 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:24,360 Speaker 1: Exactly. I always say that to people when you're left 499 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 1: with one option in life, you'll be absolutely surprised of 500 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 1: what you're capable of, of what the human mind's capable of, 501 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 1: the body is capable of, and ultimately the soul, your emotions, 502 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: ye ca the emotional the emotional connection that you have. 503 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:39,919 Speaker 1: And then you realize, actually, this is what got me 504 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: through is phenomenal, right, it kept your life without a 505 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:47,439 Speaker 1: shadow of a doubt. But the rescue mission. You know, 506 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,239 Speaker 1: and I think people oversee this. This is such an 507 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,680 Speaker 1: important point that I'm going to raise here the communication 508 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: between yourself and the rescue party, because they're using explosives 509 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: over your head, any wrong passages of information or you're 510 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: not being switched on and you're not being psychologically and 511 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:08,399 Speaker 1: physically aware of your surroundings. You've got that long and 512 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: they could have done an explosion, they could have drilled 513 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: in the wrong place, they could have done How how 514 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 1: psychologically draining was that? And did you share the load? 515 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:16,879 Speaker 2: It had to be draining. And the thing is that 516 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:20,360 Speaker 2: it wasn't just a single decision, because there was two 517 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 2: of us. We discussed everything. What we couldn't understand is 518 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 2: in the final final stages of that rescue that we 519 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 2: could hear the rock shattering in the tunnel. Yeah, that 520 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 2: one mode of last some two minutes passes in soligram. 521 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 2: We shouldn't be able to hear that. But they're so 522 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 2: precise were they're drilling and they're surveying and they're blasting. 523 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 2: And I remember looking outside the basket. I looked down, 524 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 2: I said this hole and Dan block, I can say, kaplan. 525 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: Wow. So that's the first time that you've seen movement 526 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,280 Speaker 1: outside of where you've been yep, first time. 527 00:28:55,600 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 2: Wow. So now, over the next five to thirty minutes, 528 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 2: that hole has now become big enough for both Brandt 529 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 2: and I to be extracted from inside the basket. So 530 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 2: here we are for fourteen days on a whole big enough. 531 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:18,240 Speaker 2: And you know, obviously Pat Ball, who was the underground 532 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 2: my manager at the time, he come back down and 533 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 2: he crawled on his hands and he's fifteen meters up 534 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 2: the tunnel and stood up inside the whole looking into 535 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 2: where both Brent nowhere, and he turned around and said, Okay, Brent, 536 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 2: we've got the green light. You're going to come out first. 537 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 2: But what I can tell you, Aunt, is the next 538 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,880 Speaker 2: seven or eight minutes that I spent inside that basket alone, 539 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 2: after Brand's had been taken, He's gone to freedom, he's 540 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:50,840 Speaker 2: gone home to his family. I'm now inside this entoment alone, 541 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 2: and if it goes pear shape, now I don't get 542 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:55,719 Speaker 2: to go home to my family. But it was probably 543 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 2: the longest seven or eight minutes out of the entire 544 00:29:57,680 --> 00:29:58,720 Speaker 2: three hundred and twenty one. 545 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 1: Hours, one hundred and twenty one hours, yep. 546 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 2: Three hundred and twenty one. There is what we've spent 547 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 2: undergrad fourteen ducks. 548 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: And those seven eight minutes. And how did you move? 549 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,239 Speaker 1: Because you were in pain when you did you just 550 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: like that at this stage, just mustle up the strength 551 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: to drag myself out? How did they? Was it literally 552 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:22,800 Speaker 1: a hole and you did it to drag yourself through it? 553 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 2: Pretty much? It was a whole big enough. I then 554 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 2: swung around and dropped my legs outside the basket and 555 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 2: then dropped down a meter a to a stretcher that 556 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 2: was waiting. I then turned around. I looked back inside 557 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 2: the basket, looking straight back into it. In one corner, 558 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:41,479 Speaker 2: there's a plastic bag with every letter that have been 559 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:46,240 Speaker 2: written to me in there. I reached up and I 560 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 2: took that fight out of myself, Carolyn and the kids, 561 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 2: put it in my pocket. I then grabbed the letters 562 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 2: and everything in that plastic bag, put them on my chest, 563 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 2: laid in a stretcher, and I'll scroll dragged fifteen meters 564 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 2: to paramedics, mind's rescue personnel, where we hugged and we cried, 565 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 2: and we talked and jeered, and just just the elation 566 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 2: of now knowing that I'm going home. 567 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: Take me back to that feeling, take me back. What 568 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: was going through your head? What was running through what's 569 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: the first thing that obviously you've got a photo in 570 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: your pocket, your letters, and you're just like, take me home. 571 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. The thing is I just wanted to get back, 572 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 2: you know, for me. You know, my family are very 573 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,800 Speaker 2: very close knit, and you know the thing is, I'll 574 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:35,880 Speaker 2: never understand what they went through, and they'll never understand 575 00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 2: what I went through. I talked earlier about the emotional 576 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 2: roller coaster. Yeah, you know, they kept SCIENTI us, we're 577 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:44,440 Speaker 2: going to have you out in forty eight hours. So 578 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 2: every for eight days, forty eight hours, we got this 579 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 2: forty eight hours, we're going to have you out. We're 580 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 2: going to have you out. We have you. But now 581 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 2: we have now come out. We know that we are safe. 582 00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 2: We know there's nothing that can hurt us. We weren't 583 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 2: aware of our injuries, but there was conversations between us 584 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 2: and paramedics where they didn't want us walking. But the 585 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 2: way Brent and I looked at it, an that day 586 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 2: two thousand and six, we walked into the mind. Fourteen 587 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 2: days later, the ninth of May two thousand and six, 588 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 2: we're going to walk out of there with or without them. 589 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 2: So when that cage reached the surface at five point 590 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 2: fifty nine am on the ninth of May two thousand 591 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:30,880 Speaker 2: and six, we walked out of there with our arms 592 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:33,719 Speaker 2: in the air. We walked out of there on pure adrenaline, 593 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 2: only for that cage to come up, and as it 594 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:43,800 Speaker 2: broke from this from below the surface to finally come up, 595 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 2: you know, you're getting glimpses as it's come up because 596 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 2: of the mess in the cage, and to look straight 597 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 2: across and there's my family sitting and standing there waiting 598 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 2: for me to come out. And it was just pure elation, 599 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:02,880 Speaker 2: you know. And yeah you've I don't really seen the footage. 600 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:04,600 Speaker 2: But we come out front ground Australia and take our 601 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 2: tag off the board and people say, why what would 602 00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 2: you just run straight to your love. Well, every time 603 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:14,360 Speaker 2: we come out from underground, you removed your tag. You know. 604 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 2: It was to let people know that we're home. 605 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:19,720 Speaker 1: Our job is done, we're alive, we're here. 606 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 2: So when we went underground, there were sevent een men 607 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 2: win underground, there were seventeen names on the tag board 608 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 2: on the inside. When the rock fall happened, fourteen men 609 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:34,120 Speaker 2: exited the mine all bar three tags. One was Todd Russell, 610 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 2: one was Brent Webb, the other one was Larry Knight. 611 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 2: That were the three missing miners. So when we come 612 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 2: out from underground, it was to tell everybody, Hey, we're out, 613 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:44,280 Speaker 2: we're home. 614 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: We started this job and we're now finished it. 615 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 2: So then I turned and I went straight put the 616 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 2: arms around Carolyn and just just that feeling I'm honestly 617 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 2: going to sit here and I can't explain it. 618 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:07,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that one tag that was left Larry. You say, 619 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:12,360 Speaker 1: seventeen went down and he sixteen went home. 620 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 2: And that's that's one of the hardest things that. Yeah, 621 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:24,000 Speaker 2: it's a bit of pilled swalle because it should never 622 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:24,520 Speaker 2: have happened. 623 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 1: How you survive that? I will never know to talk 624 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 1: about having the strongest head game when it comes to 625 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:34,200 Speaker 1: controlling your emotions through coust and phobia of being in 626 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:37,879 Speaker 1: a situation like that, you know, psychologically being switched on, 627 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:41,719 Speaker 1: because any one wrong move would have killed you. It 628 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: doesn't matter if they if you've established the communications. It's 629 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:48,359 Speaker 1: like everything has to be to the point, everything has 630 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 1: to be pin pointed accuracy in order to keep us alive. 631 00:34:53,680 --> 00:34:56,719 Speaker 1: To back and forth morale I talk about morale all 632 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 1: the time, how important it is, and you mentioned it 633 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:02,440 Speaker 1: as well, the you know, humor in the face of adversity, 634 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 1: singing along and you know, just finding the humor aside 635 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 1: to life when everything is against you is it's a 636 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:13,680 Speaker 1: phenomenal trait to have, and you don't realize you have 637 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:18,960 Speaker 1: it until you're put in that situation. The family, how's 638 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:23,920 Speaker 1: family life? How did they react to it? And I 639 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 1: can imagine family life is now as precious as anything. 640 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:35,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, look, you know my family are well. Unfortunately this 641 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:40,400 Speaker 2: through you know, the illness of PTSD and depression and 642 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 2: stuff like that, is I became a person that I 643 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:50,160 Speaker 2: probably shouldn't have done. But unfortunately, it's an illness and 644 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 2: it's something that you know, we can't control, and you know, 645 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:59,279 Speaker 2: it's sort of tarnished my relationship with my children in 646 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 2: the early years. And you know, I'm still still trying 647 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 2: to build that relationship back with my children and the 648 00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:09,960 Speaker 2: father to them where I wasn't, you know, because of 649 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:14,800 Speaker 2: it through the PTSD. It also costomer of a marriage, 650 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:19,879 Speaker 2: so Caroly and I separated, but you know, she's moved 651 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:22,359 Speaker 2: on there, she's she's very happy and where she hears and. 652 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:26,800 Speaker 1: You know, Todd, are you happy? 653 00:36:27,160 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, look, I am, I'm, I'm, I'm I'm looking for happiness, 654 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:36,520 Speaker 2: which you know, it's it's out there. But I've also 655 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:38,600 Speaker 2: got to look after myself in a way where I've 656 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:41,359 Speaker 2: got to get myself right to And you know, I 657 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:43,840 Speaker 2: went down a road probably eight months ago where I 658 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:46,319 Speaker 2: was in a real good, real good space and I 659 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:48,319 Speaker 2: didn't want to be here and I went to do 660 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:52,360 Speaker 2: something silly. But fortunately, because of what I've been through, 661 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:56,960 Speaker 2: I understand how important life is. I'm probably now in 662 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:00,840 Speaker 2: the best best space I've been in police so many years. 663 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 1: Good. Well, what you've got to realize as well, is 664 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:08,160 Speaker 1: the story that you have, you know, will inspire someone. 665 00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:11,000 Speaker 1: If you inspire one person, if you give someone one 666 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:13,560 Speaker 1: little glimmer of hope from what you've been through for 667 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 1: the mindset that you had to adapt in order to 668 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:19,920 Speaker 1: get yourself out of that situation, you know, then you're 669 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:22,799 Speaker 1: giving back. You're doing something as a purpose for you. 670 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 2: And that's exactly what I've said to people. And you know, 671 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:29,239 Speaker 2: I look, I look back on Baconsfield and I look 672 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:33,919 Speaker 2: at the circumstances and a hundred recently, I shouldn't be here, 673 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:38,680 Speaker 2: but you are. I am, and you know, as I said, 674 00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:42,640 Speaker 2: the people, I don't understand why. But if I and 675 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:45,399 Speaker 2: as you just said, then if I can help one 676 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:50,000 Speaker 2: person and save someone's life, I've done a job that 677 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:52,759 Speaker 2: by helping somebody else. And if that's what it is, 678 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:56,200 Speaker 2: well I'm pretty sure that I've helped a lot of 679 00:37:56,239 --> 00:37:57,640 Speaker 2: people along. 680 00:37:57,360 --> 00:38:00,640 Speaker 1: The way exactly. And also what the coping mechanisms that 681 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:04,239 Speaker 1: you used to get through Everyone's going through struggle. Everyone's 682 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:07,200 Speaker 1: got a story. Everyone's going through these hard times. And 683 00:38:07,239 --> 00:38:09,279 Speaker 1: you say about you know, you don't understand why you're 684 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:12,040 Speaker 1: still here. There's some things that you don't need to understand. 685 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:14,960 Speaker 1: We mentioned that before that you can never understand. But 686 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:19,400 Speaker 1: the why behind it, you'll hear why you still here? Well, listen, 687 00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 1: if you can save one life, then you're doing your job. 688 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:26,560 Speaker 1: That's that's the why, that's the purpose, that's that's that's 689 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:29,759 Speaker 1: that's understandably why you are still here. 690 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:36,720 Speaker 2: And you know, I am, I'm very passionate and I 691 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:39,360 Speaker 2: I tell I tell a story with great passion. You know, 692 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:42,799 Speaker 2: if I just have an opportunity to help someone, and 693 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:44,879 Speaker 2: that's that's what I'm here for. 694 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:50,399 Speaker 1: This podcast will certainly help many of that. I'm sure mate. 695 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:54,240 Speaker 1: Between us, we've got this. It's been amazing talking to you, Todd. 696 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:57,600 Speaker 1: You're an amazing individual. Keep being you, don't ask too 697 00:38:57,600 --> 00:39:00,680 Speaker 1: many questions, just know the why, keep doing what you're 698 00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:04,719 Speaker 1: doing and listen. Ultimately, you and Brent helped each other 699 00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:07,680 Speaker 1: save your lives. Now as the roles are reverse. Now, 700 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:10,120 Speaker 1: I'm sure that you're going to be saving lives, especially 701 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:12,280 Speaker 1: with the motivational talking that you're doing and the stories 702 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:12,680 Speaker 1: that you have. 703 00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:17,040 Speaker 2: Thanks for coming on, mate, mctually appreciated. Thank you. 704 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:22,120 Speaker 1: If you'd like to read more about Todd Russell's harrowing experience, 705 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:28,120 Speaker 1: you can read Bad Ground inside the beacons Field Mind 706 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:33,640 Speaker 1: Rescue by Tony Wright, Todd Russell and Brandt's Web. Thanks 707 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:35,960 Speaker 1: so much for joining me on head Game. If you 708 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:39,480 Speaker 1: enjoyed this episode, make sure you're subscribed so you don't 709 00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:42,440 Speaker 1: miss any of our incredible stories and leave me a 710 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:46,760 Speaker 1: review wherever you're listening. I'm at Middleton. Catch you again 711 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:47,680 Speaker 1: next time