1 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: People. They welcome For me, I always saw them. You know, 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: like when people come to our store and you know, 3 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: they said they're homeless, do not ever give them a 4 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: hard time. Please, if you guys give them a hard time, 5 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: you give me hard time. When homeless people come to 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: you and they ask you food that are hungry, you 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: don't feed them. You don't give the food, and it 8 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: cannot drinks like sodas or whatever, like whatever they wanted. 9 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: If you don't. If you, you know, like kick them 10 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: out and you don't respect them, that's only one way. 11 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: I can't fire you. I don't care that you're gonna 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: assume me because this is like I have like handbook 13 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: and this is one of my roosts. I made it. 14 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 1: I put in my handbook two slices of can of 15 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: soda so it doesn't cost me nothing. 16 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 2: You know that. 17 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: It's like it doesn't cost you nothing. You know, we 18 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: have like fifteen stores like Champion. How many people they 19 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: can come my store like one hundred pig deal. 20 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 2: Welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. 21 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 2: I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, 22 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 2: and I'm an entrepreneur and I've been a football coach 23 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 2: in Inner City Memphis, and the last part, well, it 24 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: accidentally led to an oscar for the film about our team. 25 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 2: It's called Undefeated. Guys, I believe our country's problems will 26 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 2: never be solved by a bunch of fancy people and 27 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 2: nice suits using big words that nobody ever uses on 28 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 2: CNN and Fox, but rather an army of normal folks 29 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,639 Speaker 2: US just you and me deciding hey, maybe I can help. 30 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 2: And today we've got a powerful feature from our special 31 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 2: series Supporting Greatness, where we've interviewed not so normal folks 32 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 2: like Mike Rowe and Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia. 33 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 2: But instead of blowing smoke up there, you know what, 34 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: we celebrate the normal folks and ungsung heroes who supported 35 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 2: them and helped shape their lives and the support of 36 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 2: their greatness. And the reason our guest Hockey Acdentis said 37 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 2: mistreating the homeless is like mistreating him, is because he 38 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 2: was once homeless until normal folks supported him. Today, Hockey 39 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: has thirty five million followers on Instagram and it's largely 40 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 2: because of his incredible generosity. I cannot wait for you 41 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 2: to meet Hockey right after these brief messages from our 42 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 2: general sponsors, welcome everybody to a new episode of Supporting Greatness. 43 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 2: As our listeners will know, we occasionally break from our 44 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 2: typical army of normal folks for them, and we talk 45 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 2: about supporting greatness. And today we have with us somebody 46 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 2: that you're going to find vastly interesting hockey at Dennis 47 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 2: who he's a pizza guy. And what's so great about that? 48 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: Well you're going to find out and hockey. Just first, 49 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 2: thanks so much for joining us today. 50 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you for having me. 51 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, so people just heard your accent and they know 52 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 2: you're not from Mississippi. So where are you from? Hockey? 53 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: Actually, I am Kurdish from Turkey and I've been in 54 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: New York City for twenty three years right now. 55 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 2: Growing up in Turkey, I think you were one of 56 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 2: about eighty five children, weren't you. How many? How many 57 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 2: siblings did you have a bunch? 58 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, we do, we do, you know, like we have 59 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: like a sixteen brother and sister. Oh my gosh, I'm seventeen. Here, 60 00:03:58,440 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: I'm the seventeenth. 61 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 2: Mom and dad just have nothing else to do, well, 62 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: I guess so. Yeah, and so when you were seventeen 63 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 2: years old, you actually immigrated to Canada. I understand because 64 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 2: your brother was there. What was that like being a 65 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 2: Turkish curd and a massive family leaving Turkey and showing 66 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 2: up in Canada. It must have been a little bit 67 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 2: of culture shock for you at first, uh the beginning. 68 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: Yes, it was a little bit shocked for me. I 69 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 1: thought everybody speaking Turkish or Kurdish in Canada when I 70 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 1: went there. Yeah, that was the biggest shock for me. 71 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: And then you know, like I'm from very small village 72 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: and Turkey, and when first I went over there, I see, 73 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: like Monchal there was like the tallest building, a lot 74 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: of people walking around here. But obviously the end of 75 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: the day, I see, you know, like an I learned, 76 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: I get the culture. I staid with there for a 77 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: couple of years. Yeah, it was I mean, it was 78 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: my dream to go over there. 79 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 2: And you know, so, so here's the world. This seventeen 80 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 2: year old kid shows up from Turkey, from a small 81 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 2: village and a huge family. Culture shock in Montreal. We're 82 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: going to fill in the blanks, but I'm going to 83 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 2: let our listeners know along the way you were homeless. 84 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 2: Along the way, you had all the money you saved up, 85 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 2: stolen from you from a person that was a friend 86 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 2: of yours, and we're going to get into all that, 87 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 2: and we're going to get into people and the organizations 88 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 2: that helped you get where you are today, because again, 89 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 2: you're a normal dude who's reached amazing heights, but you 90 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 2: know those people along the way that supported your greatness. 91 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 2: We're going to have an opportunity to talk to talk about. 92 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 2: But let's just jump forward today. You own Champions Pizza, 93 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 2: and I think you have like thirteen locations, and you've 94 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 2: got frozen pizzas in seven hundred stores, and you've been 95 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 2: on Discovery documentary. Tell us about where you are today, 96 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 2: and then we're gonna go back and fill in the gap. 97 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: So we have actually fifteen location Champion Pizza right now. 98 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:20,159 Speaker 1: Fifteen yeah, fifteen yeah, And I have like non Champion Pisa, 99 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: so we have over over twenty right now. All together, 100 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 1: I have like Topo Shop, I have like Sandwich Shop, 101 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: I have like a three other piece of weas non name. 102 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: I have like Dominican restaurants, So all together we have 103 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: over twenty and the Frozen Pizza we are about almost 104 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: a sixteen hundred supermarket one thousand, six hundreds hockey. 105 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 2: Do you pinch yourself? I mean you're from Turkey, little 106 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 2: town in Turkey and you were homeless. Look at you now, 107 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 2: do you just can you believe it? 108 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: Well? I always believe it because like without believe, there's 109 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: not something like you know, like you know, like feature path. 110 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: I always believe. I believe it to a thing to 111 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: be a good person, to have a go heart and 112 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: believe in God. So there was two believed for me 113 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: is important. Yes, the documentary we did for discovered channel 114 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: right now as in Turkey a playing a blue TV 115 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 1: and we won like a Toronto Film Festival, and two 116 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: weeks ago we won like a Fargo Film Festival. And 117 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: I think this week I hope pray for God, you know, 118 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: like it's called like Baltimore Film Festival, so they nominate us, 119 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: but we don't know if you begin a win or not. 120 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 2: I know the excitement you're going through because when the 121 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 2: film about Me won the Academy Award, I went to 122 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 2: all of the same festivals you're talking about, and it's 123 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 2: just exciting, but it's it's also humbling that people are 124 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 2: so inspired by your story and I can only imagine 125 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 2: that with all the excitement, you still have to be 126 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 2: looking around going what I'm from Turkey, I was home, 127 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 2: and I mean, it's just it's phenomenal where you are. 128 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 2: And obviously congratulations on your success, but hockey hockey, we 129 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 2: got to divert because really, this particular episode of an 130 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 2: army of normal folks, the supporting greatness really isn't about 131 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:22,559 Speaker 2: just you. It's about the people that supported you getting there. 132 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 2: So first, tell me about your brother in Montreal. 133 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 1: Well, I went over there and in Canada, I worked 134 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: with him for a couple of years. I think it 135 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: was like four years, and he was my hero. He 136 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: helped me a lot, he teached me, train me, He 137 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: always there for me. But the end of the day, 138 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: I couldn't get my green coat. So as I didn't 139 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: left the country because you know, like we have issue 140 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: with my brother or like other cousins, I have issue 141 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 1: because I couldn't get my green coat, and then they 142 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: poured me. But then when I came over here and 143 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 1: I find another brother. I mean, we're not the blood 144 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: like blood family, but he become like my true hero actually, 145 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: and here in New York City. 146 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 2: So your brother in Canada helped you to assimilate. He 147 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:17,679 Speaker 2: supported you. And then you get to New York and 148 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 2: when you come back and you don't have a job, 149 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: you don't have I think I read you had what 150 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 2: two hundred and forty bucks in your pocket? Is that right? 151 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's so funny. Yeah. Actually the place I went 152 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: over there yesterday. So right now I'm opening another store 153 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: right next to the motel on forty second Lane Avenue. 154 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: When I come to Scountry, I stayed dead and I 155 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: just find beautiful location right next door. 156 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 2: No kidding, Yeah, yeah, yeah. 157 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 1: I'm going to open place over there. So as another 158 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: good I would say, like another good feeling for me 159 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: when I come over here. When I came over here, 160 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: it was with the big hope, with the big like 161 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: we said, like American dream. A friend of mine he 162 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: invited me, he said, heckey if he come New York. 163 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 1: I'm gonna help you with the job. I'm gonna help 164 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: you the place that you can stay and don't wait 165 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 1: better like financially, so obviously when you work, you will 166 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: be able to make more money than Canada. So when 167 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 1: I come over here, dead friends, he make me wait too, 168 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: have they at Port Authority? I always called him he 169 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: answered my phone. Yeah, give me one hour, give me 170 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: two hours, I will come. Don't wait about it, Da 171 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,319 Speaker 1: da Dad. So he make me wait at port authority, 172 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 1: and I was scared. I was afraid to go out 173 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: because I don't have a cell phone and he cannot 174 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 1: reach me. I have to reach you know, like where 175 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: I am. But the end of the day, he didn't come. 176 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna say thank God that he didn't come. 177 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: Otherwise I will not be hackey who I am today. 178 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 2: That's weird that you would actually that you would actually 179 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: thank God that the guy didn't come pick you up 180 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 2: and help you. But you seem to look at all 181 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 2: of these things along the trek of your life that 182 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 2: were difficult you always find the silver lining. You seem 183 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 2: to think of the worst times of your life as blessings. 184 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: No, I mean as like I always say, things happen 185 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: life as for a reason. It's not us. Someone you 186 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: like make a plan for us, and God always he do. 187 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: If you have a like, if you know your plan, 188 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: it will destroy you. For your feature, it will destroy 189 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: right away. Give you a better plan. And I always 190 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: believe in or like. He always give me the better, 191 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 1: the best plan, and he protects us very well, not 192 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 1: just me, all of us. They protects us very very well. 193 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: I mean that guy, the guy he didn't help me, 194 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 1: he came work for me twelve years later, and you know, 195 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: like when I open my second store, that guy he 196 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: worked for us. 197 00:11:51,440 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 2: Actually, yeah, the world, the world came around. And now 198 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 2: a few messages from our general sponsors. But first, I 199 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 2: hope you'll consider becoming a Premium member of the Army 200 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 2: at Normalfolks dot us. By becoming one for ten bucks 201 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,439 Speaker 2: a month or one thousand dollars a year, you can 202 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 2: get access to cool benefits like bonus episodes, a yearly 203 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 2: group call, and even a one on one call with me. Frankly, guys, 204 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 2: premium memberships also help us to grow this army that 205 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 2: our country desperately needs right now. So I hope you'll 206 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 2: think about it. We'll be right back. So two hundred 207 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 2: and forty dollars in the hotel you went to that 208 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,319 Speaker 2: couldn't have lasted long in New York City. 209 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: Actually was not a hotel. It was motel. It's cheaper 210 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:56,559 Speaker 1: than hotel. So I stayed with there like six days. 211 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: And when I'm going to pay the last the day 212 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: that I have to stay, and my money was not enough, 213 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: and I take my luggage and I just, you know, 214 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: like go around. I thought, you know, like Montreal is 215 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: a big high building. But when I want Times Square 216 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 1: forty second Street, I see all the lights on the buildings, 217 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: you know, like the traffic and times for eighth Avenue 218 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: as a whole. Oh my god, that is American dream. Wow. 219 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: I don't know how I'm gonna meet it, but we'll see. 220 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 2: But it was like you're calling it the American dream, 221 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 2: but you're literally homeless at this point. 222 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, like it was that was my 223 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: dream to make it happen when I come over here. 224 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,439 Speaker 1: So that's what I come to Scuntry to make it happen, 225 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: you know. And but that it makes me stay in 226 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: two weeks and the street before I find a homeless sheltered. 227 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: It's called Bowery Mission. 228 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, And Bowering Mission is another you know, we talked 229 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 2: about your brother, We've talked about the guy that was 230 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 2: going to help you that didn't, that ultimately helped support 231 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 2: your greatness and around about why, and then the third 232 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 2: one was this Bowery mission, which is they took you 233 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 2: in and gave you a place to stay. 234 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: When I went over there, they welcome me like a 235 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 1: family member. And I stay over there for like night six, 236 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: and you know, like you know, like you sleep over there, 237 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: you eat over there, you take shower over there, they 238 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 1: teach you like Bible. They they they it's like, I mean, 239 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 1: it's like five star hotel for you. And obviously God, 240 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: you know, like Bowering Mession is like very personal to me. 241 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: A lot of people that say, hockey, it's been twenty 242 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: three years and you're still like, you know, like uh 243 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: things so deeply, yes, I do, and I will do 244 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: the rest of my life because you know, like you know, 245 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: like I always say, you know, like when you go 246 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 1: through something and when you see other people they go 247 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: through like same things that you feel it, that's why 248 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,479 Speaker 1: you feel the pain. And Bowering Mession is like as 249 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: Stephie for me, like I always it's going to be 250 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: a very special place in my heart forcast of my life. 251 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 2: We will end, and we will end our conversation with 252 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 2: the unbelievable philanthropic work that you do now. But I 253 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 2: gotta believe your heart for the homeless started at Bowery 254 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 2: Mission when you were homeless yourself and among the homeless. 255 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, you know, like a lot of people 256 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: that say, hockey, are you rich? Are you that rich? 257 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: You have so much money that you're giving back what 258 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: you give. Every Wednesday and Sunday you go to speed 259 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: and you make people stay in line. You give clothes, 260 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: you give medicine, you give food. You know, like we 261 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: give them job Why like why what's the reason? I 262 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: mean there is, there's no such a reason. Be honest 263 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: with you. The reason is like for me, like I said, 264 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: it's two persons. For me, I was there, I was 265 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 1: one of them. I've been there. I know, I know 266 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: that pain, I know they're feeling. I know, like you know, 267 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: like what they'd been going through. It's not such a 268 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: like an option. It's not such a like a choice 269 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: to become homeless. And especially like you know, like New 270 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: York City, they are like I mean when you walk 271 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: on the street, you know, like you know, like New 272 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: York City is not like easy street. Just make it happen. 273 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: People like he are when when you see like homeless 274 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: guy on the street, if you go talk to him, 275 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: there what he is a choice for you to become homeless? No, 276 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: it's not choice, Like so what is like what was 277 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: the other option? Other options for him or for her 278 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: to have a place stay, to take like you know, 279 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: like a warm shower, to have like warm heart, you know, 280 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: like meal, to have a family like us megaphone call, 281 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: you know, like to celebrate like Thanksgiving or like you know, 282 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: like Christmas, like you know, like New Year with them. 283 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 2: So no doubt mission is unbelievably important to you, and 284 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 2: that they supported you, but they warned you. Your whole 285 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:06,439 Speaker 2: idea of homeless and serving your community started there, and 286 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 2: somehow you bounced around and found a place called Hoboken 287 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:18,639 Speaker 2: Pizza and the man who owned Hoboken Pizza tell us 288 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 2: about him. 289 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: Sorry about that. 290 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 2: Why are you getting emotional? 291 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: I mean like the motion like when you see people 292 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: on the street and they don't have like anywhere to go, 293 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 1: and those people they're like they're suffering, and we are 294 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:40,439 Speaker 1: living the biggest, strongest country in the world and we 295 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 1: have like the most homeless people on the street, and 296 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: you know, like I wish we all united and just 297 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: become together and you know, like like I said, know 298 00:17:57,640 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 1: like each one and teach one and just help them 299 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 1: m support then bring it back, like you know, the 300 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: counity they sud beling, they be part of you know, 301 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 1: like all of them they have like parents, you know, 302 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 1: like so many of them they had of kids, and 303 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: there demos. 304 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 2: You You you literally feel their pain, don't you. 305 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 1: I mean, just not me. We all human, you know, 306 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: we all have to have pain for them. 307 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 2: I think it's beautiful. 308 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: You you. 309 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 2: We're gonna get to it, everybody listening. We're gonna get 310 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 2: to the fact that Hockey doesn't just mourn for the homeless. 311 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,639 Speaker 2: He does stuff for him. But along the way to 312 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 2: get to be able to do that, you you ran 313 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 2: into a guy that owned Hoboken Pizza and you said, hey, 314 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 2: I'm a pizza guy. And the Hoboken Pizza guy took 315 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:02,920 Speaker 2: a homeless guy in that really didn't know what he 316 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,439 Speaker 2: was doing and gave him a chance talk to us 317 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:05,920 Speaker 2: about him. 318 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: Uh huh, I'm sorry, guys. 319 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 2: Man, I was I think Hockey. I think it's beautiful 320 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 2: that you're emotional about this. It just speaks to how 321 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 2: authentically appreciative you are of everything you've been able to accomplish. 322 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 2: I think it's beautiful. Hoboken Pizza, Uh, Hoboken Pizza. 323 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: When I went over there, obviously, you know, like I 324 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: was unclean. I was like, you know, like unhappy, and 325 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:43,919 Speaker 1: you know. 326 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 2: Like it just you're homeless. 327 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean like every day I was looking for 328 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: a job, different places, different locations, and you know, like 329 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: because the language, you know, I don't speak like word 330 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: of the English, and it was tough for me to 331 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 1: find a job. 332 00:19:58,440 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 2: Uh. 333 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 1: The guy he he hired me, his name Jumalie. He's 334 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:07,479 Speaker 1: he's a Kurdish. So first one I went to him. Uh, 335 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: he asked me like what do you know. I said, 336 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: I'm a pizza guy, and then he said, wash your 337 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: hands and uh, okay, and you know, I make one pizza. 338 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: I was not able to make a good one. I 339 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,440 Speaker 1: messed it up with the first one, and I asked him, 340 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: would you please give me another chance? He give me 341 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,159 Speaker 1: another chance, and I make another one and you know, 342 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,120 Speaker 1: like I make mistake again. I messed up the pie 343 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: and he got a little bit angry. He said, he 344 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 1: cursed take it up. You know that though, because I 345 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: put two pizza garbage the first two. And you know, 346 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 1: like he's saying, like everybody call him their stuff or 347 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: Pisa mastered because they want to make more. They want 348 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,400 Speaker 1: to ask more money. Okay, and you know, like I say, 349 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: you know, like no, I'm probably I'm a pizza guy, 350 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: but just I'm so nervous. I'm shaken. Okay, I'm just 351 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:57,680 Speaker 1: scared that you're not gonna give me a job. He said, 352 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: come on, and he called the manager, you know, like 353 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: he said, teach this guy. You know, like Kitchen World 354 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,400 Speaker 1: the place it was have a basement. So I went basement. 355 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 1: I don't everything from Squatch, you know, like the New 356 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: York style, you know, like those sauce, you know, like 357 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: they wished to make a Gyro Turkish ghiros kebab. So 358 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 1: I worked at kitchen over there for like almost like 359 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: four months. One day the pizza guy drink came. He 360 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: didn't show up. It was Saint Patrick Day, and the 361 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: Saint Patrick Day in New Jersey is like the biggest 362 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 1: day and you know, like nationwide for Irish community. So 363 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: that day the pizza meant he didn't came. He didn't 364 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: show up. He's in Pallos and my boss and the 365 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: other guy that was like moving around, they was so 366 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: busy and my boss he tried to make a pizza 367 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 1: and he had another pizza guy, but he was not 368 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:55,200 Speaker 1: good good enough to make a fast pizza and you know, 369 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: like then I moved. I go over there and I 370 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 1: take the door and I stretched it. I flipped the door. 371 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: I know that base trick, okay, And I make I 372 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 1: put a sauce, cheese and oven make another one another one. 373 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: But he looked at me. He gets shocked and he 374 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,440 Speaker 1: said like Turkish were like curse okay, but joke okay. 375 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:15,400 Speaker 1: He said, what that ad? You know, like you make 376 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 1: a piece of He's like he's like that, He's like that, 377 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,400 Speaker 1: what what are you doing? I was so fast, okay, 378 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: I said, well, I'm a piece of man. I told 379 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:27,439 Speaker 1: you I'm making a piecea for five pieces in Canada. 380 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: You didn't give me the chance. He said, what don't 381 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 1: you tell me? What don't you tell me? I said, 382 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:36,119 Speaker 1: you kicked me out? What does this? You know you 383 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: guys call me a piece of mess? So you want 384 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: to make more money? I said no, I wasn't here 385 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 1: to make more money. I want to just tell you 386 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 1: like I'm a pizza guy. So I start that day 387 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: as a pizza guy. He give me job. I woke 388 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: over there, so it just it was like blessed. But 389 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:54,399 Speaker 1: the first paycheck I cannot forget. I'm gonna tell you. 390 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 2: We'll hear this moving story about how his first paycheck 391 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 2: right after these messages from our general sponsors. 392 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:19,879 Speaker 1: So he didn't know I was homeless. He doesn't know, Okay, 393 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 1: So I woke over there for six days. I don't know, 394 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: if you know, like New Jersey and New York, you know, 395 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 1: like not too far from each other, right, But from 396 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: from Manhattan to go home woken, you had to take 397 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: like four different trains, you know, like Entrain seven train. 398 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: W they take a patch train to go New Jersey. 399 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 1: And first one I went over there. It takes me 400 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: eight nine hours. It was I thought it was so 401 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: far because I get lost until I find the place. 402 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 1: But when I woke over that nighttime, when I finished 403 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: the work, I really don't know how to come back 404 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: in New York. It's about a mission. Because I thought 405 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: it was like so far. So I was working nighttime. 406 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: I woke my job at Finney and night time like 407 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: three four am. If everybody go home, there was park 408 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: crashy from the store. So I used to go sleep 409 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: and park and a bench over there for like a week, 410 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 1: for six days, and so they give me my paycheck 411 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:15,159 Speaker 1: the first paycheck. I get checked. So he gave me 412 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 1: the money, and I want the bathroom. It was three 413 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,880 Speaker 1: hundred dollars. I want a bathroom, and I cray so much. 414 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: I just cray like I'm I'm not an a motion person. 415 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: I just crawl up. I wanted so like a minute 416 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: to me, and the manager he heard me. He knocked 417 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: the door. He said, what happened? What happened? I opened 418 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: the door. It's I crying. He said, what happened? I 419 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: showed the money. He said, wow, there's not too much money. 420 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 1: I know, I know. He said no, like I know, 421 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: he's not giving he didn't give it too much money. 422 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: And then I said, no, no, no, this is a 423 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: lot of money. Three hundred dollars, like so much money. 424 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: This money is going to change my life. He said, 425 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:56,479 Speaker 1: three hundred dollars a lot of money for you. I said, yeah, man, 426 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: there's a lot of money. And you know, like then 427 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 1: I cry and I told my story to manage it, 428 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,400 Speaker 1: and I said, please don't tell the owner. I don't 429 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: want him to know that I'm homeless. He's gonna kick me, 430 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,439 Speaker 1: he's gonna fire me. He said, what are you say? 431 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: I say, yeah. Then he got upstairs and he told 432 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: the owner that I'm homeless, and the only came he 433 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 1: looked me like meanly. He never smiled you. I was like, 434 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: you know, like you have at me faced. He said, 435 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: you're homeless, but like a Turkish is like, so mean 436 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:29,880 Speaker 1: you're homeless? I said yeah. He said, like, what don't 437 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: you tell me? I said, well, I mean I don't 438 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:33,440 Speaker 1: know what to say. He said, what do you say? 439 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 1: I said, like, I sleep rush in the park, and 440 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:37,919 Speaker 1: how about before I said, I sleep in a bowery 441 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: mess like homost sheltered. He said what and he taket me. 442 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 1: He give me a hoark, you know, like he kissed 443 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:45,679 Speaker 1: my hand, you know, like he said, don't cry, don't wait, 444 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: butter he get emotion. So we went upstairs and he 445 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 1: opened the can cook and we drink and we talk 446 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,400 Speaker 1: and I tell my story to him. He says, okay, 447 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 1: don't wait today, you come with me and my home. 448 00:25:57,320 --> 00:25:59,159 Speaker 1: So I went to his house. I stay over there 449 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: for like maybe two three weeks until he find like 450 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: apartment for me that I moved. So, I mean, you know, 451 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: like he's my hero, he's my true hero. When he's 452 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 1: my best friend, I know him for twenty three years. 453 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,920 Speaker 2: He was your guardian angel. Without him, you would not 454 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 2: be where you are today. 455 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 1: Exactly, exactly exactly. But I always he asked me favorite, 456 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: I don't call him favorite something that I have to always, 457 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 1: you know, be dead for him. I become like his 458 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: like second son. 459 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:33,360 Speaker 2: Actually, so that's a great story, but that doesn't lead 460 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:37,720 Speaker 2: to fifteen stores and sixteen hundred frozen pizzas and documentaries. 461 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 2: Along comes Johnny the Albanian. He yeah, has tell us 462 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 2: about Johnny the Albanian. 463 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: Johnny Albania and the language. We call him Tuppy Toddy, 464 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: which is me like my father and daddy, we call 465 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: him tuppy. 466 00:26:57,440 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 2: Got it? 467 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: So, yeah, Johnny, So first one over there, I have 468 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,639 Speaker 1: like forty five thousand dollars, say, you know, like I 469 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: really want to open my pizza shop. The first met 470 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: one of my guys, my best friend and two thousand 471 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 1: and one to two thousand and five me him. We 472 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,440 Speaker 1: save money. I don't know if you know about the 473 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 1: little study. So we worked so hard, you know, like 474 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: we was going, you know, like we we save money. 475 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: We don't go out everything for us like McDonald's. It 476 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: was like for us like mistional start not really because 477 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: we want to save money. We want to we don't 478 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: want to spend money, like you know, like I really 479 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: we don't want to buy clothes, you know. Like so 480 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 1: like so me and one guy manager over there, we 481 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: become like best friend and we told the Jumali we 482 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 1: can open pizza shop one day together. He said, oh, 483 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,640 Speaker 1: if one day you guys open pizza shop, I will 484 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 1: be you know, sport. I will help you guys as well. Okay, 485 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:57,919 Speaker 1: so we save money. I got like sixty seven thousand 486 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:02,400 Speaker 1: dollars and we find a location that we're gonna purchase 487 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 1: and Upper east Side on seventy second Street and Second Avenue. 488 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:10,399 Speaker 1: So we went over there. We about to sign a 489 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 1: contract Monday. So Saturday, I go home. My best friend 490 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:19,119 Speaker 1: he take all hours save and he don run away. 491 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 2: He stole it. 492 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, he saw he take everything. He go away. So 493 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,280 Speaker 1: you know, like I sit down and I cry and 494 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:28,879 Speaker 1: I cry, I cry, and you know, I called Jamali. 495 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,560 Speaker 1: I tell the story. He said, I told you, I 496 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: told you don't trust that guy. You said, like, oh no, 497 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,520 Speaker 1: he's my best friend. He's really good. He's really good. 498 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, like you don't know who's bad. 499 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:42,080 Speaker 1: And he he's good, you know, like who's going to 500 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: be bad? You know, like do the bad thing in 501 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: your life? I mean you like that day, you know, 502 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: like when he take everything and I stay and I 503 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 1: pray God. I said, God, please punish this person what 504 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 1: he did to me. And because I was so angry 505 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 1: with that moment, but right now, every time I pray 506 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: for God, God, you know, please forgive him. Does he 507 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: make mistake? We all make mistake, so you know, just 508 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,680 Speaker 1: forgive him, you know, like what he did, uh huh, 509 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,400 Speaker 1: you know, like we all make mistake, you know that. 510 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: So like after that, you know, like I started again, 511 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: and you know, like I work like another five years 512 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 1: and I saved money, like forty five. I work like 513 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 1: two jobs. I walked like seven days. I was, you know, 514 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: like I just want to make money to be able 515 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 1: to open my first piece of shop. It was my dream. 516 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 1: And you know, then twenty ten, I opened my first 517 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: piece of shop. I purchased from Johnny every. 518 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 2: Month Johnny the Albanian, Yes, yes, but you didn't. You 519 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 2: didn't have enough money to buy the shop. So he 520 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 2: took a note on the difference exactly. 521 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 1: So what he did he gave me like nine different payments. 522 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: So every month it was eighty five thousand. So I 523 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 1: have forty five thousand. I keep five thousand to open corporation, 524 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 1: to make a sign, to make the menu. So I 525 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: give him forty thousand, and every month I get, I 526 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 1: give him five thousand dollars for like nine payments. And 527 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 1: you know, like the first month, you know, like I 528 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: was doing okay, and the second month it was getting 529 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 1: a little slow, third month slower. Fourth money was even 530 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 1: like I was not making money because everybody loved him, 531 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 1: and the neighbor. Everybody think that he was Italian, old guy, 532 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: and he told everybody that he's Italian, and you know, 533 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 1: like old school, make a pisa slow. People love that, 534 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 1: you know, and the community and the beginning, the neighbor 535 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: didn't welcome me Turkish guy making pizza a or like no, 536 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: like there was not you know, like literally they were 537 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: like what what boy caught me? Like so like I 538 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:43,640 Speaker 1: was not you know, be able to pay my rent. 539 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: I give up my apartment. So I was literally sleeping 540 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 1: on my under oven. 541 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 2: And you know you're sleeping under the oven in your picture, yes, sir, Yes. 542 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:56,720 Speaker 1: I was going to gym, take a shower and shave 543 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 1: I swear to you and the gym member it was 544 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: not mine. It was like I work, and he had 545 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 1: a gym members tell and tell the gym or you 546 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 1: know the people you know, because you cannot shave and 547 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: the gym. So I shaved. They give me, they warning, 548 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 1: they give me warning. I see it and one more 549 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 1: time and I shave and they said, no, you know what, 550 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: We're gonna cancel your membership. So I want, I want 551 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 1: to get to go out. And the guy told me, 552 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 1: why was come, I need to talk to you. Okay, 553 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: we're gonna cancel your membership because they catch you. You 554 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 1: shave again, and then he looked up. He looked my name, 555 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:33,480 Speaker 1: but it was not my face, it was not my picture. 556 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 1: It was another guy. So you know, they canceled my 557 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: guy like membership. And I was, you know, upset for him, 558 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 1: but I told him, I'm sorry. I'm gonna pay you 559 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: like for you know whatever penalty the journey, like you know, 560 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 1: like the reason I was not busy, like I said. 561 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 1: People they thought, you know, like you know, this guy 562 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: is Italian, you know, like they love Johnny. He's been 563 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 1: ord there for like ten eleven years old school. And 564 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,000 Speaker 1: what happened or like what blessed me and what saved me? 565 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: What makes me? Like? No success? In Navid it was 566 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: Pizza Magazine. 567 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 2: And that concludes Part one of my conversation with Hockey 568 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 2: Academus and you do not want to miss Part two 569 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 2: that's now available to listen to as we continue with 570 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 2: hockey being featured in Pizza magazine and how that feature 571 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 2: changed his life. Together, guys, we can change this country, 572 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:30,960 Speaker 2: but it'll start with you. I'll see you in Part two.