1 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,159 Speaker 1: Welcome with the Good Stuff. I'm Jacob Shick and I'm 2 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,399 Speaker 1: joined by my co host and wife, Ashley Shick. 3 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 2: Jacob is a third generation combat Marine who runs an 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 2: organization called One Tribe Foundation that focuses on mental and 5 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 2: emotional wellness. I am a gold Star granddaughter, and we 6 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 2: both come from families that are rich in military history 7 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 2: and very proud Americans. 8 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: We believe everybody's got a story worth telling. It involves 9 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: inspiration and perseverance, and we believe that we tell these 10 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: stories to give people the extra that they need to 11 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 1: not only live, but live well. Welcome to the Good 12 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: Stuff today. Our guess is Judy Littlefield, author of the 13 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: book The Other Man Down, A Mother's Journey after the 14 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 1: American Sniper Tragedy. 15 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 2: Many of you are familiar with the story of the 16 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 2: American Sniper Chris Kyle, the Navy Seal sniper who returned 17 00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: home a war hero, devoted himself to helping veterans suffer 18 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,639 Speaker 2: with PTS, and was killed by one of the very 19 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 2: men he was trying to help. 20 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: Well, Chris Kyle wasn's the only man who lost his 21 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: life that day. His best friend was by a side, 22 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: a best friend who was equally devoted to helping our 23 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: vets returning home. That man is Judy Littlefield's son, Chad Littlefield. 24 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: These horrendous and cowardly murders happened over ten years ago. 25 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: Their impact has an ongoing ripple effect throughout the. 26 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 2: Entire world, and today we are celebrating the life of 27 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 2: Chad Littlefield. So this episode is very personal to us. 28 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 2: Jake was honored to be involved in the filming of 29 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,639 Speaker 2: Clint Eastwood's film American Snipers, starring Bradley Cooper's Chris Kyle, 30 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 2: and through his involvement, we had the incredible honor of 31 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 2: meeting Don and Judy Littlefield, Chad's parents, who we now 32 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:52,559 Speaker 2: consider family. We are so thrilled today to be sitting 33 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 2: around the dining room table here in DeSoto, Texas of 34 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: a beautiful Texas lady inside and out that we've been 35 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 2: ends with for a while. 36 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: Missus Judy Littlefield, better known as Mama Littlefield to us, 37 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: I just can't call you Judy little Field. Just feels wrong. 38 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 3: I think, not. 39 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 2: Your mama, your mama. We've actually known each other for years. 40 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: We met at an event in Fort Worth, I think 41 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: eight years ago, and just so grateful for that friendship. 42 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 2: But I know you and Jake have actually known each 43 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 2: other for quite a while, longer a little bit. 44 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: I don't remember how I met Mama and Coach. So 45 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: do you recall our first interaction? 46 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 3: Yes, I do. It was at the premiere of The 47 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 3: American Sniper. Don and I were sitting there. We had 48 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 3: been invited by Tea Kyle to be there, and we 49 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 3: had just gotten some devastating news about the details of 50 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 3: how Chad had been killed, and we were so weary, 51 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 3: you know, it was just all we could do to 52 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 3: get to the theater. And we were setting up in 53 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 3: the audience. They turned the house lights up and before 54 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 3: we knew it, Jacob and d come up and Jacob 55 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 3: leaned over it and said, I'm so sorry for your loss, 56 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 3: and I told him, I said, you know what, that 57 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 3: meant a lot to me, because we were so overwhelmed 58 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 3: of the news we had gotten, and we even considered 59 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 3: not going, but we did anyway. And that Jacob Schick, 60 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 3: this big bad marine, cared enough to come up and 61 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 3: love on us and comfort us. And that's what that's 62 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 3: when I first met him. He's just been my boy 63 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 3: ever since. 64 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: I know that I can speak for Rashley as well 65 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: when I say we've cherished every moment and that you 66 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: both are very near and dear to our heart, and 67 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:49,839 Speaker 1: we are just honored. 68 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 3: And privileged to call you family on our side too. 69 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: I distinctly remember Bradley and Taya setting up the premiere 70 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: and us standing in the front, right in front of 71 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: the screen, and then you all were acknowledged, and I 72 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: remember badly looking at me and he said, you got 73 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: anything you want to say something? But I remember because 74 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: all I could think about was just I wanted. I 75 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: just wanted to hug y'all. And I just said no, 76 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 1: you know, because to me, nothing else seems to be said, right, 77 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: I could just need everything said. We setting up a film, 78 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: and I remember that distinkly well. 79 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 3: There were a lot of veterans in the audience that night, 80 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:35,119 Speaker 3: and they had stood up and applauded us when Taya 81 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 3: had said we were in the audience, and we were 82 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 3: still processing that. We thought, these war heroes are standing 83 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,720 Speaker 3: up and acknowledging us, who are we? 84 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: You know? 85 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 3: And then you came up. So we just fell apart. 86 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 3: You know. The news that we had gotten the day 87 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 3: before just kind of faded, you know, in the distance. 88 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 3: We had new good information to process, you know, we 89 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 3: were able to a table the other and until the 90 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 3: trial hit. You know. 91 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: So it's so important those little moments, you know, they're 92 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 1: so important. I think there those those moments where it 93 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 1: carries us to the to the next yard line. I'm 94 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: grateful that I got that moment. That was a hectic 95 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: day because you know, I hadn't watched you know, I 96 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 1: got hit. Oh four September, oh fourth is when I 97 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: got hurt in Iraq. I had not watched a war movie, 98 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 1: war show, anything until the premiere. And I've told Ashays, 99 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: I've told lots of people this I felt. And I 100 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: didn't have to write. It's not mandated that I do 101 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: go to the premiere, but I felt as though I 102 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: owed it to the Kyle family and do y'all to 103 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: sit and go through that film and watch it beginning 104 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: to end, to have a genuine and authentic take in 105 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: reaction to it. And so that was the first war 106 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: movie that I sat down and watched since the day 107 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: got hurt. 108 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: N four, Mama little Field, will you please tell us 109 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 2: about Chad. 110 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 3: I had a son by a previous marriage, but Chad 111 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 3: was our only biological child, and I had had three miscarriages, 112 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 3: and I really got mad at God because I thought, 113 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 3: why even let me get pregnant if I can't carry 114 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 3: that baby. So Donn had given up any chance of 115 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 3: ever having a child. And then I got pregnant with 116 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 3: Chad and was able to carry him. And he was 117 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 3: our miracle baby because you know, we hadn't had one 118 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 3: but then, and he was due on Valentine's Day, so 119 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 3: he became our love baby also, you know, but he 120 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 3: decided to come on eleventh instead. You know. Anyway, I 121 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 3: guess I learned even through that you don't get bitter. 122 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 3: Didn't help anything, you know, And it made me appreciate 123 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 3: when we did have him. Little did I know we'd 124 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 3: only have him thirty five years. But we have to 125 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 3: rejoice in that time we had and not mourn what 126 00:06:58,000 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 3: might have been. You know. 127 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 2: I know Chad came over and spent that afternoon with 128 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 2: you the day before he was killed. Will you please 129 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 2: tell us about that? He said, he talked about all 130 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 2: kinds of things and life is so good it's almost scary. 131 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, if he told me. We talked about where he 132 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 3: was spiritually, and they had started going to Cowboy Church, 133 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 3: and he said, Mom, I got to get in there 134 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 3: and learn these Bible stories. My little girl knows more 135 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 3: than I do. And I had done, and I had 136 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 3: been named Volunteers of the month at our church. So 137 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 3: that was written up and I showed that to him 138 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,679 Speaker 3: and I said it's not very big and he said, Mom, 139 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 3: what makes you think that's not a big deal. So 140 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 3: I got that approval from him, you know, before he 141 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 3: left this earth. He stood up at the bar and 142 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 3: he said, Mom, I would take a bullet for Chris 143 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 3: chat don't talk like that. And he did. He did 144 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 3: exactly that the next day. But he said on the couch, 145 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 3: he said, mom, life is so good, it's scary. Little 146 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 3: did we know that it would all be over the next. 147 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 2: Day he talked about being a father, Yeah. 148 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 3: How he wanted his little girl raised. And keep in 149 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 3: mind that his little girl turned seven two weeks before 150 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 3: he was killed. He and his wife had waited five 151 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 3: years before they had a child. Chad told him one time, 152 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 3: little girl said, Dad, I want a brother or sister, 153 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 3: And Chad says, you want to college education our brother 154 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 3: and sister. I can't afford both that sacks and so 155 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 3: many times and I have learned this. My reaction when 156 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,199 Speaker 3: he left that day was, oh gosh, I didn't know 157 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 3: he was going to stay this long. I have work 158 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 3: to do, you know, real work. Little did I know 159 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 3: that that conversation, every word would be something I would 160 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,199 Speaker 3: treasure for the rest of my life, you know, go 161 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 3: over and over all of that, because it was the 162 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,079 Speaker 3: last words we had with him. 163 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: What I see for that to be the last earthly 164 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: encounter in that way, especially working in the line of 165 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: work that I'm in now, with the foundation we do 166 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 1: with a lot of loss, and it's I just can 167 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: only imagine how much it's played a role for you 168 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: and your family to be able to spread love and 169 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: to be genuine and authentic and subd. 170 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 3: Lovell And it was such a blessing that we had 171 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:36,199 Speaker 3: that time. You know, military families and gold Star they 172 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 3: might not have seen their son or their daughter in 173 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 3: the last year, last nine months. I walked away that 174 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 3: day and I thought, I never have to say if 175 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 3: I had one more I love you, or one more 176 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 3: kiss or one more hug, because God gave me all 177 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 3: of those things in that day. And we're given nuggets, 178 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 3: but we have to be able to look for them 179 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 3: and everything that seems like a chaos situation. 180 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: Where was he spiritually when he came over. 181 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 3: We raised our boys with a strong faith and in church, 182 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 3: and Chad had kind of wavered on and off from 183 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 3: the faith, but he never wavered from his beliefs. That 184 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 3: day he told me that he was a believer, and 185 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 3: you know, if anything ever happened him, he knew where 186 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 3: he would go. So that was not even a question 187 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 3: when he was killed. 188 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: Through this horrendous tragedy, was there some sense of comfort 189 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: in that and having that conversation and knowing that. 190 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 3: Oh, definitely, definitely. After he got out of the house, 191 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 3: it was like we never never mentioned it again. But 192 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 3: it was rare that unless he was in trouble, and 193 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 3: then you know, we really prayed, you know, to get 194 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 3: him out of that. I remember one time he lost 195 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 3: his company credit card and oh he went home, tore 196 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 3: the house up looking for that credit card and everything. 197 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 3: He called me and please pray, I've got to have that. 198 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 3: I've got to come up with that company credit card. So, 199 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 3: I mean, he was just a cousin and everything all 200 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 3: day long. And then that evening he called me and 201 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 3: he said, well, Jesus did it. And I said what 202 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 3: And he said, I found my credit card. I said, wonderful, 203 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 3: where was it? He said, well, I'd gone to the 204 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,559 Speaker 3: bathroom and dropped my wallet in the bathroom and it 205 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 3: was in there. So it all worked out. But you know, 206 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 3: he would just get so so fried over something, you know, 207 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 3: But it was a truly a comfort to know that 208 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 3: I would see him again. That's our hope, you know 209 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 3: that we will be with him again, that he's not 210 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 3: gone forever. 211 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 2: Talk if you will, please about the relationship between christ 212 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 2: and Chad. 213 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 3: Okay, they met on the soccer field. Their little girls 214 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 3: played soccer together, and they had to get out and 215 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 3: the coaches were not adequate. You know, they had to 216 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 3: help the coaches. 217 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: You know, I can't look, It's just the way it 218 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: is with two sons that play sports. You feel like 219 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: sometimes you have to assist. 220 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 3: With vigor the finer lines. 221 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 2: That's right. 222 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 3: Anyway, they met out there and I guess started talking, 223 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 3: and then I guess Chris started telling him stories about 224 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 3: the Navy Seals and stuff like that, and like I said, 225 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 3: Chad was patriotic. And then Chris was doing fundraisers for 226 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 3: veterans and he invited Chad along. One man introduced himself 227 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 3: to Chad. He said, I know you, and Chad said, 228 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:53,559 Speaker 3: it scared me because I wasn't military and I wasn't 229 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 3: nave sealing. You know, I didn't know who he thought 230 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 3: I was. And Chad to him, says, you don't know me. 231 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 3: He said, I'm not military. He said, yeah, you are. 232 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 3: You are the one that brought Chris out of his 233 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 3: darkest hours. And it was just you know, Chad told me, 234 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:09,959 Speaker 3: he said, Mom, I didn't know he was doing talk therapy, 235 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 3: you know, when they're working out, you know, but you know, 236 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 3: it helped. And Chad was a good listener. And if 237 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 3: Chris wanted to talk and talk about things that bothered him, 238 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 3: Chad would listen. If not, they would just work out 239 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 3: quietly and split their ways. You know. They became good 240 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 3: friends that way to Chris, and that's what he needed 241 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 3: at the time. The next morning, February, the second, he 242 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 3: had texted me because we had an inheritance that finally 243 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 3: came through, and he was always seizing me. Hey, let 244 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 3: me give you my bank account number. You know, you'll 245 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 3: you'll probably need that to put that in my bank. 246 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 3: You know. Chad was a funny kid. You know, we 247 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 3: were disciplinarians. But you know all of his friends, you know, 248 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 3: they wanted Chad to be their party in the life 249 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 3: of the party. But I sent him a text and 250 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 3: I said, look what I learned to do. And he said, oh, mom, 251 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 3: I had to pull over the side of the road. 252 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 3: I could not believe you were texting. It's a big deal. 253 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 2: So yeah, I mean that even that plays into the 254 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 2: story because that morning you were texting with him. 255 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 3: Anyway, he told me. Then after that text, he said, 256 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 3: we got a marine that's not doing well and Chris 257 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 3: and I are going to take him to the range 258 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 3: and just get him out for the day. So I 259 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 3: knew where Chad was and they went down there. This 260 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 3: was I don't know nine or ten o'clock in the morning, 261 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 3: I guess on a Saturday morning. So that was the 262 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 3: last text that I got from Chad and we went 263 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 3: on the day. Don and I are very active in 264 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 3: our church and we usually keep Saturdays open. We usually 265 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 3: don't go out on a Saturday night because then were 266 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 3: too tired to get up and go do anything Sunday. 267 00:14:55,240 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 3: But this time we were having a ladies conference and 268 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 3: I had to get up and go set up the 269 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 3: display and everything. And because I'm pretty high maintenance, I 270 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 3: had to make sure that my clothes were picked out 271 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 3: and that, you know, my hair was done, and I 272 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 3: was ready to go. God forbid that my makeup was 273 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 3: not ride or something like that. You know, late, always 274 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 3: on time, that's right, that's right. 275 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: Me neither right, always late. 276 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 3: That's awesome. So we went about our business and we 277 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 3: got a call from Taya, Chris's wife, and she said, 278 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 3: we need to come. You need to come to my house. 279 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 3: And Don said why, and she said, there's been an 280 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 3: accident and you need to get your wife and come 281 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 3: to our house. And from our house to they live 282 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 3: in Middalothian, Texas, it's about fifteen miles and it's dark, 283 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 3: winding roads. I mean there's no light at all out there, 284 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 3: so you just kind of you have to know where 285 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 3: you're going, you know, you get lost. So we got 286 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 3: out there. There was probably a two block perimnium around 287 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 3: the house that you couldn't even get through, and cars 288 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 3: were just lined up everywhere, and the police stopped us 289 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 3: and we told them we were the little Fields and 290 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 3: the policeman said, we know Chris has been shot but 291 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 3: we don't know about Chad yet, and I thought, how 292 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 3: strange is that that you know my son's first name. 293 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 3: And anyway, he led us through and so Donn and 294 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 3: I walked hand in hand up to the house with 295 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 3: the lights. And this was maybe nine thirty at night. 296 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 3: The garage door was open and law enforcement was everywhere. 297 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 3: There was FBI and Navy seal, local police, DPS officers, 298 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 3: you know, just everywhere. And they directed us through the 299 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 3: kitchen and my former daughter in law met us there 300 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 3: and she said, Chris has been shot. We don't know 301 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 3: about Chad. So we all went and sat down. Ta 302 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 3: had come in, Chris's wife had come in, and we 303 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,119 Speaker 3: were all in a very dim lit room and people 304 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 3: were whispering. Nobody was talking out loud at all, and 305 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 3: it was full of people, I mean, people lying around 306 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 3: the walls, and nobody sat except for the family, you know. 307 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 3: And TAA came in and she said, now there's people here, 308 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 3: Navy seals. If y'all need anything, they can help you. 309 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 3: And I said, if you would show me where a 310 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 3: trash can is, i'd appreciate it. On to get rid 311 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 3: of my gum, and this man just held out his 312 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 3: hand to take my gun, and I thought, I said, no, 313 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 3: just give me a tissue or something, and you know, no, 314 00:17:54,880 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 3: I'll take it. I said, okay, and then asked for 315 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 3: a glass of water, and it was right there. I mean, 316 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 3: they just took it off the candet and I thought, 317 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 3: whose water was this? Whose water am I drinking? But 318 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 3: I didn't care. I was thirsty, you know. And like 319 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 3: I said, everybody was so eager to help. Nobody knew 320 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 3: what to do or when to do it until, you know, 321 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 3: we could be till we knew that Chad was involved 322 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 3: and that he had been killed. Also, we just began 323 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:39,479 Speaker 3: the weight to set there and waited. Chad was his 324 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:42,679 Speaker 3: wallet and everything was in Chris's truck, and the shooter 325 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:45,639 Speaker 3: had taken Chris's truck, so they had no way of 326 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 3: identifying Chad. And we knew he was, you know, with Chris, 327 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 3: but nobody else knew that. So we sat there and 328 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 3: then later on we found out the shooter had been 329 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,719 Speaker 3: taken into custody. Before we ever found out that Chad 330 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 3: was the other end down. Chad had had in my house. 331 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 3: You didn't do tattoos. You got kicked out if you know, 332 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 3: got a tattoo well, he got a huge one and 333 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 3: it was Jesus Christ on this side and a big 334 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 3: eagle on this side. But he shortened them, you know, 335 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 3: short enough that he could still wear a shirt and 336 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 3: you wouldn't see the tattoo. I decided at that point, hey, 337 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 3: I got to choose my battles and that's not worth fighting, 338 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 3: you know. Of course he was out of the house 339 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 3: by then. Anyway. Anyway, that's the way they identified him 340 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 3: in death. Anyway, finally the captain and the Middle Othian 341 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 3: Police Department came in and the phone had been binging 342 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 3: all night and back then, you know, it was a 343 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:45,399 Speaker 3: little flip phone thing. You know. My son and my 344 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:49,639 Speaker 3: grandson were wanting to know if Chad was okay, and 345 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 3: I thought, how do you know about this? What is 346 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 3: going on? We were in shock. We still tell you 347 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 3: had set an accident. We're thinking that they wrecked the 348 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:02,199 Speaker 3: truck because Chad was a football player in high school 349 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:06,160 Speaker 3: and we had several dangerous things that happened. I had 350 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 3: to go to the hospital, so we're thinking that's the accident. Anyway, 351 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 3: we sat there and sat there, and finally he came 352 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 3: in and he said, we have identified Chad and he 353 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 3: is the other man down with Chris. Anyway, I went 354 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:27,919 Speaker 3: to my knees and just scream, not my chatty, not 355 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:32,879 Speaker 3: much chatty. It was true. And here we were sitting 356 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 3: among strangers, and my little former daughter in law said, 357 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 3: I've got to get to my daughter. She was, you know, 358 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 3: with a sitter. And by this time it was eleven 359 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 3: or twelve o'clock at night. I think we didn't know 360 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 3: what to do. We just stood there and we thought, here, 361 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 3: we're in a strange house. And my husband he just 362 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,159 Speaker 3: had to, you know, get us out, and so we 363 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 3: decided to go with her over to her parents' house. 364 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,239 Speaker 3: We had nobody, We didn't have any family there, we 365 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 3: had no support or anything. So we just followed her 366 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 3: and we went over there. And my former drawing in 367 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 3: law was in the education field, so they had counselors 368 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 3: there immediately, several of them too for my little granddaughter. 369 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 3: You know, they were all in the room with her. 370 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 3: And anyway, we got ready to go home, and I 371 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,400 Speaker 3: went and hugged her and kissed her, and my little 372 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 3: granddaughter said, mem is this a nightmare? I said, honey, 373 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 3: I'm afraid it is. And we weren't going to wake 374 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:41,959 Speaker 3: up from this one. When she's here. We got cemetery 375 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 3: and put a Christmas ornament on a reeve for something 376 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 3: for her. And I keep flags, American flags and Texas 377 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 3: flags out there all the time. And you know, one 378 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 3: of the funny things, we were going to pick AD's 379 00:21:55,920 --> 00:22:00,159 Speaker 3: headstone out and her mother said, oh, no, I'll have 380 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 3: to find a sitter. That will traumatize her. I said, 381 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 3: she needs to be in on this stuff. So anyway, 382 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 3: she went with us, and she gets out of the 383 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 3: car and walks in this monument place and the lady said, 384 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:14,439 Speaker 3: did you all need some help or do you know 385 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,640 Speaker 3: what you want? And she said, no, we know what 386 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:19,879 Speaker 3: we want. And the lady said, did you want a 387 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 3: rough cut or a smooth cut? And she said no, 388 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 3: we want a smooth because if a bird poops on it, 389 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 3: we want to be able to get it off. I said, 390 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 3: so much for that trisation. 391 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 1: I mean, and how logical. Yeah, that's yeah, you know, 392 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:37,640 Speaker 1: from the mouth of babes. 393 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 3: Well, and she wanted to do something on the headstone, 394 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 3: and so I said, we'll go over there and sit 395 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 3: down and come up with something. Well, she had a 396 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 3: plaque in her room that said I found my prince 397 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 3: and his name is Daddy, and they were able to 398 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 3: let her and she had beautiful handwriting at that aid 399 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:59,919 Speaker 3: do her handwriting, and it's on the grapes. 400 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 1: Well, I think what a Greek call it had to 401 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: attribute to the to getting through the greeming process, having 402 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 1: involved I think that was so important, you know, and 403 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 1: that being able to hel forward and go through the 404 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 1: healing journey, which is a lifelong journey. 405 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 3: And we're able to pass that on to his little 406 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:25,720 Speaker 3: girl also. Anyway, they arranged to have Chad's funeral a 407 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:29,719 Speaker 3: week after he had been killed. So, and there's an 408 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 3: organization called the Patriot Guard Writers and they're usually a 409 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 3: bunch of veterans that escort of veterans home to their 410 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 3: final resting place. Well, they do military, and Chad was 411 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 3: not military, but they got special permission and there were 412 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 3: two hundred motorcycle guys that showed up to escort my 413 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 3: son to his final resting place and they surrounded the 414 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 3: the grave site with those beautiful American flags and just 415 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:12,439 Speaker 3: so so overwhelming and heartfelt they would love us enough 416 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:18,719 Speaker 3: to do that anyway, but they got that taken care of, 417 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 3: and then you know, the silence comes the people are gone, 418 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:27,160 Speaker 3: the relatives are gone, the cards and letters have stopped, 419 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 3: the phone calls, and Don and I talked and we said, Don, 420 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 3: we can't afford to get better over this. We're gonna 421 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 3: have to get better because we can't afford to live 422 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 3: and revenge and anger. You know, it is what it is. 423 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 3: We've lost our son, but we're going to rise above. 424 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 3: And the reason I'm called Mama Littlefield is I lost 425 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:56,199 Speaker 3: my son, but I have gained so many you know. 426 00:24:56,280 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 3: I had one one that say, my mom passed last 427 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 3: year and I really miss her not wishing me a 428 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:06,120 Speaker 3: happy birthday, And I said, on behalf of your mom, 429 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 3: please let me wish you a happy birthday. So I'm 430 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 3: being Mama, Mama Judy, Mama Littleville. So and I just 431 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:20,160 Speaker 3: appreciate that so much. I just just love these guys 432 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 3: and know that Chad would be so thankful that we're 433 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 3: being treated like we are because he was very patriotic kid. 434 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 3: You know. He was always saying, Mom, what did you 435 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 3: do for a veteran today? And I told him one day, 436 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,919 Speaker 3: I said, son, you need to be a first responder 437 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 3: because if there was an accident on the side of 438 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,879 Speaker 3: the road, he was the first one out, and he 439 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 3: was a germ preak. He didn't like his name brand 440 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 3: clothes messed up or his hands dirty, but he would 441 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 3: if there was somebody in need. You know, that all 442 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 3: went to the ways. 443 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:00,639 Speaker 1: I can relate it. Mama, it's I don't like germs 444 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,120 Speaker 1: that aren't mine on me. I don't. It's and it 445 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:06,880 Speaker 1: just seems to get worse the older I get. 446 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 3: That's interesting. Well, you know, like I said, but Chad 447 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 3: told me, I said, you need to become a first responder. 448 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:16,360 Speaker 3: He said, Mom, you don't need to wear a uniform 449 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 3: to help your fellow man. I said, boy, you're right. 450 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:24,199 Speaker 3: You know, we need to reach out more often and 451 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:28,400 Speaker 3: love one another and uh, you know, with kindness. And 452 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 3: then after that we had to wait for two years. 453 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,360 Speaker 3: It went to trial. The case went to trial two 454 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 3: years later. But we were the only ones that didn't 455 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 3: know what had happened. I mean, we knew Chad and 456 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 3: Chris had been shot, but we didn't have any details. 457 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 3: We didn't know why, the motive of nothing. And I 458 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 3: don't know why they kept that from it, maybe because 459 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 3: they felt we needed to be protected. But then after 460 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:57,360 Speaker 3: that we went to trial and that was a whole 461 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 3: whole different thing. The trial lasted too and a half weeks, 462 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 3: and we stayed down there and every TV or social 463 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:11,879 Speaker 3: media they contacted us and they were I think I 464 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 3: know they were coming by the house because on the 465 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 3: weekend we came home and there were cards and things 466 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 3: in my mailbox with no stamp on them, So I 467 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 3: know that they were coming by here. But and we 468 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 3: couldn't do any interviews because we didn't want to jeopardize trial. 469 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 3: And in Texas, because there were two murders at the 470 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:37,120 Speaker 3: same time, they went to trial for both, for Chris's 471 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 3: murder and Chad's. On all the national TV and everything, 472 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 3: it was considered the American sniper trial, and it was. 473 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 3: It was the trial of Chad Littlefield and Chris Kyle. 474 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 3: They proved in a court of law that he did 475 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 3: not suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, that he had 476 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:57,960 Speaker 3: chosen to get high and drink, and he told his 477 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 3: sister he left the scene and told us, sister said, 478 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 3: I just sold my soul for this truck. That's our story. 479 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 3: But like I said, we learned a lot. We learned 480 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 3: to not be bitter, we learned to love more, We're 481 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 3: more compassionate, I had some people tell me one time, said, well, 482 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:23,960 Speaker 3: we've lost our jobs, and we don't mean to compare 483 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:26,880 Speaker 3: that to your loss. I said, no, you don't understand 484 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 3: when you're in pain. I don't care where it's coming from. 485 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:34,639 Speaker 3: Everybody is in pain together, and we need to reach 486 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 3: out and help them. 487 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,240 Speaker 1: And I'm a firm believer in that. We are firm 488 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: believers in that there's no there's no levels, right. 489 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 3: Right, there's no levels. If you're hurting, you're hurting in pain. 490 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: Right, And it is so important for us to really 491 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: lean in. I just love that because it's I think 492 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 1: it's important for people to hear that your pain is relevant, 493 00:28:56,320 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 1: regardless of what it is, because societally, we get so 494 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: so separated and segregated because of you know, well this 495 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: my situation is not as bad as that situation, et cetera, 496 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,400 Speaker 1: et cetera. And it's like if we could just lean 497 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: in and realize that the one thing that makes us 498 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: the same is we all understand pain and suffering. And 499 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: that's regardless of your belief system, you know, regardless of 500 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 1: your political ideology, regardless of et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. 501 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: Everyone understands that and it's the one thing that we 502 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 1: can just agree on well. 503 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 3: And what you said was my granddaughters. That's a tribute 504 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 3: to how we handled grief. I had not thought about 505 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 3: that before. But I can't imagine if she had been 506 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:43,959 Speaker 3: around us and we refuse to live, if we refuse 507 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 3: to get out of bed or just go on with life. 508 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 3: I can't imagine how it would have affected her at 509 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 3: her young age. And I'm so glad that we chose 510 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 3: to get up and go on through it all. 511 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: You know. We've noticed too that when we are going 512 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:04,560 Speaker 1: through hard times, they're always listening, our kids, like they're 513 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:08,840 Speaker 1: even when you think they're not. It's always listening. Will 514 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 1: be mid sentence and you'll hear the little one, what 515 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: does that mean? And it's like, oh god, he's been 516 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 1: listening time. Yeah. But especially when we're going through challenging times, 517 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 1: they are hyper focused what are they going to do? 518 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 1: And it's our time to really show what living well 519 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 1: looks like in the face of adversity, you know, and 520 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: it's we're not always good at it, especially me, you know. 521 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:38,239 Speaker 1: I think it's so important that that to know we 522 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: can find therapy and everything we do, it doesn't have 523 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: to be sitting across from a professional. Licensed professional doesn't 524 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: have to be. And I think that that's that's really important, 525 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: the example that you all have shown her, and I 526 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: guarantee you it's attributed to her being able to hold forward. 527 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 3: There's been a lot of lessons learned. And Chad was 528 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 3: very I mean, he was calling every day. He's a 529 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 3: mama's boy. He would call every day or come by 530 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 3: or you know. And because he did that, my other 531 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 3: son let him. You know, it might be four weeks 532 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 3: before we would see the other one, you know, because 533 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 3: he just you know, they'd get busy. But then after 534 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 3: Chad was taken, well, I'm telling you, Jerry's on the 535 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 3: phone every day, taking us wherever we need to go 536 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 3: and helping us. So we're blessed that we have him 537 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 3: to take care. And he's not military either, but he 538 00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 3: works to raise funds for veterans and try to help. 539 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 3: That's what's so beautiful. 540 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 2: Y'all truly raised to patriotic, god loving young men, and 541 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 2: we truly appreciate you sharing your story. 542 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 3: It's beautiful that you're able to. 543 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 2: Honor and remember him and share his story so we 544 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 2: can all remember him, you know. 545 00:31:56,480 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: You and Don and Jerry and chat or proof positive 546 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 1: to me that every human being has an inner warrior. 547 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:09,080 Speaker 1: I believe it's ingrained in our DNA, and you're proof 548 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:11,560 Speaker 1: positive of that. The way you've you've all been able 549 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 1: to embrace grace through it all is inspiring and of itself. 550 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: And I believe there's a big difference between suffering and 551 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: suffering well, you know, and I don't believe that we 552 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 1: ever get over significant traumatic experiences in life. I just 553 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 1: I believe that we learned to deal with them in 554 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 1: a healthier manner. You know, you guys have definitely been 555 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:36,400 Speaker 1: an inspiration to not only me but us and how 556 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: to handle what life throws at you. 557 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 3: You know. 558 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 1: And I've been I've been through a lot of life 559 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 1: in my short amount of time I've been here. But 560 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 1: it's you know, it's it's a it's an honor to 561 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 1: be around people like you both, because it's uh, it's inspirational, 562 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 1: it's motivational, humbling. 563 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:57,040 Speaker 3: Chad asked me one one year what I wanted from 564 00:32:57,080 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 3: others day, and I told him I wanted to authentic 565 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 3: get bush And so he went and got one for me, 566 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 3: and he dug the hole and planted it and everything. 567 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 3: He was over here one day and I said, Chad, 568 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 3: look at that crazy bush. I said, when your life's 569 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:16,480 Speaker 3: going good, that bush just blooms. And he said, but Mom, 570 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 3: if you had not watered it and kept the weeds 571 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:22,840 Speaker 3: out of it like you did, my life, neither one 572 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 3: of us would have ever produced. So Chad and I 573 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,960 Speaker 3: bonded over that crazy yellow rose bush, you know. And 574 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 3: then after he was killed, Mother's Day was coming up 575 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:40,680 Speaker 3: and the rose bush just was not doing anything, and 576 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 3: I cried, and I cried as a don It's died 577 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:48,240 Speaker 3: with him. The rose bushes died with him. And a 578 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 3: couple of days before Mother's Day, I walked outside and 579 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 3: just happened to look down and there was a little 580 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 3: yellow bud on that rose bush. And I thought, thank you, Chad, 581 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,560 Speaker 3: thank you ched so much for letting me know you're okay. 582 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 3: And the yellow rose. When he'd get mad at me 583 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:09,239 Speaker 3: or something, he'd show up up on my door with 584 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 3: the yellow rose say I'm sorry, mom. So that was 585 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:17,160 Speaker 3: our deal. And then when I saw that little rose bush, 586 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:19,160 Speaker 3: you know, it's just like he was saying, I'm sorry 587 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:21,880 Speaker 3: for the pain, but I'm good. You know that that 588 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 3: yellow rose has been a meaning for me ever since. 589 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:28,280 Speaker 3: So that's amazing. 590 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:31,400 Speaker 2: Always give a Texas girl yellow roses. 591 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 3: Right. 592 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:35,600 Speaker 2: He clearly made such a huge impact on those that 593 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 2: whose lives he touched. Even in his friendship with Chris, 594 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:41,200 Speaker 2: Jake said, you know, you can find therapy in anything 595 00:34:41,239 --> 00:34:42,919 Speaker 2: that you do. And you said earlier when they would 596 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:47,160 Speaker 2: go exercise, they would exercise their bodies for their mental health. 597 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:51,400 Speaker 3: That's huge. Well, and not only that, of course you 598 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:55,880 Speaker 3: probably know this, but we were offered so many pills 599 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:00,439 Speaker 3: and alcohol. Here, just drink this and you'll feel better. Well, 600 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,240 Speaker 3: I have a very addictive personality, and. 601 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 1: You and me both, Mama, I knew. 602 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:07,399 Speaker 3: If I had a glass of wine today, I'd need 603 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:11,640 Speaker 3: a bottle tomorrow. And it would have been accepted, you 604 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:13,640 Speaker 3: know what I was going through. It would have been 605 00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 3: accepted to judge, you know, just stay on the pills 606 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:22,359 Speaker 3: and stay out. But we've always felt like you have 607 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 3: to walk through the pain. You can't walk around it, 608 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 3: you can't dodge it. It's there. Walk through it. So 609 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 3: and and that's the thing. I could have drank. I 610 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 3: could have taken the pills, but then when I got sober, 611 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 3: I would still be in pain. 612 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:38,879 Speaker 1: You'd be a square one. 613 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, anything, you know. 614 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:44,440 Speaker 1: That's one thing that I you know, I try and 615 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:46,839 Speaker 1: tell people is that because you know, November it will 616 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 1: be five years that I've been cleaning. 617 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 3: So wow, wow, congratulations. 618 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:53,920 Speaker 1: Well thank you. I believe that when we feel it, 619 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:55,959 Speaker 1: we sit and we feel it, we feel the pain, 620 00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:57,719 Speaker 1: and we exercise the pain. 621 00:35:58,239 --> 00:35:58,400 Speaker 2: You know. 622 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 1: I believe that that's doing a lot of shaping of 623 00:36:01,239 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 1: our character and our understanding immortality and our appreciation of 624 00:36:06,239 --> 00:36:09,919 Speaker 1: the things that we otherwise just don't appreciate because we're 625 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:12,080 Speaker 1: just going through life trying to get everything done, to 626 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:14,240 Speaker 1: go do this or that for this person or that person. 627 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:18,480 Speaker 1: And it's I think that it speaks volumes of you 628 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 1: guys as not only human beings, but leaders in community 629 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:24,840 Speaker 1: and being rooted in your spirituality, being able to just 630 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:28,360 Speaker 1: fill it and not numb because a lot of people 631 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:32,520 Speaker 1: do which and just like you said, just like you, 632 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,000 Speaker 1: like I suck at anything in moderation, it's all the 633 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:35,640 Speaker 1: way or no way. 634 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 3: Oh that's me, that's me. 635 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 1: And you know with me, it was like, well, if 636 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:41,760 Speaker 1: one pill works about you, five is going to be awesome. Yeah, 637 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 1: which led you know, so on and so forth. And 638 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:48,400 Speaker 1: which was the same thing. It's just because nobody judged. 639 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 1: There was no judgment like, well, you know, can you 640 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:55,720 Speaker 1: imagine yeah's gone right? And so there was no judgment. 641 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:59,200 Speaker 1: There was no questions, No, Jake, maybe you should tone 642 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 1: it down some mate, none of that, because how dare 643 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:07,480 Speaker 1: they impede on my process? Right? And I remember when 644 00:37:07,520 --> 00:37:10,560 Speaker 1: I stopped drinking, and it was because I wouldn't say 645 00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:12,640 Speaker 1: I was sober for about a year because I think 646 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:14,920 Speaker 1: there's a big difference between not drinking and living a 647 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: sober life. And I had so many people walk up 648 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:20,080 Speaker 1: to me and go, you know, Jake, I was going 649 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:22,680 Speaker 1: to say something to you about it. I said, yeah, 650 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:27,279 Speaker 1: but you didn't and that's okay. And I said, and 651 00:37:27,280 --> 00:37:30,960 Speaker 1: that's on me, not you. That's okay, you know. But 652 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:35,080 Speaker 1: it's it's something that, yeah, we all grieve differently, we 653 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:37,399 Speaker 1: all go through things differently, and I think it's really 654 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 1: important for people to hear what you and coach and 655 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:47,400 Speaker 1: your family have gone through to understand it doesn't always 656 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:50,920 Speaker 1: have to look like you see on TV it all. 657 00:37:51,040 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 1: It doesn't always have to look like a Hollywood film. 658 00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:56,799 Speaker 1: It's not always going to. 659 00:37:56,800 --> 00:37:59,360 Speaker 3: Be pretty like I'm okay right. 660 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,759 Speaker 1: It's okay to not be okay, and it's okay to 661 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 1: fill it because we were all human. 662 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:08,920 Speaker 3: And that's not over. You know, a lot of times 663 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 3: I think I got this thing lived, you know, and 664 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:15,160 Speaker 3: something a smell or you know, a thought or something, 665 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:17,480 Speaker 3: and I lose it, you know. And we will never 666 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 3: get over Chad's lost, never, but we are learning to 667 00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:27,759 Speaker 3: live without him, and it's healing, uh to talk about it. 668 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:31,479 Speaker 3: And a mother's greatest fear is that her son would 669 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,839 Speaker 3: be forgotten, you know. Jerry used to tell us and Mom, 670 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:36,840 Speaker 3: there's two deaths. The first one is physical. The second 671 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:40,040 Speaker 3: one is when people forget you ever existed. And that's 672 00:38:40,040 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 3: what I don't want to happen too much, head I want, 673 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:46,160 Speaker 3: I want him remembered for us and his little girl 674 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:46,640 Speaker 3: as well. 675 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 2: He talked about community, and one of the things that 676 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:54,800 Speaker 2: christ and Chad really bonded on was was community. But 677 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 2: since this whole thing's happened in your life, your community 678 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:03,319 Speaker 2: has grown as well. Now, talk to me about that day, 679 00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:08,560 Speaker 2: the days after the law enforcement, the military veterans that 680 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:11,720 Speaker 2: you came in contact with, those connections that you've made. 681 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:16,040 Speaker 3: Well, and of course that picked up, you know, like 682 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:18,920 Speaker 3: a couple of months or so after the death, you know, 683 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,880 Speaker 3: when people felt safe, you know, approaching us. I remember 684 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:26,680 Speaker 3: one day Don and I thank god one of us 685 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,800 Speaker 3: was usually up and could help the other one, and 686 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:32,239 Speaker 3: one day we were both down and I kid you not, 687 00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:35,200 Speaker 3: I was suicidal. I didn't want to live. I wanted 688 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:37,680 Speaker 3: my Chad. I wanted to be with him, and I 689 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:39,120 Speaker 3: just cried out and I said, God, what do you 690 00:39:39,160 --> 00:39:41,279 Speaker 3: want me to do? And there came a knock on 691 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:44,600 Speaker 3: the door and it was the chaplain of the Desoda 692 00:39:44,640 --> 00:39:47,880 Speaker 3: Police Department, and he said, I just thought i'd come 693 00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:49,680 Speaker 3: by and check on you guys and see if maybe 694 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:52,480 Speaker 3: I could pray with you. But do I have a 695 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:57,319 Speaker 3: job for you? So anyway, But like I said, God 696 00:39:57,360 --> 00:39:59,879 Speaker 3: sends people when you really need them, and we need 697 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:04,840 Speaker 3: Deemed that day everything kind of developed on a step 698 00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:11,439 Speaker 3: after step, meeting people and doing fundraisers and things like that. 699 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:16,560 Speaker 3: We don't know too many firefighters that I have been 700 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:21,239 Speaker 3: presented with their challenge, coins many police officers, and of 701 00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:26,360 Speaker 3: course are vets. Like you said, that community has just 702 00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:28,840 Speaker 3: grown and grown. 703 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:33,239 Speaker 2: So three questions we ask all of our guests. Rapid fire, 704 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:35,040 Speaker 2: It's not really rapid fire, but we called it that. 705 00:40:35,480 --> 00:40:40,160 Speaker 2: So what do you do to relax and recharge? 706 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:45,000 Speaker 3: Doctor Charles Stanley is a pastor out of Atlanta, Georgia, 707 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:50,120 Speaker 3: and he has a podcast thing that comes on the 708 00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:54,840 Speaker 3: computer every day at two o'clock and that's my time 709 00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:58,560 Speaker 3: to sit there and you know, listen, do whatever I 710 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,719 Speaker 3: want to and that's my time. I tell Don, I said, 711 00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:03,840 Speaker 3: this is free time. If you want to do puzzles 712 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:07,479 Speaker 3: or whatever. You know, Don has to have his nap 713 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:11,160 Speaker 3: every day because you know, when you're a mother, the 714 00:41:11,200 --> 00:41:13,319 Speaker 3: only time you get anything done is when your kids 715 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:17,040 Speaker 3: are asleep. Well, when Don goes to sleep, and that's 716 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:18,640 Speaker 3: why I get myself. 717 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:22,759 Speaker 1: That's your recharge, relaxed time, you know, and that you 718 00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:26,480 Speaker 1: know what naps are important. There's studies at show they 719 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 1: shouldn't stop in kindergarten that we should continue those throughout life. 720 00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:36,360 Speaker 1: Just for everyone listening, those are naps are very important 721 00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:38,759 Speaker 1: for brain health. So another question we'd like to ask, 722 00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:42,799 Speaker 1: is there a particular person or entity that has had 723 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:45,520 Speaker 1: a significant impact on you or your story? 724 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:48,640 Speaker 3: Well, I guess I would have to say my dad. 725 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,640 Speaker 3: My dad was a mortician, so I had a really 726 00:41:52,719 --> 00:41:58,080 Speaker 3: chunky child. We lived at the funeral forever. But he 727 00:41:58,200 --> 00:42:03,040 Speaker 3: was had a servant's heart. He was always serving people. 728 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:05,920 Speaker 3: And back in those days, the funeral homes did all 729 00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:11,360 Speaker 3: the ambulance service. So he was forever going out. And 730 00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:14,239 Speaker 3: I'm from Harlingen, Texas and years ago they had an 731 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:17,320 Speaker 3: Air Force base down there. Well, there were quite a 732 00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:20,280 Speaker 3: few crashes, you know that he had to go out 733 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:23,760 Speaker 3: and deal with and take care of families and comfort families. 734 00:42:24,640 --> 00:42:27,239 Speaker 3: He always had a servant's heart. He even in his 735 00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:31,160 Speaker 3: last days, had gone to school and learned how to 736 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:34,759 Speaker 3: take the eyes out and pack them get them on 737 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:38,080 Speaker 3: a plane for a transplant. So I would have to say, 738 00:42:38,160 --> 00:42:42,319 Speaker 3: Dad is the one that gave us the service. He 739 00:42:42,440 --> 00:42:44,960 Speaker 3: had to be the one that put a servant's heart 740 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:49,120 Speaker 3: in me. And I guess that's where Chad got it. 741 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:49,360 Speaker 3: You know. 742 00:42:50,040 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 1: It's it's awesome because you know, greatness can be generational 743 00:42:54,080 --> 00:43:00,000 Speaker 1: to not just trauma, and I love hearing that. That's beautiful. 744 00:43:01,480 --> 00:43:06,960 Speaker 2: Last question, and it's broad, but it can be specific 745 00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:08,359 Speaker 2: to what feeds your soul. 746 00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:15,360 Speaker 3: I think healing when we reach out, especially vets, because 747 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:19,760 Speaker 3: that's where we have our most contact. Somebody that's been helped, 748 00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:25,080 Speaker 3: somebody that that just needs a hug, that needs some love, 749 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:30,200 Speaker 3: and we can do it. I mean, I've met people 750 00:43:30,239 --> 00:43:32,960 Speaker 3: at the cemetery that want to come out and you know, 751 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:36,160 Speaker 3: we just sit around Chad's gravesite, and you know, they 752 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:39,319 Speaker 3: just wanted to be near Chad, you know. And I 753 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:43,120 Speaker 3: think that is the most productive thing. You know, we 754 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:47,920 Speaker 3: feel like we've accomplished something. And the other thing is 755 00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:51,040 Speaker 3: next year, Coach and I'll be married fifty years and 756 00:43:52,040 --> 00:43:56,840 Speaker 3: want an accomplishment that fifty years. I told him that 757 00:43:56,880 --> 00:43:57,759 Speaker 3: could be a long year. 758 00:44:00,280 --> 00:44:01,239 Speaker 1: That's amazing. 759 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:07,640 Speaker 2: Congratulations, that's amazing. Well, we celebrate Chad's life today and 760 00:44:07,760 --> 00:44:11,239 Speaker 2: every day, and thank you for having the strength and 761 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:15,680 Speaker 2: the courage to come and share your story and his story. 762 00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:18,120 Speaker 2: We're thrilled to be able to tell it, to be 763 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:20,160 Speaker 2: able to share it so that we can continue to 764 00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:21,520 Speaker 2: speak Chad Littlefield's name. 765 00:44:21,760 --> 00:44:26,200 Speaker 1: Thank you, Mama, little Phil the coach for your strength 766 00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:34,080 Speaker 1: and your inspiration, your leadership, your grace, your wisdom. So 767 00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:40,240 Speaker 1: truly grateful, truly humbled by you both, and your vulnerability 768 00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:43,320 Speaker 1: and your willingness to find victory in that and healing 769 00:44:44,280 --> 00:44:45,360 Speaker 1: is all inspiring. 770 00:44:46,120 --> 00:44:48,480 Speaker 3: Wow. Thank you, Thank you for those words. 771 00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:58,120 Speaker 2: How could you not be truly inspired after hearing that story. 772 00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:00,959 Speaker 2: I mean it truly is a mother's journey that she's 773 00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:01,359 Speaker 2: been on. 774 00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:06,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's something that most people, if not all people 775 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:11,600 Speaker 1: who are parents. It's the worst thing you could ever 776 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:14,799 Speaker 1: go through, and yet she lives her life with love 777 00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:18,279 Speaker 1: and grace and alongside coach who does the same thing 778 00:45:19,040 --> 00:45:21,080 Speaker 1: kind of command you be better. 779 00:45:21,239 --> 00:45:25,800 Speaker 2: Absolutely married fifty years next year and you know, let's 780 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:27,000 Speaker 2: be better, not better. 781 00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:28,759 Speaker 1: Yeah, there should be in a word for that. 782 00:45:29,120 --> 00:45:32,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely, it's a beautiful thing. It's a beautiful love story 783 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:35,400 Speaker 2: to include their love of their child, and even through 784 00:45:35,480 --> 00:45:38,400 Speaker 2: this tragedy, Man, it's just made them stronger. 785 00:45:38,239 --> 00:45:41,760 Speaker 1: Us knowing them personally, they've mentioned how yeah, there's times 786 00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:44,200 Speaker 1: that got really hard and really tough between the two 787 00:45:44,280 --> 00:45:48,000 Speaker 1: of us, and it's just like, we know we can't 788 00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:50,239 Speaker 1: be weak at the same time, right, we have to 789 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:52,760 Speaker 1: be able to lean on each other and have the 790 00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:55,480 Speaker 1: vulnerability and the humility to let the other one be 791 00:45:55,560 --> 00:45:58,520 Speaker 1: strong when one of us is a weekend, And that's 792 00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:00,120 Speaker 1: what they did, and they made it through. 793 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:02,759 Speaker 2: Through one of the most horrific. 794 00:46:02,360 --> 00:46:05,960 Speaker 1: Tragedy, probably the hardest thing any parent could ever deal with. 795 00:46:06,040 --> 00:46:09,279 Speaker 2: It's got to be right right, y'all. Be sure to 796 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:11,920 Speaker 2: check out her book, The Other Man Down, a Mother's 797 00:46:11,960 --> 00:46:14,800 Speaker 2: Journey after the American Sniper Tragedy. 798 00:46:15,080 --> 00:46:18,600 Speaker 1: It's the perspective that you'll need, especially if you're a 799 00:46:18,640 --> 00:46:23,680 Speaker 1: mom or a dad and you really want your kid 800 00:46:23,719 --> 00:46:27,239 Speaker 1: to know and to feel how much you love them. 801 00:46:27,680 --> 00:46:29,719 Speaker 1: Read this book because I promise you when you put 802 00:46:29,719 --> 00:46:32,399 Speaker 1: it down, I promise you you'll hug them a little 803 00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:33,120 Speaker 1: tighter that night. 804 00:46:33,400 --> 00:46:35,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, and your soul will feel full. 805 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:36,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure. 806 00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:39,960 Speaker 2: We are so glad that you joined us here today 807 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:41,840 Speaker 2: for this episode of The Good Stuff. If you have 808 00:46:41,920 --> 00:46:44,440 Speaker 2: anyone in your life that you think could use little inspiration, 809 00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:46,560 Speaker 2: be sure to pass this episode along to them. 810 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:49,400 Speaker 1: It's important to let them hear it and to understand 811 00:46:49,480 --> 00:46:52,160 Speaker 1: that they're they're worthy of living well because the whole 812 00:46:52,160 --> 00:46:54,200 Speaker 1: point of this life is to lean in, love hard, 813 00:46:54,239 --> 00:46:57,000 Speaker 1: and live well. And you can't fully do the last 814 00:46:57,000 --> 00:46:58,919 Speaker 1: one without fully doing the first two. 815 00:46:59,239 --> 00:47:01,080 Speaker 2: And be sure to cannnect with Jake and I would 816 00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:02,880 Speaker 2: love to hear from you. If you have a story 817 00:47:02,920 --> 00:47:05,000 Speaker 2: that you think we should tell on The Good Stuff, 818 00:47:05,400 --> 00:47:07,120 Speaker 2: be sure to send that over to us. Connect with 819 00:47:07,200 --> 00:47:10,000 Speaker 2: us on social media, and we look forward. 820 00:47:09,840 --> 00:47:17,080 Speaker 1: To hearing from you. The Good Stuff is executive produced 821 00:47:17,080 --> 00:47:21,280 Speaker 1: by Ashley Shick, Jacob Schick, Leah Pictures and q Code Media. 822 00:47:22,040 --> 00:47:25,839 Speaker 1: Hosted by Ashley Shick and Jacob Shick, Produced by Nick 823 00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:32,240 Speaker 1: Cassilini and Ryan Countshouse Post production supervisor Will Tindy. Music 824 00:47:32,360 --> 00:47:36,440 Speaker 1: editing by Will Haywood Smith, Edited by Mike Robinson.