1 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: There's several kids that has passed have passed away since 2 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: the five tours that we've done. And you know, I 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: carry those kids with me every visit because, you know, 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 1: without without them their energy, I'm not able to continue 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: doing what I do. 6 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 2: Welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. 7 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 2: I'm a normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, 8 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 2: I'm an entrepreneur, and I've been a football coach in 9 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 2: Inner City Memphis. And that last part somehow it led 10 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 2: to an oscar for the film about our team. 11 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 3: It's called Undefeated. Guys. 12 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 2: I believe our country's problems will never be solved by 13 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 2: a bunch of fancy people in nice suits talking big 14 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 2: words that nobody understands on CNN and Fox, but rather 15 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 2: by an army of normal folks, US, you and me 16 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: just saying you know what, maybe I can help. That's 17 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 2: what Uri Williams, the voice we just heard, has done. 18 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 2: These five tours that he mentioned have been with a 19 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: fellow Army member, Rodney Smith Junior, as they go to 20 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 2: all fifty states every Christmas, bringing presents and joy to 21 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 2: kids that are sick while they're dressed up as get 22 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 2: this superheroes and elves. I swear it's true. I can't 23 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 2: wait for you to meet Uri and hear all about 24 00:01:40,400 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 2: this right after our brief messages from our general sponsors. Williams. 25 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 2: Welcome to Memphis, bro, Oh, thank you for having jury Williams. 26 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 2: Everybody is the founder of a future super hero and friends, 27 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: which we'll get to. He has been literally around the 28 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 2: country doing what he does, and it's it's it's actually, 29 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 2: it's actually awesome, but it's it's hilarious and it's uh, 30 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 2: it's it's inspiring and heartwarming. His travels have had him 31 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 2: meet people young and old and sick and famous, and 32 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 2: we're going to get under all that because it's really 33 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 2: really cool. The other thing about your story is it 34 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 2: connects a lot of army of normal folks, notts, from 35 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 2: Tommy Morton Norman Officer Tommy Norman to Rodney, who we're 36 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 2: going to talk about. So it's kind of like old 37 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 2: Home Week when you sit down over here, Bro. So, 38 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 2: first of all, tell me about where you're from. 39 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: Where you grew up South central Los Angeles, born and 40 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: raised for forty seven years now. 41 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 2: Forty seven years, Well, all right, so that means that 42 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:14,519 Speaker 2: you were born in like seventy four, So six is 43 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 2: that right? Six seventy six, Pretty good math right in there. Oh, 44 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 2: you're a by stennial baby seventy six. What was south 45 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 2: central LA like growing up at those days? 46 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean that's the gangbanger that was Colors, that 47 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: was all of it, right, Colors, everything, crack, epidemic, just 48 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: violence every day, Like you know, I'll be home in 49 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: the house after school and you know, getting ready to 50 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: go to sleep, and it just sounded like you in Iraq, 51 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: you know, just gunfire everywhere. You know, my mom was 52 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: a probation officer and we live next door to people 53 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: that gentleman that abuse his wife, that used drugs, and 54 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: you know, everybody else in that building was you know, 55 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: good people. But outside of that bill then it was 56 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: pretty rough outside on the streets of LA. 57 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: You say that building, I'm imagining an apartment complex. 58 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 3: Wow. 59 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 2: You know, I'm fifty five, so I'm just a few 60 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 2: years older than you, but you know, you're in my quote. 61 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:22,159 Speaker 2: Growing up was kind of the same generation in time. 62 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 3: And you know, on the. 63 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 2: One hand, you had the yuppies and you had the eighties, 64 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 2: and you had really the eighties, the late eighties or 65 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 2: the very beginning. 66 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,559 Speaker 3: Of what is now rap and hip hop. 67 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 2: And you know, you got you, you got your og 68 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 2: guys that all came out of LA. But you also 69 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 2: had your you know, we were still listening to some 70 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 2: of the old bands that's still at these seventy eighty 71 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 2: year old guys are still touring. And you know, the 72 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 2: eighties were were an interesting time where we'd kind of 73 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:01,159 Speaker 2: gotten through the pains of the Civil rights movement and 74 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 2: we're kind of moving on as a country. The Soviet 75 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 2: Union had fallen, the economy was getting a little better. 76 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 3: I mean, the. 77 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 2: World, the country was was getting in a better place. 78 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 2: And despite it all, we had all our social ills. 79 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 2: But I just don't understand why people would stay in 80 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 2: south central LA when the world was kind of progressing 81 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 2: and that area was degressing. Why why side Central? Why stay? 82 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 2: Why be there? 83 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 1: I mean it builds you up, you know, growing up 84 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,919 Speaker 1: in that environment is you know, my mom stayed on 85 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: me all the time. You know, there was times when 86 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: you know, I was in sixth grade, friend of mine 87 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: try to, you know, make me join the gang, and 88 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: he told my mom like, I'm gonna put your son 89 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: on the hood. 90 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 3: And what gang? What color? Blood. 91 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: I lived in bps hood, which is the Black Peace 92 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: on the twenties. 93 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 3: Is that that's blood area? I don't know. 94 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's it's blood where I was staying at. 95 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: But right next door was Harlem crips. And then you 96 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: go down the streets. You have the forties, you have 97 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: your Hispanic gangs, you have the West Boulevard cribs. 98 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 3: Was even safe to walk different corners. 99 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: No. I remember once my mom stopped letting me walk 100 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: to school because I witnessed someone getting shot, you know, 101 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: and ever since that day she would pick me up 102 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: and drop me off from school, and you know that 103 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: type of high school, and I never walked to school. 104 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: She took me from home to school every day because 105 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: that's how dangerous it was. You know. They had a 106 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: shooting at a summer school, first day of summer school 107 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: of high school. So I should tell you how dangerous 108 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 1: the neighborhood is. Why state your mom had a job. Yeah, 109 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: weren't y'all weren't on you, weren't the projects on food stamps. 110 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: Your mom was working and trying to raise you, right. 111 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: She came from Mansfield, Louisiana, five hundred dollars dream to 112 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: be on American Bandstand. 113 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 3: Are you kidding? That's why your mom? 114 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: So your people from Louisiana, Yeah, Louisiana, Massfield Streetport in Louisiana, 115 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:17,239 Speaker 1: and I got some family in Texas. But her mom 116 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: sent her to California for a better life because you know, 117 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: Massfield is kind of slow, not a lot of opportunity. Yeah no, 118 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: So she went to California with that five hundred dollars 119 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: and her dream. She never got on the show, but 120 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: she was became a probation officer, you know. And I 121 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: went to never forget going to work with her at 122 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: juvenile Hall when she couldn't find a babysitter because she 123 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: didn't trust a lot of people, you know, So I'll 124 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 1: never forget. I went to work with her, and the 125 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: parents would bring toys in. You're not supposed to bring 126 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: any countryman in for you know, kids, because they could 127 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: use it for country band whatever. So I got like 128 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: at least twenty toys that day that you know, I 129 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: got to take home. So and every week I used 130 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: to tell her, like, you know, can I go you know, 131 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: I want to go back to work with you. So 132 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: this one particular day went back there, got some more toys. 133 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: But this time, for some reason, I fell in love 134 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: with a spider Man toy, you know, because she would 135 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: do this, and you know, I would always be doing 136 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: this to people. And then years come later, you know, 137 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: you know this means love, you know, And that stuck 138 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: with me ever since that day, and I would never forget. 139 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: On that day, there was a kid banging in the hallway, big, 140 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: some own kid, like six ' five three hundred. He's 141 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: banging on the door. The lights are in this hallway, 142 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: the lights are out, and my mom is probably like 143 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: five two. She doesn't take no mess. You know, nobody 144 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: would mess with her. She'll run up on a six 145 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: to eight guy. That's how tough she was, you know. 146 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: So she hit the lights on, the hit the lights 147 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: and she walks down the hallway, told them pop the door, 148 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 1: and I'm looking at the hallway looking at her, like 149 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: just make sure she okay. You know, you probably think 150 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: that she's about to get mashed on. I was thinking, 151 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: door pops open, you know. 152 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 3: She short. This guy's like this. 153 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: Told them I'm looking and I'm like and I'm like, 154 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: he's gonna hit my mom, you know. And he just 155 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: started crying and she started yelling at him, you know, 156 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: talking to him, and out of respect, you know, he said, okay, 157 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna stop hanging and you know, he closed the 158 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 1: door and sat down, and I'm like, damn. See that's 159 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: when I saw impact and she was making a difference. 160 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 1: And then that's how I follow in her footsteps. 161 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 2: So I read that you grew up in a time 162 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 2: when other families and other parents in your building, if 163 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 2: you started messing up, they'd get on you too. And 164 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 2: it was like a community. Certainly there were some bad 165 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 2: people like this and everything, but and by and large, 166 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 2: there was a community of people that helped raise each 167 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 2: other's kids and nobody let anybody's kids get out of shape. 168 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: That's that's what I myself on coming from that error. 169 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: You know, we don't have that now, you know, and 170 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: that has been installed in me since day one, you know, 171 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: seeing if I did something wrong, I know I'm gonna 172 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: get in trouble by you know, I call him my family, 173 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: and my mom's gonna tear me up even even more. 174 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I've been at all kind of extension cords, 175 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: telephone thrown at me, like I don't had everything paddle. 176 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: My mom used to tear me up man, you know, 177 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: and I'm thankful for that because if she didn't, I 178 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: probably wouldn't be here talking to you today. 179 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 2: Well, the interesting part of it is, to me, it 180 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 2: feels like at a at a young age, you got 181 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 2: a real sense of service and community because of the 182 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 2: neighborhood you grow up in. Despite the metaphor is, despite 183 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 2: all the troubles that was Central Ali, south central Ali, 184 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 2: there was a community people serving and trying to raise 185 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 2: kids and do good for the people in their community, 186 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 2: even when they didn't have a lot of means. 187 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: I mean, it's it's a lot of good people in 188 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: that community, but it's a lot of people that will 189 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: bring you down to if you let them. 190 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 2: So, you big dude, man, you played basketball or football 191 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 2: in him My first love was baseball, really yeah, yeah, 192 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 2: and then it was basketball and track. And then I 193 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 2: just after I think of college basketball one year and 194 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 2: I saw how the coach is just letting up senior 195 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 2: guys playing this and that, and I was like wasting 196 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 2: my time here. So I stopped playing sports and I 197 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 2: just tried to find my purpose other ways, you know, 198 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 2: through education and whatever. And then you know, I ended 199 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 2: up working in corrections I've been doing that for twenty 200 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 2: plus years. And like I said, I follow my mod 201 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 2: footsteps because she was making an impact and I feel 202 00:11:53,720 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 2: that I've made an impact as well. So you get 203 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 2: through life as in South Central, which in and of 204 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,319 Speaker 2: itself is a is an achievement not to get baled 205 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 2: up in all the gangs and stuff. And I mean, 206 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:14,439 Speaker 2: you got a five foot two mama. It sounds like 207 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 2: she would whooped your better. God involves up. You wasn't 208 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 2: supposed to be anyway, right, And you saw her actually 209 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 2: have an impact as approbation officer, and that's what you 210 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 2: found your way to. 211 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 3: And then your mom passes. That was. 212 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: The hardest day of my life. She called me at 213 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: work to tell me she had cancer for eight years. 214 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: And she hit it for eight years. You know, she 215 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: hit it. 216 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 3: Wow. She is a tough one't it. 217 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: She didn't you know, she didn't want me to worry, 218 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: you know, And I told her, what the heck? Will 219 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: you call me at work and tell me something like that, 220 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: you know? And I had to leave work and you know, 221 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: just deal with that. And you know that the years 222 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: go by and I'll never forget her last day. She 223 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: was still fighting, you know, she would get out of 224 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: the bed and go use the restroom instead of trying 225 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 1: to use the bedpen. And I'll never forget jim second. 226 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: Four forty five pm. You know, my daughter was crying, 227 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: like heavily crying. Four forty five pm came, my mom left, 228 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:23,439 Speaker 1: daughter went straight to sleep, and I'm like, she soothed 229 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 1: herself through my daughter and took off. 230 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 2: You know, so clearly your mom had a massive impact 231 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 2: on everything. That is the essence of you. Oh yes, 232 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 2: tough service, love what she did for a living. And 233 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 2: after she passed, I've read that you went through a 234 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 2: really tough depression over it. I mean, she was your world. Yeah, 235 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 2: five years was hell. Bial Like five years long time 236 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 2: to grieve, bro and then just hide. 237 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: It, you know, Like me and you be talking like this, 238 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: and then I'll go home and just be falling for 239 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 1: no reason. You know. Then one day I'm sitting there 240 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: in the bed and I just wake up and I'm like, 241 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 1: I can't keep living like this. You know, I just 242 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: feel like I was having like an out of body 243 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: experience from laying in the best so long. You feel 244 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: like you're floating out of your body. It's just weird, 245 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: and you know, hard to explain, but that's the feeling 246 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: that I was having all the time, just laying in 247 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: the bed and feeling depressed and having a fake for people. 248 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: How my feelings were, you know. And I never forget 249 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: my coworkers gave me three hundred plus hours just to 250 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: start over and get myself back together. 251 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 3: You know. 252 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: I took those days off and I'll never forget, and 253 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: I appreciate them for that, you know. 254 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 3: So that day that I got back, get in the car. 255 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 1: I usually call her every morning, like five forty five 256 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: before I go in at six, and the phone's just ringing, 257 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: ring and ringing, and it goes to her voicemail. You know, 258 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: she's not here anymore. And I just couldn't hold it in. 259 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: I'm just balling like it's raining, you know, and caught 260 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: a job. I said, give me like an hour to 261 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 1: get myself together. So, for some strange reason, I don't 262 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: know why, I picked my phone up and I created 263 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: an Instagram account. 264 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 3: Why did you do it? 265 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 2: I've read that you all you all messed up on 266 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 2: your mama's God. You can say, well, I think I'm 267 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 2: gonna create an Instagram. 268 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's crazy, man, And I don't know if that's 269 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: a sign from somebody or you know, to do that. 270 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: But I did it, and I'm glad I did because 271 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: I probably wouldn't be here with you today. So I 272 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: make this again Instagram account, scrolling through there, trying to 273 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: manuverate and learn how to use it, and Officer Tommy 274 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: Norman pops up on the Explorer page. It was a 275 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: picture of him sitting with those kids on the porch, 276 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: you know, so I clicked on it. You know, he's officer. 277 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 1: It's the same thing, and I do. But he's out 278 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: in the streets and scrolling through the pages. I'm listening 279 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: and laughing. And then I started following him. So I'm 280 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: following them, following them. And then I said, all right, 281 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: let me go back to the Explorer page. And hip 282 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: Hop Trooper he he's from. He lives out here in Tennessee. 283 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: Hip Hop Trooper. Yeah, and he dresses up as a 284 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: Red Stormtrooper and I love Star Wars as you can see, 285 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: and he go he has a radio. 286 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 3: It's like hip Hop Trooper. 287 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: He's a radio, but he transforms it and takes the 288 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: Star Wars into his universe with the radio. Right, So 289 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 1: I'm looking to them I'm like, this is dope, Adida. 290 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: It's red outfit and red helmet and I'm like, this 291 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: is dope. So I start following him. Weeks go by, 292 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: you know, I'm learning the Instagram and I see Officer 293 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: Norman Rodney's going to offer Sir Normans to North Little 294 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: Rock to tomorrow. So I'm like, let me check this 295 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 1: guy and see what he's doing. So he's traveling all 296 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: fifty states, you know, more and long for free. You 297 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: know the guy, great guy, Love the guy. Talk to 298 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: him like every other day. I said, once you get 299 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: to California, I want to meet you for lunch. 300 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 3: Yeah. 301 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 1: He was acting not weird, like I'm a serial killer. 302 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 3: I'm gonna hill him or something. 303 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 1: You know. I'll never forget that, you know, And I 304 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: don't blame him because that's how I am. 305 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 3: You know. I'll park out here back in I don't 306 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 3: like my back to the door. You grew up in 307 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:22,399 Speaker 3: South Central. It's year bro. 308 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,159 Speaker 1: So I said, Ronnie, Man, you know, just meet me 309 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: at this place. You're like, all right, man, all right. 310 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: So we met for lunch and I told him, I said, look, man, 311 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 1: I love what you're doing. I love what you're normally 312 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: doing all. I've been depressed for about five years, you know, 313 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: talking about my mom, and I said, I want to 314 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: go on the fifty state tour with you man. 315 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 3: Just to see, you know, for it to help me out. Yeah. 316 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: The next year, I mean I bugged him from that 317 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 1: day until like December of begainning of the year. January 318 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 1: You're like, all right, man, we're gonna get ready to 319 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 1: go on this tour or whatever. It's like, Okay, get 320 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: on the tour just seeing all the mountains and all 321 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:06,880 Speaker 1: that stuff, due to just clear my depression. 322 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 3: Like that, you know. 323 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: And I haven't been depressed like that since that day. 324 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 2: And now a few messages from our general sponsors. But first, 325 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 2: as you guys know, the world we live in, it 326 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 2: ain't perfect, but it doesn't get better on its own either. 327 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 2: That's where the work of activists come in. Whether it's 328 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 2: veteran or disability advocacy. There are people all around the 329 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 2: world striving to make our world a better place. That's 330 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 2: where the podcast All About Change comes in. I was 331 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 2: recently interviewed on there, and their host Jay Ruderman talks 332 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 2: with activists about how they do what they do and 333 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:54,160 Speaker 2: what inspires them to keep going because activism really is 334 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 2: all about change. I hope you'll listen to all about 335 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 2: change wherever you get at your podcast. We'll be right back. 336 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 2: So that's first of fill, it's crazy. You found, you 337 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 2: found your redemption and your your your cure to your 338 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 2: depression and your sense of hopelessness and loss in instagram basically. 339 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 2: But let's connect some dots here because this is what's amazing. 340 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:41,719 Speaker 2: Tommy Norman was the second person I ever interviewed on 341 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 2: this podcast, North Little Rocks only three mile or three 342 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 2: hours from here, right, And for all our listeners, please 343 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 2: go back if you haven't listened to the Tommy Norman interview. 344 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 2: I think Alex it would have been our second or 345 00:19:55,880 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 2: third release, right. Tommy Norman was the very fir first 346 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 2: army of normal folks guests. And I was a terrible interviewer. 347 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 2: So when you listen to that, everybody listened to me, 348 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 2: you go back listen to it. Just give me a break, 349 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 2: all right. I was just learning what I was doing, 350 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 2: but Tommy carried it though, well thank you, but Tommy 351 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 2: carried it. But what Tommy is, he's a cop. He's 352 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 2: a cop in North Little Rock, but his goal is 353 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 2: to get invited into somebody's front yard, then get invited 354 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 2: on their porch, and then get invited in their house 355 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 2: to sit down at the table. Because what you've got 356 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 2: into a person's house, they trust you, and you become family. 357 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 2: And he walks his beat, and he goes to he 358 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 2: patrols the worst areas of North Little Rock, and he 359 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 2: is revered. And he is revered because he simply builds 360 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 2: relationships and shows compassion to kids and families who by 361 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:02,439 Speaker 2: and large have been disenfranchised for one reason or another. 362 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:07,200 Speaker 2: And he is considered the Michael Jordan of community policing 363 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 2: and just has a heart as big as the world. 364 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 2: I find it fascinating that your first on Instagram, just 365 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 2: trying to find some answers for why you're sid you 366 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 2: land on him, which, ironically, when people find out what 367 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 2: you do, Tommy is a superhero. Then you find Rodney Smith. 368 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 2: Now Rodney Smith was another guest, and y'all, and you're 369 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 2: we interviewed Tommy and Rodney long before we ever heard 370 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,439 Speaker 2: of your crazy self doing what you do. So just 371 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:46,680 Speaker 2: to so everybody listening, this is not some fabricated thing. 372 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:55,200 Speaker 2: It is truly the remarkable power of sharing what normal 373 00:21:55,320 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 2: folks can do to build a community that is good 374 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 2: for our society. It is this is quintessentially the army 375 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 2: of normal folks stuff. And I don't mean the podcast, 376 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 2: I mean in reality. And so Rodney guy of his 377 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 2: car one day and cut grass for an old man 378 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 2: and then decided that old man liked it so much 379 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,920 Speaker 2: and he started cutting grass everywhere. Now this dude has 380 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 2: fire truck, lawnmowers and all kinds of crazy stuff. Edie 381 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,400 Speaker 2: cuts grass all over the country and he's gone on 382 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 2: fifty state tours cutting grass for people for free that 383 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 2: people can't handle it seventeen times. 384 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 3: What's that? Seventeen times across the country. 385 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 2: And so what you're saying is you found him on 386 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 2: Instagram and when he was cruising through California, that's when 387 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:46,719 Speaker 2: you sat down and said, man, I need to go 388 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 2: tour with you. 389 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 3: Well, what you're gonna do? Cut grass? 390 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: No? 391 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:56,679 Speaker 3: I was actually the first throw was Spider Man. I 392 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 3: know it. 393 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 2: Sounds crazy, bi with you realize Spider Man about him, 394 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 2: But fifty five, right, I've seen him on on cartoons 395 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 2: and TV. You six four two fifty or something, right, 396 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 2: you're the okay to twenty, I don't know how big 397 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 2: you are, but you big man. You the biggest Spider 398 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:18,880 Speaker 2: Man the ever. Was you like Spider You like Garantula 399 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 2: Man or something? So you decided to get a hook 400 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 2: up a Rodney. Yeah, dresses Spider Man and when he's 401 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 2: cutting grass? 402 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 3: What you gonna do? Standing the yard? Say hey, what's 403 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 3: I did? 404 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 2: I did do one line and I'm like, it's not 405 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 2: dressed as Spider Man. 406 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 3: I got the video. I got the video for you 407 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 3: if you don't believe it, I got video, cut up. 408 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 2: Body his grass, dresses Spider Man at sixty four? What 409 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 2: were cars doing when they did? You calls the wreck? 410 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,679 Speaker 3: Somebody did blow their horn? I bet they did. I 411 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 3: would have. 412 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, all right, so you cut he said Rodney, one 413 00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 2: n one yard? 414 00:23:58,040 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 3: It said, Riddy, I can't too hot? 415 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 2: Yeah yeahad to tell I can't breathe? 416 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: So what'd you decide today? I think the first tour 417 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: was a houseless community. So we visited every houseless community 418 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:18,120 Speaker 1: or you know, found somebody on the street and asked 419 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: them what what they want? You know, we went back 420 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 1: to Walmart or whatever story and got them whatever they needed. 421 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:25,120 Speaker 1: And then I told them, you know, while you're doing 422 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 1: the lines, I'll go and uh a hospital or a 423 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: child at home that can't you know, has a disability 424 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: or special needs or something like that. 425 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 3: Dressed a Spider Man. 426 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, so, y'all, would you you caught up with him 427 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 2: mid tour and you just started hopping states with him, 428 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 2: dressed to Spider Man on your own, not sponsored, just 429 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 2: out of your own, visiting children's hospitals, dressed to Spider Man. 430 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 3: Just and so. 431 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:59,719 Speaker 2: Earlier you said that what really helped you get over 432 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,479 Speaker 2: the I should was seeing mountains in the world and 433 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 2: everything else. 434 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,360 Speaker 3: Was that really it? Or was it seeing the smiles 435 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,159 Speaker 3: and the faces of the kids you were putting on. 436 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 3: I think you're right. 437 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: It might be the smiles, because there's several kids that 438 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: has passed have passed away since the five tours that 439 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,919 Speaker 1: we've done, and you know, I carry those kids with 440 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 1: me every visit because, you know, without without them their energy, 441 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:29,879 Speaker 1: I'm not able to continue doing what I do. You know, 442 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: from the first kids that I met, Diego and Zius 443 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 1: who passed away, to the kids that I met yesterday 444 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: at the hospital, you know, I take I remember these kids' 445 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: faces and the reaction on their faces is just like 446 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:44,119 Speaker 1: I was when I was a kid when I used 447 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:47,480 Speaker 1: to get toys. So this is my way of paying 448 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: back humanity for my time here on earth, you know, 449 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:54,439 Speaker 1: because as many times in South central LA, I've been 450 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 1: on that hot police car for no reason. You know, 451 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 1: I was robbed at gunpoint, once gun to my head, 452 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 1: and I'm still here. 453 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:02,639 Speaker 3: You know. 454 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 1: I remember somebody telling me you're not gonna make it 455 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: to eighteen and a lot of my friends didn't make 456 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: it to eighteen, and I'm still here. So this is 457 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 1: my death that I'm paying to still be here on earth, 458 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,679 Speaker 1: you know, paying back humanity being. 459 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 2: On that hot police car when you didn't do anything, 460 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 2: you mean, being pulled over and fresh just for walking 461 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 2: down the street. 462 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, you know, we used to hang out 463 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: on Crenshaw, young kids just you know, you hang out 464 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: there to get girls or you know, hang out with 465 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: your friends and for the police to just come and 466 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: harass us. You know, during that time eighties nineties, it 467 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 1: was real bad with LAPD where my dad is a 468 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 1: cop ex cop, you know, and I used to say, 469 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: is this how my dad is doing other people? But 470 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: I know he wasn't like that. But I give every 471 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: officer I don't treat everybody the same. 472 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:53,359 Speaker 3: You know. 473 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:55,679 Speaker 1: So if you're a police officer and you come correct, 474 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:58,159 Speaker 1: then okay, you come correct. The next guy might not 475 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 1: come correct, you know. So everybody opportunity to be one 476 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:04,720 Speaker 1: hundred and you know a lot of the times, nine 477 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 1: times out of ten, they just proved me wrong. 478 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 3: You know. So there's a lot of folks in the 479 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 3: world that grew up or you grew up, that really 480 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:21,600 Speaker 3: have a societal anger. 481 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 2: And I want to say chip on their shoulder, but 482 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 2: that almost makes it that's wrong of me to say, 483 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 2: because a chip on the older on your shoulder is 484 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:35,880 Speaker 2: kind of indicative that you know, you got the problem 485 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 2: where you know, when you can't even hang out in 486 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 2: your neighborhood without getting harassed by police, you deserve to 487 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 2: have a chip on your shoulder in my opinion. Right, So, 488 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:51,880 Speaker 2: I guess what I'm trying to understand is where does 489 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 2: this desire to serve our society and the least it 490 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 2: advantaged among them come from when you came from where 491 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 2: you came from, Because candidly, vast majority of people that 492 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 2: come from where you came from don't have that sense 493 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 2: of social responsibility in humanity. 494 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 1: I think it's like I said, my mom puts me 495 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 1: all the time, kept me centered at all times, you know, 496 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:26,919 Speaker 1: And a lot of people don't have that backing like 497 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,439 Speaker 1: I had, you know. And that's why I do what 498 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: I do because I know a lot of people have 499 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 1: gone through what I've gone through, and I can relate 500 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 1: to them. Like the kids that I work with, you know, 501 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 1: the gangsters, they want to be gangsters. And I tell 502 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: these kids, you don't have to be that. You're not that. 503 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:42,479 Speaker 1: You know, like you're better than that. 504 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 3: And I know you. 505 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: I've seen your grades and what you can do, but 506 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: they need to hear that and they need to see that, 507 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: you know. So when I'm on the news or whatever, 508 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: I always go back and show them like this could 509 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: be you. 510 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 3: And these kids. 511 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 1: Some of these kids come to me like, hey, when 512 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: I get out and get out probation, I want to 513 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 1: help somebody. And that's what I'm know that I'm making 514 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: an impact on some kid that I've told years ago 515 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: and they come back and say, I want to do this. 516 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 1: You know, That's when I know that I've made an 517 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 1: impact on them. 518 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 3: We'll be right back, you said, diego on us. 519 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 1: My first kid that I visit where where was that. Uh, 520 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 1: it was actually in Long Beach. This is when I 521 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: first got that suit. 522 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 2: Where did you find a Spider Man six four foot 523 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 2: six foot for Spider Man suit? 524 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 3: Yeah? 525 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 1: Online, you can just google, and I have to think 526 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: about it. I have to get the best, uh the 527 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:46,719 Speaker 1: screen accurate thinking. That's from my mom. She always told me, 528 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 1: you make sure you get the best thing, and when 529 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: you come out of the house, you represent me. So 530 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: I make sure I get the highest quality product that 531 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: I could find, and that that Spider Man was just 532 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 1: like the movie product. 533 00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 3: You know. 534 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 2: That's all right? Yeah, all right? So tell us about 535 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 2: the first family you're active with. Was Diego? I'm sure 536 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:09,480 Speaker 2: is what was? What was Diego's? Why Diego? Why did 537 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 2: you go visit him? 538 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:12,760 Speaker 1: They were actually having like a five k walk in 539 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 1: Long Beach for children with that one was cancer walk, 540 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: so Diego. Yeah, so DPG, which is a form of 541 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: brain cancer. And your life expectancy is I want to 542 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: say ten to thirteen years old. You want to get 543 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 1: past that age, you know that side? 544 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:31,480 Speaker 3: Yeah? 545 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, So I'm gonna tell you about this suit. I 546 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 1: put the suit on. It's hot, it's like one hundred 547 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 1: degrees California It's not like you guys, humidity and. 548 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 3: All that stuff. I could deal with that, but this 549 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 3: is a different kind of heat. This is different. People 550 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 3: don't realize what this is. This is real hot, just 551 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:47,640 Speaker 3: sweating for no reason. 552 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, but when I put this suit on, elastic suit whatever, 553 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:55,640 Speaker 1: and the lenses, I didn't know you need to put 554 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: uh dishwashing soap so they won't fog up, you know. 555 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: So while I'm talking fogging up, So I'm walking. This 556 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 1: is a five k walk, okay. So I'm walking and 557 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:07,880 Speaker 1: I'm talking and it just fogs up and I can't see. 558 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 1: So tell my friend. I'm like, you're gonna have to 559 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 1: tell me where the kids are because I can't see. 560 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 1: She's like, you want to go home or whatever. I'm like, no, 561 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 1: this is why I came out here for the kids, 562 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 1: you know, and I know they need to see this. 563 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 1: So here I am walking around like a bad or blind. 564 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: I can't see and I'm just you know, kids walking 565 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: up to me. So she's like, the kids on the 566 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: right side, grab him on the right side, and I 567 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 1: go like this for the picture, you know. So he's 568 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 1: on the left side, I grab him on this side. 569 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: I'll use this hand for this. So walking around and 570 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: we finally get to Diego. He's in a wheelchair and 571 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:43,920 Speaker 1: his family. He's like at the end of the walk 572 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 1: and some reason the fog goes away out of the 573 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:50,560 Speaker 1: lenses and I can see him. So I reached my 574 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:52,600 Speaker 1: hand out and I can see that smile on his face, 575 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: and his family said he left Spider Man and talk 576 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 1: to his family, And I said, you know what, what 577 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: is your birthday? And he's birthday is actually coming up 578 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 1: and like the next month, so I said, I'm gonna 579 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 1: have Spider Man come to your house for your birthday. 580 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,760 Speaker 1: So I got his family information, showed up at the house, 581 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: and Spider Man that for his birthday. 582 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:14,640 Speaker 3: You know, the kids are going crazy and whatever, you know. 583 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: And after that, I want some tickets to a Marvel 584 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: show at a Staples Center. So I took his family 585 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:26,080 Speaker 1: to see that, took him to dinner for his birthday, 586 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: and his family. We bought the movie theater off for 587 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 1: Spider Man was coming out that that month, so I 588 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: bought the movie theater out for families with disability, special 589 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 1: needs and those about their life there than the illnesses. 590 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 2: You bought the whole movie theater out for kids with 591 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 2: special all kinds of sick kids, special needs and all that. 592 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, and now this is before I started a nonprofit, 593 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:47,920 Speaker 1: So this is coming from you just doing it. Yeah, 594 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: just from my pocket because I can't even explain to you, 595 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 1: Bill how to the vibes and energy, just excitement and 596 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 1: just seeing these kids' faces. So every time I want 597 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: to do something, so we buy this theater out. All 598 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 1: the kids are in there packed, dress up, a spider Man, Diego, 599 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 1: smile and everybody's having a good time. And I'm just 600 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 1: in there. I just started crying and sit in that 601 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: chair because I just feel the energy from all these kids, 602 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: you know, all the stuff that they're going through and 603 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: all that. And I'm like, man, here I am complaining 604 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: about Jordan's I didn't get in a contest while these 605 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:24,520 Speaker 1: kids are battling you know, these life there and the 606 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 1: illness is taking these pills every day and all this stuff. 607 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 1: And I'm like, this is what I need to be doing, 608 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:33,960 Speaker 1: is helping these kids. Before that it started, I took 609 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:36,800 Speaker 1: that suit out to the autis community and scared Row 610 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:38,640 Speaker 1: and skied row Is. 611 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 2: Like, yoh, whoa, whoa, whoa you went to you went 612 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 2: as a six foot four Spider Man to skid Row. 613 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,160 Speaker 2: You gotta keep staying that six for a spider Man, 614 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 2: I guess that. I just imagine you're big swalking around 615 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 2: in a Spider Man outfit and skinned row. 616 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 3: They must have thought you were hog. 617 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:01,240 Speaker 1: Is that all? 618 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 3: Here's another? 619 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: Well, look, Bill, So I go out there with this 620 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:11,800 Speaker 1: with the with the suit on my buddy, buddy's poly project. 621 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:14,760 Speaker 1: He serves us the houses community. I didn't know anything 622 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:18,799 Speaker 1: about scire Row at that time. Again, I went to Instagram, 623 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 1: I was looking up positive people, typed in homeless police projects. 624 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:24,440 Speaker 3: Comes up. 625 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:25,719 Speaker 1: I said, hey, man, I want to come out with 626 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:29,759 Speaker 1: you and service the house's community. So he didn't know 627 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:31,320 Speaker 1: I was going to come in Spider Man. So it 628 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: threw him off guard to it. You know, but I'm 629 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 1: gonna tell you. I'll explaining this to you, Bill. This 630 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 1: is my psychological thinking. This is a distraction, you know, 631 00:34:42,640 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 1: because you're gonna see it and you're gonna be like, 632 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:45,879 Speaker 1: what the heck is going on? And you're gonna laugh 633 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:48,279 Speaker 1: or you're gonna smile, or you gonna frown. One of 634 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:51,840 Speaker 1: the probably gonna laugh, yes, so all of it. Yeah, 635 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 1: So we get down there, we serve it, to the people, 636 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:57,399 Speaker 1: are you here is spider Man? 637 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:02,719 Speaker 3: Spider Man? Oh, spider Man? And then I'm like, yeah, this, yes, 638 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:03,319 Speaker 3: they love it. 639 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,759 Speaker 1: Like I build relationships with several people and they to 640 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:09,400 Speaker 1: this day they've got housing or whatever, and they call me. 641 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:11,319 Speaker 3: They still call me spider Man. They won't call me 642 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:12,560 Speaker 3: Yuri or anything else. 643 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: So the following week I go like the regular clothes 644 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 1: like this, and the people get out of here and 645 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 1: go home, get where spider Man. So they loved it. 646 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:27,200 Speaker 1: You know, it brings you back to your childhood. And 647 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 1: that's what I tell people. Your childhood is probably the 648 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 1: better time of your life. You know, you don't have 649 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: bills or stressed out, and you know you're playing with 650 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:38,000 Speaker 1: your toys and you're eating and you go to sleep, 651 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 1: watch cartoons. 652 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:46,680 Speaker 2: That's it, you know, better day. So oddly it's cotherapy. Yes, yes, 653 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:50,880 Speaker 2: it feels all of these kids are getting in people 654 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 2: are getting so much out of you showing up like this. 655 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:58,319 Speaker 2: But you're starting to feel good about life again too, right, 656 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:03,040 Speaker 2: it's you're healing. Yes, energy from them is helping me. Okay, 657 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 2: so I get it. So at this time, you got 658 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:10,520 Speaker 2: inspired by Tommy Norman. You got inspired by Rodney. You 659 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:14,240 Speaker 2: get inspired by kids, pick smiles, you spent your own money, 660 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 2: and you have a heart for the most disadvantaged, which 661 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:23,279 Speaker 2: I think is wonderful. But really you're just kind of 662 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 2: doing this, I mean you to feel good and to 663 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:30,680 Speaker 2: help people feel better and to have some feeling that 664 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:35,439 Speaker 2: you're serving, which I gotta believe is kind of part 665 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 2: of the implan of the way you grew up. All right, 666 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 2: but you're really not a thing. You're just you're in 667 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:45,279 Speaker 2: a Spider Man suit at this point. Yeah, how does 668 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:45,920 Speaker 2: it change? 669 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:46,319 Speaker 1: You know? 670 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:47,200 Speaker 3: Years ago by? 671 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:51,279 Speaker 1: And the funny thing is I was I started at 672 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:54,160 Speaker 1: work and I asked people I wanted to get these 673 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 1: customs and become a superhero. 674 00:36:56,680 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 3: You know, some people are laughing. 675 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:00,840 Speaker 1: And they didn't believe it, and this and that. But 676 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:06,879 Speaker 1: there was a a restaurant right next to our job. 677 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:08,560 Speaker 1: So I went to him and I said, hey, can 678 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:11,839 Speaker 1: you help me fundraise so I can get some more costumes? 679 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:14,800 Speaker 3: And New York guy, no problem. 680 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:18,399 Speaker 1: So every meal and somebody purchased, he would take five 681 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: dollars off and you know, help me get the costume. 682 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:22,560 Speaker 3: Now he's where was this. 683 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 1: It's called Bellus, but he's, uh, he's deceased Joe long Beach. No, 684 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:30,960 Speaker 1: it's an Orange County right next to my job, and 685 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:33,319 Speaker 1: Joe rest in peace. It is one of the first 686 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:36,279 Speaker 1: people to actually support me and help me, you know, 687 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 1: get And I'm lying Bill. The first custom I got 688 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:42,080 Speaker 1: was Kylo Wren from Star Wars, and he helped me 689 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 1: get that. That was the first costume and the second 690 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:48,640 Speaker 1: one with Spider Man. And this guy just saw the 691 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:52,640 Speaker 1: did you know him about I've edited his restaurant like 692 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:54,799 Speaker 1: every day, you know, and there's been times that I 693 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 1: ordered something and I forget to come pick it up. 694 00:37:57,560 --> 00:38:00,319 Speaker 1: He would call me at HomeOS like you forget you 695 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:03,080 Speaker 1: didn't pay for your food today New Yorkers, you know how. 696 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:06,360 Speaker 1: So I love Joe and I would go back the 697 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 1: next day and pay for it and whatever. But he 698 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:11,480 Speaker 1: was one of the actually the first people to support 699 00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:15,480 Speaker 1: this movement, and I'm very thankful for him for doing that. 700 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:19,160 Speaker 3: So did you have a sense at this point that 701 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:21,439 Speaker 3: you wanted to start a thing? 702 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 1: Not really, you know, I was just stealing that depression 703 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:29,759 Speaker 1: and trying to find myself, I feel, you know. And 704 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:32,040 Speaker 1: I think once that Spider Man thing kicked in and 705 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:34,719 Speaker 1: we went to the Diego I met Diego's family and 706 00:38:34,760 --> 00:38:37,920 Speaker 1: then you know, taking them all those places and buying 707 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:41,600 Speaker 1: that theater out and it was just like a pre 708 00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:45,040 Speaker 1: planned thing that turned into something bigger, like you know, 709 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:48,279 Speaker 1: going on these fifty state tours. I would never thought 710 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:50,520 Speaker 1: that I would have done that. But I remember, Bill, 711 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:55,600 Speaker 1: this incident that happened my job. Kid committed suicide. He 712 00:38:55,680 --> 00:38:59,480 Speaker 1: hung himself. What proly you were responsible for, Yeah, but 713 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,440 Speaker 1: it wasn't. And it was next door, and I was 714 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:03,920 Speaker 1: the first person to go in there. And I remember 715 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 1: seeing him because I was talking to him earlier that 716 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:08,400 Speaker 1: day and he was going through some stuff. You know, 717 00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:10,800 Speaker 1: I'm not going to talk about his personal business and whatever, 718 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:15,160 Speaker 1: but that kind of messed me up, that seeing him 719 00:39:15,239 --> 00:39:17,600 Speaker 1: like that. You know, but I've seen you know, my 720 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 1: friends get shot or you know, one of my good 721 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:22,440 Speaker 1: friends got his legs shot off, and I witnessed that, 722 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 1: and that it really didn't those stuff, you know, seeing 723 00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:30,040 Speaker 1: your friends or whatever, that didn't hurt me as much 724 00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:32,920 Speaker 1: as seeing a kid in that situation like that. 725 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:33,200 Speaker 3: You know. 726 00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:37,080 Speaker 1: So there what we could do, you know, we couldn't 727 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:40,279 Speaker 1: revive him. Whatever the job made, you know, it made 728 00:39:40,320 --> 00:39:43,120 Speaker 1: me take a little leave just for to free my mind, 729 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:46,839 Speaker 1: you know, and I went to therapy and I'll never 730 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:51,399 Speaker 1: forget this assignment. They asked, what's one thing you want 731 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:55,399 Speaker 1: to do while you're here on Earth, And for some 732 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:59,360 Speaker 1: strange reason, I said, I want to visit fifty states 733 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:01,319 Speaker 1: and hug one person in each. 734 00:40:01,360 --> 00:40:04,759 Speaker 3: Stay. Now, this is sort of God truth. That's what 735 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:05,720 Speaker 3: I wrote on that paper. 736 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:09,560 Speaker 1: And to go full circle and you know, to meet 737 00:40:09,640 --> 00:40:12,719 Speaker 1: Rodney and Norman and then dude, that fifty state tour, 738 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:16,360 Speaker 1: like it was just like it's already written, you know. 739 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:19,200 Speaker 1: And it's just crazy that I look back and I 740 00:40:19,239 --> 00:40:23,200 Speaker 1: think about some of the stuff that happened before, and 741 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:24,600 Speaker 1: I was just progressed till now. 742 00:40:24,640 --> 00:40:26,680 Speaker 3: And I'm like, it seemed like this was already written 743 00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:27,239 Speaker 3: already for me. 744 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:27,480 Speaker 1: You know. 745 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:29,720 Speaker 3: That is crazy. 746 00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:37,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, And that concludes Part one of my conversation with 747 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:39,479 Speaker 2: Uri Williams, and you do not want to miss part 748 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:44,640 Speaker 2: two that's now available. Together, guys, we can change the country. 749 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:48,000 Speaker 2: It will start with you. I'll see in part two.