1 00:00:15,356 --> 00:00:25,796 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Two days ago, we celebrated Memorial Day to honor 2 00:00:25,836 --> 00:00:29,236 Speaker 1: and remember the US military personnel who died in service 3 00:00:29,236 --> 00:00:32,796 Speaker 1: to the country. It's time to reflect on their courage 4 00:00:32,836 --> 00:00:36,196 Speaker 1: and sacrifices, which is something we've been doing in this 5 00:00:36,276 --> 00:00:39,996 Speaker 1: new season of Medal of Honor. The reason we make 6 00:00:40,036 --> 00:00:44,036 Speaker 1: the show of Pushkin is simple, courage is contagious. These 7 00:00:44,076 --> 00:00:47,196 Speaker 1: are stories we think everyone benefits from hearing, and we've 8 00:00:47,196 --> 00:00:49,716 Speaker 1: got new stories for you coming up in the next 9 00:00:49,756 --> 00:00:53,196 Speaker 1: few weeks, from Robert Blake, the first black sailor to 10 00:00:53,236 --> 00:00:55,796 Speaker 1: be awarded the Medal, to Daniel Daily, one of only 11 00:00:55,876 --> 00:00:58,716 Speaker 1: nineteen people to have received the Medal of Honor twice. 12 00:00:59,396 --> 00:01:02,996 Speaker 1: These are stories about people who have distinguished themselves by 13 00:01:03,076 --> 00:01:05,756 Speaker 1: acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. 14 00:01:07,156 --> 00:01:09,196 Speaker 1: You'll hear about what they did, what it meant, and 15 00:01:09,676 --> 00:01:12,356 Speaker 1: what their stories tell us about the nature of courage 16 00:01:12,876 --> 00:01:16,236 Speaker 1: and sacrifice. But before we get to our new stories, 17 00:01:16,276 --> 00:01:19,076 Speaker 1: I wanted to kick off season two by introducing you 18 00:01:19,396 --> 00:01:23,996 Speaker 1: to our new host, JR. Martinez Jr. Is a US 19 00:01:24,116 --> 00:01:27,596 Speaker 1: Army veteran whose life changed forever when a roadside bomb 20 00:01:27,636 --> 00:01:32,396 Speaker 1: exploded under his vehicle in Iraq in two thousand and three, 21 00:01:32,476 --> 00:01:36,236 Speaker 1: after over thirty four surgeries for his severe burns, Jr. 22 00:01:36,276 --> 00:01:41,956 Speaker 1: Discovered a profound purpose helping others by sharing his own story. 23 00:01:42,796 --> 00:01:45,676 Speaker 1: I can't imagine anyone better suited to guide us through 24 00:01:45,676 --> 00:01:55,796 Speaker 1: these powerful stories of valor and sacrifice. Hi Jr. Nice 25 00:01:55,796 --> 00:01:56,236 Speaker 1: to meet you. 26 00:01:56,356 --> 00:01:58,276 Speaker 2: Hello Malcolm, nice to meet you as well. 27 00:01:58,436 --> 00:02:01,476 Speaker 1: Welcome. We are so happy to have you taking over 28 00:02:01,556 --> 00:02:05,436 Speaker 1: as host of Medal of Honor, and you are such 29 00:02:05,476 --> 00:02:08,756 Speaker 1: a step up for me. It's unbelievable you're actually a 30 00:02:08,836 --> 00:02:12,036 Speaker 1: veteran as opposed to just someone who was pretending to 31 00:02:12,036 --> 00:02:12,796 Speaker 1: know about the army. 32 00:02:12,916 --> 00:02:15,676 Speaker 2: Well, thank you, Malcolm. But you know when you mentioned like, 33 00:02:15,716 --> 00:02:19,236 Speaker 2: well you're actual veteran versus someone who's pretend, I think 34 00:02:19,276 --> 00:02:21,756 Speaker 2: that's the beauty of what you've created and the team 35 00:02:21,836 --> 00:02:24,356 Speaker 2: has put together in season one and now leading into 36 00:02:24,356 --> 00:02:26,876 Speaker 2: season two. I think if we can have more people 37 00:02:26,916 --> 00:02:29,876 Speaker 2: that have never worn the uniform, that have maybe no 38 00:02:29,996 --> 00:02:34,076 Speaker 2: real connection to the military to come and learn, and 39 00:02:34,116 --> 00:02:37,436 Speaker 2: then hopefully at the accumulation of each episode in the season, 40 00:02:38,156 --> 00:02:41,596 Speaker 2: people are feeling that much more connected and attached to 41 00:02:41,676 --> 00:02:43,756 Speaker 2: the stories. I think it goes both ways. I think 42 00:02:43,796 --> 00:02:45,836 Speaker 2: it's nice to have yes somebody that has served in 43 00:02:45,876 --> 00:02:48,556 Speaker 2: the military, and it maybe feels like there's some credibility, 44 00:02:48,756 --> 00:02:50,956 Speaker 2: but man, as someone who's served and as someone who's 45 00:02:50,996 --> 00:02:54,076 Speaker 2: been around the military for a long time. Season one, 46 00:02:54,116 --> 00:02:57,396 Speaker 2: when I listened to it, I learned so much, so 47 00:02:57,556 --> 00:02:59,436 Speaker 2: many things that I had no clue about. So I 48 00:02:59,516 --> 00:03:02,356 Speaker 2: think we're all in this boat together, quite frankly, just 49 00:03:02,396 --> 00:03:07,196 Speaker 2: going on this journey of really discovering what the human 50 00:03:07,516 --> 00:03:09,836 Speaker 2: spirit is truly capable of. 51 00:03:10,916 --> 00:03:14,076 Speaker 1: You know. The moment that Season one hit home for 52 00:03:14,196 --> 00:03:17,676 Speaker 1: me was I was giving a talk in Orlando and 53 00:03:18,356 --> 00:03:20,316 Speaker 1: somebody it was the Q and A, and someone asked 54 00:03:20,356 --> 00:03:23,716 Speaker 1: me about Medal of Honor, and I was young, saying, 55 00:03:23,756 --> 00:03:24,996 Speaker 1: I wo I wanted to do the show because I 56 00:03:24,996 --> 00:03:26,876 Speaker 1: felt there were all these incredible stories that needed to 57 00:03:26,916 --> 00:03:30,756 Speaker 1: be told, and that this was something going into twenty 58 00:03:30,796 --> 00:03:33,516 Speaker 1: twenty six, which is the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary 59 00:03:33,516 --> 00:03:35,716 Speaker 1: of this country's founding. I thought it was really important 60 00:03:35,756 --> 00:03:39,236 Speaker 1: to tell stories that united us all. And then one 61 00:03:39,236 --> 00:03:43,116 Speaker 1: by one throughout the audience, people started standing up and saying, 62 00:03:43,636 --> 00:03:46,716 Speaker 1: I served in you know, Marine Corps for some I 63 00:03:46,916 --> 00:03:49,716 Speaker 1: was in the Navy. And I listened to that show 64 00:03:49,756 --> 00:03:53,116 Speaker 1: and I felt like I was finally being heard. Yeah, 65 00:03:53,516 --> 00:03:55,236 Speaker 1: but what we did, what I was a part of, 66 00:03:55,396 --> 00:03:58,196 Speaker 1: was fine. I just it was incredibly moving. It really 67 00:03:58,196 --> 00:04:01,316 Speaker 1: made me think that there's something really important and lovely 68 00:04:01,356 --> 00:04:05,356 Speaker 1: about Medal of Honor, this storytelling journey that we're on. 69 00:04:06,476 --> 00:04:12,996 Speaker 2: I have always felt this level of uncomfort with imposter syndrome. Right. 70 00:04:13,316 --> 00:04:16,196 Speaker 2: I was nineteen when I was injured, and I found 71 00:04:16,196 --> 00:04:19,556 Speaker 2: myself sort of thrust into these different circles, and there's 72 00:04:19,716 --> 00:04:22,196 Speaker 2: a lot of these conversations that are happening that I 73 00:04:22,236 --> 00:04:24,356 Speaker 2: have no idea what people are talking about or truly 74 00:04:24,436 --> 00:04:29,036 Speaker 2: understand them. But the more that I've traveled all over 75 00:04:29,076 --> 00:04:31,596 Speaker 2: the world and have met such incredible people who have 76 00:04:31,636 --> 00:04:35,036 Speaker 2: served in the military or have not, I guess it 77 00:04:35,156 --> 00:04:37,996 Speaker 2: made me a little uncomfortable. When people would say, Jr. 78 00:04:38,076 --> 00:04:41,036 Speaker 2: Look at what you've done. They would elevate me, and 79 00:04:41,116 --> 00:04:43,916 Speaker 2: I just felt uncomfortable with that because I'm like, you 80 00:04:43,956 --> 00:04:47,916 Speaker 2: have no idea. There are so many people out there 81 00:04:48,636 --> 00:04:53,396 Speaker 2: that are walking amongst you in your community. When I 82 00:04:53,396 --> 00:04:56,196 Speaker 2: get introduced, and I always asked for those that have 83 00:04:56,276 --> 00:04:59,396 Speaker 2: served in the military or family members to please remain standing, 84 00:05:00,476 --> 00:05:03,876 Speaker 2: and I challenge the audience. I say, look around at 85 00:05:03,876 --> 00:05:07,516 Speaker 2: the people standing amongst you. Look at them. Do they 86 00:05:07,596 --> 00:05:12,316 Speaker 2: look like me? Do they look like what most of 87 00:05:12,396 --> 00:05:16,276 Speaker 2: us think of when we think of veterans, my scars 88 00:05:16,356 --> 00:05:18,236 Speaker 2: and what my body's been through. And a lot of 89 00:05:18,236 --> 00:05:22,076 Speaker 2: my friends who are missing limbs or have traumatic brain injuries, 90 00:05:22,196 --> 00:05:25,556 Speaker 2: or just have something physically that you can immediately identify 91 00:05:25,596 --> 00:05:28,956 Speaker 2: and say that person's been through something. But I can't 92 00:05:28,996 --> 00:05:31,116 Speaker 2: tell you the amount of times, Malcolm, I've stood next 93 00:05:31,116 --> 00:05:33,796 Speaker 2: to my friends who have served just as long as me, 94 00:05:34,436 --> 00:05:36,556 Speaker 2: that have done a hell of a lot more than 95 00:05:36,596 --> 00:05:40,516 Speaker 2: I did, have done multiple tours and people come right 96 00:05:40,596 --> 00:05:43,236 Speaker 2: up to me and they say thank you, and they 97 00:05:43,276 --> 00:05:47,276 Speaker 2: do it in the most sincere place from their heart, 98 00:05:47,316 --> 00:05:50,396 Speaker 2: and I appreciate that. But it's about reframing that. And 99 00:05:50,436 --> 00:05:53,356 Speaker 2: I think when you talk about how many people stand 100 00:05:53,436 --> 00:05:55,476 Speaker 2: up and say, we feel seen and we feel heart 101 00:05:55,556 --> 00:05:58,956 Speaker 2: and I think that's part of what this series has 102 00:05:59,076 --> 00:06:01,836 Speaker 2: done and is hopefully going to continue to do, is 103 00:06:01,876 --> 00:06:05,196 Speaker 2: allow people to tell these stories that need to be told. 104 00:06:05,436 --> 00:06:08,556 Speaker 2: And this is a perfect opportunity where you and the 105 00:06:08,596 --> 00:06:11,036 Speaker 2: team have created something that it just allows me to 106 00:06:11,636 --> 00:06:15,076 Speaker 2: completely geek out on these badass human beings. 107 00:06:14,716 --> 00:06:15,836 Speaker 1: And they are bad as bad. 108 00:06:15,836 --> 00:06:18,196 Speaker 2: They are bad ass, man. And let me tell you 109 00:06:18,276 --> 00:06:21,316 Speaker 2: something like, if we all just cared a little bit more, 110 00:06:21,476 --> 00:06:25,156 Speaker 2: if you all just eliminated all the other things and 111 00:06:25,396 --> 00:06:28,476 Speaker 2: just operated from this place of just pure humanity, what 112 00:06:28,556 --> 00:06:30,876 Speaker 2: are the possibilities man? They're endless. 113 00:06:31,236 --> 00:06:34,036 Speaker 1: Yeah, what did your family think about it when you 114 00:06:34,156 --> 00:06:34,796 Speaker 1: signing up? 115 00:06:35,556 --> 00:06:37,796 Speaker 2: My mother's from Central America as south of the Otto. 116 00:06:37,876 --> 00:06:40,716 Speaker 2: My father's from Mexico. My mother came here as an 117 00:06:40,756 --> 00:06:45,876 Speaker 2: undocumented immigrant and met my father here and about a 118 00:06:45,956 --> 00:06:48,196 Speaker 2: year and a half later. I was born in Louisiana, 119 00:06:48,836 --> 00:06:50,476 Speaker 2: and so I'm a Southern boy, and I grew up 120 00:06:50,476 --> 00:06:52,516 Speaker 2: in Louisiana. I lived there for the first nine years, 121 00:06:52,556 --> 00:06:55,396 Speaker 2: then moved to Arkansas, and then right before my senior 122 00:06:55,436 --> 00:06:59,116 Speaker 2: year of high school, moved to Georgia. And listen, man, 123 00:06:59,156 --> 00:07:01,956 Speaker 2: I was a kid that was I was struggling. There 124 00:07:02,036 --> 00:07:04,396 Speaker 2: was a lot of things that I was having to navigate. 125 00:07:04,716 --> 00:07:07,316 Speaker 2: Nine years old, I'm getting myself up for school by myself, 126 00:07:07,356 --> 00:07:09,916 Speaker 2: getting myself to school. My mom worked at graveyard shift, 127 00:07:09,956 --> 00:07:14,676 Speaker 2: so it was a lot of responsibility, and my father 128 00:07:14,756 --> 00:07:17,356 Speaker 2: wasn't in my life. My mother was involved in some 129 00:07:17,396 --> 00:07:21,156 Speaker 2: pretty abusive relationships when I was younger. Demographically, I was 130 00:07:21,196 --> 00:07:24,236 Speaker 2: one of the first Hispanic kids in Arkansas, and I 131 00:07:24,276 --> 00:07:26,396 Speaker 2: struggled with that, and I would get into trouble a lot, 132 00:07:26,476 --> 00:07:29,836 Speaker 2: and academically like I didn't really excel because I would 133 00:07:29,876 --> 00:07:33,076 Speaker 2: be suspended from school three five, seven days at a time. 134 00:07:34,276 --> 00:07:36,636 Speaker 2: My defense mechanism was always to be like, well, this 135 00:07:36,676 --> 00:07:39,756 Speaker 2: is dumb anyways, just be the funny guy. You don't 136 00:07:39,796 --> 00:07:42,276 Speaker 2: really quite understand how those things are going to play 137 00:07:42,316 --> 00:07:45,836 Speaker 2: into your life until later. And so I moved to 138 00:07:45,876 --> 00:07:48,956 Speaker 2: Georgia my senior high school, and things got better because 139 00:07:49,236 --> 00:07:51,596 Speaker 2: I felt like the community was different, and I started 140 00:07:51,596 --> 00:07:54,716 Speaker 2: thinking about when I'm listening to Molly as a counselor 141 00:07:54,796 --> 00:07:57,476 Speaker 2: to talk about the way she leans into her students. 142 00:07:57,676 --> 00:08:00,996 Speaker 2: The counselor calls me to his office and he says, hey, 143 00:08:00,996 --> 00:08:03,116 Speaker 2: you're a senior. I'm looking at your transcript. You're not 144 00:08:03,116 --> 00:08:05,676 Speaker 2: going to graduate on time. You don't have enough credits, 145 00:08:05,716 --> 00:08:09,916 Speaker 2: you don't have the grades. What's going on? Vividly remember 146 00:08:09,956 --> 00:08:11,996 Speaker 2: that interaction with him, and I was taken back by 147 00:08:11,996 --> 00:08:14,396 Speaker 2: that question, because if that's a simple question, but no 148 00:08:14,436 --> 00:08:17,676 Speaker 2: one had ever asked me that question. And he says, 149 00:08:17,676 --> 00:08:19,436 Speaker 2: do you want to graduate on time. I said I do, 150 00:08:19,676 --> 00:08:21,516 Speaker 2: and he says, okay, well, let's put a plan together. 151 00:08:22,116 --> 00:08:26,196 Speaker 2: And I started on this journey to graduate from high school. 152 00:08:26,916 --> 00:08:30,076 Speaker 2: I had this vision, man, this really naive perspective, that 153 00:08:30,116 --> 00:08:31,836 Speaker 2: I was going to go to college and play football 154 00:08:31,876 --> 00:08:35,556 Speaker 2: because that's what I see on Sundays on ESPN. I 155 00:08:35,596 --> 00:08:37,156 Speaker 2: went to the school and they told me that I 156 00:08:37,156 --> 00:08:39,076 Speaker 2: could come to school there, but I would not be 157 00:08:39,116 --> 00:08:41,316 Speaker 2: able to play sports at the college level for two 158 00:08:41,436 --> 00:08:45,476 Speaker 2: years because of academics. So I was like, I'm not 159 00:08:45,516 --> 00:08:47,636 Speaker 2: going to college then if I can't go to play football, 160 00:08:47,636 --> 00:08:50,196 Speaker 2: because that's how we are. And as cliche as it 161 00:08:50,236 --> 00:08:52,996 Speaker 2: may sound, I mean there's a reason they have them 162 00:08:53,036 --> 00:08:56,196 Speaker 2: because to some degree it works. I was home one 163 00:08:56,276 --> 00:09:01,596 Speaker 2: day watching TV and a commercial popped up about the 164 00:09:01,636 --> 00:09:06,436 Speaker 2: military and it wasn't a brand new concept. Listen to 165 00:09:06,476 --> 00:09:08,516 Speaker 2: the town that I graduated from high school. I mean, 166 00:09:08,516 --> 00:09:11,156 Speaker 2: at recruiters had a presence at the school, as they 167 00:09:11,196 --> 00:09:14,116 Speaker 2: do in most right, but this was probably an area 168 00:09:14,156 --> 00:09:15,876 Speaker 2: you're really going to try to get some kids. They 169 00:09:15,916 --> 00:09:19,276 Speaker 2: have no alternatives. And then one of my football coaches 170 00:09:19,276 --> 00:09:20,796 Speaker 2: sad sir, so I was like, you know what, let 171 00:09:20,796 --> 00:09:23,036 Speaker 2: me go down and talk to this recruiter and see 172 00:09:23,036 --> 00:09:24,996 Speaker 2: what this is about. But I didn't tell my mother. 173 00:09:25,876 --> 00:09:28,316 Speaker 2: So I go down to this recruiter. I go to 174 00:09:28,356 --> 00:09:30,516 Speaker 2: all the branches, kind of skipped over the Navy. I 175 00:09:30,556 --> 00:09:32,036 Speaker 2: was like, I don't think I see myself being on 176 00:09:32,076 --> 00:09:35,116 Speaker 2: the ship. And then I went to the Marine Corps 177 00:09:35,156 --> 00:09:38,516 Speaker 2: and they said four years, we watch you. Four years 178 00:09:38,636 --> 00:09:40,516 Speaker 2: the minimum. And I was like trying to negotiate with 179 00:09:40,556 --> 00:09:42,676 Speaker 2: the recruiter and I was like, what about three? No, 180 00:09:42,956 --> 00:09:43,636 Speaker 2: four years? 181 00:09:43,716 --> 00:09:45,716 Speaker 1: I don't think you negotiate with the marine corks. 182 00:09:46,436 --> 00:09:48,076 Speaker 2: And so then I was like, let me go next 183 00:09:48,076 --> 00:09:49,356 Speaker 2: door and I went to the arm In the arm 184 00:09:49,396 --> 00:09:50,916 Speaker 2: I was like, we'll take it. Whatever you want to 185 00:09:50,956 --> 00:09:53,756 Speaker 2: commit to, we'll take it. And he gave me all 186 00:09:53,796 --> 00:09:56,556 Speaker 2: this information. He put it in the folder and I 187 00:09:56,676 --> 00:10:00,636 Speaker 2: rushed home and I felt elated. I felt like I 188 00:10:00,636 --> 00:10:03,316 Speaker 2: had found a solution for my life at this point. 189 00:10:03,476 --> 00:10:05,196 Speaker 2: And I remember going into the house and saying to 190 00:10:05,236 --> 00:10:08,036 Speaker 2: my mom, I figured it out. I know exactly what 191 00:10:08,076 --> 00:10:09,916 Speaker 2: I'm going to do. I'm going to joined the Army. 192 00:10:10,636 --> 00:10:13,996 Speaker 2: And my mom said absolutely not. Now, to give people 193 00:10:14,076 --> 00:10:18,076 Speaker 2: context why she said no so quickly was in the 194 00:10:18,116 --> 00:10:21,156 Speaker 2: early eighties, and I my lord, there was a civil 195 00:10:21,156 --> 00:10:24,316 Speaker 2: war that was happening. So my mother understands what war 196 00:10:24,356 --> 00:10:28,876 Speaker 2: does to people. My mother has experienced that. When I 197 00:10:28,916 --> 00:10:31,276 Speaker 2: was three years old, one of my sisters passed away 198 00:10:31,316 --> 00:10:33,156 Speaker 2: from an illness. She was born Wes, so my mother 199 00:10:33,196 --> 00:10:36,436 Speaker 2: has lost a child. I graduated high school in two 200 00:10:36,476 --> 00:10:41,156 Speaker 2: thousand and two, and we already had troops in Afghanistan. 201 00:10:41,236 --> 00:10:44,396 Speaker 2: We as a country were at war already. So my mother, 202 00:10:44,556 --> 00:10:48,196 Speaker 2: understanding that, understood that if I joined the military during 203 00:10:48,196 --> 00:10:50,556 Speaker 2: this time of war, there's a good chance of her 204 00:10:50,636 --> 00:10:56,436 Speaker 2: losing another child, her only son. Listen, as a parent, 205 00:10:56,916 --> 00:11:00,276 Speaker 2: you know that fear kicks in and you're like, absolutely not. 206 00:11:00,516 --> 00:11:03,196 Speaker 2: And here's one of the most incredible gifts my mother 207 00:11:03,276 --> 00:11:07,596 Speaker 2: gave me that I don't think she intended. I think 208 00:11:07,636 --> 00:11:10,916 Speaker 2: it was just how she was trying to show up 209 00:11:10,916 --> 00:11:15,236 Speaker 2: for me. My mother, in the midst of her listening 210 00:11:15,276 --> 00:11:18,076 Speaker 2: to her son talk about joining the military during a 211 00:11:18,156 --> 00:11:21,556 Speaker 2: time of war, she pulled up a chair and sat 212 00:11:21,596 --> 00:11:24,876 Speaker 2: down right in front of me and said, Okay, tell 213 00:11:24,916 --> 00:11:27,316 Speaker 2: me why you believe this is the best thing for you. 214 00:11:28,756 --> 00:11:31,316 Speaker 2: At the end of this two hour conversation, my mother said, 215 00:11:31,436 --> 00:11:33,196 Speaker 2: if you want to join the military. If you believe 216 00:11:33,236 --> 00:11:36,396 Speaker 2: that's what's best for you, I'll support you. And I 217 00:11:36,476 --> 00:11:39,076 Speaker 2: just think about the courage. We talked about courage a 218 00:11:39,076 --> 00:11:43,156 Speaker 2: lot right with Metal of Honor recipients, and you think 219 00:11:43,196 --> 00:11:45,756 Speaker 2: about the courage it takes as a parent who has 220 00:11:45,956 --> 00:11:50,076 Speaker 2: already experienced the worst thing that a parent can experience 221 00:11:50,316 --> 00:11:53,676 Speaker 2: and yet to put that aside and say I'm there 222 00:11:53,716 --> 00:11:57,196 Speaker 2: for you. Yeah, And so off I go. Man. Off, 223 00:11:57,196 --> 00:11:59,156 Speaker 2: I go to the Army. I joined in the love 224 00:11:59,196 --> 00:12:01,396 Speaker 2: and Bravo. So I'm an Infantryman. I go to Basy 225 00:12:01,436 --> 00:12:03,996 Speaker 2: training for penning Georgia. I get a sign to my 226 00:12:04,156 --> 00:12:06,476 Speaker 2: unit four months later, which was one hundred and first 227 00:12:06,476 --> 00:12:09,556 Speaker 2: out of four Cambal Kentucky, which is just outside of Nashville. 228 00:12:10,276 --> 00:12:13,636 Speaker 2: Nineteen years old. You know, young kid in this unit. 229 00:12:13,916 --> 00:12:16,276 Speaker 2: I was one of the youngest. There was me and 230 00:12:16,356 --> 00:12:19,636 Speaker 2: two other people that were the youngest. I was definitely 231 00:12:19,676 --> 00:12:22,836 Speaker 2: treated lest here's this young guy. A lot of these 232 00:12:22,876 --> 00:12:26,636 Speaker 2: guys had a lot of training and experience, and nineteen 233 00:12:26,716 --> 00:12:29,476 Speaker 2: years old. You put him in a unit during a 234 00:12:29,516 --> 00:12:31,716 Speaker 2: time of conflict, and for the most part, he's going 235 00:12:31,796 --> 00:12:35,676 Speaker 2: to feel like incredibly naive, like nothing's gonna happen. And 236 00:12:35,756 --> 00:12:37,836 Speaker 2: even though I raised my right hand and knew that 237 00:12:37,876 --> 00:12:40,236 Speaker 2: war was a possibility, I never thought it would be 238 00:12:40,236 --> 00:12:44,996 Speaker 2: my reality. And sure enough, one of my sergeants one 239 00:12:45,076 --> 00:12:46,956 Speaker 2: day came and pulled me aside and said that I 240 00:12:46,996 --> 00:12:49,956 Speaker 2: needed to be prepared because we would be deploying sometime soon. 241 00:12:50,356 --> 00:12:53,916 Speaker 2: And my response to this man, my patuna sergeant who 242 00:12:53,996 --> 00:12:58,556 Speaker 2: clearly outranks me by a decade and a half. My 243 00:12:58,636 --> 00:13:00,876 Speaker 2: response to this man at the time was, Sergeant, I 244 00:13:00,916 --> 00:13:03,756 Speaker 2: just got out of basic. I just got here relaxed. 245 00:13:04,036 --> 00:13:07,676 Speaker 2: Imagine telling you're superior, it's just chill, bro, That's essentially 246 00:13:07,716 --> 00:13:08,236 Speaker 2: what I did. 247 00:13:08,556 --> 00:13:10,276 Speaker 1: Having met you now for half an hour, I can 248 00:13:10,356 --> 00:13:11,196 Speaker 1: imagine you saying that. 249 00:13:14,196 --> 00:13:18,396 Speaker 2: Thank you, that's a comple of it, and so and so. 250 00:13:18,436 --> 00:13:19,876 Speaker 2: Of course, after I was doing to do a push 251 00:13:19,956 --> 00:13:21,876 Speaker 2: ups and said I was for telling my superior to 252 00:13:21,916 --> 00:13:25,436 Speaker 2: just relax, you know, it really set in that hey, 253 00:13:25,516 --> 00:13:28,116 Speaker 2: he was trying to tell me that physically I was fine, 254 00:13:28,476 --> 00:13:31,476 Speaker 2: Mentally I was not ready. And sure enough, a few 255 00:13:31,476 --> 00:13:34,156 Speaker 2: weeks later I found myself on a plane heading over 256 00:13:34,516 --> 00:13:38,236 Speaker 2: to war at the age of nineteen, going to Iraq. Yeah, 257 00:13:38,276 --> 00:13:41,076 Speaker 2: it all happened fast. Will were you stationed in Iraq 258 00:13:41,636 --> 00:13:44,356 Speaker 2: in Kuwait, like there was these little bases set up 259 00:13:44,796 --> 00:13:47,076 Speaker 2: and there were Camp New York and Camp Pennsylvania, and 260 00:13:47,116 --> 00:13:49,956 Speaker 2: I think it was Camp something else. And then once 261 00:13:49,996 --> 00:13:52,876 Speaker 2: the conflict started, which was in March of two thousand 262 00:13:52,876 --> 00:13:55,436 Speaker 2: and three, we crossed over into Iraq. But we were 263 00:13:55,516 --> 00:13:58,676 Speaker 2: one of those units, at least my company was. We 264 00:13:58,676 --> 00:14:01,316 Speaker 2: were just in this holding pattern. Just a lot of 265 00:14:01,356 --> 00:14:03,716 Speaker 2: our gear was not even there because they were on 266 00:14:03,796 --> 00:14:07,716 Speaker 2: ships still coming over. And our job early on was 267 00:14:07,756 --> 00:14:11,356 Speaker 2: to escort different jobs in the military from point A 268 00:14:11,436 --> 00:14:13,196 Speaker 2: to point B. So we were part of these big 269 00:14:13,276 --> 00:14:16,756 Speaker 2: convoys of helping people in the medical field or supplies 270 00:14:16,996 --> 00:14:19,716 Speaker 2: or you name it, just get from here to there. 271 00:14:19,956 --> 00:14:22,556 Speaker 2: And I'm just kind of going through the motions, not 272 00:14:22,636 --> 00:14:28,436 Speaker 2: quite sure I understood my purpose, my role, the agenda, 273 00:14:29,356 --> 00:14:31,756 Speaker 2: just going through it, to be honest, and until one 274 00:14:31,756 --> 00:14:35,596 Speaker 2: of my commanders one day introduced this concept of service. 275 00:14:36,036 --> 00:14:39,596 Speaker 2: And after that I started to buy in and look 276 00:14:39,676 --> 00:14:42,436 Speaker 2: around and say, I have a role. I might not 277 00:14:42,516 --> 00:14:45,236 Speaker 2: be the biggest member of this team and the most experienced, 278 00:14:45,236 --> 00:14:48,836 Speaker 2: but I'm part of this team. I started to then plot, man, 279 00:14:48,916 --> 00:14:50,516 Speaker 2: I'm not going to do this for three years. That 280 00:14:50,716 --> 00:14:53,036 Speaker 2: I originally thought I'm going to do this for twenty years. 281 00:14:53,516 --> 00:14:56,116 Speaker 2: I could vividly remember nights where I'm sitting in a 282 00:14:56,196 --> 00:14:58,796 Speaker 2: humvee in the middle of the desert and looking up 283 00:14:58,796 --> 00:15:02,516 Speaker 2: at this big, beautiful, bright sky and I'm sitting there 284 00:15:02,676 --> 00:15:04,716 Speaker 2: just thinking about when I come back to the States, 285 00:15:04,716 --> 00:15:06,036 Speaker 2: I'm going to go to Pathrond, I'm going to go 286 00:15:06,076 --> 00:15:10,476 Speaker 2: to Ranger. I'm going to like I'm nineteen. And then 287 00:15:10,596 --> 00:15:12,876 Speaker 2: of course life decides we're going to kind of take 288 00:15:12,916 --> 00:15:15,316 Speaker 2: you on a little bit of a journey here, my friend, 289 00:15:15,356 --> 00:15:18,676 Speaker 2: and we're going to change all that. And it did. 290 00:15:18,916 --> 00:15:19,716 Speaker 2: It changed a lot. 291 00:15:20,436 --> 00:15:22,316 Speaker 1: When did you have your accident? You were how long 292 00:15:22,356 --> 00:15:24,876 Speaker 1: into the army? 293 00:15:24,956 --> 00:15:28,796 Speaker 2: It was seven months? Seven months and seven months. I 294 00:15:28,796 --> 00:15:30,236 Speaker 2: want to make sure that they're listening. Is going to have 295 00:15:30,316 --> 00:15:32,996 Speaker 2: to hit like the back button fifteen seconds to thirty 296 00:15:33,036 --> 00:15:34,876 Speaker 2: seconds to be like, wait, did he say seven months 297 00:15:35,076 --> 00:15:39,636 Speaker 2: he was in country? No. I enlisted in September. September 298 00:15:39,756 --> 00:15:42,436 Speaker 2: December two thousand and two, was a basic and then 299 00:15:42,596 --> 00:15:46,956 Speaker 2: January of three I arrived. March of three, I deployed 300 00:15:47,676 --> 00:15:51,676 Speaker 2: April of three. I was injured, so just a few 301 00:15:51,756 --> 00:15:53,716 Speaker 2: days shy of me being in country, a full month. 302 00:15:54,236 --> 00:15:57,356 Speaker 2: I sustained my injury which I was driving a humby 303 00:15:57,396 --> 00:15:59,276 Speaker 2: through the city called Carbala when the front left tire 304 00:15:59,276 --> 00:16:00,836 Speaker 2: of the humby that I was driving run over a 305 00:16:00,916 --> 00:16:06,236 Speaker 2: roadside bomb and I was chopped inside. And there were 306 00:16:06,236 --> 00:16:07,916 Speaker 2: three other guys in a humvy with me, but they 307 00:16:07,916 --> 00:16:10,876 Speaker 2: were thrown out of the vehicle and they all walked 308 00:16:10,916 --> 00:16:15,756 Speaker 2: away with minor physical injuries. And it's important for me 309 00:16:15,876 --> 00:16:19,516 Speaker 2: to emphasize that because although physically they were okay, emotionally 310 00:16:19,516 --> 00:16:23,396 Speaker 2: and mentally they were not. I was trapped aside and 311 00:16:23,516 --> 00:16:27,316 Speaker 2: this humvee caught on fire, and five minutes trapped aside 312 00:16:27,316 --> 00:16:29,796 Speaker 2: of this UMV man fighting for your life, and you 313 00:16:29,916 --> 00:16:34,516 Speaker 2: realize everything that you had been exposed to for nineteen 314 00:16:34,556 --> 00:16:37,196 Speaker 2: years of your life has prepared you for that very 315 00:16:37,476 --> 00:16:42,956 Speaker 2: moment to survive and to fight. And I kept telling 316 00:16:42,996 --> 00:16:46,556 Speaker 2: myself while I was in that hum vy, there was 317 00:16:46,596 --> 00:16:48,516 Speaker 2: no reason to believe that someone's going to come and 318 00:16:48,516 --> 00:16:51,076 Speaker 2: pull you out. Because you talk to any individual military 319 00:16:51,156 --> 00:16:54,836 Speaker 2: or not that has had a near death experience will 320 00:16:54,876 --> 00:16:57,276 Speaker 2: tell you that whatever timeframe it was that there were 321 00:16:57,356 --> 00:17:01,116 Speaker 2: experience in it, it feels like it's amplified by ten. Right, 322 00:17:01,836 --> 00:17:03,516 Speaker 2: So even though it was five minutes, it felt like 323 00:17:03,556 --> 00:17:06,236 Speaker 2: fifty minutes, right. It just feels like no one's coming 324 00:17:06,276 --> 00:17:12,156 Speaker 2: to your aid until they finally two. But throughout that 325 00:17:12,236 --> 00:17:16,236 Speaker 2: five minutes, I would almost trick my brain. I would 326 00:17:16,316 --> 00:17:18,836 Speaker 2: talk to myself and trick my brain to believing that 327 00:17:18,956 --> 00:17:21,556 Speaker 2: someone was coming. They were coming. Eventually two of my 328 00:17:21,596 --> 00:17:24,876 Speaker 2: sergeants pulled me out, started the medevac process, and I 329 00:17:24,956 --> 00:17:26,716 Speaker 2: ended up in San Antonio, Texas, and I was in 330 00:17:26,756 --> 00:17:29,676 Speaker 2: the medical induced coma for three weeks. Oh wow. And 331 00:17:29,756 --> 00:17:31,716 Speaker 2: woke up in Texas and the doctor's like, do you 332 00:17:31,716 --> 00:17:34,876 Speaker 2: know where you are? I was like, this doesn't look 333 00:17:34,916 --> 00:17:37,476 Speaker 2: like the last place I was in. Yeah, he says, 334 00:17:37,516 --> 00:17:51,116 Speaker 2: you're in Texas and that's the burn center for the military. 335 00:18:01,036 --> 00:18:05,476 Speaker 2: How much of your body was burned about thirty four percent. Yeah, 336 00:18:05,676 --> 00:18:07,236 Speaker 2: it's almost if you look at my body or any 337 00:18:07,276 --> 00:18:09,676 Speaker 2: burn survivors someone like looking at a map, like, it's 338 00:18:09,716 --> 00:18:12,876 Speaker 2: just kind of the path and the structure and the patches. 339 00:18:13,236 --> 00:18:15,076 Speaker 2: But the biggest thing at the time that was threatening 340 00:18:15,076 --> 00:18:16,756 Speaker 2: whether I was going to survive or not, was not 341 00:18:16,796 --> 00:18:19,796 Speaker 2: so much the burns to my body was the inhalation damage. 342 00:18:19,796 --> 00:18:21,276 Speaker 2: Was smoke that I inhaled. 343 00:18:21,396 --> 00:18:22,716 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, for. 344 00:18:22,676 --> 00:18:25,836 Speaker 2: The five minutes I was trapped inside, I was inhaling 345 00:18:25,876 --> 00:18:29,596 Speaker 2: all this smoke from the fire. So they weren't sure 346 00:18:29,596 --> 00:18:31,196 Speaker 2: if I was gonna make it. This is two thousand 347 00:18:31,196 --> 00:18:32,836 Speaker 2: and three. They were like, we don't know if he's 348 00:18:32,876 --> 00:18:35,356 Speaker 2: gonna make it. And they told my mother, if he 349 00:18:35,476 --> 00:18:37,636 Speaker 2: makes it, that was a lot of the language that 350 00:18:37,636 --> 00:18:38,436 Speaker 2: we're using with her. 351 00:18:38,756 --> 00:18:41,476 Speaker 1: Your mother's worth the nightmare, the very thing she feared. 352 00:18:41,156 --> 00:18:44,356 Speaker 2: The very thing she feared. You know what's interesting, Malcolm, 353 00:18:44,476 --> 00:18:47,836 Speaker 2: is I lived my life and some people, my wife 354 00:18:47,876 --> 00:18:50,516 Speaker 2: would tell you you're probably one of the most fearless 355 00:18:50,556 --> 00:18:53,916 Speaker 2: people that I know, and she's used the words at 356 00:18:53,956 --> 00:18:56,556 Speaker 2: times maybe reckless. You just think nothing's going to happen. 357 00:18:56,596 --> 00:18:59,596 Speaker 2: I was like, oh, that's debatable and subjective about reckless, 358 00:18:59,716 --> 00:19:03,516 Speaker 2: you know, but the reason why, to some degree, I'm 359 00:19:04,076 --> 00:19:07,556 Speaker 2: operate from this place of like just fearlessness, if you will. 360 00:19:07,996 --> 00:19:11,996 Speaker 2: I'm deathly terrified of snakes. I'm scared of snakes. I 361 00:19:12,036 --> 00:19:14,716 Speaker 2: don't like snakes. I don't know what it is. Never 362 00:19:14,756 --> 00:19:17,116 Speaker 2: had a bad encounter with one, no one close to 363 00:19:17,156 --> 00:19:20,236 Speaker 2: me has ever had one. But I just deathly terrified 364 00:19:20,236 --> 00:19:23,196 Speaker 2: of snakes, and I remember when I came out of 365 00:19:23,236 --> 00:19:27,756 Speaker 2: my medical induce coma and talking to my mother about 366 00:19:28,156 --> 00:19:31,836 Speaker 2: a lot of these dreams, and a lot of it 367 00:19:31,956 --> 00:19:34,036 Speaker 2: was the drugs as well, right, and a lot of 368 00:19:34,076 --> 00:19:38,676 Speaker 2: these dreams that I had, hallucinations, whatever. And I remember 369 00:19:38,756 --> 00:19:44,516 Speaker 2: vividly telling her I remember this dream that her and 370 00:19:44,596 --> 00:19:47,556 Speaker 2: I were at some party. There were a lot of 371 00:19:47,596 --> 00:19:51,596 Speaker 2: people there, and I'm sitting on the couch and all 372 00:19:51,596 --> 00:19:55,676 Speaker 2: of a sudden, there's this snake that slithering through the room, 373 00:19:55,996 --> 00:20:00,716 Speaker 2: coming right at me. And the snake just lunges and 374 00:20:00,916 --> 00:20:04,756 Speaker 2: right at me and goes right into my mouth, and 375 00:20:04,796 --> 00:20:07,196 Speaker 2: I fall on the ground and I'm trying to pull 376 00:20:07,196 --> 00:20:11,196 Speaker 2: this snake out, and everyone that was in the room 377 00:20:11,596 --> 00:20:14,796 Speaker 2: rushes over, and instead of trying to pull the snake out, 378 00:20:14,836 --> 00:20:19,116 Speaker 2: they're pushing the snake in. And I'm looking at my mom, 379 00:20:19,116 --> 00:20:22,036 Speaker 2: and my mom's standing over these people looking down on me, 380 00:20:22,116 --> 00:20:24,996 Speaker 2: and she's just terrified and I'm terrified. And I was like, 381 00:20:25,076 --> 00:20:30,436 Speaker 2: that makes absolutely no sense. And then the more I 382 00:20:30,436 --> 00:20:34,756 Speaker 2: started talking about my experiences and things, then I started 383 00:20:34,796 --> 00:20:37,756 Speaker 2: remembering throughout my entire training. When I found out that 384 00:20:37,796 --> 00:20:41,956 Speaker 2: I was going to deploy, the one thing I was 385 00:20:42,196 --> 00:20:46,236 Speaker 2: terrified of I wasn't terrified, believe it or not, that 386 00:20:46,316 --> 00:20:50,596 Speaker 2: I would I could get shot, that I could get stabbed, 387 00:20:50,716 --> 00:20:52,916 Speaker 2: that I could that I would die like that. The 388 00:20:52,956 --> 00:20:55,956 Speaker 2: thing that I was terrified the most was a landmine. 389 00:20:56,196 --> 00:20:58,996 Speaker 2: I was terrified of those. In our training, you have 390 00:20:59,116 --> 00:21:02,916 Speaker 2: to learn how to spot them and then essentially diffuse them. 391 00:21:02,996 --> 00:21:06,836 Speaker 2: And what was the thing that got me a landmine? 392 00:21:06,956 --> 00:21:09,716 Speaker 2: The thing I feared the most. My mother had this fear. 393 00:21:09,916 --> 00:21:11,156 Speaker 2: And what was the thing that happened? 394 00:21:11,316 --> 00:21:11,596 Speaker 1: Snake? 395 00:21:11,796 --> 00:21:15,316 Speaker 2: Right? What I later put together was that snake. What 396 00:21:15,396 --> 00:21:17,436 Speaker 2: really was happening was that was when I was being 397 00:21:17,556 --> 00:21:22,996 Speaker 2: intubated in country, because I met some people later that 398 00:21:23,036 --> 00:21:25,716 Speaker 2: were part of a medical unit that treated me in country, 399 00:21:25,996 --> 00:21:27,876 Speaker 2: and they said that I was fighting them off, that 400 00:21:27,916 --> 00:21:30,316 Speaker 2: I was telling them I was okay, and clearly my 401 00:21:30,316 --> 00:21:33,116 Speaker 2: body's going through shock, and they're said they were trying 402 00:21:33,156 --> 00:21:35,436 Speaker 2: to intubate me, and I was fighting them, and so 403 00:21:35,476 --> 00:21:37,396 Speaker 2: they had to get a team of people to come 404 00:21:37,436 --> 00:21:40,156 Speaker 2: and help intubate me, to hold me down so they 405 00:21:40,156 --> 00:21:45,276 Speaker 2: can intubate me. But my body presented that as the 406 00:21:45,316 --> 00:21:47,316 Speaker 2: thing that I'm terrified the most, as a snake. And 407 00:21:47,396 --> 00:21:51,756 Speaker 2: so when I think about those things, it starts to 408 00:21:51,796 --> 00:21:54,596 Speaker 2: make me say, I can't operate from this place of 409 00:21:54,636 --> 00:21:57,716 Speaker 2: fear because the thing that I fear the most ends 410 00:21:57,796 --> 00:22:00,036 Speaker 2: up catching up to me and getting me at the end. 411 00:22:00,156 --> 00:22:01,996 Speaker 2: So I have to find a way to lean into 412 00:22:01,996 --> 00:22:06,276 Speaker 2: this somehow. And it's a lesson, a hard lesson I 413 00:22:06,276 --> 00:22:08,116 Speaker 2: had to learn and what I had to go through, 414 00:22:08,156 --> 00:22:11,196 Speaker 2: But I'm great full that I learned it at the 415 00:22:11,236 --> 00:22:14,196 Speaker 2: age of nineteen, twenty years old. It's her in twenty 416 00:22:14,236 --> 00:22:16,196 Speaker 2: in the hospital, twenty one in the hospital, twenty two 417 00:22:16,236 --> 00:22:16,796 Speaker 2: in the hospital. 418 00:22:16,876 --> 00:22:18,276 Speaker 1: You in the hospital for how long? 419 00:22:18,596 --> 00:22:19,556 Speaker 2: Almost three years? 420 00:22:19,836 --> 00:22:22,476 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness. Yeah, while you were there, you met 421 00:22:22,516 --> 00:22:24,636 Speaker 1: a nurse who made quite an impact on you. 422 00:22:25,516 --> 00:22:28,156 Speaker 2: Yeah, she is not the same one you talked about 423 00:22:28,196 --> 00:22:32,036 Speaker 2: in season one. Her name is Mary Walker. Mary Walker 424 00:22:32,076 --> 00:22:34,636 Speaker 2: from season one who wore pants right in, wanted to 425 00:22:34,716 --> 00:22:37,796 Speaker 2: wear pants all the time. But her name was Mary Walker, 426 00:22:37,876 --> 00:22:41,316 Speaker 2: and she's a nurse. Listen, when you're in a hospital 427 00:22:41,356 --> 00:22:44,036 Speaker 2: setting for as long as I was, or even whatever 428 00:22:44,116 --> 00:22:46,756 Speaker 2: the amount of time you're in that staff, they're not 429 00:22:46,796 --> 00:22:49,716 Speaker 2: your doctors or nurses, your respiratory thera base. They kind 430 00:22:49,716 --> 00:22:53,396 Speaker 2: of become your family. Especially the experience that I had. Yeah, 431 00:22:53,436 --> 00:22:56,476 Speaker 2: there was such incredible human beings. I think as much 432 00:22:56,516 --> 00:22:58,116 Speaker 2: as you could say it takes a special person to 433 00:22:58,196 --> 00:23:01,356 Speaker 2: join the military, be a first responder, be a teacher, 434 00:23:01,556 --> 00:23:04,516 Speaker 2: I think equally anybody to be in the medical field, 435 00:23:04,556 --> 00:23:07,116 Speaker 2: it takes a special individual, especially in the burn ward. 436 00:23:07,756 --> 00:23:11,036 Speaker 2: I'm not in the business of compare, but i will 437 00:23:11,036 --> 00:23:12,756 Speaker 2: tell you that I've talked to a lot of my 438 00:23:12,796 --> 00:23:16,756 Speaker 2: friends who sustained a variety of injuries, and it seems 439 00:23:16,796 --> 00:23:20,316 Speaker 2: like burns. Recovering from that probably hands down takes it. 440 00:23:20,796 --> 00:23:23,076 Speaker 2: Just the amount of pain and discomfort you're put through. 441 00:23:23,156 --> 00:23:25,676 Speaker 2: And we take for granted what the skin does for 442 00:23:25,796 --> 00:23:29,796 Speaker 2: us until we don't have it. And so six months 443 00:23:29,956 --> 00:23:33,076 Speaker 2: after I was injured, I'm just killing time between appointments, 444 00:23:33,076 --> 00:23:36,956 Speaker 2: hanging out at the nurse's desk, and Miss Walker says 445 00:23:36,956 --> 00:23:38,476 Speaker 2: to me, JayR, I want you go and visit that 446 00:23:38,516 --> 00:23:41,996 Speaker 2: patient who had just arrived and is struggling. And I said, 447 00:23:42,156 --> 00:23:44,836 Speaker 2: and say what, And she's just come and talk to him, 448 00:23:44,836 --> 00:23:47,996 Speaker 2: and I was like, absolutely not. She said why not? 449 00:23:48,636 --> 00:23:51,596 Speaker 2: And I said, I'm twenty years old. What am I 450 00:23:51,636 --> 00:23:53,756 Speaker 2: going to say. I'm not a therapist. I'm not like, 451 00:23:53,796 --> 00:23:55,636 Speaker 2: I'm not a counselor. What am I going to say? 452 00:23:55,716 --> 00:23:59,036 Speaker 2: I have nothing to say to this individual, and she 453 00:23:59,236 --> 00:24:01,636 Speaker 2: just kept insisting. And so because we were on that 454 00:24:01,756 --> 00:24:04,436 Speaker 2: dynamic of we were more like family, and she was older, 455 00:24:04,516 --> 00:24:06,276 Speaker 2: so it was almost like my mom telling me to 456 00:24:06,276 --> 00:24:09,756 Speaker 2: go clean your room. And I responded to her as 457 00:24:09,836 --> 00:24:12,796 Speaker 2: any child would to a parent for the most part, 458 00:24:12,836 --> 00:24:16,356 Speaker 2: where I was like, oh, fine, I'll do it. And 459 00:24:16,436 --> 00:24:22,116 Speaker 2: I remember opening the door to this patient's room and 460 00:24:22,956 --> 00:24:26,356 Speaker 2: every room in the hospital has these huge windows. It's Texas, 461 00:24:26,356 --> 00:24:28,276 Speaker 2: so it's a lot of light, a lot of sunlight, 462 00:24:28,356 --> 00:24:31,996 Speaker 2: so let's a lot of natural sunlight come in. But 463 00:24:32,076 --> 00:24:34,636 Speaker 2: it was completely pitch black dark in the room in 464 00:24:34,676 --> 00:24:39,236 Speaker 2: the middle of the day, and I'm standing in the 465 00:24:39,276 --> 00:24:42,676 Speaker 2: doorway and I just feel something in my stomach. Man, 466 00:24:42,916 --> 00:24:45,236 Speaker 2: and I just like, oh, I'm so uncomfortable. I don't 467 00:24:45,236 --> 00:24:49,676 Speaker 2: want to walk into this room. And everything in me 468 00:24:50,156 --> 00:24:53,956 Speaker 2: was telling me to just leave. And I had a 469 00:24:53,956 --> 00:24:55,596 Speaker 2: moment where I had to pause and I had to 470 00:24:55,636 --> 00:24:59,316 Speaker 2: say to myself, that's a human being, and what messages 471 00:24:59,356 --> 00:25:03,116 Speaker 2: that sending to that individual if I just storm out 472 00:25:03,156 --> 00:25:06,276 Speaker 2: of here. And so I just had to remind myself 473 00:25:06,316 --> 00:25:08,116 Speaker 2: when I was in that position, and all I wanted 474 00:25:08,156 --> 00:25:09,876 Speaker 2: was someone to come and visit me. And so I 475 00:25:10,036 --> 00:25:13,396 Speaker 2: just approached his bed asked him a couple of questions, 476 00:25:13,996 --> 00:25:16,556 Speaker 2: basic stuff, what's your name, where you're from, what you 477 00:25:16,676 --> 00:25:20,196 Speaker 2: know you're in, what happened? And then it turned into 478 00:25:20,196 --> 00:25:22,876 Speaker 2: a forty five minute conversation to the point when I said, hey, man, 479 00:25:22,876 --> 00:25:25,156 Speaker 2: I'm going to come back tomorrow. And I said, hey, 480 00:25:25,196 --> 00:25:27,076 Speaker 2: you want me to bring you anything tomorrow? He said, no, man, 481 00:25:27,236 --> 00:25:31,556 Speaker 2: all I need is a visit. And I was like, okay. 482 00:25:33,676 --> 00:25:35,316 Speaker 2: I started the walk out of the room, but before 483 00:25:35,356 --> 00:25:39,236 Speaker 2: I could exit, something caught my attention. He had turned 484 00:25:39,236 --> 00:25:41,396 Speaker 2: the light above his bed on, but he was starting 485 00:25:41,436 --> 00:25:43,036 Speaker 2: to get out of his bed as well, and he 486 00:25:43,156 --> 00:25:45,996 Speaker 2: was opening the curtain to the window. That was one 487 00:25:45,996 --> 00:25:49,796 Speaker 2: of the early moments that I started to really pay 488 00:25:49,836 --> 00:25:52,996 Speaker 2: attention and what I paid attention to, and on that 489 00:25:53,036 --> 00:25:57,236 Speaker 2: particular day was I shed some light. There was something 490 00:25:57,276 --> 00:25:59,836 Speaker 2: that I was able to provide that I changed sort 491 00:25:59,836 --> 00:26:02,676 Speaker 2: of the path to a degree. And I exited the 492 00:26:02,756 --> 00:26:05,636 Speaker 2: room and approached the head doctor of the burn ward 493 00:26:05,636 --> 00:26:08,836 Speaker 2: and said, can I visit patients every day? And he said, 494 00:26:09,556 --> 00:26:11,756 Speaker 2: and I started visiting patients every single day. 495 00:26:12,956 --> 00:26:16,916 Speaker 1: I love that Jr. We'll continue with Jr's story right 496 00:26:16,956 --> 00:26:17,956 Speaker 1: after this quick break. 497 00:26:27,236 --> 00:26:30,756 Speaker 2: When you talk about courage, this is probably of all 498 00:26:30,796 --> 00:26:33,516 Speaker 2: the things that I'm most proud of that I've done. 499 00:26:35,076 --> 00:26:36,916 Speaker 2: One thing that I was reminded of is I kept 500 00:26:36,996 --> 00:26:39,996 Speaker 2: listening to, especially when you talk about like Henry Johnson's 501 00:26:40,036 --> 00:26:43,676 Speaker 2: story of Season one from Albany, and you know, he's 502 00:26:43,716 --> 00:26:46,476 Speaker 2: paraded in New York City and he's promised all these 503 00:26:46,516 --> 00:26:49,916 Speaker 2: incredible things, and he's invited to Saint Louis to speak 504 00:26:49,916 --> 00:26:52,516 Speaker 2: in front of five thousand people. And this man did 505 00:26:52,516 --> 00:26:56,476 Speaker 2: this incredible heroic thing as a black man, and he 506 00:26:56,516 --> 00:27:00,556 Speaker 2: gets on stage and he tells the truth about how 507 00:27:00,556 --> 00:27:05,516 Speaker 2: he's treated, about how other black service members are treated. 508 00:27:05,116 --> 00:27:08,876 Speaker 2: He talks about the challenges the experience, and people didn't 509 00:27:08,956 --> 00:27:11,836 Speaker 2: like that, and it takes courage to do that, but 510 00:27:12,236 --> 00:27:15,156 Speaker 2: to know that essentially everybody turned their back on him. 511 00:27:16,596 --> 00:27:20,196 Speaker 2: Fast forward about a year after I'm injured. I'm now 512 00:27:20,236 --> 00:27:23,556 Speaker 2: involved in a nonprofit and it's a nonprofit to help 513 00:27:23,596 --> 00:27:26,836 Speaker 2: service members their families. And one of the biggest gaps 514 00:27:26,836 --> 00:27:29,596 Speaker 2: that I kept witnessing was when I would go into 515 00:27:29,676 --> 00:27:32,116 Speaker 2: these rooms and talk to these patients, all the care 516 00:27:32,236 --> 00:27:35,796 Speaker 2: was taken care of their famili's lodging was taken care of, 517 00:27:36,356 --> 00:27:39,236 Speaker 2: their meals were taken care of. But what was not 518 00:27:39,316 --> 00:27:43,076 Speaker 2: taken care of if you came from a two income household, 519 00:27:43,836 --> 00:27:46,156 Speaker 2: or even if your parents are the ones that are 520 00:27:46,156 --> 00:27:48,396 Speaker 2: having to relocate to be by your side, well, guess 521 00:27:48,396 --> 00:27:51,316 Speaker 2: what the bills are still accumulating at home. Who's paying 522 00:27:51,356 --> 00:27:54,716 Speaker 2: those bills? So I would be in these rooms visiting 523 00:27:54,716 --> 00:27:57,596 Speaker 2: these patients and their families were there, and I would 524 00:27:57,636 --> 00:28:00,156 Speaker 2: be privy to these conversations of talking about how are 525 00:28:00,156 --> 00:28:01,836 Speaker 2: we going to pay this? How are we going to 526 00:28:01,836 --> 00:28:05,396 Speaker 2: pay that? And I just thought that was such an injustice, 527 00:28:05,396 --> 00:28:08,156 Speaker 2: and I thought that was such a horrible thing that 528 00:28:08,196 --> 00:28:10,596 Speaker 2: they have to navigate. They can't even heal because they're 529 00:28:10,596 --> 00:28:14,396 Speaker 2: too busy trying to figure out finances. And so in 530 00:28:14,436 --> 00:28:19,236 Speaker 2: this nonprofit, I started going on TV and talking about 531 00:28:19,676 --> 00:28:22,436 Speaker 2: the nonprofit and what people could do and donate, and 532 00:28:22,436 --> 00:28:24,876 Speaker 2: people started donating. The nonprofit would give me a check 533 00:28:24,916 --> 00:28:28,076 Speaker 2: of twenty five hundred dollars five thousand dollars, and I 534 00:28:28,076 --> 00:28:29,836 Speaker 2: would go into these patients room and I would say, 535 00:28:29,876 --> 00:28:32,956 Speaker 2: here's a check to pay for whatever it is, so 536 00:28:32,996 --> 00:28:36,036 Speaker 2: you don't have to worry about that at least. And 537 00:28:36,076 --> 00:28:38,796 Speaker 2: then all of a sudden, I get a call from 538 00:28:38,836 --> 00:28:44,396 Speaker 2: my commander in San Antonio. I'm part of the wounded Brigade, right, 539 00:28:44,436 --> 00:28:47,476 Speaker 2: all the wounded troops are part of this battalion. So 540 00:28:47,516 --> 00:28:51,516 Speaker 2: I go into his office and it's him and a 541 00:28:51,556 --> 00:28:54,676 Speaker 2: couple of sergeant majors and the first sergeant standing there, 542 00:28:54,876 --> 00:28:57,956 Speaker 2: and they're like, the general wants to speak to you. 543 00:28:57,996 --> 00:29:01,396 Speaker 2: They drive me up to the general's office and they're 544 00:29:01,436 --> 00:29:06,836 Speaker 2: marching me in, and the General's like, you can't do that, 545 00:29:08,036 --> 00:29:10,316 Speaker 2: and I said, do what you can't as an actor 546 00:29:10,396 --> 00:29:14,756 Speaker 2: duty service member. You can't endorse a private organization. And 547 00:29:14,796 --> 00:29:16,716 Speaker 2: I was like, oh, I didn't know that. And I 548 00:29:16,756 --> 00:29:21,916 Speaker 2: was like, well, sir, what about there's gaps and lack 549 00:29:21,956 --> 00:29:24,676 Speaker 2: of better words, he just listen, that's not your problem. 550 00:29:24,916 --> 00:29:27,036 Speaker 2: You can't do that. And I said, well, what happens 551 00:29:27,036 --> 00:29:28,596 Speaker 2: if I continue to do it? He says, you can 552 00:29:28,636 --> 00:29:30,956 Speaker 2: be Article fifteen. You could be kicked out. And I 553 00:29:30,956 --> 00:29:35,036 Speaker 2: said to him, I said, if that's the consequence to 554 00:29:35,116 --> 00:29:37,756 Speaker 2: do what I feel is right, then kicked me out. 555 00:29:38,276 --> 00:29:41,236 Speaker 2: Kick me out, sir. He didn't like that. Of course, 556 00:29:42,836 --> 00:29:46,276 Speaker 2: I was injured as a private, and I woke up 557 00:29:46,356 --> 00:29:50,836 Speaker 2: as a specialist to corporal like I just instantly got promoted. 558 00:29:51,116 --> 00:29:53,436 Speaker 2: But he didn't like that there was this younger ranking 559 00:29:53,676 --> 00:29:58,196 Speaker 2: telling a one star general do it, then challenging him. 560 00:29:58,476 --> 00:30:02,716 Speaker 2: But I felt it was right, man, And sure enough 561 00:30:03,076 --> 00:30:06,316 Speaker 2: I got called into the office again and I pretty 562 00:30:06,396 --> 00:30:08,156 Speaker 2: much stood my ground and felt like it was the 563 00:30:08,236 --> 00:30:10,076 Speaker 2: right thing. And I said, n let's the military steps 564 00:30:10,156 --> 00:30:13,836 Speaker 2: up and is able to meet those families' needs and 565 00:30:13,916 --> 00:30:17,476 Speaker 2: that capacity. You know, that's what when I hear at 566 00:30:17,556 --> 00:30:19,956 Speaker 2: least season one and you hear about these stories and 567 00:30:19,996 --> 00:30:22,596 Speaker 2: read about them, you're like, man, the courage it took 568 00:30:23,076 --> 00:30:26,036 Speaker 2: for a lot of these individuals, and just like them. 569 00:30:26,196 --> 00:30:27,676 Speaker 2: You know, I've had people come up to me over 570 00:30:27,716 --> 00:30:30,156 Speaker 2: the years that said, man, what you did, And I'm like, 571 00:30:30,316 --> 00:30:33,756 Speaker 2: I don't feel any I don't feel any different. I 572 00:30:33,756 --> 00:30:38,756 Speaker 2: don't feel I should be elevated any more than anybody else. 573 00:30:38,796 --> 00:30:42,876 Speaker 2: I'd like to believe that we would all do this right. 574 00:30:43,316 --> 00:30:45,036 Speaker 2: I mean, that's my hope. 575 00:30:45,196 --> 00:30:49,196 Speaker 1: At least tell me a little bit about clearly, spend 576 00:30:49,236 --> 00:30:51,916 Speaker 1: an enormous amount of time talking to people who have 577 00:30:51,996 --> 00:30:56,276 Speaker 1: been through something consequential for lack of a better word, 578 00:30:57,156 --> 00:30:59,356 Speaker 1: and that's what this show is about is getting people 579 00:30:59,396 --> 00:31:03,556 Speaker 1: to talk about something really, really, really big and important 580 00:31:03,556 --> 00:31:06,636 Speaker 1: and hard. How do you get people to talk about 581 00:31:06,676 --> 00:31:07,436 Speaker 1: something this hard? 582 00:31:08,476 --> 00:31:11,036 Speaker 2: I think a lot of people just simply need to 583 00:31:11,036 --> 00:31:15,076 Speaker 2: feel like you're listening. I always talk about this distinction 584 00:31:15,236 --> 00:31:20,396 Speaker 2: between listening and hearing, like I'm actively listening to you, Malcolm, 585 00:31:20,476 --> 00:31:22,596 Speaker 2: so I could actually repeat back to you the question 586 00:31:22,716 --> 00:31:27,316 Speaker 2: you just asked me, almost verbatim. If I'm hearing, I'm sorry, 587 00:31:27,356 --> 00:31:29,676 Speaker 2: what'd you say? Right? He starts to get into that 588 00:31:29,996 --> 00:31:31,596 Speaker 2: if I start looking at my watch, if I still 589 00:31:31,596 --> 00:31:33,516 Speaker 2: looking at a clock, if I start there's all these 590 00:31:33,556 --> 00:31:37,596 Speaker 2: other things, people start to lose this interest. And I 591 00:31:37,636 --> 00:31:41,236 Speaker 2: think when you think of Molly's story from season one, 592 00:31:42,196 --> 00:31:45,436 Speaker 2: and she talked about listening, she talked about the importance 593 00:31:45,476 --> 00:31:49,236 Speaker 2: of being present and listening, but then equally not just 594 00:31:49,436 --> 00:31:52,196 Speaker 2: listening in the traditional sense, but for her as a teacher, 595 00:31:52,316 --> 00:31:57,076 Speaker 2: Ela teacher, she's like listening to the writings, paying attention 596 00:31:57,156 --> 00:31:59,796 Speaker 2: to what kids are putting down on paper, right when 597 00:31:59,796 --> 00:32:02,996 Speaker 2: they're allowed that freedom to go and express and write 598 00:32:03,036 --> 00:32:07,636 Speaker 2: about whatever what I've discovered. When I find myself in 599 00:32:07,636 --> 00:32:10,156 Speaker 2: the presence of an individual who may I feel a 600 00:32:10,156 --> 00:32:14,116 Speaker 2: little bit more open to talking. I need to make 601 00:32:14,156 --> 00:32:18,716 Speaker 2: sure that I'm equally open to listening. And in order 602 00:32:18,716 --> 00:32:20,556 Speaker 2: for me to get to that point in my life, 603 00:32:20,556 --> 00:32:22,036 Speaker 2: I had to do a tremendous amount of work on 604 00:32:22,076 --> 00:32:27,196 Speaker 2: myself first and foremost, because earlier on, when people would 605 00:32:27,236 --> 00:32:30,556 Speaker 2: share things, I would realize some things triggered me. Whether 606 00:32:30,596 --> 00:32:33,796 Speaker 2: it was related to the injury, whether it was a 607 00:32:33,876 --> 00:32:36,996 Speaker 2: military story or if it was just something they experienced 608 00:32:37,036 --> 00:32:39,876 Speaker 2: outside of the military, things would trigger me, and I 609 00:32:39,916 --> 00:32:42,956 Speaker 2: had to ensure that if I was going to be 610 00:32:42,956 --> 00:32:44,996 Speaker 2: able to show up for people, I needed to do 611 00:32:45,036 --> 00:32:48,076 Speaker 2: the work on myself so I could be fully present. 612 00:32:48,796 --> 00:32:50,476 Speaker 2: But what did it for me? I could tell you 613 00:32:50,476 --> 00:32:53,596 Speaker 2: that the physical recovery obviously was challenging, there's no secret there. 614 00:32:54,076 --> 00:32:57,836 Speaker 2: But the emotional and mental recovery that came after I 615 00:32:57,916 --> 00:33:00,236 Speaker 2: left the hospital when I was twenty two, twenty three, 616 00:33:00,356 --> 00:33:03,956 Speaker 2: twenty four was really challenging. I was not a pleasant 617 00:33:03,996 --> 00:33:06,356 Speaker 2: kid to be around for the most part. I was drinking, 618 00:33:06,556 --> 00:33:09,676 Speaker 2: I was angry, I was resentful. I would take it 619 00:33:09,716 --> 00:33:12,876 Speaker 2: out on people. Little things would trigger me, and my 620 00:33:12,996 --> 00:33:16,516 Speaker 2: friend would say, man, you go in and you bite, 621 00:33:16,676 --> 00:33:20,156 Speaker 2: and you latch on and you don't let go. And 622 00:33:20,196 --> 00:33:23,276 Speaker 2: it's just because I was carrying so much, and not 623 00:33:23,356 --> 00:33:27,476 Speaker 2: just from my military experience, but from prior. And this 624 00:33:27,676 --> 00:33:31,836 Speaker 2: person that told me that was also a veteran, and 625 00:33:31,876 --> 00:33:34,396 Speaker 2: we worked together at this nonprofit. We were around each 626 00:33:34,396 --> 00:33:36,196 Speaker 2: other a lot, and one day we were on a 627 00:33:36,236 --> 00:33:42,076 Speaker 2: trip with some other veterans at a fundraiser, and after dinner, 628 00:33:42,076 --> 00:33:45,756 Speaker 2: we're driving back to the hotel and somebody says something 629 00:33:45,796 --> 00:33:48,356 Speaker 2: and I just again, I'm in a bad place, and 630 00:33:48,396 --> 00:33:52,036 Speaker 2: I make a snarky remark. And this individual's driving and 631 00:33:52,756 --> 00:33:56,036 Speaker 2: he tells me to chill out. Simple, hey, man, chill out. 632 00:33:56,156 --> 00:33:58,876 Speaker 2: But I didn't like that, so I snapped back at him, 633 00:33:59,036 --> 00:34:01,956 Speaker 2: mouthing and I told him pull the car over. Let's fight, 634 00:34:03,236 --> 00:34:06,036 Speaker 2: because that was the only tools I had. And he 635 00:34:06,076 --> 00:34:09,276 Speaker 2: pulls over, and I'm getting out of the car and 636 00:34:09,316 --> 00:34:11,316 Speaker 2: these other two vets are trying to hold me back 637 00:34:11,316 --> 00:34:13,276 Speaker 2: from getting out of the backseat of the car. And 638 00:34:14,636 --> 00:34:16,516 Speaker 2: you get some dark humor when you go through something 639 00:34:16,556 --> 00:34:18,356 Speaker 2: like this. So one of the guys is a double 640 00:34:18,396 --> 00:34:21,916 Speaker 2: amputee and you know, legs below the knee, and he's 641 00:34:21,956 --> 00:34:24,916 Speaker 2: holding onto me around my waist and I'm just pulling 642 00:34:24,916 --> 00:34:27,516 Speaker 2: the sled with weights, and all of a sudden, here 643 00:34:28,276 --> 00:34:30,676 Speaker 2: and his prosthetics pop out, so I'm carrying half of 644 00:34:30,676 --> 00:34:35,996 Speaker 2: a body like. He eventually lets go and then he 645 00:34:36,076 --> 00:34:38,516 Speaker 2: low crawls back over to his legs pops it back in, 646 00:34:38,676 --> 00:34:41,236 Speaker 2: and I'm coming around and trying to fight the driver, 647 00:34:41,356 --> 00:34:44,156 Speaker 2: and the driver wants no part of it, so he 648 00:34:44,196 --> 00:34:45,516 Speaker 2: tells me to get back in the car. I get 649 00:34:45,516 --> 00:34:48,036 Speaker 2: back in the car and I'm just I'm just oh. 650 00:34:49,916 --> 00:34:52,036 Speaker 2: And we get back to the hotel man, and we're 651 00:34:52,076 --> 00:34:54,636 Speaker 2: all getting out, and the driver, his name is Dan, 652 00:34:55,876 --> 00:34:57,836 Speaker 2: puts some window down and he says, yeah, get back 653 00:34:57,836 --> 00:35:00,476 Speaker 2: in the car. And I sit in the passenger's seat 654 00:35:00,516 --> 00:35:04,636 Speaker 2: and he tells me to cry, and I was like, 655 00:35:04,676 --> 00:35:06,556 Speaker 2: what do you mean. He says, man, you need to cry, 656 00:35:06,596 --> 00:35:08,916 Speaker 2: and I was like, no, I don't, and he said 657 00:35:08,916 --> 00:35:10,796 Speaker 2: it again. Before you know it, I just started crying. 658 00:35:13,036 --> 00:35:14,356 Speaker 2: And then all of a sudden, I just started like 659 00:35:14,436 --> 00:35:18,436 Speaker 2: sharing a lot of things and the power of that. 660 00:35:20,596 --> 00:35:24,916 Speaker 2: Ten minutes ago, I was trying to severely injure this man. 661 00:35:25,556 --> 00:35:29,076 Speaker 2: I was just so angry and mad. The irony of 662 00:35:29,116 --> 00:35:31,796 Speaker 2: that is I'm five nine, about two hundred pounds. He's 663 00:35:31,836 --> 00:35:34,276 Speaker 2: six foot four, two hundred and eighty five pounds. So 664 00:35:34,716 --> 00:35:37,036 Speaker 2: luckily he didn't engage, because had he done that, it 665 00:35:37,036 --> 00:35:39,836 Speaker 2: would have worked out so well for me. But instead 666 00:35:39,916 --> 00:35:43,636 Speaker 2: he chose love. He chose to show up as a 667 00:35:43,716 --> 00:35:48,156 Speaker 2: human being. And every time we would end the conversation 668 00:35:48,276 --> 00:35:51,276 Speaker 2: prior to this interaction over the phone or in person, 669 00:35:51,276 --> 00:35:53,116 Speaker 2: he would always say I love you. He would always 670 00:35:53,116 --> 00:35:56,876 Speaker 2: tell me that I thought that was weird, like I 671 00:35:56,916 --> 00:35:59,316 Speaker 2: was just like okay, and I would always respond, all right, bro. 672 00:35:59,836 --> 00:36:01,636 Speaker 2: Because my dad wasn't in my life. I never had 673 00:36:01,636 --> 00:36:03,876 Speaker 2: a male figure in my life, so I wasn't comfortable 674 00:36:03,876 --> 00:36:07,036 Speaker 2: with that. I didn't know how to receive that. And 675 00:36:07,156 --> 00:36:11,036 Speaker 2: that night, in that in that parking lot of the hotel, 676 00:36:11,356 --> 00:36:15,396 Speaker 2: at two three o'clock in the morning, I looked at 677 00:36:15,476 --> 00:36:21,476 Speaker 2: him and I said, thank you, I love you, and 678 00:36:21,556 --> 00:36:25,316 Speaker 2: to tell you that my life instantly like that, It 679 00:36:25,516 --> 00:36:30,036 Speaker 2: just changed my willingness to be vulnerable, but in the 680 00:36:30,116 --> 00:36:33,716 Speaker 2: right space with the right person. Not everyone's ready, not 681 00:36:33,756 --> 00:36:37,036 Speaker 2: everyone's equipped to be that listener right. But Dan had 682 00:36:37,076 --> 00:36:40,236 Speaker 2: done so much work on himself because of the things 683 00:36:40,316 --> 00:36:42,356 Speaker 2: he experienced in his life that he was able to 684 00:36:42,396 --> 00:36:44,676 Speaker 2: show up for me in that way, in that moment. 685 00:36:45,836 --> 00:36:48,676 Speaker 2: Now I've passed that on. I've come in contact with 686 00:36:48,716 --> 00:36:50,236 Speaker 2: a few of my friends that I served with in 687 00:36:50,276 --> 00:36:53,716 Speaker 2: the military that reached out years later, and we start 688 00:36:54,156 --> 00:36:56,436 Speaker 2: talking every single day because they're not in the great place. 689 00:36:56,476 --> 00:36:58,636 Speaker 2: And I end the conversation by telling them I love 690 00:36:58,676 --> 00:37:02,356 Speaker 2: them and they don't say it back initially, and that's okay. 691 00:37:02,476 --> 00:37:05,036 Speaker 2: I'm still going to say it because I do. And 692 00:37:06,116 --> 00:37:08,916 Speaker 2: I talked to my friend the other day. We both met. 693 00:37:09,116 --> 00:37:12,036 Speaker 2: We joined the military and basic training. Both young eighteen 694 00:37:12,116 --> 00:37:15,316 Speaker 2: nineteen year old kids, naive no clue in the world 695 00:37:15,436 --> 00:37:18,076 Speaker 2: the journey we were going to go on. Before I 696 00:37:18,076 --> 00:37:19,916 Speaker 2: hang up, I said I love you, man, and he says, 697 00:37:19,956 --> 00:37:24,076 Speaker 2: I love you too, and we hang up. And to 698 00:37:24,196 --> 00:37:28,796 Speaker 2: normalize that, to normalize the ability to talk and to 699 00:37:28,956 --> 00:37:34,076 Speaker 2: share without judgment, I think is what we need. We 700 00:37:34,156 --> 00:37:37,036 Speaker 2: need more people to feel that it's okay to share 701 00:37:37,076 --> 00:37:39,796 Speaker 2: those things, it's okay to talk about those things, that 702 00:37:39,836 --> 00:37:45,036 Speaker 2: there's tremendous amount of power and strength that comes from 703 00:37:45,316 --> 00:37:46,996 Speaker 2: sharing those things. 704 00:37:47,796 --> 00:37:52,196 Speaker 1: That's beautiful. Yeah, tell me what's coming up that's exciting. 705 00:37:52,236 --> 00:37:55,716 Speaker 1: What are you excited about? What should the listeners out 706 00:37:55,756 --> 00:37:56,956 Speaker 1: there expect? 707 00:37:57,516 --> 00:38:01,636 Speaker 2: Just a continuation of season one in regards to learning 708 00:38:01,676 --> 00:38:06,716 Speaker 2: about some incredible individuals and learning about their very simple 709 00:38:07,556 --> 00:38:10,596 Speaker 2: lives prior to the military and the things that they 710 00:38:10,596 --> 00:38:14,436 Speaker 2: were exposed to prepared them to be these incredible individuals 711 00:38:14,516 --> 00:38:18,556 Speaker 2: that went on to do such incredible things. From learning 712 00:38:18,596 --> 00:38:21,156 Speaker 2: about somebody that would go catch chickens in the middle 713 00:38:21,156 --> 00:38:23,036 Speaker 2: of the night, who knew that was like actually a job, 714 00:38:23,116 --> 00:38:26,036 Speaker 2: and to say that individual was like, I felt prepared 715 00:38:26,036 --> 00:38:28,276 Speaker 2: for the military, not because I played sports, but because 716 00:38:28,276 --> 00:38:32,996 Speaker 2: I would go catch chickens. Yeah, like your professional chicken chaser. 717 00:38:33,756 --> 00:38:37,716 Speaker 2: From that to Alvin Yorke, who did some incredible things 718 00:38:37,756 --> 00:38:40,836 Speaker 2: in the military, We're going to talk about an astronaut, 719 00:38:41,116 --> 00:38:43,316 Speaker 2: and we're going to pivot a little bit and talk 720 00:38:43,356 --> 00:38:45,636 Speaker 2: about something completely different that is not sort of the 721 00:38:45,676 --> 00:38:47,876 Speaker 2: traditional I mean, you did that in season one with 722 00:38:47,996 --> 00:38:50,876 Speaker 2: Molly right, and then we're bringing that in with a 723 00:38:50,956 --> 00:38:55,636 Speaker 2: female astronaut. And I'm just excited as someone who's in 724 00:38:55,836 --> 00:39:00,236 Speaker 2: awe of these individuals and what they'd done. And so 725 00:39:00,276 --> 00:39:02,836 Speaker 2: I hope that people that had listened to season one 726 00:39:03,956 --> 00:39:06,876 Speaker 2: continue to stay and not only that, but bring more 727 00:39:06,916 --> 00:39:11,156 Speaker 2: of their friends and family along the journey. I actually 728 00:39:11,156 --> 00:39:13,596 Speaker 2: have had from season one and the subjects that you 729 00:39:13,716 --> 00:39:16,356 Speaker 2: guys covered. I brought a lot of those stories to 730 00:39:16,476 --> 00:39:20,356 Speaker 2: our dinner table, to my wife, to my thirteen year 731 00:39:20,396 --> 00:39:22,796 Speaker 2: old daughter. I can tell you that when I'm sitting 732 00:39:22,796 --> 00:39:26,556 Speaker 2: there talking about these individuals, my daughter is sitting there, 733 00:39:26,756 --> 00:39:29,316 Speaker 2: that's a critical age where they're like, Okay, can I 734 00:39:29,356 --> 00:39:31,156 Speaker 2: go do something else? Okay, I don't want to hear that, 735 00:39:31,276 --> 00:39:35,476 Speaker 2: And she's engage. And I think these are beautiful stories 736 00:39:35,556 --> 00:39:39,316 Speaker 2: that I think the entire family needs to hear. Buddies 737 00:39:39,396 --> 00:39:42,996 Speaker 2: sitting around together need to hear more of You created 738 00:39:43,036 --> 00:39:45,676 Speaker 2: something great, Malcolm, and I just want to make sure 739 00:39:45,756 --> 00:39:49,316 Speaker 2: that I'm doing not only you, but the team and 740 00:39:49,396 --> 00:39:51,236 Speaker 2: these stories justice. 741 00:39:51,516 --> 00:39:53,036 Speaker 1: You know, no question about that. 742 00:39:53,396 --> 00:39:55,756 Speaker 2: It's incredible what this show is all about, man, And 743 00:39:56,396 --> 00:39:58,636 Speaker 2: I hope that we can all see a little bit 744 00:39:58,676 --> 00:40:03,076 Speaker 2: of ourselves and each one of these individuals, because there's 745 00:40:03,116 --> 00:40:05,116 Speaker 2: a little bit of us and every single one of them, 746 00:40:05,316 --> 00:40:07,076 Speaker 2: or a little bit of them and every single one 747 00:40:07,076 --> 00:40:08,996 Speaker 2: of us. We just got to be willing to discover. 748 00:40:09,396 --> 00:40:12,516 Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you, JayR. This has been wonderful. 749 00:40:12,796 --> 00:40:13,196 Speaker 2: Thank you. 750 00:40:15,796 --> 00:40:18,796 Speaker 1: This episode of Medal of Honor Stories of Courage was 751 00:40:18,836 --> 00:40:22,796 Speaker 1: produced by Jess Shane Our editor is bend A Dafhaffrey. 752 00:40:23,076 --> 00:40:26,916 Speaker 1: Sound design and additional music by Jake Gorsky. Our executive 753 00:40:26,956 --> 00:40:31,796 Speaker 1: producer is Constanza Gaiardo. Fact checking by Arthur Gombert's original 754 00:40:31,876 --> 00:40:35,916 Speaker 1: music by Eric Phillips. We also want to hear from you. 755 00:40:36,556 --> 00:40:39,636 Speaker 1: Send us your personal story of courage or highlight someone 756 00:40:39,636 --> 00:40:43,236 Speaker 1: else's bravery. Email us at Medal of Honor at Pushkin 757 00:40:43,356 --> 00:40:46,476 Speaker 1: dot fm. You might hear your stories on future episodes 758 00:40:46,516 --> 00:40:49,316 Speaker 1: of Medal of Honor or see them on our social 759 00:40:49,396 --> 00:40:53,396 Speaker 1: channels at Pushkin pods. Subscribe to Pushkin Plus to get 760 00:40:53,436 --> 00:40:56,796 Speaker 1: early episodes of Medal of Honor ad free starting May 761 00:40:56,836 --> 00:41:01,676 Speaker 1: twenty eighth. Subscribers also get bonus episodes, full audiobooks, and 762 00:41:01,916 --> 00:41:06,196 Speaker 1: early ad free listening from your favorite Pushkin hosts and authors. 763 00:41:06,756 --> 00:41:09,076 Speaker 1: Find Pushkin Plus on the Medal of Honor show page 764 00:41:09,156 --> 00:41:13,876 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts, or at Pushkin dot fm slash plus. 765 00:41:14,676 --> 00:41:18,156 Speaker 1: Listen to Medal of Honor wherever you get your podcasts