Team Never Quit

If you’re looking for an overcomer’s story, look no further than this week’s episode with Matthew Long, a life-long competitive athlete with the strength and endurance few have achieved, including qualifying for the Boston Marathon, and competing in Ironman competitions. As he was cycling to work one day as a New York City firefighter, he was run over by a 20-ton bus, literally spilling his intestines on the street, and requiring 68 units of blood in the first hours after the accident. It took a miracle, and Matthew’s never quit mindset to walk again, and eventually compete in the New York City Marathon. He has authored the book: The Long Run, and founded the I WILL Foundation to help people overcome by adversity and challenges caused by traumatic injury.   In this episode you will hear:   • This [accident] was supposed to happen to me.   • The bike cut me right in half.   • My mom was the one who was my pillar of strength.   • I had 43 surgeries in a 5-month period.   • I can’t image what he [the bus driver] felt like when he thought he hit a garbage can, and saw 2 legs laying out of the bus.   • Even the homeless, knew who I was.    • For 5 months, every night – dinner was served from a different firehouse in the city.   • I went through 1 ½ years of dark thinking.   • Within 3 years of the accident I ran a marathon.   • I get after it every day.   • Every tattoo should tell a story.   • I always have to have something going on in my life physically – and a goal.   • I can’t’ run anymore. If I run 3 miles, I’m in bed for 3 days because of my gate. My upper body ticks to the left.   • You have to let go of the anger.   • We don’t overcome shit. Adversity is something you have to learn to live with.   • When you learn to live with adversity, you’re gonna be stronger and more powerful, and impactful than you could ever believe.

In this week's episode, we highlight one of our most popular episodes as June marks the anniversary of Operation Redwing. Char's husband, Jacques Fontan, was one of nineteen servicemen killed when the helicopter he was in was shot down during Operation Redwing in Afghanistan (from which the film Lone Survivor is based.) As a result, she has written a book, A Beautiful Tragedy, in which she speaks openly about the anger and bitterness that experience birthed, and her battle to regain her life, to heal within, and to serve others in the process.   In this episode you will hear:   Jacques was killed when Char was only 29 years old. We heard car doors shut. And they came to the door in uniform.  I remember asking them, “So there’s still a chance?” and he couldn’t answer me. I’ve accepted that Jacques is gone, and he’s not coming back, but he’s not going away. I wanted to find somebody that would allow me to still respect and honor Jacques, and not just put him away on a shelf and act like that never happened. With my faith and my love for him, I saw how he was there hearing me through the darkest and hardest times. With faith in God, you can be mad and you can have your moments. God wants to hear that. If, on social media, you see the name of a fallen, look them up and get to know them personally. That helps them to never die. Losing Jacques wasn’t beautiful but what I’ve been able to make of the situation and make my life from it is the beauty in it. There’s a lot to think about when you start to date after the tragedy of losing your husband. We all want to honor the men who paid the ultimate price, but we also need to lift up the women they leave behind. I was lucky enough to find amazing love twice.

Q: What does a Marine Corps veteran, former police officer, former firefighter, motivational speaker, and international touring comedian all have in common? A: They all live inside this week’s most entertaining guest, Travis Howze.   Travis has come from a horrific experience as a firefighter when nine of his “brothers” were killed in a building collapse. He volunteered for the recovery team that pulled the bodies from the smoking building, causing him to sink deeply into post-traumatic stress and alcoholism.   After Travis’ incredible defeat of his PTS, he has had a successful career in comedy and authored Create Your Own Light, an encouragement to stay in the fight and to never quit.   In this episode you will hear:   • If you’re gonna laugh at other people, you’d better be able to laugh at your damn self.   • I don’t think about all the things I went through in my past. It’s a huge form of therapy for me not to.   • Every day is a grind.   • There are “character-building” days – you gotta recognize it, you gotta work on it, and you gotta build on it.   • I have an older sister, so I did a lot of Barbie doll shit when I was young.   • We’re more comfortable around our type of people because we have experienced some of the same things.   • Non-stop fuckery – I had to have that.   • If you knew what your tax dollars really went to, you wouldn’t pay fuckin’ taxes.   • I was a cop, when you could still be an effective police officer, and you didn’t have cell phone cameras ruining your life. You could actually go out and do your job.   • There’s consequences to our actions, whether in law-enforcement or a civilian.   • When the military deploys and they go over, they leave that shit over there. They bring some of that back, but they don’t have to live in the environment that fucked them up.   • You can’t un-see, or un-taste, or un-smell a lot of things you go through in life.

Jeff Tiegs is an amazing difference-maker. He uses his extensive experience in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency to counter sex trafficking in the United States. With over 25 years in U.S. Army Special Operations and combat experience and multiple tours in Afghanistan & Iraq, Jeff is applying that expertise in his endeavors. He is the Chief Operating Officer of Guardian Group, whose mission is to prevent and disrupt the sex trafficking of women and children while enabling partners to identify victims and predators in the United States. Jeff is also The Chief Operating Officer at All Things Possible Ministries, whose mission is to identify, interrupt, and restore those affected by trauma. In this episode you will hear:  In the U.S., we are unbelievable consumers of prostitution, and what comes with that is minors. You’re on deployment every time you walk out of the house. One in four women is sexually assaulted or sexually abused. The sex trafficking crime is so open. It’s openly advertised. There are people that think we should defund the police. I think more reasonable people think we should reallocate funds and figure out ways to do this better. There are people out there who can augment what law enforcement is lacking. The [funding] money is gonna go where the people demand it. [Our organization], All Things Possible does everything from simple counseling to freeing sex slaves. Find strength in simply being alive.  What comes off of your tongue – what you speak – is what you become. The term “Yahweh” is the sound of breathing. The mere fact that we, as humans, are breathing, we’re saying the name of our Creator every time we breathe. What is God’s name? The thing that gives breath to everything that lives. The first thing a baby says is that breath of life.  One family, who lost their son on the battlefield, found relief in the fact that the last breath their son took was the name of our creator. Find strength, find solace, and find peace, in that simple act of breathing. If you’re alive, you’re saying God’s name, and He’s there to help to you. 

This week’s episode features Ryan Michler, Founder of Order of Man and all-around exceptional guy, whose goal in life is to restore masculinity and fight for the hearts and minds of men. Ryan’s podcasts reach millions of listeners each week.   In this episode you will hear:   Ryan Michler Quotes “If you’ve identified the hill you’re gonna die on; the battle you’re engaged in, don’t quit, because when you see how important it is, it would be impossible to throw in the towel.” “Men on the right path aren’t yapping about it. People that aren’t doing anything are the loudest, and if we don’t counter those conversations, it becomes a trend.” “We're never at a shortage of people telling us the bad we're doing.” “Plant your flag towards something.” “Think about why you’re doing what you’re doing.” “You can’t keep blaming your boss, the economy, your wife, or everyone else for your problems. Fix yourself.” “Sports, coaches, mentors, and the military, can help teach you what it is to be a man, especially when there are no male influences at home.” “I found solutions to my own problems, and then made a rewarding, fulfilling, and lucrative career out of it.” “We all screw our kids up in some ways.” “Introduce your kids to hardships. Teach them to bend, not break.”  “Be a father, not a buddy to your kids.”  “A lot of people experience hardships and it doesn’t make them; instead it  breaks them.”  “There’s nothing you can do about another person's attitude.” “People you influence will change because they see you changing, positively or negatively.”  “When people listen to you, you better show up and pay your words and actions the respect they deserve.” “Tell the truth.”  “Help kids in your community. Help reshape misguided notions of what it is to be a man.”  “Question everything.”  “You need some sort of qualifier for people who are invited in your circle.”  “Be the solution. Not the problem.”  “No one wants to hang out with someone with a “Nice Guy Syndrome.”  “Redefine yourself. Try something new.”   John Maxwell quote:  “Every man, deep in his heart, longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue.”   Marcus Luttrell quotes:  “When the big boat goes down, make sure you’re sitting in the life raft.”   “If you shut your engines down and you’re in the front, there’s gonna be train coming up behind you that’s gonna smack you right off the track.”   Morgan Luttrell quote:  “The ones who think they have enough forward momentum and do not widen their gaze, fail.”

While the deep-rooted effects of traumatic brain injury are not yet fully understood, Andrew Marr, retired Special Forces, Green Beret, Warrior Angels Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder, as well as co-author of Tales from the Blast Factory, brings to life his actual experiences and transparency as it relates to bringing resolve to his brain injury issues, and coming back to a fulfilled life serving others with similar conditions. Listen in as Andrew gets real with our listening audience. He has an epic testimony to tell.    In this episode you will hear:   Andrew’s story is that of the principles of resiliency after traumatic brain injuries. You don’t have an emotional problem. You have a brain health problem. There are real solutions available. I lost complete control of all emotions. Depression, anxiety, alcoholism, and the inability to make good decisions were daily occurrences. Define what it is you want to be and start being that. I realized at that moment that I was of no value to him [my son] or my family in the condition that I was in. My mental state was going to ruin the things I said I loved in my life. 3 promises I made to myself: 1. I was going to return to be the man of my pre-injury status. 2. I was going to find a way to come off all the medication I was told I would have to be on for the rest of my life. 3. After accomplishing #1 & #2, I was going to spend the rest of my life helping other people just like myself to get thru it and get to the other side. Even though none of my problems were fixed yet, I now had a compass, direction, and destination. There are not words to describe what I experienced in that state of consciousness [with psychedelics). Any identification of self completely evaporated. I understood the interconnectedness of all things. I was engulfed in intelligent love. What the microscope is to biology and what the telescope is to astronomy, psychedelics is to human psychology. 

What an incredible couple we have in the studio this week. Mike Sauers - Navy SEAL, combat veteran who fought alongside Marcus Luttrell in Ramadi, philanthropist, and owner of Forged Apparel. In selfless fashion, Forged has raised millions of dollars to assist the families of fallen heroes. Mike is an exceptional story-teller, and his stories about military life, extensive travel experiences, and his subsequent entrepreneur life, are authentic and entertaining.   Sam Bonilla is an amazing soul in her own right. As a marine with a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security and a certificate in intelligence, marketing manager and concept producer for Forged, social media influencer, model, and Instagram celebrity, Sam is as down-to-earth as they come. She is a joy to listen to as she shares her experiences and perspectives, and a humble servant of people alongside Mike.   In this episode you will hear:   Ideas can be birthed in any setting; they’re limited to the imagination. You should always take pride in your country. Follow through. America was forged – Everything great was forged. It’s too bad that some establishments that have existed for over 100 years, are probably not going to make through this pandemic. Never question an order from a marine [in battle]. If you don’t have pride in your country, then what do you really have? Just like great team guys, we busted out some bungie cords and tied a karaoke machine to our golf cart. Every great nation, has to have pride. You have your real life, and then you have your social media life. Being a marine is not as sexy as it looks on TV. There are criteria for what is considered a dive bar: Mainly whiskey selections A picture of Burt Reynolds Christmas Lights Smokey & the Bandit memorabilia A Juke Box Spilled Beer Stains on the pool table Huge “mints” in the urinals No separation between the urinal & the toilet  Register for THE MURPH CHALLENGE at TheMurphChallenge.com

Though we might not have believed there could be another lone survivor story, we bring David Eckermann of the Houston Fire Department into the TNQ Podcast Studio. David survived one of the largest, most unpredictable fires in HFD history. The Southwest Inn fire in Houston, Texas on May 31, 2013, was a fire in a restaurant that spread to an adjoining hotel. The fire claimed the biggest casualty loss for the Houston Fire Department since its inception.  David speaks publicly about this harrowing day for the first time to discuss the stigmas around mental health in the first responder community and to honor the lives of his fellow firefighters.     His experience that day sparked the development of his company, Lone Star Tactical Buildings, providing fire and police training facilities nationwide.   In this episode you will hear:   I had no idea I wanted to be a firefighter, but thankfully it was supposed to happen. It was meant to be. If you’re gonna be a fireman, you’re never gonna be rich. Besides getting married, graduating from the fire academy was the best day of my life. I’ve always been a faithful guy, but after my friend’s suicide, I questioned it.  When we went into the building, the smoke didn’t match what I was expecting. The building collapse was totally unexpected. It catapulted us out the front. I was the only one alive from the first companies.   Those firefighters went out like heroes. This episode is in memory of Robert Bebee, Robert Garner, Matthew Renaud, Anne Sullivan, and Captain Bill Dowling. 

Is it possible to develop an idea birthed in bodybuilding and powerlifting, and create a health, nutrition, and strength company as well as the highly popular RP app? If you’re Nick Shaw, the answer is a resounding yes. Nick is the founder and CEO of Renaissance Periodization and has sold hundreds of thousands of books on nutrition, training, recovery, and creating healthy habits. Nick is a former competitive powerlifter and bodybuilder and has also personally coached numerous world-class athletes, including CrossFit Games Champions, international medalists, Olympians, UFC fighters, professional athletes, and Navy SEALs. He is a co-host of the RP Strength podcast with wife - and RP colleague - Lori Shaw.Nick, Marcus, and Morgan bring a very interesting and informative discussion about the complexities and “I can use it now” strategies for strength and nutrition. In this episode you will hear:  I’m an accidental entrepreneur. If you just bust your ass and get after it, you can get better. In fitness or sports, there's always a little bit more, you can do. You can get a little bit faster, you can get a little bit stronger, you can do a few more reps, whatever it is, you can grow a little more muscle. I thought: What if we take people with elite genetics, and then combine the scientific approach? You could probably have some pretty cool athletes. You have to nail the calorie balance first. Stop snacking, just start eating lean proteins with every meal - more fruits and veggies, your healthy fats, avocados, olive oil, things like that. Calorie balance is the number one overall thing. You can give somebody the perfect diet, but if they're never going to follow it, is it any good? It’s not a diet. It’s more of a lifestyle. You can't out-train a bad diet. Be prepared to work your tail off. My wife's a warrior. She’s way stronger than me. 2020 was such a crappy year for so many people, and I knew there was going to be a way to help people. Instead of trying to compete for little plastic trophies, it's better to prioritize family. You can learn so much from really successful people.

It’s hard to imagine living life without hearing, especially if you lost your hearing forever at the age of 18. But in the case of this week’s guest, Mandy Harvey drove her stake into the ground and pursued her endeavor to sing, write music, and “hear” with her feet – to the point that Simon Cowell was moved to press the Golden Buzzer after Mandy’s original song performance on America’s Got Talent. Since that time, Mandy has earned a degree in Vocal Music Education and has become an ambassador to No Barriers USA with a mission to encourage, inspire and assist others to break through their personal barriers.   In this episode you will hear:   The mindset of abilities vs disabilities is just a lack of education because everyone has barriers they have to deal with. I didn’t overcome anything, it just took me a little bit of time to figure it out. The mother of all inventions is being innovative. I write a lot of music based on how it feels, instead of what I think it sounds like. I’ll write specific notes that tickle behind my eye or bother my face so that I know that I’m right. I’m feeling the floor, and then just opening my mouth and letting go. The most precious gift you can have is communication. I can’t seem to explain how joyful I am now vs how broken I was before. I’m living my life and this part of my story – part of who I am. I’m thrilled to be who I am. The phrase “some people struggle and some people don’t” - Everybody struggles. It just looks different. Not every single person gets the opportunity to understand joy, or feel love. Be compassionate to people – we have no idea what’s going on in their life. With every struggle you have, you have two choices – you can either let it beat you, or you can learn from it. I really don’t believe that there was one eureka moment that made me feel not depressed anymore. It was a collection of moments – a collection of people being there. I got up once. I’ll get up again. Let’s go… The "getting up and starting over" is the hardest part. This is a messy broken world, full of messy broken people. That’s just life.