Team Never Quit

In this special episode commemorating Veteran's Day, we are honored to have the Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, speaking one-on-one with our host Marcus and his wife Melanie Luttrell. The Vice President speaks about the importance of Veteran's Day and what it means to him remembering those that have served this great country of ours, as well as, spending time with the men and women who currently serve. Support the show.

What a compelling, emotional series of events Tiggs has endured. From a four-year old daughter with a massive brain tumor and multiple surgeries; a husband battling PTSD and falling into the darkest mental places, to having one of her best friends of her lifetime pass away, Tiggs gives a riveting account of how her friends supported her and her family, and how her relationship with God brought healing in the worst of circumstances anyone could ever imagine. Support the show.

When Clint Phillips’ daughter experiences a devastating stroke, a few days after birth, his family quickly learns how horrible, inefficient, and costly the healthcare system is. From that experience, Clint took a solution into his own hands and developed 2nd M.D., a second opinion platform, currently serving over ten million members. It gives users quick access to the world’s best doctors via video. This Veterans Day Medici will deliver concierge-level doctor access, across multiple specialties, to our Veterans this Veterans Day at no cost and without the waiting rooms. Support the show.

What does a true advocate for America’s service members look like? Look no further than Gary Sinise. What began in the early 80’s with his support of Vietnam Veterans groups and the creation of Vets Night, a program offering free dinners and performances for veterans at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, his commitment continued into working on behalf of the Disabled American Veterans organization. Since the attacks of September 11th, 2001, his dedication to our nation’s defenders, veterans and first responders has become a tireless crusade of support, service and gratitude to all those who protect our freedom by serving our country. All this was birthed by Gary’s “never think you can’t do it” attitude, which he developed at an early age. His portrayal of disabled Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan Taylor in the film Forrest Gump formed an enduring connection with servicemen and women throughout the military community. Sinise also formed the “Lt. Dan Band” in early 2004 and began entertaining troops serving at home and abroad. The band now performs close to 30 shows a year for military bases, charities and fundraisers supporting wounded heroes, Gold Star families, veterans and troops around the world. In recognition of his humanitarian work on behalf of our nation’s defenders, Sinise has earned many distinguished awards including the Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment from the Medal of Honor Society, the Spirit of the USO Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Doughboy Award, the Sylvanus Thayer Award, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award from the National Defense Industrial Association. In 2008, he received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian honor awarded to citizens for exemplary deeds performed in service of the nation. In 2012, Sinise was presented with the Spirit of Hope Award by the Department of Defense, was named an honorary Chief Petty Officer by the United States Navy and in 2013 was pinned as an honorary Marine by General James Amos, commandant of the United States Marine Corps. In 2011, to expand upon his individual efforts, Sinise established the Gary Sinise Foundation. Its mission is to serve and honor our nation’s defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need by creating and supporting unique programs that entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen and build communities. Of its many outreach efforts, the Gary Sinise Foundation is building custom Smart Homes for severely wounded veterans, serving hearty meals to deploying troops and hosting spirit-boosting festivals for patients, families and medical staff at military hospitals. Giving back to those who sacrifice for our nation and encouraging others to do the same has become Gary Sinise’s personal quest and what he hopes will endure as a legacy of service to others. “Freedom and security are precious gifts that we, as Americans, should never take for granted,” says Sinise. “We must do all we can to extend our hand in times of need to those who willingly sacrifice each day to provide that freedom and security. While we can never do enough to show our gratitude to our nation’s defenders, we can always do a little more.” Support the show.

What does an Army squad leader do in a battlefield situation when his platoon encounters three floors of insurgents and is pinned with rooftop snipers firing away? If you're Davis Bellavia, you lead your team into action. David single-handedly saved his entire squad, risking his own life to allow his fellow soldiers to break contact and reorganize when trapped by overwhelming insurgent fire. He then voluntarily entered and cleared an insurgent strong point, killing four and seriously wounding another. His actions stand as a testament to those who put everything on the line as they do the grim work required to keep each other safe and alive on the battlefield. David Bellavia is the only living recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fallujah, Iraq. Bellavia has also received the Bronze Star Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals and the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross. Support the show.

Imagine being a normal kid for eleven years and then due to an unbelievable rare condition, spending the next four years of your life literally trapped inside your own body inside a hospital, unable to communicate with the outside world, suffering through non-stop seizures, while your condition worsens and the doctors offer no sliver of hope to your family...all the while you're still lucid in mind and spirit, desperately trying to get back to the life you once knew. At the age of eleven, Victoria Arlen developed two rare conditions known as Transverse Myelitis and Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, which rendered her “locked” within herself. She went from being a completely healthy, normal kid to a complete vegetable in three months. She lost the ability to walk, talk, move, and function. Everything began to shut down, including all of her cognitive abilities. Victoria Arlen not only suffered and survived through this unbelievable battle but has gone far beyond the norm to thrive and has mastered the “never quit” attitude to fuel her extraordinary accomplishments. She is a current television personality for ESPN, as well as an actress, speaker, model, and World-record setting Paralympian swimmer. Hear her compelling story in this podcast interview with hosts Marcus and Morgan Lutrell. Support the show.

Joe Torillo recounts his first-hand experience as a firefighter on September 11, 2001. Joe was directly below the North Tower looking up as the second commercial airliner slammed into it. What transpired in the next few seconds, minutes, hours, and days are nothing shy of unbelievable. He was propelled in the air by the concussion of the falling debris of the North Tower and was literally buried alive under the falling debris, with his skull open, arm snapped and suffocating in darkness. He was rescued and placed in a boat to cross over the Hudson River for medical treatment. That effort was disrupted by falling building debris that covered the boat, where he was buried alive again. Joe’s story is a gripping account of a series of miracles that kept him alive, while hundreds of others suffered a different fate. You won't want to miss this interview as we remember September 11th, 2001. Support the show.

Ever wonder what happens when the fight is over and a soldier puts his rifle down for the last time?  In this episode, you'll hear the story of Jake Wood, a Marine who now doesn't just serve his country, but serves his fellow man throughout the world when disaster strikes.The co-founder of Team Rubicon, a non-profit organization made up of over 100,000 ex-military volunteers who travel to assist wherever disasters occur, shares his desire to make the world a better place by never quitting his service. Hear his viewpoint on how things aren't always hunky-dory and what to do when there is no playbook.  You'll soon find yourself wanting to restore your sense of purpose and be a part of something bigger than yourself. Support the show.

There are events and circumstances in life that catch us by surprise, knock us down, and hand us seemingly overwhelming adversity. JJ Watt explains how, and more importantly why he was able to “get back on the horse” and move forward in life after a season-ending injury, remaking himself to an amazing degree by relentlessly working on being the best. His inspiring attitude towards life, and his never quit mentality, has paid handsome dividends. JJ describes his upbringing, his family, his college and professional football pinnacles and downfalls. His successes have prompted him to give back to the community in a myriad of areas, making him one of the most loved and recognizable names in Houston and throughout the country. Support the show.

While competing in an alcohol funny car, her parachute failed to deploy. Her race car sped through 2 catch nets and four rows of sand-filled barrels, landing upside down. But getting “back on the horse” was a challenge because death was present at that racetrack. As fate would have it, returning to the same race track years later, another driver and friend crashed and was killed, just before she was to run her race. The critical mental challenge: Am I done? Am I a true racer? Support the show.