November 4, 2025 • 34 mins
The second and final chapter of our look into Carry The Load 2025. Like the nature of life and death itself, this story evolves into something no one could have predicted. Storms brew both internally and externally, a dear friend of Jacob and Ashley joins the conversation, and we get a glimpse into the love and heartbreak that goes on behind the scenes. Part Two of Two.
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The Good Stuff is Executive Produced by Jacob Schick, Ashley Schick and Lea Pictures.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome the season two of The Good Stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I'm Ashley Shick, and I'm joined by my husband and
co host, Jacob Shick, a third generation combat marine and
CEO of One Tribe Foundation.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Ashley also comes from a family rich in military history,
and we've dedicated our lives to One Tribes, mission serving veterans,
first responders, and their families. We're coming to you from Dallas,
so welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
To Texas and joining us all season long from Los Angeles,
California is our West Coast long haired friend and producer
of the Good Stuff, Nick Cassolini.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Here we go, baby. This is the second and final
chapter in our two part series about Carry the Load,
the epic Memorial Day event in Dallas, and the people
who make it what it is. Jake had a little
message for you last episode, and I think it's worth
replaying it now.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
The care of the Load evolution happens every May or
Memorial May, as we call it. So this episode's probably
gonna drop who knows when, but probably nowhere near Memorial May.
And we don't care that it's oh well, it's not May.
We don't give we honor and remember the legacies of
these men and women and their families every single day.
(01:06):
It doesn't take a day that that our government designates
Okay today you need to honor and remember, no, we
don't give two dams. It is what it is, and
it still means so much to us. Whether it drops
in May or it drops in October, it has the
absolute same meaning to us. We would encourage all of
(01:29):
our listeners that listen to this in a time that
is not memorial may to just take it at face
value and listen to it and then internalize it because
I promise you it'll make an impact if you really
really dig into it. Don't let that get in the
way of your intellectual ability.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Please, for our beautiful listeners out there, this is just
a quick heads up. This show can explore some heavy
subject matter, including talks of suicide, so listener discretion is advised.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
We couldn't be happier here.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Again, Welcome to the good stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Every year. Tragically, I know that not only do you
lose friends, family loved ones who have served to suicide,
but there's also a growing number of veterans who are
passing away from war related cancer. Would you talk a
little bit about some of those losses.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Yeah, you know, those are.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
I mean, those are blessings and curses at the same time,
because you get all these extra years and this time
with this individual, but then the curse being in it
selfish in nature because you don't want it to end,
you know, but that's your time.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
You don't want your time with them to.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Right, you know. And I think that anyone who's lost
somebody that they love and care about has experienced that.
I mean selfishly, you don't want them to go. You
want them to be here and around and making the
world a better place. But in the same vein you
also want their suffering to be over with. You want
(03:07):
them to be able to rest and be at peace.
And so it's a double edged sword, and it's hard.
It's really hard to watch somebody go through that like
we did with with Mikey. I mean, it's a very
I don't think there's anything more emotionally we're spiritually taxing
(03:30):
than watching somebody suffer quite literally to death.
Speaker 6 (03:37):
So my name is Gabriella Carnal and I am at
Carrie Loade to hear to Carrie for my husband who
passed away a little over a year ago after the
battles stage four cancer. His name was Michael Carnal, sergeant
with the Marine Corps.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Ashley Mikey is Michael Carnell. Will you say a little
bit about him and also some of the specifics of
his illness.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, Michael Carnell one of Jake's closest and dear's friends
who we actually had on Season one of the Good Stuff.
He was so brave and bold to come on and
tell us his story as he was in the fight
for his life.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
But he about three years before he passed.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
He was diagnosed with stage four cancer from as a
direct result of his service in Iraq and the burn pits.
And he fought like hell. You know, doctors gave him
six months and he said in his Boston accent that
Jake does a lot better than I do, and that
that didn't work for him, and and he.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Fought like hell.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
He's a beautiful wife, Gabby and three precious children who
we look at as our own, but just truly one
of the most special human beings we've ever known.
Speaker 6 (04:51):
I'm also getting over a really bad side of affection
with a zillion coughs in between good. So if I
had to like clear right through out every what's of
all have my water with my Flamingos. You're a Flamingo family.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Gabby Carnell is pure sunshine and she is an amazing
mother to her three kids. She was an amazing wife
to Mikey, and she's an amazing friend and truly honored
to take part and not only this carry the Load
evolution with her and the kiddos, but but in life
with her. Gabby's Sunshine, You're a Flamingo family.
Speaker 6 (05:29):
Yeah, Michael actually made a Flamingo ig page. He made
a Flamingo ig page, just like a fanboy account. I mean, like,
how clean and that clean to this interview be because
it's pretty funny.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
You can say what, you can say whatever you want.
Speaker 6 (05:42):
Okay, I mean he's cancer patient. So yeah, he would
smoke weed every day.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (05:47):
Of course obviously not until at night because he wanted
to wait till the kids went to bed. Yeah, and
he would come in. He's like, so I kind of
was out there talking to the Flamingos and then and
then I made a real and then I put music
to it. I was like, okay, but they were really good. Yeah,
Like he I don't know if he named the Flamingos,
(06:08):
but there were always five Yeah, because we're a family
of five. When we had an ice storm, flamingo down,
flumming go down like once. The head was like down.
So it was like a massive situation. Yeah, and when
the storm was coming in, I'd go out there and
go grab them and save them, put them on meat.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Are you able to speak a little bit more about
what the burn pits actually were or are and the
continued impact that it has on veterans.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
In Layman's terms, the burn pits are, for lack of
their term, their shitters, so that you're they have chemical
sport into them and you're consistently stirring to break down
you know, the fecal matter, and you know they burn them.
And it's in Layman's terms, that's exactly what they are.
(06:56):
And they've been connected thanks to essentially a documentary done
by John Stewart. They've been connected to various types of
cancer for global War on Terrorism veterans. And I think
it's safe to say too that those are just what
we those are just what we know about right now.
(07:17):
I mean those it's usually decades later that things pop
up that can get connected to a wartime experience of
being stationed in a foreign country. And so we'll see
what comes. But I feel like that that's probably the
first of many. Unfortunately, it's just.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Like Agent Orange and Vietnam, those that were exposed to
agent orange, years later you're finding they either have cancer
or Parkinson's disease or something of the sort. And so
it's you know, the after effects. But like Jake said,
thank goodness for John Stewart advocating and pushing so hard
that they were able to tie it to medical retirement
(07:57):
for the men and women who were exposed to this.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
He a silly stoner at other points in his life
or is that a kind of.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
Easy for him?
Speaker 6 (08:06):
No, I would say that would be him for the
most part. I mean, you put him in his heavy
pace and he got like comfortable and he feel a
little bit better as just as he could. But sitting
out back because obviously he couldn't smoke inside the house, Yeah,
he'd go back. He'd be like chilling out by himself.
And I hated. I didn't say I don't hate the smell,
but I was dead by every once in a while.
But I'd be like, are you Dunnie, you know, because
(08:28):
he'd just be like snoop dogg out there just like
all the smoke and the neighbors. They didn't care. Neighbor
to the left, another marine, Michael, whatever you need.
Speaker 7 (08:36):
You'll be your head.
Speaker 8 (08:37):
Please your father. This Memorial Day weekend pass.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
Rose who gave.
Speaker 7 (08:44):
Their lives apartment.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
We lost him February second, twenty twenty four. Jake was
there by his side. We were both there living in
the house, helping out. But Jake was there by his side,
you know, until he took his last breath. And the
Irish we have a saying because we actually had the
very distinct honor and pleasure of traveling to Ireland with
with Mikey and Gabby not too long after he got diagnosed.
(09:09):
But the Irish say it's never goodbye.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
It's until we meet again. And I truly feel that
about Mikey. I hope you enjoy the rest of our show.
Speaker 6 (09:17):
We're gonna be playing some marches, We're playing some service songs.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
We're gonna beep Sprinkling and some other patriotic music for you.
Speaker 6 (09:23):
All, So I hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
We need to pause for a break. We'll be right back.
Thanks so much for sticking around here. I am on
the trail with Gabby.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
So we're big hockey fans. But when the Stars and
the Bruins play together, yeah, big time host dividing all
we both look at the kids like, what are you
gonna wear? What are you gonna wear? What do I
always at least had one yea starspan.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
I was like, thank you, okay. Was it a rotating
cast of who's on mom's side?
Speaker 6 (10:04):
I think the youngest was always the star space Okay.
I think because she was born here. Middle Natalia born
in Boston. I mean to a tea, she is our carnal,
proud to be from Boston. And then Liam was born
here because we lived in Boston for a little bit
and then came back, like when the economy crashed, so
we had to Talia in Boston, and then when we
(10:25):
came back, Alexa was born. So but we love going
to the games, and then if the Bruins came here,
and then Michael and I would always get tickets and
then go to the games by ourselves. I mean, getting
five tickets wasn't always easy, and they understood. I think
one time we even lied and just said we're having
date night and they're like, but you have jerseys on.
We're like, we're just going to watching parties because we
(10:46):
felt bad because that's how much we loved it. You know,
we had so much fun with that.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Yeah, but we haven't been like it's because it's that's
where we met. And I just I'm not ready to
go to the game. But we watch it and it's
funny because now they're doing amazing, right, we'll put it
on the TV, but we won't watch the whole game. Yeah,
Like we just have like the background noise. Yeah, And
I'm like, I don't want to watch, and so we're
all doing it, like all four of us. We're like,
all right, well let's not watch, like, let's just listen
to it. We're like, and it's funny because like I
(11:13):
don't even need to explain that to the kids. They
just like read it like they get it. It's the
most coolest thing. But no, like weirdest thing too. But
it's less work for me, you know what I mean
in a good way. It's just cool how kids these days.
I mean, at least my kids, like we bring them
to everything like here carry the load every year without
a heartbeat, and they never once complain.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
And I'm like, I know, you know, I just heard
your youngest one begging to stay for the midnight walk.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
But mom, I want to stay. I'm like, why she goes?
Can we just to take a.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Golf car home?
Speaker 6 (11:43):
I was like, you're so gutiat.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
Will you tell me about the shirt you were wearing
and the necklaces around your neck necklaces? Yes?
Speaker 6 (11:57):
Yeah, so the shirt very cool. So Michael passed away
in February. In March, we actually had a tradition to
where we would always do a sweaty sour workout with
Adaptive Trading Foundation, great friends of ours, and so when
we first got diagnosed, I say weak because we did like, yes,
of course Michael went through the hardest obviously, but we
(12:20):
all got affected by it. And they did like a
what do you call it, like kind of like raising
money for us kind of concept. So that we did
a workout. So they had these shirts made and so
I think it's three or four nonprofits kind of came together,
including Carried Load, which is very cool. So on the
front this is Carnal Strong and bags is Fuck Cancer
(12:41):
with the Marine Corps logo. I was like, hell, yeah,
that's perfect. And then this the twenty two links for
basically for twenty two kill one tribe, twenty two veterans
committing suicide, and it's kind of like a you know,
on average obviously now, but he Michael, just like all
the blue went to home depot and or Lowels whatever,
(13:03):
and he's like, I'm gonna go make us some necklaces.
A necklace, there's only one. There's the ogs in there,
but there was only one. I was like, okay, but
his thing was only at car load. He would have
people put it on and take photos and then people
would rotate wearing it because he knew, you know, like
everyone knows about that, like twenty two veterans commitsuitside every day,
(13:25):
and it's just kind of like a link of holding
each other together and as a reminder of like we
got to stay together less it's strong and like it's heavy, right, it.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Is a big heavy chain, yes, literal chain, not like
a cool literally a chain.
Speaker 6 (13:41):
And then I just grabbed these. But then I wrote
Carneal strong on here because that's our team we have
for a care to load. And then this necklace, the
one Tribe wedding ring, and then Michael, so I wear
it all time. It's a difference when I don't wear it,
(14:08):
but the kids also have it. I gave them the
option of like one like this, and then it got
like a silver one and it's a cross. But when
it's carried the load. I recently started wearing them for
soccer games, it's like he's there.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yeah, it's just tremendously painful and it hurts, you know
what I mean, because you know that this human being
made this spinning ball of chaos better and you feel
like you're just losing a vital piece of the puzzle
to get to peace and harmony or whatever you want
to call it, which should be the ultimate goal for
(14:49):
everybody in this life, is to get to a place
of just love and peace.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
There's not a week that goes by that we don't
laugh or reference something that he used to do or say.
But definitely made this life better, you know. And in
the fight for his life, he was the one texting
us daily with encouragement and uplifting whether it was a
quote or a funny picture, funny video or something. But
(15:18):
I'm just miss him like crazy, but so grateful for
the role that he played in anyone who got to
know him in their life.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
How is carried a load different for you. Since Michael
has passed, I don't.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
Know I'm carrying more. And that's how I'm treating myself too,
because not only am I already carrying more as a mom,
as a you know, is just a person in general.
This year, I think last year wasn't as hard. I
don't want to say hard on myself, but this year
(15:59):
I actually wanted to carry more, Like that's why we're
in this my backpack. Like I even brought like my
weighted vest and I was like, oh well, if you
need it, go ahead, but I would put it on
and you literally forget about that. I could easily. I
think my first couple of years after, like, I feel
like his started getting bigger. There was one time where
I had it sounds funny, but it got really hot
(16:20):
out and I wore leggings succes at night. I thought
it was gonna be really cold. I thought I was
gonna faint. I was like, oh my god, fuck, I'm
sweating masks. Can't just take these off, and I wanted
to give up. I was so close. I was kind
of bitching.
Speaker 8 (16:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:33):
I was like this is like, what why am I
doing this? And then I would look around and I'm like,
I really, I just I can't. I can't even say
that right now. Yeah, but it's just a good feeling.
But I've always been kind of like that. I don't
want to say I'm competitive, but like it's the whole
giving up thing. There's no reason too because if when
you had that thought, you know, it's that time where
(16:54):
you're gonna meet Sue Smith and she tells a story
or asks why here, just anything that's just involving or
like maybe they're suffering or you know, in pain or
like confused whatever, and you're like, Okay, hello, Lake Switch,
let's fucking go.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
We have to pause for our last commercial break, and
when we come back, this episode, like Carry the Load itself,
becomes an evolution. Here we are welcome to the final
act of our two part series on Carry the Load
(17:37):
and Memorial Day. As we've established, these episodes have consisted
of conversations I've had with Jake and Ashley and conversations
I've had with different participants at the Carry the Load
event itself. While those conversations happened outside on the Sunday
before what is technically Memorial Day, which is a Monday,
there was a literal storm brewing in the skies above,
(17:59):
which will get get into in a few minutes. And
at the same time, there was also a figurative storm
brewing within me. You see, I had traveled to Dallas
for the event with my wife, Muriel because we wanted
to experience Memorial Day alongside active duty military veterans and
the family of those who have died, which is something
we had never done before. This metaphorical storm mounting within
(18:21):
me was whether or not to include my own experience
in these episodes. On one hand, my personal experience felt
too immedia and powerful to ignore, almost like excluding it
from the story wouldn't be honest. And on the other hand,
I knew that these episodes had to walk the walk
and remain true to the meaning of a Memorial Day
to remember and honor the fallen. Inserting myself also felt
(18:43):
like a dishonest choice. Well, while I was going back
and forth in my mind about this making a mountain
out of a mole hill, Jake and Ashley didn't hesitate
and made the decision for me.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
I want to ask you one question and then we
can be done.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
Great.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
After getting to know Asha and I over the last
few years now and working together quite a bit in
those last few years. What are you looking forward to
when it comes to getting to experience carry the load
with your extremely awesome better half, Maurial.
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Well, I'm looking forward to connecting with people. I'm looking
forward to my heart opening to something that it doesn't
open to on a day to day basis. For me.
You know, I'm one of the people that would have
a barbecue or probably, if I'm being honest, most of
my adult life anyways, I'm probably be working Memorial Day bartending,
And you know it's I don't honor our falling on
(19:44):
Memorial Day in any way, maybe beyond a passing thought
or perhaps a moment, but in no real, practiced, loving way.
The idea that there are people that are patriotic and
honor are fallen and remember them, and then there's like
other people that are doing something else or just not
(20:08):
caring like the other in that sentence is not a
mystified outsider. It's me, you know. So I'm looking forward
to changing that and actually doing what this day asks
of us, and to do it with people that frankly
I can learn from that, I that can that can
set the tone, that can be good leaders in that
(20:32):
for me, you know, so I'm looking forward to it
in the same way that i might look forward to
going to a church I've never been to, or even
perhaps partaking in a religious experience. It's totally different than
any kind of religious experience that I was raised with
or have gone that I've sought on my own. You know,
I'm looking I'm looking forward to being spiritually enlightened, I
(20:57):
guess in this very particular way. You know, my grand
father served in World War Two. He didn't die, He
never spoke about it, you know. I think one time
on Fourth of July, he was flinching around fireworks and
had to go inside, and my grandma said, oh, that's
you know, he went to the war, so sometimes fireworks
are difficult for him. That was essentially the extent of
(21:22):
him ever speaking about his experience there. I remember he
had this old army blanket and there's a hole in
it and my dad said, Oh, that's a bullet hole,
and he said, no, it's not, it's from moths.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
You know.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
Like any type of entry way into a story or
an experience that he had, he would shut down pretty quickly.
So I just didn't have that, and he didn't want
to give that to me, and he passed away when
I was just graduated high school. My father in law,
my wife's father, is a Vietnam Vet, and in many
(21:54):
ways he's the exact same way. He doesn't talk about it.
He certainly doesn't talk about it with a sense of
pride or any kind of camaraderie with that I've seen anyways,
he doesn't share that with us. If anything, he sort
of uses it as a way to isolate himself further
(22:15):
from us. It's not like a it's a it's not
a family gathering element of his story. So specifically, the
people that probably would have drawn me into this just
based on proximity and family structure never did. And before
knowing you guys, before diving into into the world that
(22:37):
you guys are so dedicated to that I've sort of
immediately loved, but have definitely come to love in a
very real way. This is all brand new for me.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Awesome.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
No, I love your honesty and that answer, and in
all of them, you know, and for your grandfather and
your father in law, and it's like it's such a
such a tremendous source of pain in their life's history
that they were I think it was more and probably
to a degree shame because of the way the country reacted.
(23:13):
Maybe not so much for your grandfather, maybe just the pain.
That was a very very World War two. I mean
that was a very brutal, brutal war with like a
tremendous loss of life, and God only knows what his
eyeball saw. I mean, same goes from our grandfather, Like
(23:35):
it's it's so many grandfathers and grandmothers and a lot
of circumstances, and so I don't think it was out
of not a source of not loving this country or patriotism.
I think it was out of source of or from
a standpoint of protecting you from very dark things.
Speaker 9 (23:59):
On a serious so, we've been talking to the Dallas
Office of Emergency Management in the National Weather Service today
based on a bunch of storms that are coming in here.
Speaker 7 (24:11):
I want to encourage everyone. If you don't follow us
on social media, please do. This will be a very
fluid situation over later on this evening and into tomorrow,
So just be safe, stay connected, and uh, we're going
to play this thing by year as the weather dictates.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
As we heard in part one of this series, Jake
had to stay home from Carry the Load for the
first time in fourteen years because of ongoing health issues
from the injuries he sustained as a combat marine in Iraq.
That meant Muriel and Night would be going without Jake
and Ashley, which felt like a huge blow because their
loved ones and knowing Jake wasn't well was obviously very concerning.
(25:09):
Lucky for Muriel and I, we have developed friendships with
the people of One Tribe Foundation, Jake and Ashley's nonprofit,
who would be there in full force. This meant we
could still get to learn from people who not only
participate in the spiritual and emotional aspect of Memorial Day,
but people who work on the organizational side of things,
helping the event be what it is and working tirelessly
(25:29):
to fundraise. As you've heard, I spent Sunday talking and
connecting to veterans like don Nuin, parents of the fallen
like the Burgesses, and spouses of the fawn like Gabby Carnell.
In real time, all of us at Carry the Load
together we all learned that the weather might cut the
whole thing short, which felt like another devastating blow, And indeed,
(25:51):
as Sunday evening turned into night. Carry the Load was
in fact canceled, no midnight march and no closing ceremonies
on Monday, which was Memorial Day proper. Everyone was very
sad and disappointed by this, so we just hugged our
friends goodnight, and Miry and I ran into our hotel
room before the rain wrecked the recording equipment. After things
(26:12):
dried out, though, I did sit down with Justin Jones
of One Tribe Foundation to check in see how he
was doing and try to process the whole thing.
Speaker 8 (26:21):
My name is Justin Jones. I am the event coordinator,
community outreach director. Probably a few other titles I forget.
So when I came on board with the Tribe, it
basically was an honor because that's the largest fundraiser that
One Tribe does, is carry the Load. And the second
day of my new career, my director looked at me
(26:45):
and he said, I want you to take carry the
load and you're going to be captain, and so I
took it and ran with it.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
Hota Hota hate Hote as we call him. He puts
a lot of pressure on himself to make sure everything
is squared away, I mean from the air conditioned bathrooms
to the food, to the drinks, to everybody's comfortability when
they experience carry the load, in particular at one tribe's
base camp. And he really immerses himself fully in the
(27:14):
evolution of CTL. And if it were to get rained
out due to severe weather, if it was just rain,
carry the load, won't call it. But if it's severe weather,
I mean we're talking lightning, thunder hell, I mean, which
they haven't done before. Probably should have one year in
(27:36):
particularly I'm thinking of, but then't. But now it's so
much bigger, and you know, the fire marshals are involved,
and it's a major, major safety thing now. But he
loves this thing so hard. So if it were to
get canceled or shut down, I mean, it devastated JJ.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
You know the scene in Forrest Gump where there's the
boat and Lieutenant Dan and the storm's rolling in and
he's out there, and.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
That's going to be JJ.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It carry the load of like a gnarly storm comes
because like he is in it for the long run.
Am I rider in Marillo?
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Is that all you got?
Speaker 3 (28:15):
The rain?
Speaker 8 (28:17):
It happens every year, whether because the trail is three
and a half miles long, so the rain it may
rain down on from two and a half to the
to the three and a half. It may just rain
down there, or at the other end, it may rain
at the you know, the mile or quarter mile. But
(28:37):
because of the trail so long, it's unique that it
rains every year, and you know, it's just a matter
of is it going to hit the park or is
it gonna hit the trail or all of it or
and then you just roll with it.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
So but this year it sounds like, because of all
of the warriors over thunder and lightning, that it was
really going to storm. They canceled the event, They canceled
the midnight march and the and the actual Monday festivities.
Speaker 8 (29:06):
They they the the message that I received when they
when they sent it out to the teams was the
National Weather Service or the Dallas area had reported like
golf wall size hail and severe lightning. And I think that's, uh,
that's kind of what they had to look at and
the safety of everybody and try to get him out
(29:27):
before it actually hit the Dallas area to so everybody
could safely get home.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
So so understandably, that's a can be considered like a
reasonable response to potentially dangerous weather. But even with that
in mind, like, how did that hit you emotionally to
know that carry the load was going to be cut
short this year?
Speaker 8 (29:48):
Yeah, it was definitely a gut check that. Uh it
was like, nope, that's a wrap, that's it shut down
the shop. So it was it was tough this year.
Speaker 4 (29:58):
What would you like people to know about the way
you celebrate Memorial Day? I don't even know if celebrates
the right word.
Speaker 8 (30:06):
Yeah, definitely, it's not a celebration. It's interesting because I've
had this conversation with a veteran that I didn't even
know this happened, but she told me that. So many
people when they see she's a vet, tells her, you know,
happy Memorial Day, and there's nothing happy about it. It's
hard to put into words, I because I've always heard
(30:27):
you either you have that passion or you don't. So
it's hard to like give your passion to somebody.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
Well, one thing for sure is the passion that you
bring specifically you, but the tribe in general and the
people you guys have around you in general does wear
off on others.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
That wore off on me.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
It has worn off on me.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
You know, I think I could easily, easily not I
could be I should be put in the camp of
people that you know, Memorial Day is a barbecue you know, and.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Can take does take has taken this holiday for granted
and not done the work that this day asks of us,
and that has changed dramatically because of you and yours.
So you know, sure you have the passion or you don't,
but you can get it from all different places, you know,
(31:22):
and the very best place to get it from my
personal experience would be from those who are passionate. So
thank you for that.
Speaker 8 (31:30):
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, it's yeah. I ask a guy, uh,
It's it's funny you say that. He's a mentor of
mine and of Jacob is actually, but I asked him
one time when I was working before I started with
the tribe, I said, how do we get more people
fired up about? And he said, it's it's all about emotion,
(31:52):
he said, until they're affected by it, or until they
feel it, he goes, and you you can't give that
to him, he goes, They just have to feel it.
And so now I've started seeing that because a lot
of people will tell me that they're like, well, I
feel it from you. And so if that's the case,
then I'm happy to, you know, to share that with people.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
Looking back, I think I was preparing myself for an
AHA moment, a crystallized picture, perfect understanding of the quote
unquote real way to honor the fallen. But that's not
how evolutions work, and that's not how life works. That's
not how death works. Sometimes storms do what they do
and you have to run for cover. Life is a mess,
(32:48):
and sometimes there is no closing ceremony. I know that
I felt real love with the people I talked to,
both on Mike and off. I know I felt real
love for those they've lost, and I know I'm beyond
thankful that this love is where my evolution begins.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Thank you so much for listening The Good Stuff.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
Thank you to Donnwin, the Burgesses, Gabby Carnell, and Justin
Jones for being on the show. And thank you to
One Tribe Foundation for taking such good care of Meriel
and I.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
If you appreciate this show, please subscribe, like, and review
The Good Stuff podcast, and connect with us on social media.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
We love hearing from you, so please reach out through
our website. Our links and contact information is in the
show notes of this episode.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
And It would mean the world to us if you
shared this episode with the people in your life who
might also enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Put on your badass capes and go be great today
and remember you can't do epic things without epic people.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Again, thank you for listening to the good Stuff.
Speaker 4 (33:50):
The Good Stuff is executive produced by Ashley Shick, Jacob Shick,
and Leah Pictures, Hosted by Ashley Shick, Jacob Shick, and
Nick Casslini, produced by Nick Cassolini, Engineering, editing and post
production supervisioned by Nick Cassolini. Music by Will Tendy,
Welcome the season two of The Good Stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I'm Ashley Shick, and I'm joined by my husband and
co host, Jacob Shick, a third generation combat marine and
CEO of One Tribe Foundation.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Ashley also comes from a family rich in military history,
and we've dedicated our lives to One Tribes, mission serving veterans,
first responders, and their families. We're coming to you from Dallas,
so welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
To Texas and joining us all season long from Los Angeles,
California is our West Coast long haired friend and producer
of the Good Stuff, Nick Cassolini.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Here we go, baby. This is the second and final
chapter in our two part series about Carry the Load,
the epic Memorial Day event in Dallas, and the people
who make it what it is. Jake had a little
message for you last episode, and I think it's worth
replaying it now.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
The care of the Load evolution happens every May or
Memorial May, as we call it. So this episode's probably
gonna drop who knows when, but probably nowhere near Memorial May.
And we don't care that it's oh well, it's not May.
We don't give we honor and remember the legacies of
these men and women and their families every single day.
(01:06):
It doesn't take a day that that our government designates
Okay today you need to honor and remember, no, we
don't give two dams. It is what it is, and
it still means so much to us. Whether it drops
in May or it drops in October, it has the
absolute same meaning to us. We would encourage all of
(01:29):
our listeners that listen to this in a time that
is not memorial may to just take it at face
value and listen to it and then internalize it because
I promise you it'll make an impact if you really
really dig into it. Don't let that get in the
way of your intellectual ability.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Please, for our beautiful listeners out there, this is just
a quick heads up. This show can explore some heavy
subject matter, including talks of suicide, so listener discretion is advised.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
We couldn't be happier here.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Again, Welcome to the good stuff.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Every year. Tragically, I know that not only do you
lose friends, family loved ones who have served to suicide,
but there's also a growing number of veterans who are
passing away from war related cancer. Would you talk a
little bit about some of those losses.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Yeah, you know, those are.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
I mean, those are blessings and curses at the same time,
because you get all these extra years and this time
with this individual, but then the curse being in it
selfish in nature because you don't want it to end,
you know, but that's your time.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
You don't want your time with them to.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Right, you know. And I think that anyone who's lost
somebody that they love and care about has experienced that.
I mean selfishly, you don't want them to go. You
want them to be here and around and making the
world a better place. But in the same vein you
also want their suffering to be over with. You want
(03:07):
them to be able to rest and be at peace.
And so it's a double edged sword, and it's hard.
It's really hard to watch somebody go through that like
we did with with Mikey. I mean, it's a very
I don't think there's anything more emotionally we're spiritually taxing
(03:30):
than watching somebody suffer quite literally to death.
Speaker 6 (03:37):
So my name is Gabriella Carnal and I am at
Carrie Loade to hear to Carrie for my husband who
passed away a little over a year ago after the
battles stage four cancer. His name was Michael Carnal, sergeant
with the Marine Corps.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Ashley Mikey is Michael Carnell. Will you say a little
bit about him and also some of the specifics of
his illness.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, Michael Carnell one of Jake's closest and dear's friends
who we actually had on Season one of the Good Stuff.
He was so brave and bold to come on and
tell us his story as he was in the fight
for his life.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
But he about three years before he passed.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
He was diagnosed with stage four cancer from as a
direct result of his service in Iraq and the burn pits.
And he fought like hell. You know, doctors gave him
six months and he said in his Boston accent that
Jake does a lot better than I do, and that
that didn't work for him, and and he.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Fought like hell.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
He's a beautiful wife, Gabby and three precious children who
we look at as our own, but just truly one
of the most special human beings we've ever known.
Speaker 6 (04:51):
I'm also getting over a really bad side of affection
with a zillion coughs in between good. So if I
had to like clear right through out every what's of
all have my water with my Flamingos. You're a Flamingo family.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Gabby Carnell is pure sunshine and she is an amazing
mother to her three kids. She was an amazing wife
to Mikey, and she's an amazing friend and truly honored
to take part and not only this carry the Load
evolution with her and the kiddos, but but in life
with her. Gabby's Sunshine, You're a Flamingo family.
Speaker 6 (05:29):
Yeah, Michael actually made a Flamingo ig page. He made
a Flamingo ig page, just like a fanboy account. I mean, like,
how clean and that clean to this interview be because
it's pretty funny.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
You can say what, you can say whatever you want.
Speaker 6 (05:42):
Okay, I mean he's cancer patient. So yeah, he would
smoke weed every day.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (05:47):
Of course obviously not until at night because he wanted
to wait till the kids went to bed. Yeah, and
he would come in. He's like, so I kind of
was out there talking to the Flamingos and then and
then I made a real and then I put music
to it. I was like, okay, but they were really good. Yeah,
Like he I don't know if he named the Flamingos,
(06:08):
but there were always five Yeah, because we're a family
of five. When we had an ice storm, flamingo down,
flumming go down like once. The head was like down.
So it was like a massive situation. Yeah, and when
the storm was coming in, I'd go out there and
go grab them and save them, put them on meat.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Are you able to speak a little bit more about
what the burn pits actually were or are and the
continued impact that it has on veterans.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
In Layman's terms, the burn pits are, for lack of
their term, their shitters, so that you're they have chemical
sport into them and you're consistently stirring to break down
you know, the fecal matter, and you know they burn them.
And it's in Layman's terms, that's exactly what they are.
(06:56):
And they've been connected thanks to essentially a documentary done
by John Stewart. They've been connected to various types of
cancer for global War on Terrorism veterans. And I think
it's safe to say too that those are just what
we those are just what we know about right now.
(07:17):
I mean those it's usually decades later that things pop
up that can get connected to a wartime experience of
being stationed in a foreign country. And so we'll see
what comes. But I feel like that that's probably the
first of many. Unfortunately, it's just.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Like Agent Orange and Vietnam, those that were exposed to
agent orange, years later you're finding they either have cancer
or Parkinson's disease or something of the sort. And so
it's you know, the after effects. But like Jake said,
thank goodness for John Stewart advocating and pushing so hard
that they were able to tie it to medical retirement
(07:57):
for the men and women who were exposed to this.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
He a silly stoner at other points in his life
or is that a kind of.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
Easy for him?
Speaker 6 (08:06):
No, I would say that would be him for the
most part. I mean, you put him in his heavy
pace and he got like comfortable and he feel a
little bit better as just as he could. But sitting
out back because obviously he couldn't smoke inside the house, Yeah,
he'd go back. He'd be like chilling out by himself.
And I hated. I didn't say I don't hate the smell,
but I was dead by every once in a while.
But I'd be like, are you Dunnie, you know, because
(08:28):
he'd just be like snoop dogg out there just like
all the smoke and the neighbors. They didn't care. Neighbor
to the left, another marine, Michael, whatever you need.
Speaker 7 (08:36):
You'll be your head.
Speaker 8 (08:37):
Please your father. This Memorial Day weekend pass.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
Rose who gave.
Speaker 7 (08:44):
Their lives apartment.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
We lost him February second, twenty twenty four. Jake was
there by his side. We were both there living in
the house, helping out. But Jake was there by his side,
you know, until he took his last breath. And the
Irish we have a saying because we actually had the
very distinct honor and pleasure of traveling to Ireland with
with Mikey and Gabby not too long after he got diagnosed.
(09:09):
But the Irish say it's never goodbye.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
It's until we meet again. And I truly feel that
about Mikey. I hope you enjoy the rest of our show.
Speaker 6 (09:17):
We're gonna be playing some marches, We're playing some service songs.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
We're gonna beep Sprinkling and some other patriotic music for you.
Speaker 6 (09:23):
All, So I hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
We need to pause for a break. We'll be right back.
Thanks so much for sticking around here. I am on
the trail with Gabby.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
So we're big hockey fans. But when the Stars and
the Bruins play together, yeah, big time host dividing all
we both look at the kids like, what are you
gonna wear? What are you gonna wear? What do I
always at least had one yea starspan.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
I was like, thank you, okay. Was it a rotating
cast of who's on mom's side?
Speaker 6 (10:04):
I think the youngest was always the star space Okay.
I think because she was born here. Middle Natalia born
in Boston. I mean to a tea, she is our carnal,
proud to be from Boston. And then Liam was born
here because we lived in Boston for a little bit
and then came back, like when the economy crashed, so
we had to Talia in Boston, and then when we
(10:25):
came back, Alexa was born. So but we love going
to the games, and then if the Bruins came here,
and then Michael and I would always get tickets and
then go to the games by ourselves. I mean, getting
five tickets wasn't always easy, and they understood. I think
one time we even lied and just said we're having
date night and they're like, but you have jerseys on.
We're like, we're just going to watching parties because we
(10:46):
felt bad because that's how much we loved it. You know,
we had so much fun with that.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
That's beautiful.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Yeah, but we haven't been like it's because it's that's
where we met. And I just I'm not ready to
go to the game. But we watch it and it's
funny because now they're doing amazing, right, we'll put it
on the TV, but we won't watch the whole game. Yeah,
Like we just have like the background noise. Yeah, And
I'm like, I don't want to watch, and so we're
all doing it, like all four of us. We're like,
all right, well let's not watch, like, let's just listen
to it. We're like, and it's funny because like I
(11:13):
don't even need to explain that to the kids. They
just like read it like they get it. It's the
most coolest thing. But no, like weirdest thing too. But
it's less work for me, you know what I mean
in a good way. It's just cool how kids these days.
I mean, at least my kids, like we bring them
to everything like here carry the load every year without
a heartbeat, and they never once complain.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
And I'm like, I know, you know, I just heard
your youngest one begging to stay for the midnight walk.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
But mom, I want to stay. I'm like, why she goes?
Can we just to take a.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Golf car home?
Speaker 6 (11:43):
I was like, you're so gutiat.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
Will you tell me about the shirt you were wearing
and the necklaces around your neck necklaces? Yes?
Speaker 6 (11:57):
Yeah, so the shirt very cool. So Michael passed away
in February. In March, we actually had a tradition to
where we would always do a sweaty sour workout with
Adaptive Trading Foundation, great friends of ours, and so when
we first got diagnosed, I say weak because we did like, yes,
of course Michael went through the hardest obviously, but we
(12:20):
all got affected by it. And they did like a
what do you call it, like kind of like raising
money for us kind of concept. So that we did
a workout. So they had these shirts made and so
I think it's three or four nonprofits kind of came together,
including Carried Load, which is very cool. So on the
front this is Carnal Strong and bags is Fuck Cancer
(12:41):
with the Marine Corps logo. I was like, hell, yeah,
that's perfect. And then this the twenty two links for
basically for twenty two kill one tribe, twenty two veterans
committing suicide, and it's kind of like a you know,
on average obviously now, but he Michael, just like all
the blue went to home depot and or Lowels whatever,
(13:03):
and he's like, I'm gonna go make us some necklaces.
A necklace, there's only one. There's the ogs in there,
but there was only one. I was like, okay, but
his thing was only at car load. He would have
people put it on and take photos and then people
would rotate wearing it because he knew, you know, like
everyone knows about that, like twenty two veterans commitsuitside every day,
(13:25):
and it's just kind of like a link of holding
each other together and as a reminder of like we
got to stay together less it's strong and like it's heavy, right, it.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Is a big heavy chain, yes, literal chain, not like
a cool literally a chain.
Speaker 6 (13:41):
And then I just grabbed these. But then I wrote
Carneal strong on here because that's our team we have
for a care to load. And then this necklace, the
one Tribe wedding ring, and then Michael, so I wear
it all time. It's a difference when I don't wear it,
(14:08):
but the kids also have it. I gave them the
option of like one like this, and then it got
like a silver one and it's a cross. But when
it's carried the load. I recently started wearing them for
soccer games, it's like he's there.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yeah, it's just tremendously painful and it hurts, you know
what I mean, because you know that this human being
made this spinning ball of chaos better and you feel
like you're just losing a vital piece of the puzzle
to get to peace and harmony or whatever you want
to call it, which should be the ultimate goal for
(14:49):
everybody in this life, is to get to a place
of just love and peace.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
There's not a week that goes by that we don't
laugh or reference something that he used to do or say.
But definitely made this life better, you know. And in
the fight for his life, he was the one texting
us daily with encouragement and uplifting whether it was a
quote or a funny picture, funny video or something. But
(15:18):
I'm just miss him like crazy, but so grateful for
the role that he played in anyone who got to
know him in their life.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
How is carried a load different for you. Since Michael
has passed, I don't.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
Know I'm carrying more. And that's how I'm treating myself too,
because not only am I already carrying more as a mom,
as a you know, is just a person in general.
This year, I think last year wasn't as hard. I
don't want to say hard on myself, but this year
(15:59):
I actually wanted to carry more, Like that's why we're
in this my backpack. Like I even brought like my
weighted vest and I was like, oh well, if you
need it, go ahead, but I would put it on
and you literally forget about that. I could easily. I
think my first couple of years after, like, I feel
like his started getting bigger. There was one time where
I had it sounds funny, but it got really hot
(16:20):
out and I wore leggings succes at night. I thought
it was gonna be really cold. I thought I was
gonna faint. I was like, oh my god, fuck, I'm
sweating masks. Can't just take these off, and I wanted
to give up. I was so close. I was kind
of bitching.
Speaker 8 (16:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:33):
I was like this is like, what why am I
doing this? And then I would look around and I'm like,
I really, I just I can't. I can't even say
that right now. Yeah, but it's just a good feeling.
But I've always been kind of like that. I don't
want to say I'm competitive, but like it's the whole
giving up thing. There's no reason too because if when
you had that thought, you know, it's that time where
(16:54):
you're gonna meet Sue Smith and she tells a story
or asks why here, just anything that's just involving or
like maybe they're suffering or you know, in pain or
like confused whatever, and you're like, Okay, hello, Lake Switch,
let's fucking go.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
We have to pause for our last commercial break, and
when we come back, this episode, like Carry the Load itself,
becomes an evolution. Here we are welcome to the final
act of our two part series on Carry the Load
(17:37):
and Memorial Day. As we've established, these episodes have consisted
of conversations I've had with Jake and Ashley and conversations
I've had with different participants at the Carry the Load
event itself. While those conversations happened outside on the Sunday
before what is technically Memorial Day, which is a Monday,
there was a literal storm brewing in the skies above,
(17:59):
which will get get into in a few minutes. And
at the same time, there was also a figurative storm
brewing within me. You see, I had traveled to Dallas
for the event with my wife, Muriel because we wanted
to experience Memorial Day alongside active duty military veterans and
the family of those who have died, which is something
we had never done before. This metaphorical storm mounting within
(18:21):
me was whether or not to include my own experience
in these episodes. On one hand, my personal experience felt
too immedia and powerful to ignore, almost like excluding it
from the story wouldn't be honest. And on the other hand,
I knew that these episodes had to walk the walk
and remain true to the meaning of a Memorial Day
to remember and honor the fallen. Inserting myself also felt
(18:43):
like a dishonest choice. Well, while I was going back
and forth in my mind about this making a mountain
out of a mole hill, Jake and Ashley didn't hesitate
and made the decision for me.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
I want to ask you one question and then we
can be done.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
Great.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
After getting to know Asha and I over the last
few years now and working together quite a bit in
those last few years. What are you looking forward to
when it comes to getting to experience carry the load
with your extremely awesome better half, Maurial.
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Well, I'm looking forward to connecting with people. I'm looking
forward to my heart opening to something that it doesn't
open to on a day to day basis. For me.
You know, I'm one of the people that would have
a barbecue or probably, if I'm being honest, most of
my adult life anyways, I'm probably be working Memorial Day bartending,
And you know it's I don't honor our falling on
(19:44):
Memorial Day in any way, maybe beyond a passing thought
or perhaps a moment, but in no real, practiced, loving way.
The idea that there are people that are patriotic and
honor are fallen and remember them, and then there's like
other people that are doing something else or just not
(20:08):
caring like the other in that sentence is not a
mystified outsider. It's me, you know. So I'm looking forward
to changing that and actually doing what this day asks
of us, and to do it with people that frankly
I can learn from that, I that can that can
set the tone, that can be good leaders in that
(20:32):
for me, you know, so I'm looking forward to it
in the same way that i might look forward to
going to a church I've never been to, or even
perhaps partaking in a religious experience. It's totally different than
any kind of religious experience that I was raised with
or have gone that I've sought on my own. You know,
I'm looking I'm looking forward to being spiritually enlightened, I
(20:57):
guess in this very particular way. You know, my grand
father served in World War Two. He didn't die, He
never spoke about it, you know. I think one time
on Fourth of July, he was flinching around fireworks and
had to go inside, and my grandma said, oh, that's
you know, he went to the war, so sometimes fireworks
are difficult for him. That was essentially the extent of
(21:22):
him ever speaking about his experience there. I remember he
had this old army blanket and there's a hole in
it and my dad said, Oh, that's a bullet hole,
and he said, no, it's not, it's from moths.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
You know.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
Like any type of entry way into a story or
an experience that he had, he would shut down pretty quickly.
So I just didn't have that, and he didn't want
to give that to me, and he passed away when
I was just graduated high school. My father in law,
my wife's father, is a Vietnam Vet, and in many
(21:54):
ways he's the exact same way. He doesn't talk about it.
He certainly doesn't talk about it with a sense of
pride or any kind of camaraderie with that I've seen anyways,
he doesn't share that with us. If anything, he sort
of uses it as a way to isolate himself further
(22:15):
from us. It's not like a it's a it's not
a family gathering element of his story. So specifically, the
people that probably would have drawn me into this just
based on proximity and family structure never did. And before
knowing you guys, before diving into into the world that
(22:37):
you guys are so dedicated to that I've sort of
immediately loved, but have definitely come to love in a
very real way. This is all brand new for me.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Awesome.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
No, I love your honesty and that answer, and in
all of them, you know, and for your grandfather and
your father in law, and it's like it's such a
such a tremendous source of pain in their life's history
that they were I think it was more and probably
to a degree shame because of the way the country reacted.
(23:13):
Maybe not so much for your grandfather, maybe just the pain.
That was a very very World War two. I mean
that was a very brutal, brutal war with like a
tremendous loss of life, and God only knows what his
eyeball saw. I mean, same goes from our grandfather, Like
(23:35):
it's it's so many grandfathers and grandmothers and a lot
of circumstances, and so I don't think it was out
of not a source of not loving this country or patriotism.
I think it was out of source of or from
a standpoint of protecting you from very dark things.
Speaker 9 (23:59):
On a serious so, we've been talking to the Dallas
Office of Emergency Management in the National Weather Service today
based on a bunch of storms that are coming in here.
Speaker 7 (24:11):
I want to encourage everyone. If you don't follow us
on social media, please do. This will be a very
fluid situation over later on this evening and into tomorrow,
So just be safe, stay connected, and uh, we're going
to play this thing by year as the weather dictates.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
As we heard in part one of this series, Jake
had to stay home from Carry the Load for the
first time in fourteen years because of ongoing health issues
from the injuries he sustained as a combat marine in Iraq.
That meant Muriel and Night would be going without Jake
and Ashley, which felt like a huge blow because their
loved ones and knowing Jake wasn't well was obviously very concerning.
(25:09):
Lucky for Muriel and I, we have developed friendships with
the people of One Tribe Foundation, Jake and Ashley's nonprofit,
who would be there in full force. This meant we
could still get to learn from people who not only
participate in the spiritual and emotional aspect of Memorial Day,
but people who work on the organizational side of things,
helping the event be what it is and working tirelessly
(25:29):
to fundraise. As you've heard, I spent Sunday talking and
connecting to veterans like don Nuin, parents of the fallen
like the Burgesses, and spouses of the fawn like Gabby Carnell.
In real time, all of us at Carry the Load
together we all learned that the weather might cut the
whole thing short, which felt like another devastating blow, And indeed,
(25:51):
as Sunday evening turned into night. Carry the Load was
in fact canceled, no midnight march and no closing ceremonies
on Monday, which was Memorial Day proper. Everyone was very
sad and disappointed by this, so we just hugged our
friends goodnight, and Miry and I ran into our hotel
room before the rain wrecked the recording equipment. After things
(26:12):
dried out, though, I did sit down with Justin Jones
of One Tribe Foundation to check in see how he
was doing and try to process the whole thing.
Speaker 8 (26:21):
My name is Justin Jones. I am the event coordinator,
community outreach director. Probably a few other titles I forget.
So when I came on board with the Tribe, it
basically was an honor because that's the largest fundraiser that
One Tribe does, is carry the Load. And the second
day of my new career, my director looked at me
(26:45):
and he said, I want you to take carry the
load and you're going to be captain, and so I
took it and ran with it.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
Hota Hota hate Hote as we call him. He puts
a lot of pressure on himself to make sure everything
is squared away, I mean from the air conditioned bathrooms
to the food, to the drinks, to everybody's comfortability when
they experience carry the load, in particular at one tribe's
base camp. And he really immerses himself fully in the
(27:14):
evolution of CTL. And if it were to get rained
out due to severe weather, if it was just rain,
carry the load, won't call it. But if it's severe weather,
I mean we're talking lightning, thunder hell, I mean, which
they haven't done before. Probably should have one year in
(27:36):
particularly I'm thinking of, but then't. But now it's so
much bigger, and you know, the fire marshals are involved,
and it's a major, major safety thing now. But he
loves this thing so hard. So if it were to
get canceled or shut down, I mean, it devastated JJ.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
You know the scene in Forrest Gump where there's the
boat and Lieutenant Dan and the storm's rolling in and
he's out there, and.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
That's going to be JJ.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It carry the load of like a gnarly storm comes
because like he is in it for the long run.
Am I rider in Marillo?
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Is that all you got?
Speaker 3 (28:15):
The rain?
Speaker 8 (28:17):
It happens every year, whether because the trail is three
and a half miles long, so the rain it may
rain down on from two and a half to the
to the three and a half. It may just rain
down there, or at the other end, it may rain
at the you know, the mile or quarter mile. But
(28:37):
because of the trail so long, it's unique that it
rains every year, and you know, it's just a matter
of is it going to hit the park or is
it gonna hit the trail or all of it or
and then you just roll with it.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
So but this year it sounds like, because of all
of the warriors over thunder and lightning, that it was
really going to storm. They canceled the event, They canceled
the midnight march and the and the actual Monday festivities.
Speaker 8 (29:06):
They they the the message that I received when they
when they sent it out to the teams was the
National Weather Service or the Dallas area had reported like
golf wall size hail and severe lightning. And I think that's, uh,
that's kind of what they had to look at and
the safety of everybody and try to get him out
(29:27):
before it actually hit the Dallas area to so everybody
could safely get home.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
So so understandably, that's a can be considered like a
reasonable response to potentially dangerous weather. But even with that
in mind, like, how did that hit you emotionally to
know that carry the load was going to be cut
short this year?
Speaker 8 (29:48):
Yeah, it was definitely a gut check that. Uh it
was like, nope, that's a wrap, that's it shut down
the shop. So it was it was tough this year.
Speaker 4 (29:58):
What would you like people to know about the way
you celebrate Memorial Day? I don't even know if celebrates
the right word.
Speaker 8 (30:06):
Yeah, definitely, it's not a celebration. It's interesting because I've
had this conversation with a veteran that I didn't even
know this happened, but she told me that. So many
people when they see she's a vet, tells her, you know,
happy Memorial Day, and there's nothing happy about it. It's
hard to put into words, I because I've always heard
(30:27):
you either you have that passion or you don't. So
it's hard to like give your passion to somebody.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
Well, one thing for sure is the passion that you
bring specifically you, but the tribe in general and the
people you guys have around you in general does wear
off on others.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
That wore off on me.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
It has worn off on me.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
You know, I think I could easily, easily not I
could be I should be put in the camp of
people that you know, Memorial Day is a barbecue you know, and.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Can take does take has taken this holiday for granted
and not done the work that this day asks of us,
and that has changed dramatically because of you and yours.
So you know, sure you have the passion or you don't,
but you can get it from all different places, you know,
(31:22):
and the very best place to get it from my
personal experience would be from those who are passionate. So
thank you for that.
Speaker 8 (31:30):
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, it's yeah. I ask a guy, uh,
It's it's funny you say that. He's a mentor of
mine and of Jacob is actually, but I asked him
one time when I was working before I started with
the tribe, I said, how do we get more people
fired up about? And he said, it's it's all about emotion,
(31:52):
he said, until they're affected by it, or until they
feel it, he goes, and you you can't give that
to him, he goes, They just have to feel it.
And so now I've started seeing that because a lot
of people will tell me that they're like, well, I
feel it from you. And so if that's the case,
then I'm happy to, you know, to share that with people.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
Looking back, I think I was preparing myself for an
AHA moment, a crystallized picture, perfect understanding of the quote
unquote real way to honor the fallen. But that's not
how evolutions work, and that's not how life works. That's
not how death works. Sometimes storms do what they do
and you have to run for cover. Life is a mess,
(32:48):
and sometimes there is no closing ceremony. I know that
I felt real love with the people I talked to,
both on Mike and off. I know I felt real
love for those they've lost, and I know I'm beyond
thankful that this love is where my evolution begins.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Thank you so much for listening The Good Stuff.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
Thank you to Donnwin, the Burgesses, Gabby Carnell, and Justin
Jones for being on the show. And thank you to
One Tribe Foundation for taking such good care of Meriel
and I.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
If you appreciate this show, please subscribe, like, and review
The Good Stuff podcast, and connect with us on social media.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
We love hearing from you, so please reach out through
our website. Our links and contact information is in the
show notes of this episode.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
And It would mean the world to us if you
shared this episode with the people in your life who
might also enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
Put on your badass capes and go be great today
and remember you can't do epic things without epic people.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Again, thank you for listening to the good Stuff.
Speaker 4 (33:50):
The Good Stuff is executive produced by Ashley Shick, Jacob Shick,
and Leah Pictures, Hosted by Ashley Shick, Jacob Shick, and
Nick Casslini, produced by Nick Cassolini, Engineering, editing and post
production supervisioned by Nick Cassolini. Music by Will Tendy,
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