July 4, 2023 • 37 mins
Successful pilot, three-time Super Bowl Champion, and family man Chad Hennings shares with Jacob & Ashley about the time life dealt him a challenge that changed his life and out of his control.
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Website: www.ChadHennings.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to the Good Stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I'm Jacob Schick and I'm joined by my co host
and wife, Ashley Shick.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Welcome everyone. We know that everyone has a story and
we can all gain something from other people's experience. We
want to tap into the perseverance and the tenacity that
it takes for people to get through the hard times
to get to the light.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
And that's why we're here with you today, bring you
an amazing story that's going to give you inspiration and
perspective to help you get through the day and whatever
it is you're possibly battling. We love doing stories like
this because we get to draw a light from it,
we use it in our own lives.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Thank you for listening to the Good Stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Our guest today is Chad Hennings, who flew forty five
successful missions with the Air Force bringing humanitarian aid to
Kurtis refugees fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the
aftermath of the Gulf War. He was then promoted to
captain and twice awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yeah He's also authored three books. He is a three
time Super Bowl champion of the Dallas.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Cowboys, America's team that's.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Right, twenty seven years old. It's all he was as
a rookie. Crazy twenty seven. I mean, that's light years
ahead of his fellow rookies. And I love this guy
regardless of the fact that he's an Air Force veteran.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I truly love this guy. I first bumped.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Into Chad when I was at Coppel High School in Coppel, Texas,
as a young teen, and we're definitely definitely going to
unpack that later.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
We are so excited to bring you our conversation with
Chad Hennings.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Was the camaraderie close from your Air Force service to
when you transition and made it big time with the
boys in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
I tell you it was like going from one locker
room to another. Squadron, well duty, Honor Country, Mission orient
It same thing with the Cowboys. It was offense defense,
special teams, mission orient win super Bowls. It was two
bunch of alpha males in both and guys trying to
get after it. And when games are successful, training or
(02:17):
combat missions.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
God, that's awesome here.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
I think men or men, guys or guys or guys
in high performing units or whatnot, that that cohesiveness, that fraternity,
that is free a corps for any organization to be
a success of it. And again company professional athletic team,
military unit, they have to have that. It's all about relationships,
the brotherhood. The brotherhood exactly right.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
And clearly that led you to not just being a
rookie at age twenty seven with the Dallas Cowboys, but
the greatness you achieved while being a Dallas Cowboy, three
super Bowls and an iconic era of Dallas Cowboy football.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
You know that was God's providence over that one. I've
never been around a group of guys that were more selfless,
more dedicated to their craft, wanting to win. Whatever it took,
We're gonna win.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I love you realize, and I'm sure completely accepted the
fact that, like you're a unicorn, nfler and veteran on
both sides on military and the NFL, you get three
super Bowls in the first four season, Like you know,
I don't have to give you odds on your unicorn.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, graduation, We're so thrilled to have you here on
the good stuff. Chad Hennings, air Force pilot, three times
super Bowl champion and friend, and we're thrilled to call
you friend and how did the two of you meet,
because I know you've known each other.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Why, I lived in Copel for a number of years,
so we may have run into each other when you
were a young man. You were just a wee little
lad at back in the day I was.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
And I do remember when you guys are still practicing
out at Valley Ranch and Coppel had built that indoor facility.
I remember one day it started.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Pouring rain and we practiced over the yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Yeah, And so coach comes in and he's like, all right, jents,
we're all getting wet today.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Got the Dallas Cowboys coming. They need to use the
indoor facility.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
And I remember thinking, like, I love you guys, but
what the hell, Like, you're the Dallas Cowboys. You can't
get an indoor facility. You gotta come over to our facility.
And I remember us walking out, walking out, y'all are
coming off the bus, and I will never forget all
of us, Like we may not win, but we'd fight
(04:29):
them right now.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Wow, just because like it was Texas football.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yeah, it was like freaking cowboys, can't get wet.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
We're cowboys too, that's right, Coppell Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
I'll never forget that Texas football and Texas high school football,
especially the Friday night lights. It's iconic. And yeah, you're
probably pissed, like we have to go practice in the
mud now because the Cowboys have to have indoor facility.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
I'm telling you, we were ready to fight, and knowing
we would lose, it was like, this is not right,
successful friendly.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Groundwork for eventually what the man that you became take
out all lot No.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Football is huge in our family for generations, cheerleading football,
it really dominates our life and now our boys both
play football, and we couldn't be more thrilled about that
because it's such a great sport. It's such a great game,
and it lends back to what you talked about the brotherhood.
You've been rewarded for living a life of dedication, focus,
(05:27):
hard work. You've flown a ten fighter planes, You've won
super Bowls. Your accomplishments are legendary. But despite all the victories,
all the accolades, you're actually here to tell us about
one of the most challenging times in your life and
events you've ever lived through. And it's the one thing
you credit above all else with making you the man
that you are today. Being a father, when your firstborn son,
(05:48):
Chase was battling some terrifying health issues.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Yeah. For me, that was the first thing in my
life that I couldn't control. Right after we won the
third Super Bowl in four years, we beat the Pittsburgh Steelers,
and I had a believers in magic. I had a
Super Bowl record. I was tied. I had two sacks
in that game. Two sacks in that game.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Completely believe it, by the way, And then I remember
the JG.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
White broke it the next year. I think he had
two and a half sacks. But for a period of time,
I was one of ten guys that had two sacks
and whatever in the Super Bowl. It was in Phoenix
and they had a Luke Air Force Base was right
near there, so I had friends that were stationed at Luke,
So I took one of our days off. Prior to that,
I took a contingent of guys out to Luke to
(06:35):
fly the tax Sims, the F sixteen sims and or
my cowboy career. I took guys out on aircraft carriers.
We took them out to fly tax sims, to go
out to Fort Worthy Dry Reserve, but JRB to do
a variety of different things so they can get a
glimpse into the experience that we have that a lot
of other military men and women have.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
And most people will never ever be able to get.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Yeah, exactly. Former teammate of mine from the Air Force
Academy was part of the four ship that did the
flyover then prior to the game. Look, it's just a
slew of emotions going through and then you know, win
the game. It was just a high point. Married for
six years. My son was two and a half. He's
(07:21):
just a blowing and going, let's get after a little
boy that's just tearing things up. And it was good.
I mean, it was at the peak of life for
us at the game. Yeah, my whole family, mom, dad, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins,
you know, fill up your whole Super Bowl ticket contingent. Again,
from a life standpoint, making more money than ever thought
(07:43):
I'd make notoriety being a Dallas cowboy in North Texas,
in Dallas, it doesn't get any better than that. From
a relational business, relational standpoint, beautiful, family life was just good.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
It was cowboy fans. Did they travel? Did they show
up for that game?
Speaker 4 (07:59):
They always showed up. Cow fans are They're awesome, They're
the best. And the thing about it, we had fans
from all over the world, you know, warming up on
the sidelines. There's Kevin Costner and here comes Merle Hagger
singing the national anthem. That was every game. There was
something for being an America's team, and that was really
back in the day. It was that way. We had
(08:19):
fans all over the world.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
You played with some iconic.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
On that one, you know the trip. It was Troy Emmett,
Michael Dion Sanders, Charles Hadley here, what's will be a
future Hall of Famer, all the guys that were on
that team. It was just we are teammates, your friends.
It's like your fellow co workers. People put individuals that
are either in social media now or that are half
(08:45):
some perceived notoriety because they're on TV. They put them
on a pedestal, but realize that they're just a normal guy.
They got families, their kids get sick, you know, they
got to pay their same bills. It's just that you're
in the public eye. But people are people across the board,
and these guys were phenomenal teammates and some of them
are crazy, but we don't need to get into that.
(09:06):
We had a lot of fun in the locker room.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Awesome. What was it like in the locker room that day.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
It was like being a fighter pilot. And I'll describe
it like this. As fighter pilot. They had that certain
mentality I call it confident arrogancet that I know I'm good.
Every fighter pilot you've probably ever met is the world's
greatest fire pot, and I'll tell you that. But it's
that confidence. I know my craft, I know my job.
I'm really good at what I do, and I know it.
And that was the same as the Cowboys. When we
(09:33):
would go on the field, we know we're going to win.
We knew that we're the best team out there. And
a lot of times the other team do that too.
We win the game before they know. The initial gun
goes off to start the game.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
If you won the mental battle before the first whistle,
you've already won.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
You have to have that arrogance. And it's not so
much like a conceited selfish arrogance. It's almost like a
survival thrival mechanism. In those high stress and environments that
you know you're going to enter into, rather be flying
an aircraft in a combat zone or walking out in
the Super Bowl. If you don't have an error about
(10:11):
you knowing A. I deserve to be here.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I've earned the right.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
I've put in the work to be here and that
can't be questioned. And then B.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
We know we're the best. How do you come away
with the highest title in the world not having that?
I just don't think you can.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
If you constantly thought abouts I'm thinking it as a
fier padd and talk it as a fire pound. Now
that if you thought about all the what if what
if I you know, insured malfunction, what if I'm flat failure,
what if I have gun failure? What if the essay
two site's there? What if you know the essay six?
What if physiast? What if all these things are there?
You never accomplish your mission. You have to concentrate always
on that end goal mindset. It's everything. You have to
(10:56):
have that confidence.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
I live with a marine and totally understand what you're
talking about, and I agree that understands.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Like you, just like when he was flying on his missions,
like I can't get too close to those marines, even
though you probably did.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
You being older, the Grand old men when you went
in there rookie.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Of the year.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
By the way, do you think your other teammates, even
some of the vets that you were still older than,
leaned on you a little bit because you were a
little wiser, had more life experience under your belt, especially
because of the military.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
I would teach him, Yeah, you know, I had a
real job before I came here, you know, really real
life work experience. And I was in the same draft
classes as Michael Irvin and then Ken Norton Junior, who
was with us for the first two Super Bowls and
he went to UH San Francisco. And here's the thing
that I tell a lot of veterans, those guys on
(11:50):
the grid iron or those professional athletes whatever, they are
in awe of you guys, you veterans for what you
do because his kids, as we grew up, where everybody
played cowboys and indiansury, you played army, you played soldier,
or you wanted to be your favorite professional athlete. We
all role played on these different things, and those guys
did the same. They're in awe of those active duty
(12:12):
members in the military, whether fight or pilot, whether they're Marine,
whether they're Navy, seal or whatever. Just as much as
you admire them, they admire you. And these guys would
ask questions, what was it like? Man? They didn't care
what I did. You know, as an Outland Trophy winner
at college, my college, they could care less about that.
Tell me those missions. What was it like to fly?
Take off out of Turkey and fly Northern roct Tell
(12:34):
me about those submissions. What's it like to fly that plane?
But tell me about that. I've been asked many times,
would you rather do go back play for the Cowboys
or fly? I said I would go back and fly
in a harp Cowboys, Been there, done that. I want
to go fly. Still that young boy and me still
wants to go. Let my hair on fire and let's go.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Because of your real job, because that's exactactly what it
was being a fighter pilot in the Air Force. You
walked in the doors with respect that had nothing to
do with football. That's a rarity, you know that. That's
a rarity in the NFL or any professional sport. For
a veteran, let alone combat veteran, to walk in the doors.
(13:19):
Something tells me that they're not going to say heyo,
carry my helmet.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Yeah, for me though, I still felt that I had
the personal discipline, call it whatever, the mindset that I
had to earn it. Even though I had accomplished stuff,
that I had to still go out there and prove
my worst right, same as when I went to be,
you know, in a fire squad, you have to prove
you have that gravitas. Rank has its privileges, they have
to be earned to that point. For me, yeah, I
(13:45):
did have that reputation, that respect from that, but I
still for me personally, I did have that mentality that hey,
look at me, look at it I did. I was
a fighter pilot. No, that's what I did. You know,
what you do is not to find who you are
from a mindset standpoint. But I still had to go
in and I had to prove that I could be
a football player.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
And we mentioned you were older. You were twenty seven
when you got into the league. And so now here's
Super Bowl three and you're older, but your family's there.
You're a family man. Maybe the rest of them are
going to go out and get drunken party.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
But Jerry owaystill is a great party afterwards where all
the families would come by. Then it's eleven twelve, o'clock
at night. You just got them playing a game. You're
spent anyway, but you're still from that emotional high. The
adrenaline is still flowing. Just a chance to decompress with family,
with teammates, get a picture in front of Lombardi Trophy,
the third one, the third one.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Yeah, in four years.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Take us now to post super Bowl. It's February. You're
ready to relax, recharge, do family time. Take us to
that period.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
We had been two weeks into our vacation time. We
had been to Iowa to see my family were out
in Colorado see and my wife's family. Also the player
rep for the Cowboys at the time, which meant to
a part of our players Association, and we'd get a
trip out to Hawaii to Maui every year. So that
was in the first part of March. So kind of prepping,
laying back, relaxing for that. But then my son Chase,
(15:09):
who was two and a half at the time, just
woke up with a fever. Didn't feel well. I was
at the Cowboys facility doing a light workout. My wife
took him two of the pediatrician and white kids always
get sick on a Friday. I don't know, but this
was on Friday, so we said just take him home,
will monitor him. But anyway, he continued to get worse,
high high fevers, rash started to grow all over his body,
(15:32):
and like, what the heck's going on here, So we
admitted him to the hospital and we spent the next
week in the hospital where they poked and prod dropped
blood trying to figure out what this is, and bottom mind,
they had no clue. And then we were released. After
spending a week in the hospital with what they called
the fever of an unknown origin, his body started to
(15:54):
attack itself, creating an autoimmune process and went on for days,
for weeks, so emaciated and depleted, to the point where
we had to do some emergency medical procedures to keep
him from going on. And it was for me tough
(16:15):
because this was a point in my life. You know,
at the time, I was the strongest cowboy Jake. I
could bench five point fifty, I could squat seven fifty
at Believe me, I intimidated more doctors to stand over.
I'm like, okay, doctor, fix my son, right, fix my son.
You know, we don't know what's going on. We'll try
this we'll try this cocktail. That's called practicing medicine. And
I don't blame the physicians because it's the human body
(16:37):
is so ornate that everybody is so unique that it's
not a one stop shop to fix or create somebody
by here, take this pill or keep this medication. The
human body reacts in different ways. It'd be like daily,
his fever would start to go up, and you'd give
him his children's tile and all or motrin, and that's
a dose he can only give every four hours. But
(17:00):
his fever continued to climb throughout a hundred and one
hundred and two hundred and three. I'm like, okay, now,
what do you do? Draw a type of temperature bath,
go old school to bring the core body temperature down.
It was in our master bedroom and my wife was outside,
no she's crying, and I'm looking at my son and
he's it's like, daddy, Daddy, am I.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Gonna be okay? You know, realize he's two and a half.
He doesn't know what's going on. And I'm like, yeah, buddy,
you're gonna be good, daddy. What's the matter with me?
Why do I feel so bad all the time? And
I'm my son, you can be okay, buddy, and inside
of me, by guess it's just being torn out.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
And again, because I was a guy who was always
performance based, I could fix anything by my work, ethic ability, whatever,
and I couldn't do anything. And this is where I
came to the end of myself. I pray that three words,
simple prayer, God help me, because I can't do it.
I can't do it. But this was the one thing
in my life that I couldn't fix, that I couldn't correct.
(17:57):
And that's where I struggled. I really struggle with that
aspect of who I am as a man. You know,
why can't I do this? It was either going through school, academics.
You study harder on the wrestling matter, on the football field,
you practice harder, you put more time in. But this
was the one thing in my life that I couldn't fix,
that I couldn't correct. And I started with my fate.
(18:19):
You know, I ask God why? And also who are
you that you could allow this little boy to be
able to suffer like this? And I questioned it. Man.
I during this time, I read, of all people, Nietzsche,
who had a quote that says, he who has a
why to live, work, and bear almost anyhow. He who
has a purpose, a mindset, and identity. It came to
(18:39):
me is okay, not necessarily why did this happen? But
it became okay, to who am I going through this?
God doesn't take you out of it. He gives you
the strength and the courage to sustain and to walk
through it. And that's where I learned that truth for me.
And I didn't have anybody around me. I didn't have
my tribe around me, the guys where you can really
(19:00):
feel it. You could open up, be honest and say, guys,
I'm not holding it together today, or guys that you
know my son had fevered up to one hundred and
five last night, we spent the night in the hospital,
or he was up all night crying and you know
I can't Or I had to take him to a
specialist my day off yesterday for Tuesday, and then it
just these things he can't share because at that time
(19:20):
I do want to say, hey, I don't have it
all together, because that was the antithesis of what I
thought it meant to be a man. You know that
you have to have it all together, you have to
have all the answers that you can't show any chinks
in your armor, that you have to be Rambo or
Jason Bourne or going back to my day, John Wayne,
that's what it means to be a man. And it
(19:42):
impacted my marriage too. And I looked at statistics that
showed where couples that have a child that goes through
extreme illness or the death of a child, divorce rates
are way north of AVE. That's the one thing my
wife and I sat down from a relational standpoint, Hey
we're in for the long haul, let's stick together. But
for me, I look back that whole fight or flight mechanism.
(20:03):
I was in a constant firefight the whole time. I
had to emotionally disconnect myself to the point that I
had or survive. I got to compartmentalize. I got to
play a game on Sunday. But then coming home, my
son's got to go to a treatment or whatever, and
he's not feeling well. What's the plan of execution? That
you never had time to decompress and never had no
(20:24):
off time. So you'd imagine the constant cornsole levels that
are showing through your body, the adrenaline rush, and I
thank god that I was able to sustain me through
us and from my wife to it alone. I'm look
at me, I'm sitting here complaining about this, but what
my son went through was beyond that. I mean, this
is a little kid that would be time for you
couldn't even put a sheet on him, it would be
(20:46):
so painful for him to even sleep, and not being
able to go to school with his classmates just because
he hurt all over. The extreme amount of pain, it
broke our hearts for my wife and myself, and that's
where our faith as Christians got stronger. We did realize
that God loves Chase, God loved us is more than
we could ever love him in that regard, and it
(21:09):
actually strengthened our faith and it gave me an extreme
sense of empathy towards others that are going through trials
in life. That man, I know what you're going through.
I know what you're going through, and I tell you, man,
just hang in there. There is hope. There's always hope.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
But you are the man that you are today.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
Because of that struggle and the struggle as we all know,
I've learned more through my pain and through my suffering
and obstacles in life. Than I did through any Super
Bowl victory. That was what defined me and for my
son and myself, that helped define our relationship going forward.
It's made him the man that he is today. But
that's where as parents now, and as i'll give philosophical here,
(21:49):
we do our kids at disservice by denying them the
ability to struggle, the ability to go through life to
figure it out.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
You learn your lessons in the valleys, not on the peaks.
The view from the top is great, but you knew
that It's all about what did you learned during the climb.
And that's something that I think we can all relate
to you. We all know that you're gonna get knocked down,
it's a guarantee. And for you to be able to
at that time having this epic high and then looking
(22:23):
at Chase and feeling one d per helpless, it is
something for people like us it is very foreign. You know,
after I got hit, I never did me Why God,
I didn't do that. I was grateful, in fact that
it was me and not my fellow Marines, better me
(22:45):
than my marines. But I was pissed that I lived
because I went from being one of as you all know,
one of the world's most elite gladiators to good news
a bathroom on my own and literally a millisecond that
started my journey of helplessness and having to succumb to
(23:08):
my pride and lay down my weapons and go, Okay,
I'm not gonna be able to win this one on
my own, like I'm gonna need help for everything. And
I can only imagine as a father now, and literally
when I say that, I mean it, I can only
imagine and not even well. And I know Chase and
love you guys and love your family, and to know
(23:29):
what you guys went through, I can only imagine that feeling.
But the one thing that is all relatable to us
I've learned in my journey thus far is pain and
suffering sucks. Yeah, and we're not built to do it alone.
There's times in life where your grit is gonna be
(23:50):
equally as tested, if not more so, as your grace.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
You also had to embrace the vulnerability of talking about it,
of building that community around you, because you couldn't do
it alone.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
You know. And that was why I was so got
into a lot of the guys coming back from down
range that coming back with post traumatic stress. We all
as young men bought off on that lie that to
be a man, you had to show that you weren't vulnerable,
that you can never show any vulnerability, that you had
to have it all together at all times. And that's
(24:25):
the antithesis of it, particularly for our guys today, because
you're constantly engaged in that fight or flight. Whereas conflicts
in the past, yeah, you may have a period of time,
but then you had a reprieve. I can miss imagine,
you know, the Peloponnesian War back in the Greek times,
that guys would go through a major battle and they
sit around the campfire and they talk out. Man, did
you see that dude I hit today? Man, his head
(24:47):
just lopped up, you know. Yeah, but they're able to
process and talk through that.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Or the Spartans, it was mandatory that they wurn their losses. Yeah,
for an hour after every major battle. And we've regressed
tremendously as warriors, modern day warriors and gladiators. And it's like, man,
where did we go wrong? Where did that start? Because
just like you said, it's a lie, and not only
to the warrior class, but to me the humankind where
(25:12):
I grew up where I actually grew up. Bad things
happen and it's like, hey, you be okay, you're good.
Let's keep on moving. We'll not talk about it. You'll
be fine, just keep going. It's like, Nope, that's not suppressing.
And at some point that pressure cooker is going to
go off right.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
And it just keeps building and building. But you realized
you needed support around you, and you also knew that
other people need support too. So what did you do?
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Amen started a men's ministry group called Wingman because I
thought about these experiences that I had in life. Every
time that I would fly a mission, whether it be
a training missionor mission in combat, I never went solo.
You guys, never went out ever solo. Even with the
sniper team. You always had a spot or you always
had somebody with you all the time.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Always have a shadow to check.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
Your six and we always talk about check your six
because as people, you can't see back one behind you.
That's why you need those relationships the success. For me
to have a successful mission come back and land, I
needed to take care of my wingmen. My wingmen needed
to take care of me, and if we didn't the
likelihood of something bad happening to us goes way up,
(26:16):
and the likehood of us actually accomplishing the mission goes
way down.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
So how is Chase today?
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Chase is doing great. Bought us first house last year.
He's dating a nice young Lady's got a phenomenal job.
He's doing really well. Physically. He has had his limitations.
He gets around a wheelchair. He had a lot of
arthritic damage done to his joints in some of the
connective soft tissue.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
But his attitude palpable.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
I love that young man. And the fact that I've
been around is some extreme, strong minded, high performers in
all aspects, but they pale in comparison to him for
what he went through and his effort, his mentality. He
gets up and every day it's a choice. I may
not feel well, but man, I'm gonna go out and
(27:03):
make it a great day. And I ask, that's what
life's about. As if I had anything to do with
that as a father, you know, but you did was
just what God's sustained him. And he has become a
phenomenal young man and I couldn't be more proud of
who he has become as man. And for me, that's
my legacy. I could care less about the Super Bowls
(27:24):
or air Force status or my legacy was gonna outlast me.
Is him, He and my daughter and venture their grandkids,
and that, to me, that's what life's about. Relationships.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
That's beautiful. And it's clear you're not only proud of
him as a father, but he inspires you every day.
That's amazing. What better legacy could you have? So, having
gone through this, how do you define strength?
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Now?
Speaker 4 (27:48):
It's the ability to be able to when you face adversity,
to face it and to continue to plod forward and
to move forward. To me, that strength, that's courage. Having
the fear, having the potential anxiety of knowing what's going
to happen, but still willing to face it and to
go forward. That's true strength. Every day, every day.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Preachy much what Jake was doing a speaking engagement one
time and EMMTT Smith was sitting on the side and
he kept going preach Jake like all times, like loud
as hell.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
I looked at him. I almost gave him like to
come on, man, trying to talk. I have a very
limited time. Man.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
So do you find yourself using the lessons in your
day to day life. Now you're jat Inning is the husband, father, businessman,
leader in your community, I mean your leader in every
fast in your life. And do you use the lessons
that you've learned through these trying times? Do you think
on a day to day basis?
Speaker 4 (28:53):
Every day? Every day? You know? And that's one of
the things I took this course. Make your very sponsorous
for brain health doctor Sandy Chapman phenomenal, very familiar. Yeah, yeah,
I love said. But you know what I took from
her book and going through that was that people talk
about intelligence wrote memory, regurgitating content, information, but that's not it.
(29:14):
What true intelligence is is the ability to think integratively, innovatively, strategically.
So for me, it's the aspect of taking your experience
or someone else's experience and being able to apply and
apply that to my life. And that's where I take
the experiences from listening to you or another mentor or myself.
How can I apply that to me? And how can
(29:34):
I make that personal for me? And that's what I've
really strive for my life now is to take some
of these experiences because not everybody's going to get a
chance to fly a jet or play for the cowboys
or do those things. But when I'm talking about what
it boils down to it each and every one of us.
I go through the same routine which you can go
through to apply these lessons to your life. And that's
(29:57):
embrace the suck, Embrace the grind, celebrate the time, movements,
be with your family. All those things. They're universal truths.
And I don't care who you are what you do again,
what you do is not define who you are, but
that's those are lessons that can be applied to anybody
in any facet of your life.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Nor what's happened to you define who you are exactly.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Yeah, what do you do to relax or recharge?
Speaker 4 (30:22):
Be around my family? You know? And that's the thing
that we are now empty nesters. So my wife and
I we make time too. We have a call it
coffee time and wine time. We have coffee in the morning,
we go through our day devotionally. All night, we come
home and maybe have a glass of wine and just
relax talk about the day. And for me that's peace
(30:43):
and how I also I work out. I love to
work out after that and I love to read books.
That's what recharges me and my aspect of self awareness
and self help. Is trying to expand my knowledge base
absolutely greatness.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Is there one person organization that's had a significant impact
on you in your life that you can think of?
Speaker 4 (31:07):
The guys who have impacted me the most, particularly early
in my life for my coaches, yep. And I think
that's the most hallowed profession in our culture today as
being a coach.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Yeah, it's just this lifelong impact.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
They changed the trajectory of my life. Yeah, because I
was a kid, you know, not highly recruited a small
rural community in Iowa for football, and I wanted to
play division on college football. My coach my junior senior
year that summer asked, Chad, what do you want to do? Coach,
I'd really like to go to the Air Force Academy.
Wasn't how they recruited to play at a football powerhouse school.
(31:43):
He took it upon himself to make a sixteen millimeters
highlight follow and me drove it nine hundred miles from
our hometown in Iowa to Colorado Springs, handed off to
the coaches there that recruited that area and says, you
need to take a look at this kid. That's how
I got there. Wow, probably changed the trajectory my life
with that question. Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
One question we ask all of our guests on the
good stuff. What feeds your soul?
Speaker 4 (32:09):
What feeds my soul is my relationship with my Lord Savior,
Jesus Christ Barnard and Blood by Pascal. That inside man
is a God size vacuum that only God can fill.
And I've tried to fill with so many other different
passions and pursuits of life, and it was always vacuous,
and it was always empty. But he is the one
that brings me a purpose, meaning and satisfaction in life.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Beautiful, well said brother. All Right, have one more question, Yeah,
and I'm asking it. So you've played with the Dallas
Cowboys for nine seasons, you have three Super Bowl championships
under your belt, and according to the stats, you have
exactly one NFL touchdown.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
Explain it was against Arizona Cardinals. Out there, it was
it's like the twenty yard line. We did a run
blitz Darren and came through as a safety blitz. Just
nailed the running back in the Yeah, drop the ball
right in front of me, you know, I picked it
up and it was like a rolling ball of butcher knives. Man,
I did. I. I had to run about fifteen yards
(33:13):
to run into the end zone. This is what's funny,
and this is the impact of a coach. I get there,
and this is what's crazy. I remember what my high
school football coach, same guy that drove the film out
to the Air Force Academy, said, he goes, act like
you've been here before, sear. I ran up to the
referee and I handed in the football and I started
drawing back. But then I realized, Hey, in the NFL,
(33:33):
you can keep the footballs, I said, sir, Can I
have that? I'd like that was my only Touchdo I'll
probably have?
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Can I have that?
Speaker 4 (33:39):
I ran back, But that's that stuck with me forever
and has those important life lessons. Act like you've been
here before.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
I do. I do remember it. And did you call
me a mentor?
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Okay, I was just checking because Chad Hennings referred to
me as a mentor.
Speaker 4 (33:58):
It's recorded anybody that you can learn something from in
life as a mentor.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Absolutely, we have learned a lot today, and we're truly
grateful that you not only took the time to come
and do this, but to be vulnerable with us and
share with us your story, your highs and your lows,
and all of the lessons you've learned from it. Such
an incredible story and we're truly grateful.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Dude, nothing but love, respect, and admiration for you and
your family. You epitomize mentor and leader and victor, and
you do it with grace and humility, and you do
it beautifully.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Bro.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Yeah, just your presence and existence is inspiring. So thanks
for the hope and the soul for brother. I literally
want to run through a brick.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Wall or climb a mountain.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Nope, I'll take the brick wall. So inspiring what this
does for my soul.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
The best way I can describe it is on the
drive here. You know, I'm on the Struggle bus right now,
and I see these guys on this window washing mechanism
on this giant building in Dallas, smelling out hope with
white panels or something on the side of the building,
(35:12):
and it was like a godwink for me, like, hey,
you got it, You're good. And that's what I get
from this. This is the perspective and the mindset that
I needed today.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Right, And like Chad said, it's all about mindset that
no matter how prepared you are in life. You and
I we always try to prepare, make sure we've got
all of our tea's crossed and all of our eyes
dotted and all of our ducks in a row, because
we've lived and lead such a busy life, but life
still happens. And hearing Chad talk about everything that he
went through and he's got it all squared away and
(35:47):
then life happened. You know, was that life happening to
him or was that life happening for him? And it's
just so beautiful to hear mindset, perseverance, just keep going
no matter what. Dig deep, but you can get through
through this, you can get to the top of that peak.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Act like you've been there before. I think that has
everything to do with mindset. Regardless of what the circumstances
is or what may arise. Don't overreact, don't underreact, just
act like you've been there before.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
And I feel like that's what we all struggle with.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
And because we have all these different things going on,
But if we're able to just act like we've been
there before, that's gonna put us completely present in the moment,
just like today where again I'm driving the struggle bus,
but I get in this conversation. I acted like I've
been here before, and it really the rest took care
(36:40):
of itself. So it is all about mindset and perseperience
and understanding.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
It's not over. That's why I'll take the brick wall,
screw the mountains.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
I'm so grateful to have this soul food today because
we need it. We all need it from time to time.
If you enjoyed this story with Chad Hennings, please feel
free to share this episode. And if you have a
story that you want Jake and I to tell here
on The Good Stuff, something that's fed your soul, something
that's encouraged you to go on, please reach.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Out to us.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
The Good Stuff is executive produced by Ashley Schick, Jacob Schick,
Leah Pictures and q Code Media. Hosted by Ashley Shick
and Jacob Shick. Produced by Nick Casselini and Ryan Counts.
House post production supervisor Will Tindi. Music by Will Haywood Smith,
edited by Mike Robinson, sound effects by Eric Aaron, Mixed
(37:41):
by Ryan Sanchez,
Welcome to the Good Stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I'm Jacob Schick and I'm joined by my co host
and wife, Ashley Shick.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Welcome everyone. We know that everyone has a story and
we can all gain something from other people's experience. We
want to tap into the perseverance and the tenacity that
it takes for people to get through the hard times
to get to the light.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
And that's why we're here with you today, bring you
an amazing story that's going to give you inspiration and
perspective to help you get through the day and whatever
it is you're possibly battling. We love doing stories like
this because we get to draw a light from it,
we use it in our own lives.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Thank you for listening to the Good Stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Our guest today is Chad Hennings, who flew forty five
successful missions with the Air Force bringing humanitarian aid to
Kurtis refugees fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the
aftermath of the Gulf War. He was then promoted to
captain and twice awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yeah He's also authored three books. He is a three
time Super Bowl champion of the Dallas.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Cowboys, America's team that's.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Right, twenty seven years old. It's all he was as
a rookie. Crazy twenty seven. I mean, that's light years
ahead of his fellow rookies. And I love this guy
regardless of the fact that he's an Air Force veteran.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I truly love this guy. I first bumped.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Into Chad when I was at Coppel High School in Coppel, Texas,
as a young teen, and we're definitely definitely going to
unpack that later.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
We are so excited to bring you our conversation with
Chad Hennings.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Was the camaraderie close from your Air Force service to
when you transition and made it big time with the
boys in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
I tell you it was like going from one locker
room to another. Squadron, well duty, Honor Country, Mission orient
It same thing with the Cowboys. It was offense defense,
special teams, mission orient win super Bowls. It was two
bunch of alpha males in both and guys trying to
get after it. And when games are successful, training or
(02:17):
combat missions.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
God, that's awesome here.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
I think men or men, guys or guys or guys
in high performing units or whatnot, that that cohesiveness, that fraternity,
that is free a corps for any organization to be
a success of it. And again company professional athletic team,
military unit, they have to have that. It's all about relationships,
the brotherhood. The brotherhood exactly right.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
And clearly that led you to not just being a
rookie at age twenty seven with the Dallas Cowboys, but
the greatness you achieved while being a Dallas Cowboy, three
super Bowls and an iconic era of Dallas Cowboy football.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
You know that was God's providence over that one. I've
never been around a group of guys that were more selfless,
more dedicated to their craft, wanting to win. Whatever it took,
We're gonna win.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I love you realize, and I'm sure completely accepted the
fact that, like you're a unicorn, nfler and veteran on
both sides on military and the NFL, you get three
super Bowls in the first four season, Like you know,
I don't have to give you odds on your unicorn.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, graduation, We're so thrilled to have you here on
the good stuff. Chad Hennings, air Force pilot, three times
super Bowl champion and friend, and we're thrilled to call
you friend and how did the two of you meet,
because I know you've known each other.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Why, I lived in Copel for a number of years,
so we may have run into each other when you
were a young man. You were just a wee little
lad at back in the day I was.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
And I do remember when you guys are still practicing
out at Valley Ranch and Coppel had built that indoor facility.
I remember one day it started.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Pouring rain and we practiced over the yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Yeah, And so coach comes in and he's like, all right, jents,
we're all getting wet today.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Got the Dallas Cowboys coming. They need to use the
indoor facility.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
And I remember thinking, like, I love you guys, but
what the hell, Like, you're the Dallas Cowboys. You can't
get an indoor facility. You gotta come over to our facility.
And I remember us walking out, walking out, y'all are
coming off the bus, and I will never forget all
of us, Like we may not win, but we'd fight
(04:29):
them right now.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Wow, just because like it was Texas football.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yeah, it was like freaking cowboys, can't get wet.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
We're cowboys too, that's right, Coppell Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
I'll never forget that Texas football and Texas high school football,
especially the Friday night lights. It's iconic. And yeah, you're
probably pissed, like we have to go practice in the
mud now because the Cowboys have to have indoor facility.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
I'm telling you, we were ready to fight, and knowing
we would lose, it was like, this is not right,
successful friendly.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Groundwork for eventually what the man that you became take
out all lot No.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Football is huge in our family for generations, cheerleading football,
it really dominates our life and now our boys both
play football, and we couldn't be more thrilled about that
because it's such a great sport. It's such a great game,
and it lends back to what you talked about the brotherhood.
You've been rewarded for living a life of dedication, focus,
(05:27):
hard work. You've flown a ten fighter planes, You've won
super Bowls. Your accomplishments are legendary. But despite all the victories,
all the accolades, you're actually here to tell us about
one of the most challenging times in your life and
events you've ever lived through. And it's the one thing
you credit above all else with making you the man
that you are today. Being a father, when your firstborn son,
(05:48):
Chase was battling some terrifying health issues.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Yeah. For me, that was the first thing in my
life that I couldn't control. Right after we won the
third Super Bowl in four years, we beat the Pittsburgh Steelers,
and I had a believers in magic. I had a
Super Bowl record. I was tied. I had two sacks
in that game. Two sacks in that game.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Completely believe it, by the way, And then I remember
the JG.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
White broke it the next year. I think he had
two and a half sacks. But for a period of time,
I was one of ten guys that had two sacks
and whatever in the Super Bowl. It was in Phoenix
and they had a Luke Air Force Base was right
near there, so I had friends that were stationed at Luke,
So I took one of our days off. Prior to that,
I took a contingent of guys out to Luke to
(06:35):
fly the tax Sims, the F sixteen sims and or
my cowboy career. I took guys out on aircraft carriers.
We took them out to fly tax sims, to go
out to Fort Worthy Dry Reserve, but JRB to do
a variety of different things so they can get a
glimpse into the experience that we have that a lot
of other military men and women have.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
And most people will never ever be able to get.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Yeah, exactly. Former teammate of mine from the Air Force
Academy was part of the four ship that did the
flyover then prior to the game. Look, it's just a
slew of emotions going through and then you know, win
the game. It was just a high point. Married for
six years. My son was two and a half. He's
(07:21):
just a blowing and going, let's get after a little
boy that's just tearing things up. And it was good.
I mean, it was at the peak of life for
us at the game. Yeah, my whole family, mom, dad, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins,
you know, fill up your whole Super Bowl ticket contingent. Again,
from a life standpoint, making more money than ever thought
(07:43):
I'd make notoriety being a Dallas cowboy in North Texas,
in Dallas, it doesn't get any better than that. From
a relational business, relational standpoint, beautiful, family life was just good.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
It was cowboy fans. Did they travel? Did they show
up for that game?
Speaker 4 (07:59):
They always showed up. Cow fans are They're awesome, They're
the best. And the thing about it, we had fans
from all over the world, you know, warming up on
the sidelines. There's Kevin Costner and here comes Merle Hagger
singing the national anthem. That was every game. There was
something for being an America's team, and that was really
back in the day. It was that way. We had
(08:19):
fans all over the world.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
You played with some iconic.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
On that one, you know the trip. It was Troy Emmett,
Michael Dion Sanders, Charles Hadley here, what's will be a
future Hall of Famer, all the guys that were on
that team. It was just we are teammates, your friends.
It's like your fellow co workers. People put individuals that
are either in social media now or that are half
(08:45):
some perceived notoriety because they're on TV. They put them
on a pedestal, but realize that they're just a normal guy.
They got families, their kids get sick, you know, they
got to pay their same bills. It's just that you're
in the public eye. But people are people across the board,
and these guys were phenomenal teammates and some of them
are crazy, but we don't need to get into that.
(09:06):
We had a lot of fun in the locker room.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Awesome. What was it like in the locker room that day.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
It was like being a fighter pilot. And I'll describe
it like this. As fighter pilot. They had that certain
mentality I call it confident arrogancet that I know I'm good.
Every fighter pilot you've probably ever met is the world's
greatest fire pot, and I'll tell you that. But it's
that confidence. I know my craft, I know my job.
I'm really good at what I do, and I know it.
And that was the same as the Cowboys. When we
(09:33):
would go on the field, we know we're going to win.
We knew that we're the best team out there. And
a lot of times the other team do that too.
We win the game before they know. The initial gun
goes off to start the game.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
If you won the mental battle before the first whistle,
you've already won.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
You have to have that arrogance. And it's not so
much like a conceited selfish arrogance. It's almost like a
survival thrival mechanism. In those high stress and environments that
you know you're going to enter into, rather be flying
an aircraft in a combat zone or walking out in
the Super Bowl. If you don't have an error about
(10:11):
you knowing A. I deserve to be here.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I've earned the right.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
I've put in the work to be here and that
can't be questioned. And then B.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
We know we're the best. How do you come away
with the highest title in the world not having that?
I just don't think you can.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
If you constantly thought abouts I'm thinking it as a
fier padd and talk it as a fire pound. Now
that if you thought about all the what if what
if I you know, insured malfunction, what if I'm flat failure,
what if I have gun failure? What if the essay
two site's there? What if you know the essay six?
What if physiast? What if all these things are there?
You never accomplish your mission. You have to concentrate always
on that end goal mindset. It's everything. You have to
(10:56):
have that confidence.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
I live with a marine and totally understand what you're
talking about, and I agree that understands.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Like you, just like when he was flying on his missions,
like I can't get too close to those marines, even
though you probably did.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
You being older, the Grand old men when you went
in there rookie.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Of the year.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
By the way, do you think your other teammates, even
some of the vets that you were still older than,
leaned on you a little bit because you were a
little wiser, had more life experience under your belt, especially
because of the military.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
I would teach him, Yeah, you know, I had a
real job before I came here, you know, really real
life work experience. And I was in the same draft
classes as Michael Irvin and then Ken Norton Junior, who
was with us for the first two Super Bowls and
he went to UH San Francisco. And here's the thing
that I tell a lot of veterans, those guys on
(11:50):
the grid iron or those professional athletes whatever, they are
in awe of you guys, you veterans for what you
do because his kids, as we grew up, where everybody
played cowboys and indiansury, you played army, you played soldier,
or you wanted to be your favorite professional athlete. We
all role played on these different things, and those guys
did the same. They're in awe of those active duty
(12:12):
members in the military, whether fight or pilot, whether they're Marine,
whether they're Navy, seal or whatever. Just as much as
you admire them, they admire you. And these guys would
ask questions, what was it like? Man? They didn't care
what I did. You know, as an Outland Trophy winner
at college, my college, they could care less about that.
Tell me those missions. What was it like to fly?
Take off out of Turkey and fly Northern roct Tell
(12:34):
me about those submissions. What's it like to fly that plane?
But tell me about that. I've been asked many times,
would you rather do go back play for the Cowboys
or fly? I said I would go back and fly
in a harp Cowboys, Been there, done that. I want
to go fly. Still that young boy and me still
wants to go. Let my hair on fire and let's go.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Because of your real job, because that's exactactly what it
was being a fighter pilot in the Air Force. You
walked in the doors with respect that had nothing to
do with football. That's a rarity, you know that. That's
a rarity in the NFL or any professional sport. For
a veteran, let alone combat veteran, to walk in the doors.
(13:19):
Something tells me that they're not going to say heyo,
carry my helmet.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Yeah, for me though, I still felt that I had
the personal discipline, call it whatever, the mindset that I
had to earn it. Even though I had accomplished stuff,
that I had to still go out there and prove
my worst right, same as when I went to be,
you know, in a fire squad, you have to prove
you have that gravitas. Rank has its privileges, they have
to be earned to that point. For me, yeah, I
(13:45):
did have that reputation, that respect from that, but I
still for me personally, I did have that mentality that hey,
look at me, look at it I did. I was
a fighter pilot. No, that's what I did. You know,
what you do is not to find who you are
from a mindset standpoint. But I still had to go
in and I had to prove that I could be
a football player.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
And we mentioned you were older. You were twenty seven
when you got into the league. And so now here's
Super Bowl three and you're older, but your family's there.
You're a family man. Maybe the rest of them are
going to go out and get drunken party.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
But Jerry owaystill is a great party afterwards where all
the families would come by. Then it's eleven twelve, o'clock
at night. You just got them playing a game. You're
spent anyway, but you're still from that emotional high. The
adrenaline is still flowing. Just a chance to decompress with family,
with teammates, get a picture in front of Lombardi Trophy,
the third one, the third one.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Yeah, in four years.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Take us now to post super Bowl. It's February. You're
ready to relax, recharge, do family time. Take us to
that period.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
We had been two weeks into our vacation time. We
had been to Iowa to see my family were out
in Colorado see and my wife's family. Also the player
rep for the Cowboys at the time, which meant to
a part of our players Association, and we'd get a
trip out to Hawaii to Maui every year. So that
was in the first part of March. So kind of prepping,
laying back, relaxing for that. But then my son Chase,
(15:09):
who was two and a half at the time, just
woke up with a fever. Didn't feel well. I was
at the Cowboys facility doing a light workout. My wife
took him two of the pediatrician and white kids always
get sick on a Friday. I don't know, but this
was on Friday, so we said just take him home,
will monitor him. But anyway, he continued to get worse,
high high fevers, rash started to grow all over his body,
(15:32):
and like, what the heck's going on here, So we
admitted him to the hospital and we spent the next
week in the hospital where they poked and prod dropped
blood trying to figure out what this is, and bottom mind,
they had no clue. And then we were released. After
spending a week in the hospital with what they called
the fever of an unknown origin, his body started to
(15:54):
attack itself, creating an autoimmune process and went on for days,
for weeks, so emaciated and depleted, to the point where
we had to do some emergency medical procedures to keep
him from going on. And it was for me tough
(16:15):
because this was a point in my life. You know,
at the time, I was the strongest cowboy Jake. I
could bench five point fifty, I could squat seven fifty
at Believe me, I intimidated more doctors to stand over.
I'm like, okay, doctor, fix my son, right, fix my son.
You know, we don't know what's going on. We'll try
this we'll try this cocktail. That's called practicing medicine. And
I don't blame the physicians because it's the human body
(16:37):
is so ornate that everybody is so unique that it's
not a one stop shop to fix or create somebody
by here, take this pill or keep this medication. The
human body reacts in different ways. It'd be like daily,
his fever would start to go up, and you'd give
him his children's tile and all or motrin, and that's
a dose he can only give every four hours. But
(17:00):
his fever continued to climb throughout a hundred and one
hundred and two hundred and three. I'm like, okay, now,
what do you do? Draw a type of temperature bath,
go old school to bring the core body temperature down.
It was in our master bedroom and my wife was outside,
no she's crying, and I'm looking at my son and
he's it's like, daddy, Daddy, am I.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Gonna be okay? You know, realize he's two and a half.
He doesn't know what's going on. And I'm like, yeah, buddy,
you're gonna be good, daddy. What's the matter with me?
Why do I feel so bad all the time? And
I'm my son, you can be okay, buddy, and inside
of me, by guess it's just being torn out.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
And again, because I was a guy who was always
performance based, I could fix anything by my work, ethic ability, whatever,
and I couldn't do anything. And this is where I
came to the end of myself. I pray that three words,
simple prayer, God help me, because I can't do it.
I can't do it. But this was the one thing
in my life that I couldn't fix, that I couldn't correct.
(17:57):
And that's where I struggled. I really struggle with that
aspect of who I am as a man. You know,
why can't I do this? It was either going through school, academics.
You study harder on the wrestling matter, on the football field,
you practice harder, you put more time in. But this
was the one thing in my life that I couldn't fix,
that I couldn't correct. And I started with my fate.
(18:19):
You know, I ask God why? And also who are
you that you could allow this little boy to be
able to suffer like this? And I questioned it. Man.
I during this time, I read, of all people, Nietzsche,
who had a quote that says, he who has a
why to live, work, and bear almost anyhow. He who
has a purpose, a mindset, and identity. It came to
(18:39):
me is okay, not necessarily why did this happen? But
it became okay, to who am I going through this?
God doesn't take you out of it. He gives you
the strength and the courage to sustain and to walk
through it. And that's where I learned that truth for me.
And I didn't have anybody around me. I didn't have
my tribe around me, the guys where you can really
(19:00):
feel it. You could open up, be honest and say, guys,
I'm not holding it together today, or guys that you
know my son had fevered up to one hundred and
five last night, we spent the night in the hospital,
or he was up all night crying and you know
I can't Or I had to take him to a
specialist my day off yesterday for Tuesday, and then it
just these things he can't share because at that time
(19:20):
I do want to say, hey, I don't have it
all together, because that was the antithesis of what I
thought it meant to be a man. You know that
you have to have it all together, you have to
have all the answers that you can't show any chinks
in your armor, that you have to be Rambo or
Jason Bourne or going back to my day, John Wayne,
that's what it means to be a man. And it
(19:42):
impacted my marriage too. And I looked at statistics that
showed where couples that have a child that goes through
extreme illness or the death of a child, divorce rates
are way north of AVE. That's the one thing my
wife and I sat down from a relational standpoint, Hey
we're in for the long haul, let's stick together. But
for me, I look back that whole fight or flight mechanism.
(20:03):
I was in a constant firefight the whole time. I
had to emotionally disconnect myself to the point that I
had or survive. I got to compartmentalize. I got to
play a game on Sunday. But then coming home, my
son's got to go to a treatment or whatever, and
he's not feeling well. What's the plan of execution? That
you never had time to decompress and never had no
(20:24):
off time. So you'd imagine the constant cornsole levels that
are showing through your body, the adrenaline rush, and I
thank god that I was able to sustain me through
us and from my wife to it alone. I'm look
at me, I'm sitting here complaining about this, but what
my son went through was beyond that. I mean, this
is a little kid that would be time for you
couldn't even put a sheet on him, it would be
(20:46):
so painful for him to even sleep, and not being
able to go to school with his classmates just because
he hurt all over. The extreme amount of pain, it
broke our hearts for my wife and myself, and that's
where our faith as Christians got stronger. We did realize
that God loves Chase, God loved us is more than
we could ever love him in that regard, and it
(21:09):
actually strengthened our faith and it gave me an extreme
sense of empathy towards others that are going through trials
in life. That man, I know what you're going through.
I know what you're going through, and I tell you, man,
just hang in there. There is hope. There's always hope.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
But you are the man that you are today.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
Because of that struggle and the struggle as we all know,
I've learned more through my pain and through my suffering
and obstacles in life. Than I did through any Super
Bowl victory. That was what defined me and for my
son and myself, that helped define our relationship going forward.
It's made him the man that he is today. But
that's where as parents now, and as i'll give philosophical here,
(21:49):
we do our kids at disservice by denying them the
ability to struggle, the ability to go through life to
figure it out.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
You learn your lessons in the valleys, not on the peaks.
The view from the top is great, but you knew
that It's all about what did you learned during the climb.
And that's something that I think we can all relate
to you. We all know that you're gonna get knocked down,
it's a guarantee. And for you to be able to
at that time having this epic high and then looking
(22:23):
at Chase and feeling one d per helpless, it is
something for people like us it is very foreign. You know,
after I got hit, I never did me Why God,
I didn't do that. I was grateful, in fact that
it was me and not my fellow Marines, better me
(22:45):
than my marines. But I was pissed that I lived
because I went from being one of as you all know,
one of the world's most elite gladiators to good news
a bathroom on my own and literally a millisecond that
started my journey of helplessness and having to succumb to
(23:08):
my pride and lay down my weapons and go, Okay,
I'm not gonna be able to win this one on
my own, like I'm gonna need help for everything. And
I can only imagine as a father now, and literally
when I say that, I mean it, I can only
imagine and not even well. And I know Chase and
love you guys and love your family, and to know
(23:29):
what you guys went through, I can only imagine that feeling.
But the one thing that is all relatable to us
I've learned in my journey thus far is pain and
suffering sucks. Yeah, and we're not built to do it alone.
There's times in life where your grit is gonna be
(23:50):
equally as tested, if not more so, as your grace.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
You also had to embrace the vulnerability of talking about it,
of building that community around you, because you couldn't do
it alone.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
You know. And that was why I was so got
into a lot of the guys coming back from down
range that coming back with post traumatic stress. We all
as young men bought off on that lie that to
be a man, you had to show that you weren't vulnerable,
that you can never show any vulnerability, that you had
to have it all together at all times. And that's
(24:25):
the antithesis of it, particularly for our guys today, because
you're constantly engaged in that fight or flight. Whereas conflicts
in the past, yeah, you may have a period of time,
but then you had a reprieve. I can miss imagine,
you know, the Peloponnesian War back in the Greek times,
that guys would go through a major battle and they
sit around the campfire and they talk out. Man, did
you see that dude I hit today? Man, his head
(24:47):
just lopped up, you know. Yeah, but they're able to
process and talk through that.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Or the Spartans, it was mandatory that they wurn their losses. Yeah,
for an hour after every major battle. And we've regressed
tremendously as warriors, modern day warriors and gladiators. And it's like, man,
where did we go wrong? Where did that start? Because
just like you said, it's a lie, and not only
to the warrior class, but to me the humankind where
(25:12):
I grew up where I actually grew up. Bad things
happen and it's like, hey, you be okay, you're good.
Let's keep on moving. We'll not talk about it. You'll
be fine, just keep going. It's like, Nope, that's not suppressing.
And at some point that pressure cooker is going to
go off right.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
And it just keeps building and building. But you realized
you needed support around you, and you also knew that
other people need support too. So what did you do?
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Amen started a men's ministry group called Wingman because I
thought about these experiences that I had in life. Every
time that I would fly a mission, whether it be
a training missionor mission in combat, I never went solo.
You guys, never went out ever solo. Even with the
sniper team. You always had a spot or you always
had somebody with you all the time.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Always have a shadow to check.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
Your six and we always talk about check your six
because as people, you can't see back one behind you.
That's why you need those relationships the success. For me
to have a successful mission come back and land, I
needed to take care of my wingmen. My wingmen needed
to take care of me, and if we didn't the
likelihood of something bad happening to us goes way up,
(26:16):
and the likehood of us actually accomplishing the mission goes
way down.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
So how is Chase today?
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Chase is doing great. Bought us first house last year.
He's dating a nice young Lady's got a phenomenal job.
He's doing really well. Physically. He has had his limitations.
He gets around a wheelchair. He had a lot of
arthritic damage done to his joints in some of the
connective soft tissue.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
But his attitude palpable.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
I love that young man. And the fact that I've
been around is some extreme, strong minded, high performers in
all aspects, but they pale in comparison to him for
what he went through and his effort, his mentality. He
gets up and every day it's a choice. I may
not feel well, but man, I'm gonna go out and
(27:03):
make it a great day. And I ask, that's what
life's about. As if I had anything to do with
that as a father, you know, but you did was
just what God's sustained him. And he has become a
phenomenal young man and I couldn't be more proud of
who he has become as man. And for me, that's
my legacy. I could care less about the Super Bowls
(27:24):
or air Force status or my legacy was gonna outlast me.
Is him, He and my daughter and venture their grandkids,
and that, to me, that's what life's about. Relationships.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
That's beautiful. And it's clear you're not only proud of
him as a father, but he inspires you every day.
That's amazing. What better legacy could you have? So, having
gone through this, how do you define strength?
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Now?
Speaker 4 (27:48):
It's the ability to be able to when you face adversity,
to face it and to continue to plod forward and
to move forward. To me, that strength, that's courage. Having
the fear, having the potential anxiety of knowing what's going
to happen, but still willing to face it and to
go forward. That's true strength. Every day, every day.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Preachy much what Jake was doing a speaking engagement one
time and EMMTT Smith was sitting on the side and
he kept going preach Jake like all times, like loud
as hell.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
I looked at him. I almost gave him like to
come on, man, trying to talk. I have a very
limited time. Man.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
So do you find yourself using the lessons in your
day to day life. Now you're jat Inning is the husband, father, businessman,
leader in your community, I mean your leader in every
fast in your life. And do you use the lessons
that you've learned through these trying times? Do you think
on a day to day basis?
Speaker 4 (28:53):
Every day? Every day? You know? And that's one of
the things I took this course. Make your very sponsorous
for brain health doctor Sandy Chapman phenomenal, very familiar. Yeah, yeah,
I love said. But you know what I took from
her book and going through that was that people talk
about intelligence wrote memory, regurgitating content, information, but that's not it.
(29:14):
What true intelligence is is the ability to think integratively, innovatively, strategically.
So for me, it's the aspect of taking your experience
or someone else's experience and being able to apply and
apply that to my life. And that's where I take
the experiences from listening to you or another mentor or myself.
How can I apply that to me? And how can
(29:34):
I make that personal for me? And that's what I've
really strive for my life now is to take some
of these experiences because not everybody's going to get a
chance to fly a jet or play for the cowboys
or do those things. But when I'm talking about what
it boils down to it each and every one of us.
I go through the same routine which you can go
through to apply these lessons to your life. And that's
(29:57):
embrace the suck, Embrace the grind, celebrate the time, movements,
be with your family. All those things. They're universal truths.
And I don't care who you are what you do again,
what you do is not define who you are, but
that's those are lessons that can be applied to anybody
in any facet of your life.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Nor what's happened to you define who you are exactly.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Yeah, what do you do to relax or recharge?
Speaker 4 (30:22):
Be around my family? You know? And that's the thing
that we are now empty nesters. So my wife and
I we make time too. We have a call it
coffee time and wine time. We have coffee in the morning,
we go through our day devotionally. All night, we come
home and maybe have a glass of wine and just
relax talk about the day. And for me that's peace
(30:43):
and how I also I work out. I love to
work out after that and I love to read books.
That's what recharges me and my aspect of self awareness
and self help. Is trying to expand my knowledge base
absolutely greatness.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Is there one person organization that's had a significant impact
on you in your life that you can think of?
Speaker 4 (31:07):
The guys who have impacted me the most, particularly early
in my life for my coaches, yep. And I think
that's the most hallowed profession in our culture today as
being a coach.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Yeah, it's just this lifelong impact.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
They changed the trajectory of my life. Yeah, because I
was a kid, you know, not highly recruited a small
rural community in Iowa for football, and I wanted to
play division on college football. My coach my junior senior
year that summer asked, Chad, what do you want to do? Coach,
I'd really like to go to the Air Force Academy.
Wasn't how they recruited to play at a football powerhouse school.
(31:43):
He took it upon himself to make a sixteen millimeters
highlight follow and me drove it nine hundred miles from
our hometown in Iowa to Colorado Springs, handed off to
the coaches there that recruited that area and says, you
need to take a look at this kid. That's how
I got there. Wow, probably changed the trajectory my life
with that question. Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
One question we ask all of our guests on the
good stuff. What feeds your soul?
Speaker 4 (32:09):
What feeds my soul is my relationship with my Lord Savior,
Jesus Christ Barnard and Blood by Pascal. That inside man
is a God size vacuum that only God can fill.
And I've tried to fill with so many other different
passions and pursuits of life, and it was always vacuous,
and it was always empty. But he is the one
that brings me a purpose, meaning and satisfaction in life.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Beautiful, well said brother. All Right, have one more question, Yeah,
and I'm asking it. So you've played with the Dallas
Cowboys for nine seasons, you have three Super Bowl championships
under your belt, and according to the stats, you have
exactly one NFL touchdown.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
Explain it was against Arizona Cardinals. Out there, it was
it's like the twenty yard line. We did a run
blitz Darren and came through as a safety blitz. Just
nailed the running back in the Yeah, drop the ball
right in front of me, you know, I picked it
up and it was like a rolling ball of butcher knives. Man,
I did. I. I had to run about fifteen yards
(33:13):
to run into the end zone. This is what's funny,
and this is the impact of a coach. I get there,
and this is what's crazy. I remember what my high
school football coach, same guy that drove the film out
to the Air Force Academy, said, he goes, act like
you've been here before, sear. I ran up to the
referee and I handed in the football and I started
drawing back. But then I realized, Hey, in the NFL,
(33:33):
you can keep the footballs, I said, sir, Can I
have that? I'd like that was my only Touchdo I'll
probably have?
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Can I have that?
Speaker 4 (33:39):
I ran back, But that's that stuck with me forever
and has those important life lessons. Act like you've been
here before.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
I do. I do remember it. And did you call
me a mentor?
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Okay, I was just checking because Chad Hennings referred to
me as a mentor.
Speaker 4 (33:58):
It's recorded anybody that you can learn something from in
life as a mentor.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Absolutely, we have learned a lot today, and we're truly
grateful that you not only took the time to come
and do this, but to be vulnerable with us and
share with us your story, your highs and your lows,
and all of the lessons you've learned from it. Such
an incredible story and we're truly grateful.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Dude, nothing but love, respect, and admiration for you and
your family. You epitomize mentor and leader and victor, and
you do it with grace and humility, and you do
it beautifully.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Bro.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Yeah, just your presence and existence is inspiring. So thanks
for the hope and the soul for brother. I literally
want to run through a brick.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Wall or climb a mountain.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Nope, I'll take the brick wall. So inspiring what this
does for my soul.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
The best way I can describe it is on the
drive here. You know, I'm on the Struggle bus right now,
and I see these guys on this window washing mechanism
on this giant building in Dallas, smelling out hope with
white panels or something on the side of the building,
(35:12):
and it was like a godwink for me, like, hey,
you got it, You're good. And that's what I get
from this. This is the perspective and the mindset that
I needed today.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Right, And like Chad said, it's all about mindset that
no matter how prepared you are in life. You and
I we always try to prepare, make sure we've got
all of our tea's crossed and all of our eyes
dotted and all of our ducks in a row, because
we've lived and lead such a busy life, but life
still happens. And hearing Chad talk about everything that he
went through and he's got it all squared away and
(35:47):
then life happened. You know, was that life happening to
him or was that life happening for him? And it's
just so beautiful to hear mindset, perseverance, just keep going
no matter what. Dig deep, but you can get through
through this, you can get to the top of that peak.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Act like you've been there before. I think that has
everything to do with mindset. Regardless of what the circumstances
is or what may arise. Don't overreact, don't underreact, just
act like you've been there before.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
And I feel like that's what we all struggle with.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
And because we have all these different things going on,
But if we're able to just act like we've been
there before, that's gonna put us completely present in the moment,
just like today where again I'm driving the struggle bus,
but I get in this conversation. I acted like I've
been here before, and it really the rest took care
(36:40):
of itself. So it is all about mindset and perseperience
and understanding.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
It's not over. That's why I'll take the brick wall,
screw the mountains.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
I'm so grateful to have this soul food today because
we need it. We all need it from time to time.
If you enjoyed this story with Chad Hennings, please feel
free to share this episode. And if you have a
story that you want Jake and I to tell here
on The Good Stuff, something that's fed your soul, something
that's encouraged you to go on, please reach.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Out to us.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
The Good Stuff is executive produced by Ashley Schick, Jacob Schick,
Leah Pictures and q Code Media. Hosted by Ashley Shick
and Jacob Shick. Produced by Nick Casselini and Ryan Counts.
House post production supervisor Will Tindi. Music by Will Haywood Smith,
edited by Mike Robinson, sound effects by Eric Aaron, Mixed
(37:41):
by Ryan Sanchez,
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