Equal First Aid

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The following is a paid podcast. iHeartRadio's hosting of this
podcast constitutes neither an endorsement of the products offered or
the ideas expressed.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome to the Man in the Arena, brought to you
by Life Back, the airway clearance device that has now
saved over thirty five hundred lives in thirty nine countries.
Go to lifefac dot net get the original authentic life Back.
Use code MIITA for discounts on protecting.

Speaker 3 (00:25):
Those you love. In fact, email me.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
For God's sakes, I'll get your life back. Our Thatcher
fat s e H E r at lifefact dot net.
Teddy Roosevelt said it best. It is not the critical accounts,
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in
the arena. What inspired Arthur Lee protecting his daughter and
then the world's success Leaves clues will explore each chapter

(00:50):
of author's book, Sorry Can't as a lie, and hear
from other men and women in their arenas. Get ready
to be inspired. Welcome to the Man in the Arena.
I'm Rick Thatcher. I am pleased Just punch to be
joined by Patrick O'Rourke, stand up comic extraordinaire and lifelong
friend and Tony Libate. Tony Libate of Equal First Aid,

(01:13):
Welcome to the show.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
Welcome to the arena.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
You've been on before, but to bring people across the country,
of course, we're in La San Diego, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Allentown, PA,
and New York City.

Speaker 3 (01:27):
New to the man in the arena.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Want to do tell us Tony Libate's EFA story.

Speaker 4 (01:33):
Okay, we'll start from the beginning. So ef A Equal
First Aid was founded four years ago and we want
to bring awareness for the immediate need for airway clearance
devices to protect people, all people, but especially those with
disabilities from choking tragedies. So when Equal First Aid was formed,

(01:54):
we were met with a New Jersey mom and legislation
in New Jersey that would allow our way clearance devices
to be placed in all schools. So from there, Equal
First Date snowballed and we now have eleven states with legislation.
Eleven states twelve bills because Mississippi had the two bills,
but they will be reintroduced. So we have eleven states

(02:15):
in the short four years and just the past couple
of days, things have been just exploding.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Big things happening in Texas. Do you want to like
not jinx it? Is that it about Texas?

Speaker 4 (02:26):
So no, I don't want to Yeah, I don't want
to jinx it. There is no celebrating until it's time
to celebrate. That's the way I believe that would be
the signing, the signing of yes, yeah at any point.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
We talked earlier about covering topics that we necessarily might
not want to delve into, Like delving is something we
like to do. But if we're not to delve, you
just stop, drop and roll or throw something sharp at
myself or pat Now.

Speaker 5 (02:53):
To delve or not to delve?

Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yes, that's the question. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
So you're listening to the man in the radio, listening
to Tony little bit equal first aid.

Speaker 3 (03:00):
We're talking about Texas.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
How much can we share about the process passes the House,
passes the Senate a bill that would make it mandatory
the whole state.

Speaker 3 (03:09):
This is not a small state, big state, everything's big.

Speaker 4 (03:12):
Don't mess with Clarence devices in every school.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
And I would say, don't mess with Tony Lebate the
vehicle first an, for God's sakes, this is.

Speaker 4 (03:20):
Our first state. That has House and Senate and it
is on the governor's desk.

Speaker 3 (03:25):
Wow, so it's imminent, we'll say so hopefully.

Speaker 4 (03:29):
Yeah, there's three things that can happen. He can sign
the bill, put it into law. He can veto the bill,
and he can do nothing. If he does nothing, it
becomes a law. So we will know by June twenty second.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, it seems crazy as and I guess anything's possible
in this world, as we've learned a little bit before COVID,
during COVID and since. But you have to think that
given the nature of the political climate, things moving in
the right direction.

Speaker 3 (03:55):
Now you work on the state level.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
We also talked last week about going down and fighting
kind of stirring the pot on a national level. We
went down and met with the VA. But this whole thing,
I just think the momentum with FDA attention, with the
VA attention, I think that things, and certainly with the
FA and the Texas States and now eleven states. I

(04:19):
think when we started, when I started with Life Fact,
you were in seven and I thought that was monumental
because YFA remind me the staff is not as vast
as people might think.

Speaker 4 (04:30):
Right, it's time it's time to up it a little bit,
especially after this past week. So it's you, It's it
is I. Yes, and I have I have directors, but.

Speaker 3 (04:39):
But you are your own boss.

Speaker 4 (04:40):
I am, and I do have directors that are on
their not for profit has to have their directors, but
and they're wonderful, but they have full time jobs also.
So we do what we can as a not for
profit organization. And I'm very very proud to say that.
As things are, I think they're just starting to blow up.

Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (05:00):
So, unfortunately, there was a choking tragedy that just came
to light in Maryland, and it was in twenty nineteen,
and I reached out to the reporter I find it
best on social media. He got right back to me
and within I think that was like May seventeenth, and
right then and there we set up a call and
they did an interview with Equal First Aid and that

(05:22):
was yesterday. I got a phone call today from a
representative's office that asked that they would like to do a.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
Bill so Maryland, Maryland, based on a case from twenty nineteen.

Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yeah, so a student special needs?

Speaker 4 (05:35):
Yes? Is that the correct he did well, not really
special needs, but yes, but he had pica. So pica
is where they put all different types of objects in
their mouth. So this happened to be a rubber glove. Wow,
And there was nobody there to save him, and he
choked on a glove. He was seventeen years old. That
story just came out now because of lawsuits, et cetera.

(05:57):
You know, the families are allowed to speak now. So
that just happened in May. And we had an interview
yesterday and today I'm contacted that they want legislation now
in Maryland.

Speaker 2 (06:08):
Unbelievable, So this will be twelve or is that included
in that?

Speaker 4 (06:11):
It'll be twelve? But also today I spoke with Shane
and I know that they're doing great things this week
with Arthur Lee. So we're also going to hit Florida.

Speaker 2 (06:19):
So your reference to Arthur Lee, who couldn't be with
us tonight, CEO and ventorre Life fact working with Shane
Foresman in the great state of Florida.

Speaker 3 (06:26):
So Florida it was not included.

Speaker 2 (06:28):
In that eleven and now will be because they're doing
incredible They're.

Speaker 4 (06:31):
Doing incredible games, but it's a matter of getting the
legislator in there. It's a matter of getting the bill,
so I will be sending them a bill to reference to,
and I'll be also sending it into Maryland.

Speaker 2 (06:40):
So other cities. Of course, we mentioned that they outset Texas.
Big news in Texas, so those listening in Dallas and
Houston could be great news in the very near future.
Life fact coming to a school near you mandatory. What
about California and other areas? So we're in New York.
Man in the arena is broadcast New York, La, San Diego,

(07:02):
So California is anything going on?

Speaker 4 (07:03):
So noting nothing in California. We've tried a few times.

Speaker 3 (07:06):
Governor Newsom, so we have to get legislation, get on
the horn.

Speaker 4 (07:10):
Yeah, but we do have New York New York had
passed the Senate in twenty twenty two and then installed
in the Assembly. But we do have great news. June
twelfth was a hearing for New York City where all
New York City schools will have to be equipped with
an airway clearance device. The representative put this bill in
a year ago August. Her grandfather choked to death in

(07:31):
a restaurant, so she's very passionate. She has the bill.
It was supposed to be for June twelfth, but it
got delayed. There's a new date on that. But once
she's done, every New York City school will have to
be equipped with Life Acts. And then from there, once
she's re elected, we're going to go after all the restaurants.

Speaker 2 (07:46):
Yeah, so amazing, amazing, Yes, Pat, Can you imagine when
we were back in school and the war, like, say,
the warners were in the cafeteria and things were getting
passed around. Could you imagine if there was a product
like Life Act available and the administration for some strange
reason was fighting it and wouldn't have it available.

Speaker 5 (08:05):
No, I can't. It's not that much of a different
world either. I mean, if you're a parent, why wouldn't
you you definitely want I don't think one. I think
schools are big enough where you should have two or
three in the school. I mean every cafeteria, every gym.

Speaker 3 (08:17):
Kids be eating in the library.

Speaker 5 (08:19):
Yeah, it's not like a thousand dollars items, right, seventy dollars.

Speaker 4 (08:22):
So there's two things. One, what I love about the
Texas Bill is that it's not a financial burden on
the schools. They can be donated or purchased with grant money.

Speaker 3 (08:30):
But sorry, interet we should go ahead.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
We have something we worked on soundproofing the studio, but
it hasn't come in yet. I think they unraveled it
because we hear might be a fracas or some sort
of ruckus.

Speaker 4 (08:45):
And Tony's ready. We spoke about that.

Speaker 3 (08:47):
You're listening to the ruckus in the arena.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
Red Thatcher along with Tony Lebate and Powder Rourke, and
we've been just talking about the legislation that's going on
and the illegal aspect of getting life as deployed common sense.
You think nationwide, it's coming back, it's back in favor,
back in style.

Speaker 4 (09:04):
So there is no financial burden really on any of
the schools. So that's what I love about.

Speaker 2 (09:08):
Well, that's and that's what's great about the original appearance.
And I don't know if you were in Wisconsin. Was
it Wisconsin where Arthur Lee made the presentation and they
asked a question about money and budget and he said,
if you request one any school Now, if we're only
in twenty percent of the schools after this next statement,
it's amazing to me. It shows how much odd resistance

(09:29):
there might be to having life acts around. And that is,
if you request a Life Act you can get it
for free. And that was originally just for Wisconsin and
then nationwide. Now I think a Life fact has donated
seven million dollars worth of Life Act advice. But still
only twenty percent of schools nationwide. It's far too few.

Speaker 4 (09:48):
We have to work on that.

Speaker 2 (09:50):
Then we continue to fight on That's when Arthur says,
keep going. You know, we have a great save, we
have a great day, we have a great number of saves,
or a great legislative win.

Speaker 4 (10:00):
We say keep going, and then the winds are going
to just keep coming. Because as like as this whole
week has just been really blowing me away. And so
also here's another little story, even just with a little podcast.
I was contacted by a gentleman with spina bifida that's
up in Rochester in a facility, and it's just so
nice to form these friendships. You know, obviously we've never met,

(10:21):
but I was able to donate a unit to him
and send a little care package. But the word is
getting out there. We have to have everybody protected from
a choking emergency. And that's going to be my goal.
And as I mentioned earlier, you know, I hit opposition,
I get messages, I get nasty messages in my messenger,
and you know, I'm ignoring it's it's just a passion.

(10:42):
It's just it's just saving lives. I mean, I don't
understand where where the trolls are coming from and why
do they not want this?

Speaker 2 (10:51):
But some areas it's politics and it creeps into everything,
and I don't think there's a place for politics in
first aid in general. Lead choking people don't have any
political interest at that time when they're choking.

Speaker 3 (11:04):
Yeah, so it shouldn't be.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
But we see it every day and we also just
see you know, let's say it evil.

Speaker 4 (11:10):
I also found out today, which I'm not sure if
it will be on the news, there was another choking
tragedy out east.

Speaker 3 (11:17):
On Long Island. Yeah, so five thousand people.

Speaker 2 (11:20):
Just so folks that are tuning in and not, you know,
don't live it every day like the folks at Life
Back and Equal first Aid. Five thousand people year die
of a choking emergency. It's the fourth leading cause of
accidental death, and it's preventable.

Speaker 3 (11:33):
It's is that the powerful way to say it.

Speaker 2 (11:37):
It's really amazing, you know, So another one out east,
what was the the details?

Speaker 4 (11:42):
Five year old passed away. But you know, what I'm
learning too is like a lot of people, you know,
some of the comments are, hey, I've been in school
all these years and I've there's nobody choked in school,
nobody passed. But that's what we don't hear about. So
I had spoken to a fireman's wife who said that
a little I forget what you call them, but like
I'm going to date myself the CB radio or.

Speaker 3 (12:03):
Transmit sure Ham radio whatever.

Speaker 4 (12:06):
Yeah, whatever they listen to. Now every day there's a
choking emergency every single day, and that's how.

Speaker 2 (12:14):
So we talk about the ones that end in ultimate
tragedy five thousand people a year, but there is if
we hear more, and there's far more nine to one
one calls and interventions, and that's if we.

Speaker 4 (12:26):
Hear about it. And if there's a lawsuit, we're not
going to hear about.

Speaker 3 (12:29):
It, right, that's when things go.

Speaker 4 (12:31):
So it's just to prevent it. I don't know why,
you know, again, why there's opposition, but we have opposition,
all different levels of opposition. Whether it's there's no staffing
in the schools with their school nurse, well, that's all
the more reason than that. You should have an airway
clearance device. You don't have a nurse. Somebody is responsible,
So I say to them, then, who's responsible? Who's responsible

(12:52):
for these children? Whenther? You have no nurse? Train them.
We have a lot of different levels. But we're going
to keep going, like you said, and keep fighting.

Speaker 3 (12:59):
Keep going.

Speaker 2 (13:00):
You're listening to Tony Lebato vehicle first Aid here with
powder urick pat as always a common sense argument of
having life facts available.

Speaker 5 (13:08):
Life act is it takes three minutes to train you
how to do it. Yep, it's an orthodsign type device,
but on a choker's mouth and just pull back.

Speaker 3 (13:16):
That's yeah.

Speaker 5 (13:17):
It's not like a fibilated paddles or you know, you
don't have to be a doctor. Yeah, that's all right.
There's not a nurse. The principle should know or every
teacher should know how to do it. Yeah, say five
minutes beginning of the year and just train them all.

Speaker 2 (13:27):
You know, we've been talking with Tony Lebta vehicle first
Aid coming up in the next segment.

Speaker 3 (13:31):
I'm excited.

Speaker 2 (13:32):
We're going to visit Sorry Cantes a lie and within
that the book that Arthur Lee wrote, go to Life
Fact Dot net.

Speaker 3 (13:38):
Get the book, Sorry Cantes a lie. In that book
is a great chapter.

Speaker 2 (13:40):
Called The Games Due Count, which is a book by
the great Brian Kilmead. Coming up in the next segment,
we're gonna be talking to Larry Sunderland, Massapequa soccer legend
and now doing on the national scale, international scale. I
can't wait to talk to Larry after this break on
the man in the Arena.

Speaker 6 (13:56):
Life AAC is proud to be at the forefront of
innovation in choking rescue. Recently, the American Red Cross updated
its guidelines to include anti choking devices as an option
for choking emergencies. This life saving update recognizes the importance
of tools like Lifeact designed to help when traditional methods
may not be feasible or fail. LIFEAC is there when

(14:16):
seconds matter most. Join the thousands of families who trust
Life Aact. LIFEAC can make the difference between life and loss.
Go to life bac dot com to get yours today.

Speaker 7 (14:27):
Hi, I'm Arthur, the inventor, founder and CEO of LIFEAC
and a proud father. Did you know choking is the
fourth leading cause of accidental death. Tragically, one child dies
every five days. Now, imagine your child, your spouse or
someone you love choking. You have only seconds act. It's
a situation no one wants to face, but it can

(14:47):
happen to anyone. That's why I created Life back. Life
BAC is a life saving airway clearance device that's already
saved over three thousand lives. It's easy to use, non invasive,
and gives you the p to act when every second counts.
Don't wait until it's too late. Visit lifefac dot net
today and use promo code life to save twenty percent

(15:09):
on your life back home kit. That's lifefact dot net
promo code Life. Join thousands of families who own life
back lifevac can make the difference between life and loss.
Go to lifefac dot net and get yours today.

Speaker 3 (15:24):
Hi.

Speaker 7 (15:24):
I'm Martha Lee, CEO and inventor of life back, a
simple choking rescue device that thirteen years ago was made
my garage to protect my daughter.

Speaker 3 (15:35):
Now all of these lives have been saved thanks to
life back, over four thousand lives and over two thousand kids.
But still a child dies every.

Speaker 4 (15:44):
Five days for joking.

Speaker 7 (15:45):
Please, our family is everything to us. Consider protecting your
family in a choking emergency. With Lifeback. Go to Lifeback
dot Net today, thanks Nan.

Speaker 1 (15:57):
Now on iHeartRadio more of a Man in the Arena
the Life Back Radio Show.

Speaker 8 (16:03):
Here again are Arthur Lee and Rick Thatcher.

Speaker 2 (16:06):
How great is it to see Arthur and Jackie Lee
on the commercial almost ten years after the initial one
where Jackie was only.

Speaker 3 (16:14):
Seven or eight years old.

Speaker 2 (16:16):
It really is beautiful and and he rips her out
of college. She doesn't mind missing class as far as
we know. But it's great to see Arthur and Jackie.

Speaker 3 (16:24):
Even though they're not here tonight, they're with us and
we're able to see them on the commercial.

Speaker 2 (16:30):
Anyway, We're back. My name is Rick Ftcher. You're listening
to the Man in the Arena. We're in La San Diego, Orlando, Houston, Dallas, Alantown, Pa,
Alan toown Pa sneaking in there and they want and
of course the great state of New York I mentioned before.
And we're going to get to c J.

Speaker 3 (16:47):
Douglas.

Speaker 2 (16:47):
I see CJ in the waiting room. But I want
to bring on Larry Sunderland.

Speaker 3 (16:51):
How are you, Larry?

Speaker 9 (16:52):
Good?

Speaker 10 (16:52):
Rick?

Speaker 4 (16:53):
How you doing? Man?

Speaker 3 (16:53):
Great to see it. You look great.

Speaker 2 (16:55):
And now we reconnected thanks to Bruce Stegner about a
year ago.

Speaker 3 (16:59):
But it's so great.

Speaker 2 (17:00):
You reached out a couple weeks ago, and it was
so great, and I wanted the opportunity for you to
come on talk about when we talk about the book,
and of course Brian Kilmead's book and inside Arthur's book
as a chapter on the Games due Count, I don't
know of anyone that personifies the Games due Count more
because you came from a great soccer town of Massapequa

(17:22):
and you ran with it. Tell us a little bit
about your journey after graduating from Berner.

Speaker 10 (17:28):
I was really blessed to grow up in Massapequa with
so many great people and so many great role models.
I think that's something that you take with you everywhere
you go. I'm a long islander. That's something I'm really
proud of, and I'm really proud of Massapequa. When I
left Fordham University, and I was fortunate enough to play
a bit with the New York Express at that time
of the old MISL. As you know, Rick so many

(17:50):
of these leagues at that time, prior to MLS, you know,
it was a different acronym for every league, and something
would come along, something would fold.

Speaker 2 (17:58):
Still is right. Yeah, MLS is established and it's a staple.
But when you get into the lower divisions and lower
leagues and you know, we have it now, it's just
hard to keep track.

Speaker 3 (18:10):
It is it is.

Speaker 10 (18:11):
You know, it was a grind and I did that
for about thirteen years.

Speaker 2 (18:15):
Question, Larry, and I asked you the story. Let's just
go back a little bit further and talk about the
importance of you know, your dad, Wayne Sunderland, was you know,
one of the founding fathers of the Messpeaker soccer Club
certainly and Long Island in general was involved with the cosmos.
So how great was it to have the mayor of
Massapeople Park in your household?

Speaker 3 (18:33):
Call him dad?

Speaker 10 (18:34):
Pretty crazy, right, it was. I got involved with soccer
so young because of that, and he wasn't you know Rick,
you know, my dad wasn't like a soccer guy. He
was an American sports guy, you know, who just kind
of fell in love with the game. And it was
like my house was was pretty interesting because it was
it was athletics and it was politics. You know, it
was pretty cool for me. And I'm still kind of

(18:55):
like a political junkie with stuff.

Speaker 3 (18:57):
And you know, it's a Republican Democrat in the You
don't care, right, Larry.

Speaker 5 (19:01):
I don't care.

Speaker 10 (19:02):
I love talking politics with people.

Speaker 3 (19:04):
It should be it should be a safer topic than
it is. It should be. So, I know you played
in the Midwest, was it Milwaukee?

Speaker 10 (19:10):
Played Milwaukee? In Chicago?

Speaker 2 (19:12):
Then you got involved in on the coaching and administrative side,
not only with US Soccer but also Portland. So let
me ask you this. At Chicago, did the timeline's crossed
with the say a Chris Armas at Chicago?

Speaker 11 (19:24):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (19:24):
I did.

Speaker 10 (19:25):
Yeah, I was just when I finished playing. When I retired,
Chicago Fire was just really coming on the scene, and
I got involved with running all their youth and player
development stuff. So that was the start for me. My
pathway in the player development field started in Chicago. And
Chris was on the team then, And of course I
knew Chris from Long Island, right, so so New York.

Speaker 8 (19:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 10 (19:47):
And I spent about by fifteen years in Chicago with
the Chicago Fire, and then I went to the Portland
Timbers for about four years.

Speaker 3 (19:55):
Incredible soccer culture out there.

Speaker 10 (19:57):
Their fan base at that time. Now there's a lot
more right now, you have incredible fan bases in a
lot of different places, but Portland's fan base is crazy,
and what a beautiful area of the country, right, the
Northwest is beautiful. So that was a great experience. And
then when this opportunity presented itself in Cincinnati. They just
started the team in MLS, A very ambitious group, a

(20:18):
lot of good people, so it was a good fit
for me.

Speaker 2 (20:21):
Just a couple of weeks ago we were in touch
because I think the Red Bulls, I think FC Cincinnati
was either playing in New York or playing against New York.

Speaker 3 (20:28):
Correct me if I'm wrong, near the top of the table. Correct.

Speaker 10 (20:30):
Yeah, we're in third place right now. Dropped the game
this past weekend. But now we got a little bit
of a break, right the international break. They're going to
regroup a bit and we're ready to go. It's a
very solid team.

Speaker 2 (20:41):
Yeah, I have nothing but warmest wishes for f C
Cincinnati's a big success this year.

Speaker 3 (20:46):
Now.

Speaker 2 (20:46):
About a year ago, rus Stegner alerted us in a
common friend another massive peak with soccer guy that your
son somehow, not somehow, I mean he threw hard work,
played in Europe, was back in Miami playing with one
Leo MESSI. How crazy was that?

Speaker 10 (21:03):
Yeah, for our family, it was nuts, right, because he
left the US at fifteen to go play in Spain,
you know, because he had dreams of Barcelona and his
heroes in Barcelona. So at sixteen, Rick, he's living in Barcelona, right,
going to FC Barcelona games and dreaming of one day
playing there. And then it just so happens that, you know,
an opportunity at Miami came about, came back from Spain,

(21:26):
and then I want to say three months later, his
hero from Barcelona joined the team, you know, and he
had a great rapport with them because he was fluent
in Spanish, you know, knew the same restaurants, knew everything
that they knew in Barcelona, could speak Catalan with them.
So it was really really really cool for him and
really cool for us.

Speaker 2 (21:44):
Oh, just incredible. And we just came down for one game.
I can only imagine what the season was like. Lawson
now is over in Amsterdam, correct.

Speaker 10 (21:54):
Yeah, when the season ended last year, the midway point
for the European season, he went over and joined the
team just outside of Amsterdam called Door Direct.

Speaker 7 (22:03):
And they are.

Speaker 10 (22:04):
Easy for you to say, I got better when I
went to visit.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah, sure, so, correct, mate, You were probably there on
the trip back in the eighties or seventies, late seventies. Yeah,
massive people with soccer club makes a trip to Holland
and then there was a return trip, but.

Speaker 3 (22:20):
I didn't I didn't get to go on that trip.
But more about that later.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
And back then, you can't imagine this happening now with
all the legal problems with traveling and staying. But he
used to stay with families called billeted, right and yeah
you too, yep, so a lot of the return families
it was an opportunity and some families I know are
still in touch with Van Cleeve Mark in touch with
the U shocks. Really incredible after all these years. So

(22:46):
how's Wilson doing this year? I heard he had a
bit of an injury, but he's doing okay.

Speaker 10 (22:51):
Yeah, I picked up an injury towards the end of
the season. Unfortunately missed the uh the promotion playoff. But
he's doing well. He's rehabbing in Amsterdam, so you's get
a little bit of a break and you know, working
to be ready to go for the beginning of the season.

Speaker 3 (23:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (23:05):
Now when we get back. We mentioned it before, like
games do count, and I just wanted to ask you
the theme. You know, through all that you've been through
with this great game of soccer, can you give a
little insight or your thoughts on from early on playing soccer,
the coaching, the discipline, how it affected your professional life
even though you're still in the game. But the application

(23:28):
of all those lessons that you learned, whether it's Fordam
or Post or from your dad.

Speaker 10 (23:32):
I think the biggest impact that it all had on me, right,
was just this idea of perseverance. There's a lot of
things around that, you know, and there's a lot of
buzzwords that are out there these days that sometimes can
distract from the idea of you know what, you just
have to work and if you continue to work, you

(23:53):
put the time in, you know, you may not get
to that pinnacle that you're looking for, but really good
things are going to happen along the way.

Speaker 5 (24:01):
And I also found.

Speaker 10 (24:02):
That if that's kind of one of your your values,
people with the same values tend to gravitate to each other.
And this is a team game. I think everything we
do is about team, right. None of us are in
this alone. And I think if you persevere and you
find other people that persevere, you know things are gonna be.

Speaker 2 (24:18):
Okay in the end, like the Life Back team, Yeah,
no doubt, great point, Tom, Pat. We talk about games
you count quite often lessons that we learned, and of
course soccer not much different than the Little Cross or
the wrestling teams or the you know, basketball teams. We
talked about having the same level of great coaches back
in what you played in the Mustangs and also the

(24:40):
what was the Tomo.

Speaker 3 (24:41):
Mohawks Mohawks Hawks.

Speaker 2 (24:42):
Yeah, again a little bit of a cultural appropriation, but
it's okay, right, Once a chief, always a chief, once.

Speaker 5 (24:49):
The are different things were back then. We had two
high school kids from Berner where they were our coaches
for like from the time we were like nine to thirteen,
you know, and we've stayed in touch with them for
fifty forty years or whatever. Forenza and Gary Spirou my coaches.

Speaker 3 (25:02):
Is Gary Spirou a chiropractor? Yes, yes, yes, it's related.
It's related to Michael Nurni. This is we're.

Speaker 11 (25:09):
Wow.

Speaker 5 (25:10):
Yeah, especially like you know, you and I both lost
our dads at a young age, so we clung to coaches,
you know, teachers in school, any father figure we could.
Sports was, you know, a huge part of our lives.

Speaker 3 (25:22):
Yeah, didn't want to leave practice and fill in father.

Speaker 5 (25:24):
Yeah he was and taught you the lesson you need
you know, you need to know in life.

Speaker 3 (25:27):
Wow, absolutely so, Larry.

Speaker 2 (25:29):
Fast forward or I don't know if I rewind from
a couple of weeks, but fast forward from this discussion
and a couple of weeks ago, you reached out and said, hey, Rick,
I had an idea meeting with the first aid Aaron Powell,
the head trainer, and you wanted to bring everyone up
to speed on CPR. Tell our audience how it progressed
from there to include Life Act.

Speaker 10 (25:50):
Yeah. It was a situation where our head of medical
Aaron Powell, came to me and said, hey, can you
get your staff together and push this a bit. Make sure,
you know, you give them a little bit of a
nudge to sign up for this. I was just like, yeah, hey,
by the way, my buddy has this product, Life Back,
and Aaron was like, yeah, I know, Life Back. And
then it was like I reached out to you, Rick,

(26:12):
and I think as you and I started to talk
about it, it was like, yeah, let's make sure we
have it in this building. Then it was like, let's
make sure we get it in the stadium.

Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yeah, I'm really excited about partnering with an old buddy,
an old pal. We go back to uh gosh, so
far back. But to protect like the MLS. There's so
many avenues that are uncovered and unprotected at this point,
and so to just in this soccer arena be able
to take care of MLS and then we can worry
about the other leagues after you know, the US isl

(26:44):
and you know, but MLS going to the top, just
like we go to the top with Colonel CJ. Douglass
and we go to the VA, go to the top
and Tony Lebate Larry, I don't know if you heard
this before. Conquering Texas a bill through the state. We
don't want to jinx it. We're gonna knock wood. Such
exciting prospect of having it mandatory in all schools.

Speaker 4 (27:04):
It's on the Governor's desk as we speak. So I
don't sleep. I checked, I check everything constantly. I just
wait for my updates.

Speaker 3 (27:13):
Yeah, don't wait for the the other shoe drops. I
don't want one shoe to drip.

Speaker 4 (27:17):
Yeah, checking and checking, and then when I had enough
of checking, I just reach out to the representative and say, hey,
what's our timeline. So he feels it's going to be
closer to June twenty second, so I have a little
breathing room.

Speaker 10 (27:28):
Look, it's such a simple product and it's such an
important product.

Speaker 3 (27:32):
Well, we thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (27:34):
Larry, the man in the arena will be back, so
join us on the other side.

Speaker 3 (27:38):
She started to choke on a piece of candy.

Speaker 11 (27:40):
She wasn't breathing.

Speaker 2 (27:41):
Then Ray reached for the life back and it saved her.

Speaker 3 (27:45):
She could have easily died that day. A life back
saved her life.

Speaker 11 (27:48):
What I would say is, don't need a life back
and not have it. Have a life back and hopefully
never need it.

Speaker 7 (27:56):
Recently, the American Red Cross has added anti joking device
as an option when standard protocol fails or is not feasible.

Speaker 1 (28:03):
Go to LIFEAC dot net or called eight seven seven,
five four three three eight two to two.

Speaker 6 (28:07):
LIFEAC is proud to be at the forefront of innovation
in choking rescue. Recently, the American Red Cross updated its
guidelines to include anti choking devices as an option for
choking emergencies. This life saving update recognizes the importance of
tools like LIFEAC designed to help when traditional methods may
not be feasible or fail. LIFEAC is there when seconds

(28:28):
matter most. Join the thousands of families who trust Life
Act LIFEAC can make the difference between life and loss.
Go to life bac dot com to get yours today.

Speaker 7 (28:38):
Hi, I'm Marfur, the inventor, founder and CEO of life
BAC and a proud father. Did you know choking is
the fourth leading cause of accidental death Tragically, one child
dies every five days. Now imagine your child, your spouse,
or someone you love choking. You have only seconds act.
It's a situation no one wants to face, but it

(28:59):
can happen to anyone. That's why I created life Fact.
Life back is a life saving airway clearance device that's
already saved over three thousand lives. It's easy to use,
non invasive, and gives you the power to act when
every second counts. Don't wait until it's too late. Visit
lifefact dot net today and use promo code life to

(29:19):
save twenty percent on your life back home kit. That's
Lifeact dot net. Promo code Life. Join thousands of families
who own life back Life THATAC can make the difference
between life and loss. Go to lifefac dot net and
get yours today.

Speaker 1 (29:37):
Now on iHeartRadio more of the Man in the Arena
the Life Back Radio Show.

Speaker 8 (29:43):
Here again are Arthur Lee and Rick Thatcher.

Speaker 2 (29:46):
Great to connect with old friends, Larry Sun of course,
yes we went for their listeners at home. We have
a woman in the arena tonight with us as always,
Tony Lebate equal first Aid, doing great, great things in
eleven states, most notably and most I guess near in
most recent in Texas. And just let's remind everyone that

(30:06):
might be tuning in what's going on in Texas.

Speaker 4 (30:09):
So Texas as of the past couple days, has passed
their House of Representatives the bill there and quickly throughout
the whole Senate, and as of Monday eleven thirty five am,
it was on the governor's desk. That's my alert. So
wait for the governor.

Speaker 3 (30:26):
And no opposition. No, much like Marco Rubio's.

Speaker 4 (30:29):
Conversation, well there was there was opposition. In the beginning.
There was I probably don't want to really go over
that opposition, but in the hearing there was opposition.

Speaker 5 (30:38):
Was his name Heimley.

Speaker 4 (30:40):
So the Texas bill, I do want to add, is
named the Western Mandrel Act. So it's named after Western Mandrel,
who wasn't believe about eighteen months old when he passed away.
They have the Western Mandrel Foundation in Texas. So she also,
Debbie the grandma, also testified alongside the opposite and that

(31:01):
evening we were frantically trying to get the message across
because we always want to know what is the protocol?
What what is the protocol for somebody that's in a wheelchair?
And if I tell you state to state and the
and the one that blew me away the most was Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania's representative walked away from the bill saying that there

(31:22):
was not enough disabled children enrolled in their schools and
you could lay the wheelchair down to the floor. So
my advocates also instruction that's really you can't always take
the and you can't lay the wheelchairs down anymore. I mean,
we're they're they're thinking it's right.

Speaker 5 (31:42):
You also can't based on handicaps this regular kids too.

Speaker 4 (31:46):
Sure, it's for yeah, obviously for everybody. And also we
were part of equal first day, was part of two
of the saves. One of them was, as I mentioned earlier,
a nurse in a new York City School saved the teacher.
So it's to protect everybody, every student, every staff, but
on behalf of equal first aid. We want to raise awareness.

(32:07):
There is no choking protocol to rescue somebody in a
wheelchair and you're not laying the wheelchairs down. As you
met Eric Ryan, his wheelchair is two hundred and fifty
pounds and the larger wheels, you're not laying the chair down.
So we want to make sure that everybody is protected
from a choking tragedy.

Speaker 3 (32:22):
That's first date is all what we're Yeah.

Speaker 4 (32:25):
And you know again there is opposition that so Texas
got through their opposition and we.

Speaker 2 (32:31):
But but when it came to a vote, did you
say that one person voted against it? Yes, yeah, so
it doesn't sound I mean, so today's world of politics,
that's pretty dark.

Speaker 4 (32:41):
It was about one thirty four to one.

Speaker 3 (32:43):
That one embarrassed.

Speaker 4 (32:44):
So yeah, that happened in New York too. By the way,
there's always that you're always going to have that one
for whatever whatever reason.

Speaker 5 (32:51):
There is, say not a first bait ballot Hall of Famer.
There's one guy who didn't vote for unbelievable. It's not
like that at all.

Speaker 4 (33:01):
There's always there's always the one. But yes, I'm hoping
that I can share with you guys. I know you
guys talk a lot about the soccer. I'm I don't
know the first thing about soccer.

Speaker 3 (33:10):
I'm sorry, but it's universal.

Speaker 2 (33:12):
Yeah, when you identify we're talking soccer, and we talked
about teamwork and the games do count, and you quickly
noticed that, hey, that's like the life acts. Yeah, and
it's like any team. So whether the book or we
talk about examples life lessons, if it's volleyball, water polo,
ping pong, let's forget about ping pong because that's different.
Now it is it is really universal. It's it's life lessons.

(33:35):
And if we had time to listen to CJ's story
about place kicking, certainly football and coaching that that, you know,
the lessons that he learned are you know, universal, and
it doesn't matter the sport, doesn't matter the gender.

Speaker 3 (33:47):
It is just a great life lesson. And speaking of CJ.

Speaker 2 (33:50):
Douglas, I want to welcome him, Colonel Christopher Douglas. How
why are you saying? I?

Speaker 3 (33:55):
CJ? Hey, Rick pat so, CJ.

Speaker 2 (33:58):
We were talking, I was starting sputtering out sentence fragments
talking about our trip to the VA.

Speaker 3 (34:03):
What was your recollection?

Speaker 2 (34:04):
And I know that we have more work to do,
we're going back down, but what do you think of
our first venue or first venture down to DC.

Speaker 9 (34:11):
I thought it was productive. One of the things that
really impressed me was the professionalism of the VA staff. Now,
you know, as a veteran, of course, I'm critical. I've
had very good experiences with the veterans administration, but this
really showed leadership counts. You know, so when you talk

(34:32):
about the games, do count? You know, at some point
kind of like to dig into you know, Doug Collins's
chief of staff, and you know, the the other staff
members that we engage with. You know, everybody was professional, empathetic, polite.
I mean, it was just just a really good atmosphere.

Speaker 2 (34:52):
Yeah, from the moment we arrived, the greeting on the
door half hour early, like we were early, this nice
young lady was down there waiting for us, and we
you know, for a moment we thought, gosh, are we late. No,
she's just down here in the case we showed up
early and the portfolio and everyone coming in and we
laughed collectively about the excuse that sometimes reps or representatives

(35:16):
from companies get is you know, doctor has an emergency.

Speaker 3 (35:20):
That's what I'm used to.

Speaker 2 (35:21):
But they have the White House get out of jail.
So if we were boring or rude in any way,
they had there's an emergency at the White Hat, we
had to go to the White House, which was by
the way, about two hundred yards away.

Speaker 3 (35:33):
Definitely. Yeah, we thank you CJ each and every week more.
The man in the arena right after these messages, right
after this.

Speaker 7 (35:41):
Protect your family by Life fact Now that was us
over ten years ago.

Speaker 6 (35:47):
Now Life Act is responsible for saving over four thousand
lives from choking and the.

Speaker 7 (35:51):
Time it takes you to pick up the phone and
call another life could be saved.

Speaker 8 (35:55):
The Life Act saved my life in one two seconds.

Speaker 7 (35:59):
Protecting family lengths has always been our mission. I'm sure
you love your family like I love my daughter. Do
a soulo favor and get your own life back now.

Speaker 5 (36:07):
Go to lifefac dot net or call eight seven seven
Life Back Order No.

Speaker 6 (36:11):
LIFEAC is proud to be at the forefront of innovation
in choking rescue. Recently, the American Red Cross updated its
guidelines to include anti choking devices as an option for
choking emergencies. This life saving update recognizes the importance of
tools like lifeac designed to help when traditional methods may
not be feasible or fail. LIFEAC is there when seconds

(36:32):
matter most. Join the thousands of families who trust life BAC.
Lifeac can make the difference between life and loss. Go
to life bac dot com to get yours today.

Speaker 7 (36:42):
Hi, I'm Arthur, the inventor, founder and CEO of life
BAC and a proud father. Did you know choking is
the fourth leading cause of accidental death Tragically, one child
dies every five days. Now imagine your child, your spouse,
or someone you love choking. You have only seconds act.
It's a situation no one wants to face, but it

(37:02):
can happen to anyone. That's why I created life back.
Life back is a life saving airway clearance device that's
already saved over three thousand lives. It's easy to use,
non invasive, and gives you the power to act when
every second counts. Don't wait until it's too late. Visit
lifefact dot net today and use promo code life to

(37:22):
save twenty percent on your life back home kit. That's
lifefact dot net promo code life. Join thousands of families
who own life back Life thatac can make the difference
between life and loss. Go to lifeac dot net and
get yours today.

Speaker 1 (37:40):
Now on iHeartRadio more of the Man in the Arena
the Life Back Radio Show.

Speaker 8 (37:46):
Here again are Arthur Lee and Rick Thatcher.

Speaker 2 (37:49):
Talking about the website lifefac dot net. Go to lifefact
dot net. Protect those you love and use the code. Well,
you can use Jackie, but you can also why not
use MITA. Let's have a comparison of the discounts. Might
be the same, might be a little different, but it's
but you can get a Life Act protect those you love.
You could also get sorry can't is a lie. Pretty

(38:10):
soon there's going to be in a new form and
we're incredibly excited.

Speaker 3 (38:13):
I have one of the originals new cover that's going
to be a collector's item.

Speaker 2 (38:17):
You can feel free to reach out to me if
you're in California, Texas, Florida, New York and you want
to reach out to me personally and complain why not
the family does R Thatcher R F A T S
C H E R at lifefac dot net. Area grievances.
I'm willing to listen the number? Hey, why not? Six
three one six seven one seven zero seven nine, And

(38:41):
we are blessed. Every week we talk about great saves,
we talk about great legislation. Tony Lebate from Equal First aid,
we can't say enough great things about this woman.

Speaker 3 (38:50):
Yeah, thank you? What did I say?

Speaker 4 (38:52):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (38:52):
Equal First A.

Speaker 3 (38:53):
Oh y E f A.

Speaker 4 (38:54):
I'd like to add my phone number, if that's okay.

Speaker 3 (38:57):
Before Absolutely so, folks.

Speaker 4 (38:58):
If anybody would like to text me if you're willing
to volunteer or get legislation in your state, or just
to start the process, I'm ready to go. So it's
six three one eight seven three zero nine zero seven.
I will get back to you immediately and we can
hopefully get something going in your state.

Speaker 2 (39:15):
Awesome, joined forces eleven states by yourself.

Speaker 5 (39:19):
You know she's dedicated to the cause when she's giving
her cell number.

Speaker 4 (39:21):
Over the air, Well, that's the EFA solon opening up
Pandora's box. Oh okay, that's the work number. Good good, Yeah,
I learned my lesson.

Speaker 11 (39:29):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (39:30):
Well, we've blown through four thousand lives safe the celebration
forty different countries.

Speaker 3 (39:36):
More than four thousand.

Speaker 2 (39:37):
Those are just that are reported, But each week we're
blessed to speak to mister three thousand, mister Ray preby
Cape Quarrel, Florida.

Speaker 5 (39:45):
Right, I got a number in my head. I got
my guess.

Speaker 2 (39:46):
Oh, so Pat Tonight has taken it upon himself to
have a guess as to what the final number is
going to be.

Speaker 3 (39:53):
But first of all, how have you been? Ray? This
is the first time in a long.

Speaker 2 (39:56):
Time since you started making appearances, and the warners are
nodded as I to say this. I'll get to My
point is that we haven't seen you in a while.

Speaker 11 (40:05):
It's it's been several weeks. And let me tell you,
I have gone through some some serious withdrawals from seeing
you guys.

Speaker 3 (40:11):
And have you gotten through?

Speaker 11 (40:14):
You know, I don't know. I don't know how I
made it through, but you know, hope, Hope is what
got me through.

Speaker 3 (40:20):
For the next show, Hope. I'm here, beautiful and we're
so blessed to have you.

Speaker 11 (40:25):
Love being here. So, Pat, you got a guest, do you?

Speaker 5 (40:28):
I wrote it down. I don't want to ruin it,
but yeah, I wrote it down. I'll let you know
what and everyone can see you.

Speaker 3 (40:32):
How would you like it?

Speaker 5 (40:33):
Ray?

Speaker 3 (40:33):
Would you like him to reveal it to you, or
would you rather wait and see you.

Speaker 11 (40:36):
Know, I'm gonna go ahead and wait. I'm gonna go
ahead and reveal the number and we'll see a Christmas morning.

Speaker 3 (40:41):
You're a Christmas Morning type of guy, exactly.

Speaker 11 (40:45):
Absolutely. And for those who are just signing on, my
name is Ray Preeby from Cape Coral, Florida. I am
mister three thousand.

Speaker 3 (40:53):
Look at that.

Speaker 11 (40:54):
That's my little girl right there.

Speaker 2 (40:56):
Those listening, you're seeing a beautiful young lady may appre
be w Hoorray her dad saved on this Florida Highway
with a life fact and such an emotional story and
we love hearing it.

Speaker 11 (41:08):
And it was number three thousand, Yeah, number three thousand,
and here I am still trucking along with you guys.

Speaker 3 (41:14):
Yeah, we're blessed.

Speaker 11 (41:15):
Absolutely, So without further ado, here we go. We are
at a total on this wonderful day of four thousand,
one hundred forty three saveds.

Speaker 3 (41:29):
That was a little low.

Speaker 5 (41:30):
I was forty one six, wow, forty one. A lot
of people choking out.

Speaker 11 (41:34):
There, A lot of saves out there, a lot of saves,
and my little girl was saved on October twentieth of
twenty twenty four, just just last year, two hundred and
twenty eight days ago, as a matter of fact, and
we have one thousand, one hundred forty three saves two
hundred and twenty eight days. So again, it's just absolutely unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (41:58):
I was impressed not only with the numbers each week
and the presentation, but there was a special one. Given
our discussion about the VA on the national scale and
all the great work that Heidi Felix has been doing
in Orlando, in California, New Hampshire has gotten themselves into
the mix, and we're surprised to know that it was
there in the first place.

Speaker 3 (42:19):
But Ray, do you have any details?

Speaker 4 (42:21):
I do.

Speaker 11 (42:21):
As a matter of fact, the highlight of the week
comes from New Hampshire VA Medical Center where a sixty
seven year old male choked on food causing a total obstruction.
Took place in the community living center. Protocol was followed,
life back was used two times. The patient received medical
attention after and no complications were found. After the nursing

(42:46):
staff identified backlows were attempted, the Heimlich was tried. After
those failed, the life back was deployed. Our young nurse
used it and saved the patient.

Speaker 2 (42:59):
Hard to argue when you hear the account and when
you collect the data and you read it, it's hard
to argue with the effectiveness. And we stand behind standard
you know, trying standard protocols, but they don't always work,
as evidenced here and in so many other cases.

Speaker 11 (43:15):
Which I can attest for because number three thousand, guess what,
backblows in the heimlink did not work on my several
several attempts. If it if it wasn't for the Life Back,
she wouldn't be here.

Speaker 5 (43:26):
Wow, we hear these every week. It's it's always the same.
I mean, it's amazing. You know what we did the
Heim League, We did this, We did that, then two
or three pops with the Life Back and boom, Yeah, amazing.

Speaker 11 (43:37):
I mean just I mean since our last show May
fifteenth to June sixth, today, ninety saves, ninety saves in
those couple of weeks right there. Three saves just today alone.
So again it's the proof is in the pudding. You know,
the numbers don't lie.

Speaker 5 (43:53):
Life Back works and it's not even dinner time for
most of the country, So it could be more today,
It could be more.

Speaker 11 (43:59):
Today, could be more today.

Speaker 3 (44:01):
Ray you have a wonderful saying that we'd love to
hear I do.

Speaker 11 (44:05):
I do have a little wonderful saying. As a matter
of fact, life back far better to have it and
never need it than need it and not have it.
The life you saved could be your own.

Speaker 3 (44:16):
Love it. That's fantastic.

Speaker 2 (44:17):
And you know, I was thinking about well as you
talked about the details of the save in a VA
in a state that we were not aware of, I'm
reminded of the size of our company, the size of
as compared to the size of the mission, and why CJ, myself,
Arthur Lee went down to Washington to meet with the
very top so that all of this work that's being

(44:38):
done by pioneers can just be it can be sped
up so that we're not you know, going individually to
all these different places and working with people, and those
folks are just as passionate about it as the team
at Life Act is. So we appreciate you so much
sharing that story with us tonight and all the other stories.
Tony Lebate of Equal First Aid to bring people across

(44:58):
the country. Of course, we're in La San Diego, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Allentown,
PA and New York City.

Speaker 3 (45:07):
New to the man in the arena. Want to you do?

Speaker 2 (45:09):
Tell us Tony Lebate's EFA STORYFA.

Speaker 4 (45:13):
Equal First Aid was founded four years ago, and we
want to bring awareness for the immediate need for airway
clearance devices to protect people, all people, but especially those
with disabilities from choking tragedies. So when Equal First Aid
was formed, we were met with a New Jersey mom
and legislation in New Jersey that would allow airway clearance

(45:35):
devices to be placed in all schools. So from there,
Equal First Aid snowballed and we now have eleven states
with legislation eleven states twelve bills because Mississippi had the
two bills, but they will be reintroduced, so we have
eleven states. In the short four years and just the
past couple days, things have been just exploding.

Speaker 2 (45:56):
Big things happening in Texas. Do you want to like
not jings it is that it about Texas?

Speaker 4 (46:01):
So no, I don't want to Yeah, I don't want
to jinx it. There is no celebrating until it's time
to celebrate. That's the way I believe that would be
the signing, the signing of yes, yeah.

Speaker 2 (46:13):
At any point we talked earlier about covering topics that
we necessarily might not want to delve into, Like delving
is something we like to do. But if we're not
to delve, you just stop, drop and roll or throw
something sharp at myself or pat Now to delve or
not to delve? Yes, that's the question. Yeah, So you're
listening to the man in the radia, you're listening to

(46:33):
Tony debate equal first aid.

Speaker 3 (46:35):
We're talking about Texas.

Speaker 2 (46:36):
How much can we share about the process passes the House,
passes the Senate a bill that would make it mandatory
the whole state.

Speaker 3 (46:44):
This is not a small state, big state, everything's big.
Don't mess with Clarence devices in every school. And I
would say, don't mess with Tony Libate the vehicle first ad.
For God's sakes.

Speaker 4 (46:54):
This is our first state that has House and Senate
and it is on the governor's desk.

Speaker 3 (47:00):
Wow, so it's imminent, we'll say, so hopefully.

Speaker 4 (47:04):
Yeah, there's three things that can happen. He can sign
the bill, put it into law. He can veto the bill,
and he can do nothing. If he does nothing, it
becomes a law. So we will know by June twenty second.

Speaker 2 (47:16):
Yeah, it seems crazy as and I guess anything's possible
in this world, as we've learned a little bit before COVID,
during COVID and since. But you have to think that
given the nature of the political climate, things moving in
the right direction. Now you work on the state level.
We also talked last week about going down and fighting

(47:36):
kind of stirring the pot on a national level. We
went down and met with the VA. But this whole thing,
I just think the momentum with FDA attention, with the
VA attention, I think that things and certainly with EFA
and the Texas States and now eleven states. I think
when we started, when I started with Life Fact, you

(47:57):
were in seven and I thought that was monumental because, yeah, Fay,
remind me.

Speaker 3 (48:01):
The staff is not as vast as people might think.

Speaker 4 (48:05):
Right, it's time it's time to up it a little bit,
especially after this past week. So it's you, It's it
is I. Yes, and I have I have directors, but
but you are your own boss. I am, and I
do have directors that are on there. Not for profit
has to have their directors, but and they're wonderful, but
they have full time jobs also, So we do what

(48:26):
we can as a not for profit organization, and I'm
very very proud to say that. As things are, I
think they're just starting to blow up. So unfortunately, there
was a choking tragedy that just came to light in
Maryland and it was in twenty nineteen, and I reached
out to the reporter I find it best on social media.

(48:46):
He got right back to me and within I think
that was like May seventeenth, and right then and there
we set up a call and they did an interview
with Equal First Aid and that was yesterday. I got
a phone call today from a representative's office that asked
that they would like to do.

Speaker 2 (49:03):
A bill so Maryland, Maryland, based on a case from
twenty nineteen.

Speaker 3 (49:08):
Yeah, so a student special needs? Yes, is that the
correct He.

Speaker 4 (49:12):
Did well, not really special needs, but yes, But he
had pica. So what pica is where they put all
different types of objects in their mouth. So this happened
to be a rubber glove. Wow, And there was nobody
there to save him, and he choked on a glove.
He was seventeen years old. That story just came out
now because of lawsuits, et cetera. You know, the families

(49:32):
are allowed to speak now. So that just happened in May,
and we had an interview yesterday and today I'm contacted
that they want legislation now in Maryland.

Speaker 3 (49:43):
Unbelievable, So this will be twelve or is that included
in him?

Speaker 4 (49:46):
It'll be twelve. But also today I spoke with Shane
and I know that they're doing great things this week
with Arthur Lee. So we're also going to hit Florida.

Speaker 2 (49:54):
So your reference to Arthur Lee, who couldn't be with
us tonight's CEO and Ventorre Life facult working with Shane
foresmen in the great state of Florida. So Florida it
was not included in that eleven and now will be
because they're doing incredible They're.

Speaker 4 (50:06):
Doing incredible things, but it's a matter of getting the
legislator in there. It's a matter of getting the bill.
So I will be sending them a bill to reference to,
and I'll be also sending it into Maryland, so other cities.

Speaker 2 (50:16):
Of course, we mentioned that they outset Texas. Big news
in Texas, so those listening in Dallas and Houston could
be great news in the very near future. Life fact
coming to a school near you. Mandatory.

Speaker 3 (50:27):
What about California, other and other areas. So we're in
New York.

Speaker 2 (50:33):
My Man in the Arena is broadcast in New York, La,
San Diego, So California.

Speaker 3 (50:38):
Is anything going on? So nothing?

Speaker 4 (50:39):
Nothing in California. We've tried a few times.

Speaker 3 (50:41):
Governor Newsom, so we have to get legislation. Let's get
on the horn.

Speaker 4 (50:45):
Yeah, but we do have New York New York had
passed the Senate in twenty twenty two and then installed
in the Assembly. But we do have great news. June
twelfth was a hearing for New York City where all
New York City schools will have to be equipped with
an airway clearance device. The representative put this bill in
a year ago August. Her grandfather choked to death in

(51:06):
a restaurant, so she's very passionate. She has the bill.
It was supposed to be for June twelfth, but it
got delayed. There's a new date on that. But once
she's done, every New York City school will have to
be equipped with life acts. And then from there, once
she's reelected, we're going to go after all the restaurants.

Speaker 2 (51:21):
Yeah, so amazing, amazing, Yes, dat can you imagine when
we were back in school and the war say the
warners win the cafeteria and things were getting passed around.
Could you imagine if there was a product like Life
Act available and the administration for some strange reason was
fighting it and wouldn't have it available.

Speaker 5 (51:40):
No, I can't. It's not that much of a different
world either. I mean, if you're a parent, why wouldn't
you you definitely want I don't think one. I think
schools are big enough where you should have two or
three in the school. I mean every cafeteria, every.

Speaker 3 (51:51):
Gym, kids be eating in the library.

Speaker 5 (51:54):
Yeah, it's not like thousand dollars items, right, seventy dollars.

Speaker 4 (51:57):
So there's two things. What I love about the Texas
Bill is that it's not a financial burden on the schools.
They can be donated or purchased with grant money.

Speaker 2 (52:05):
Just talking about the legislation that's going on and the
illegal aspect of getting Life Acts deployed common sense. Arthur
Lee made the presentation and they asked a question about
money and budget and he said, if you request one
any school now, if we're only in twenty percent of
the schools after this next statement, it's amazing to me.
It shows how much odd resistance there might be to

(52:28):
having Life Acts around, and that is if you request
a Life Act you can get it for free. Now,
I think LIFEFAC has donated seven million dollars worth of
Life Act devices, but still only twenty percent of schools nationwide.
It's far too few.

Speaker 4 (52:42):
We have to work on that.

Speaker 2 (52:43):
Then we continue to fight on and that's when Arthur says,
keep going. You know, we have a great save, we
have a great day, we have a great number of
saves or a great legislative win.

Speaker 3 (52:53):
Right, we say keep.

Speaker 4 (52:54):
Going, and then the wins are going to just keep coming.

Speaker 2 (52:57):
We talked to Larry Sanderland, we talked to Tony Lebate,
and we we always talked to mister three thousand. But
great news all around. We're taking Washington, We're taking Texas,
We're taking those eleven other states.

Speaker 3 (53:07):
And Tony, thank you so much for all the Thank
you for insured not sleep until the.

Speaker 2 (53:11):
End of June.

Speaker 4 (53:12):
June twenty second, hopefully when it's you guys have the
soccer game. As we were talking about soccer earlier on
June twenty fourth.

Speaker 3 (53:20):
You'll be there.

Speaker 4 (53:20):
I will be there and I will find you with
my T shirt. That's what I wanted to say, guess what,
I'm going to supply my own T shirts that you
guys could shoot.

Speaker 3 (53:28):
Awesome, So we have.

Speaker 4 (53:30):
We're working on those.

Speaker 5 (53:31):
Nice.

Speaker 2 (53:32):
Well, we thank you so much for joining us. We'll
see you next week. We'll not see you, we'll hear you.
We'll hear each other next week. Talking about the website
lifefact dot net. Go to life fact dot net. Protect
those you love and use the code m A.

Speaker 1 (53:45):
The proceeding was a paid podcast. iHeartRadio's hosting of this
podcast constitutes neither an endorsement of the products offered or
the ideas expressed