June 21, 2025 • 61 mins
Ep 36 The Unstoppable Nate Peitz: Taking the "Dis" Out of Disability
What does it mean to truly overcome limitations? In this powerful conversation, Nate Peitz redefines what's possible when you refuse to be defined by circumstances beyond your control.
Born with spina bifida, Nate shares his remarkable journey of growing up as the only wheelchair user among five siblings in a family that never treated him differently. "Take the dis out of disability" isn't just a catchy phrase for Nate—it's his life philosophy. With refreshing candor, he reveals how his parents' refusal to accept "I can't" in his vocabulary shaped his determined approach to challenges.
The conversation takes us through Nate's impressive athletic career in wheelchair basketball, soccer, and sled hockey, where his competitive spirit earned him championships and All-American honors. But what truly shines is his commitment to service. Unable to join the military due to his disability, Nate found other meaningful ways to serve, including his current challenge—completing a grueling 50-mile march in his wheelchair to support veterans.
Perhaps most inspiring is Nate's perspective on obstacles. When faced with steep hills during the march qualifier, his response wasn't frustration but determination: "I'm going to figure it out." This mindset transcends his personal journey, offering profound lessons for anyone facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Whether you're confronting your own limitations or seeking to understand how to better connect with people of all abilities, Nate's insights will transform your perspective. His message is clear—see the person, not the wheelchair; acknowledge the challenge, then find a way forward.
Listen now and discover how reframing your view of limitations might just reveal capabilities you never knew you had. What would be possible in your life if you decided to "figure it out" instead of saying "I can't"?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Announcer (00:11):
connecting the dots, connecting his guests to the
world, creating more connections.
Welcome to the connection.
Meet your host.
Author, coach.
Air coach, air Force veteranJay Morales.
Jay (00:30):
I'm so grateful to have my next guest on the Connection.
So, as you know, the Connectionis.
I just want to get down to howare they connected, who are they
connected to and how do theyconnect with other people?
It's kind of like this I wasjust talking with Nate offline.
I know him, but I don't knowhim.
Oh dang, now I know him.
(00:50):
So, nate, in order for us tomake a connection, let's start
real easy.
How and when did you get toNebraska and how did you get
here?
Nate (01:00):
Yeah, all right.
Well, my name is Nate Peitz andI was living in a small town of
Hardington, Nebraska, Went to acollege in southwest Minnesota
State where I started my collegecareer of wheelchair sports.
I also played.
What's crazy is I playedwheelchair basketball here in
Omaha when I was in high school.
I played wheelchair basketballat UNO.
(01:24):
I didn't have a college team.
I obviously played high school,but every Saturday we went for
practices, so I never lived inOmaha until 2017.
September 2017 is when I cameto Omaha and started my job at
Lexus of Omaha as one of thefinance managers over there.
Jay (01:44):
Funny that I've never run into you there.
I've I've been into theshowroom, but I've never
purchased the Lexus.
That's probably why.
Nate (01:50):
Yeah, you don't.
You don't get in my officeuntil you actually buy the
vehicle.
Jay (01:56):
I can safely say I don't have a Lexus.
No, that's funny.
So, hardington, you mentionedyou know wheelchair sports.
I want to go right and unpeelthe layer.
It says you were born with adisability called spina bifida.
Can we educate the public aboutthis?
And I want to talk about whenpeople approach you, how you
(02:17):
want to be seen and treatedright Like.
I'm learning this as we go.
I've learned a little bit inthe past, but, nate, you're a
person just like I am.
Nate (02:26):
Yes, that's, that's how I like to be seen and talked to as
well.
I like people to forget aboutthe wheelchair.
So what spina bifida is is whenyou're born with your bottom
portion of the back over yourspinal cord open at birth,
portion of the back over yourspinal cord open at birth, and
(02:49):
so it damages some of the spinalcords of of the um, um of the
spinal cord, and then it's it'shard to um close it up.
It takes about three, two ortwo or three surgeries to close
up by the.
By the time they're ready to beexposed, the damage is caused
Um, when I was born, they didn'tknow that I had spina bifida
until I was born and my momactually had to have me early
because of complications andthey think that possibly saved
(03:13):
me from it being more severethan it is.
Jay (03:28):
But I do have the most severe form, but not that kind
of.
There are just differentseverities to this specific type
.
Absolutely, and you know, again, like you said, I'd rather
people forget about thewheelchair, you know.
And so here's where I startuncovering the layers or making
the connection nate.
I've known of you, I've knownof your wife, brianna, like I've
I've seen you before.
I know you're involved in thecommunity and it's just when you
, when you network and you goout, you get to know people, or
(03:51):
sometimes you look the other wayor you don't know what to say.
You know, I think when Ilearned, like I said, I've known
you, I've seen you, but I thinkthe last time I got to really
witness something pretty magicalwas when we were doing the 50
mile March.
Uh, uh, qualifier togetherright.
Nate (04:12):
Yes, that was.
That was the more difficultthan I thought it would be.
But you know, I was.
I was raised, uh, to acceptchallenges and I was also raised
to, uh, never give up mentalityjust for how my parents were.
And I had a physical therapistthat you know.
You figure.
You figure stuff out.
Even if there's stairs, youfigure out how to get up them I,
(04:35):
I agree you figure out how toget them yes.
Jay (04:38):
When did you so?
When you were growing up as akid like young, figuring this
out and.
And you're going through lifejust as we all do, right,
whether what age it is.
When do you remember yourselftalking to yourself in that
positive way you are right now.
How young were you when youstarted saying I just got to
figure this out?
Nate (04:59):
it was probably when I got introduced to my physical
therapist.
Um you in or in high schoolwhen my parents at a very young
age told me to figure it out Donot have I can't in your
vocabulary.
No matter what you're going toface some challenges.
If you fall, you get back upand that's how you do with life
(05:22):
and that's how you do it.
And then I was the only one inmy in my family.
Of five siblings I have, I wasone in the wheelchair and they
didn't treat me any differently.
They didn't baby me anydifferently, they just treated
me the same as the rest of mysiblings and that gave me the
mentality to always be positiveand, no matter what challenges
that I do have, just keep going.
Jay (05:43):
Yeah, you know, know, and I think we all have limitations,
right and in our own, in our ownminds, some of us put
self-limiting beliefs that don'teven belong there.
But I think the ones of us whodo rise know that, hey, we may
have a limited scope in thisarea, but we're going to do it
regardless, like I want peopleto tell me nate, you can't.
(06:06):
What do you hear, nate?
Or what do you?
What goes through your mind?
Oh, nate, I, I don't know man,I don't know nate, what do you
what?
What goes?
See, I see your face smilingyeah, so do you see red or what?
what happened?
Nate (06:20):
no, I don't see your red I .
I just kind of chuckle in mymind, like you know, just just
like we.
We went, I'm part, you knowobviously part of the 50 mile
march.
What happened?
No, I don't see it red I I justkind of chuckle in my mind,
like you know, just just like we.
We went, I'm part of, you knowobviously a part of the 50 mile
march.
And when we got the updatedroute and and Adam called me and
he goes oh, I'm so sorry, nate,that I didn't call you before I
put the video out that the thatthe route changed, I'm like you
(06:47):
don't have to.
No matter what, I'm going toaccept that challenge, I'm going
to do it.
And you know what?
I just kind of laugh in my mindand say I'm going to do it
Concrete, sand, mud, gravel, I'mgoing to figure it out.
Jay (06:56):
You know, nate, let's stay right there, because there are
people already who are oh no, Ican't believe it.
There's going to be sand androcks in our feet.
What do you say, or what's youradvice, like what's your kind
advice and then what's yourdirect advice, what's your
advice to?
Nate (07:15):
somebody who says, oh Well , we're doing this for our
veterans, right, yeah, and theyendured more pain.
They endured more challengesthan we were enduring on a trail
.
They were in the heat They'vebeen born more challenges than
we were enduring on a on a trail.
They were in the heat.
They were in the desert,they're in everywhere else, with
dust, gravel, dirt, and thesewere going to be in better
conditions than they are.
And if they had to endure it,why don't we raise money, like
(07:39):
we are doing, and and thenendure or try to experience as
close as we can to what theyfaced?
Jay (07:47):
I mean, nate, that, just right there, makes me want to
work harder.
And this is I'm telling you,serious, just your words there.
I wish I could just play thatover and over again, which I'm
going to because this podcast.
But it's true, you are sayingthis is not about us.
Nate (08:04):
No.
Jay (08:05):
And it is going to be difficult.
When did you know that?
When did you know in your heartand maybe you didn't know when
did you find yourself saying notonly can I take care of me, I
want to give to others.
When did that start?
Or do you have any earlymemories?
Or when did you be?
Do you have any?
Nate (08:22):
early memories or when did you be For the support that I
had growing up with my parents,friends, family, physical
therapists.
It helped me when I was to havethat kind of attitude.
When I see other people'sinjuries, such car accidents and
many others, I had compassionabout helping those that were
(08:43):
going through that pain,depression or thought their life
was over and all they want todo is help.
From then on, when I wasgrowing up and experiencing more
and more of those people thathad those type of injuries that
made them wheelchair bound, andthat caught my heart, caught my
soul and you know, from there onI wanted to help others.
(09:05):
My wife and I started a podcastof just helping people with
disabilities and trying to getit out there of resources for
those that are wheelchair-boundand anything like that.
There was a lot of work thatstill needs to be done but again
, my main focus, that I'vealways had this mindset, is
(09:26):
taking the dis out of disabilityand living life that way.
Jay (09:30):
I love to take the dis out of disability, brother.
I think we need shirts and mugsthat say that man, I mean, I've
heard a lot of things but Ihaven't heard that.
Right, take the dis out ofdisability, because it is a dis.
It is a dis to someone likeyourself who says, oh, it's okay
, or hey, let's just work aroundhim.
That that right there is almostin itself, defeatist language.
(09:54):
Just as if I were to tell myson hey, you, you can't do that
because of this.
Nate (09:59):
You know what I mean.
It is just like anytime peoplesay that I can't do it.
I'm like, yes, you can.
Yes, you can do it.
You just got to put your mindto it and it may hurt, may be
painful, may do this, but nomatter what, you're going to get
through it.
And part of it is when I had.
My whole family is competitive.
I grew up in a very competitivefamily.
(10:21):
They were all playingcompetitive sports.
You know three older sisters,one younger sister, one younger
brother.
Everybody would compete abouthow fast you can even eat food.
How fast can people eat theirdinner Playing basketball
together?
I'm in a wheelchair.
My whole family wanted to beateach other and wanted to win.
(10:43):
My dad is the one thatdisciplined as well, and you
know what you got to talk it toif you lost in a good way.
But you know what he knew youcould do better.
Jay (10:54):
I've heard the word competitive out of your mouth
maybe three to five timesalready since this few minutes.
Let's talk about your family.
Real quick, you said seven ofyou siblings.
Is that correct?
Nate (11:04):
No, there's six of us together.
Jay (11:06):
Six together.
Okay, so then with the six ofyou.
Where were you in that lineup?
Nate (11:12):
In the middle.
Jay (11:12):
In the middle, okay.
Nate (11:14):
Three older sisters, one younger sister, one younger
brother.
Jay (11:17):
Okay, who now I'm not asking for favorites, right, but
who challenged you the most?
Nate (11:30):
Who made you think outside of the?
You know, I have one oldersister that's really competitive
all the time, okay.
Jay (11:35):
Tell me about her.
Nate (11:37):
But my brother also, I mean because we're the two boys,
yeah.
So I mean, no matter what itwas, sports, other competition,
we had always.
Anytime there was an activity,there was always a bet on who
could do better.
Jay (11:54):
I mean, you know, there's something to be said for that
right.
I mean there's the rivalry, butthere's healthy challenge also,
and I think sometimes thisworld is losing that right.
We are almost looking foreveryone to not leave people
behind or push someone to beaverage, and I mean this in
every sense of the word, becausewe're trying to include
(12:15):
everyone in everything, and Ithink sometimes it's okay to
stand out, it's okay to workharder than others, it's okay
for me to lose sometimes, right?
Yes, or a lot, or a lot.
Nate (12:28):
Yes, I'm good with that when you fail.
That's how you get better.
Jay (12:34):
Everyone hears that Nate, but what's Nate's version of
okay, you fail, you get better?
What's your version of thatwhen everyone says, know, uh,
mistakes are life lessons?
Okay, that's great, I've readthat.
What does that mean to nate,like, what are some of the
things you do to to cope, or tolearn, or to?
Nate (12:55):
since you know every time that I you know you don't see
just going around, going aroundthe lake or or going um doing
anything like wheeling.
I try to beat my time Going toexercise coach.
I try to beat my lifting or myresistance training.
I try to beat my other record.
(13:17):
It's always beating my otherrecords.
I don't have to compete againstanybody, it's competing against
myself and it's trying to getmy personal best personal
records and, yes, I'mdisappointed when I failed doing
that, but it helps me get abetter mindset and do better
next time and accept it.
It's all about accepting yourfailures first before you can
(13:38):
get better.
Jay (13:40):
That's true, and you said something very key.
I'm not competing againstanybody else, you know usually,
but to compete against a personyou were yesterday, first of all
you've got to know where youwere yesterday.
If it was 37 minutes around thelake, or I'm just making this
up, if you hit 36.8, that's afreaking win, right.
(14:01):
How do you apply that outsideof that?
How do you apply that to yourprofessional life?
Are there any good examples ofwhere you know where you're
competitive, where it helps you?
Because the reason I'm askingthis, nate, is there someone
listening?
His name's Bob, or it's somegirl named Shelly saying well,
how do I make myself better?
Nate (14:21):
So it's all about serving your purpose.
It's about serving your purposewith life, doing what you want
to do, being happy what you wantto do and consider yourself
(14:41):
successful.
And when you feel you'resuccessful, that's all about.
You know, continue to be happyin your role and satisfying
others.
And, like at my job, you knowyou have a lone goal.
You have those goals.
Obviously, when you achievethose goals, you're happy.
But can you do more?
Yes, you can do more.
You always want to do more, butin order to help others, you've
(15:03):
got to be happy with yourself.
And, like I said, you have yourown definition of success and
you and you got to write thatdefinition down and then reach
that success.
It's, it's about what yourdefinition is.
Jay (15:19):
Again, you said something.
You got to want more.
You know what's.
What's crazy is um.
I think about this all the timeand I think the people I choose
to podcast with right.
No one comes up to me and says,can I podcast with you?
And you know I mean some peopleI'd have to say no to right.
Nate (15:37):
Yeah, you can't podcast with everybody.
Jay (15:39):
But the people I choose to podcast are with people like
yourself, as you tell me.
Hey, it's all about satisfyingothers or it's about viewing
yourself as successful?
95% of the world does not talklike that, nate.
I'll be honest with you.
Look at the people you talkedto today or yesterday.
They're not telling you theirambitions, goals and dreams.
(16:04):
They're just trying to cope.
Nate (16:11):
They're just trying to get by, and I think people struggle
with this as well.
They try to satisfy everybody.
Yes, they try to satisfyeverybody in their circle.
They try to satisfy the peoplearound them.
You can't satisfy everybody.
Again, you can help otherpeople, give them advice and
help people around them, but youcan't.
(16:31):
You have to realize that youcannot satisfy everybody.
Jay (16:36):
It's true, and I think, while we want to do good for
others and we want others tofeel good, there's an addiction
to that right and sometimes it'sa bad addiction.
And you, I just I said this inone of my core goals is having
time for me means I have to sayno to some people.
(16:56):
It's true, right, like Nate,like today, we couldn't have, we
might not even schedule thispodcast.
Maybe you had something going,I had something going and it
worked out because we made ourtime a priority.
Nate (17:07):
You know, and if it doesn't work out, it's not.
You can't take it personal,it's business, it's something
else, something came up, it'sit's purely not taking anything
personal and not get down andnot getting down about it.
Jay (17:21):
No, that's, that's incredible.
I mean, it gives me moreinsight about who you are and,
again, I want people to connectwith what the words that you are
saying from your perspective.
I want to talk about yourcollege life of sports, and then
we're going to transition intoyour military connections.
Okay, so let's let's talk aboutsports for a bit.
(17:44):
I want to drill down, includingto your awards or achievements
in sports.
Name some of those, or some ofthem, that are meaningful to you
.
Nate (17:56):
So I ended up getting um winning a wheelchair basketball
championship in a D three Um.
I ended up being first team allAmerican and second team
All-American.
When I was in college I alsowon wheelchair soccer tournament
in New York.
(18:16):
Sled hockey, played in thefinals but didn't quite get
there.
But again, you know you didyour best and you got to know
you did your best.
And there's also wheelchairsoftball where I got third place
Wheelchair softball.
I never got that championshipbut you just keep on working at
it.
There's just a bunch of sportsthat I've also tried, but not
(18:38):
competitively.
But you know I always tryanything, try anything, all the
wheelchair sports I can.
I ended up getting a smallconcussion in sled hockey.
You know it gets when you seeanything on TV, especially
wheelchair rugby.
You know I'm sure people haveseen that that's.
That's actually paraplegicsonly.
There is wheelchair wheelchairfootball as well.
(19:00):
I never really did that becausethere wasn't there wasn't
really a team around when I wasin Las Vegas.
That's when I played for D3.
I was there for a little bit Incollege.
I played many of my sports inhigh school.
Jay (19:18):
Do you miss those days or what do you do to stay connected
to those days?
Nate (19:22):
I do miss those days.
But there's sometimes whereyou've got to take care of your
body, Um, and you've got to takesome years off because the
shoulders will wear on you andtendons and muscles and um, and
you don't want to get to thepoint where you know a lot of
people in wheelchairs have theirrotator cuff surgery and stuff
like that.
(19:42):
I just know my boundaries withthat.
Sometimes my wife would tell meyou don't ever listen to your
body, you just keep going.
But that's hard when you're acompetitor, you don't want to
listen to it, you just want toget through it.
But sometimes you got to listento your body at some point when
things really start going wrongwith the shoulders and arms,
because that's what I do need inlife.
Jay (20:04):
Yeah, I would say.
And, Nate, when you were at theElkhorn days, some people
struggle just walking up thathill.
Let's be honest.
I saw you going up.
The cops were there behind you,a couple of our walkers were
behind you, and here's Nate.
I saw that video.
(20:25):
Did you see the video of you?
Nate (20:27):
yes, I did see the video.
And then when I got to the topof that hill, um, there was a
guy.
When I, when I went around thecorner, he goes gosh, I can't, I
can hardly go up there with myelectric bike.
Jay (20:39):
Struggles, you know like it's true, and I want you to
know, like I, I I don't think Itreat you different.
I don't think I view youdifferent.
I just I want you to know,though, we do treat you
different.
We, we talk about you, we, ourcircle talks about you, right
and?
And we're saying what's ourexcuse?
(21:01):
You know, or we can work harder, or he's a great example of
work.
You know what I'm saying?
Uh, just the things you've toldme today just make me go, man,
I can work another 10, 15 hourstoday.
I love it.
Nate (21:15):
Yeah, and I can say this too, though is just, I don't.
There's there's times where Imake excuses.
It's not like I never makeexcuses, Um, and am I
disappointed sometimes when Imake excuses?
Yeah, I am, Um, but I try totake the excuses out.
Jay (21:33):
I mean, I make excuses too.
Nate (21:36):
We all do.
Jay (21:37):
And and the last thing we're trying to do is make you
like a Superman.
But, um, I do notice.
Do notice.
If you're not Superman, how doyou find all this time, or where
do you find it in your soul, toserve all these community?
I want to talk about that.
Like in community, I mean itsays here just recently you've
(21:58):
really wanted to focus yourefforts on giving back.
One of the places I saw yougive back is very near and dear
organization is Chariots forHope.
Tell me about them and theother things that you did.
Like I know you just did afundraiser for another.
I mean, it's incredible to seeyou everywhere, but, nate, where
(22:19):
I see you is you're alwaysgiving.
Nate (22:22):
Yes, and I and I do my best to to raise awareness where
I think it needs to be.
Obviously, you want to talkabout the military connection.
My dad was in the military, acouple of my grandpas, my uncles
, were in the military and Iwanted to serve in the military
but obviously I couldn't RightWent past the physical.
(22:45):
I even joked with military.
You know, try to submit anapplication in college and
they're on the table.
But obviously they find a niceway of saying no, you can't, and
they're on the table, butobviously they find a nice way
of saying no, you can't.
So since I couldn't be in themilitary and serve, why not find
another way to serve for them?
(23:05):
Also, for transportation.
I know how many people strugglewith getting transportation and
all the transportation barriersaround.
So that was another charitythat's near and dear to me,
raising awareness toward that.
And then with my nephew as wellthat has the Batten disease,
(23:29):
what's a 5K to do, even if it'sin the dirt and the mud?
And on that path he's goingthrough.
I just told my sister he'sgoing through so much more than
I was.
He's happier than I probablywas when I was dealing with all
my surgeries.
He's still smiling, he's stilllaughing.
So for the little things thatwe have to do to raise awareness
(23:53):
and to help them is just alittle ants on the ground of
what we're doing compared towhat they're going through.
Jay (24:02):
Perspective.
I think you're very wise.
I can see, looking through yourlens, how you're starting to,
how you think, and I can detectyour energy.
When you speak about certainthings.
Your energy raises Nate.
Nate (24:14):
The passion, yes, the passion, yes, the passion gets
to me, yeah.
Jay (24:18):
Yeah, but life is so busy and I'm so busy and I've got so
many distractions.
Take me through.
What made you to decide for the50-mile march, bro?
(24:39):
This is 150 hours before youeven step on the freaking march.
Nate (24:44):
Yeah, and you find a way to.
When you do that, you just findways to divide up your time.
You find ways to find that timeto prepare, um, and ever since
that I saw it last year with mywife um, I was just like, why
(25:07):
didn't you tell me that it was50 mile marks?
I wanted to do it last year,especially during, you know, I
know it was hot and the heat, um, but, but sometimes that's that
endures more of a challenge andI love bigger challenges and I
don't know what's wrong with me,but I always like the tough
challenges and the stuff withthe challenges.
I want to do it, um, and it'sjust finding that time.
(25:33):
Um, I'm lucky enough where youknow my wife gives me that time
and you know my job offers thattime and I'm successful.
You know, like I say, I'msuccessful at my job, so I get
more lenient of getting the timeoff when I do need it.
Yeah, and making sure I havetime for my wife as well.
You know you always have, youalways need that and especially,
(25:56):
you know preparing for this andyou want to prepare enough
where you don't fail.
You probably know about thisthrough my Facebook lives when I
was doing the Cherries for Hopewhen I was anxiety driven and I
don't get anxiety, especiallywhen I'm downtown with Clarkson
(26:20):
Hospital and I don't know whatbus to get out to next because
that bus stop was closed and atthat point you just figure it
out and you find that confidenceof doing it.
Jay (26:35):
You also didn't call any friends.
You did it all on the publictransportation, am I correct?
Nate (26:40):
The whole channel.
So I did.
No, I had friends that I didcall.
Jay (26:44):
Oh, okay.
Nate (26:45):
I did the one day of the transportation that took me, I
think, an hour and 50 minutes toget to work with three
different buses of getting me towork and it was nice to
experience that and I'm alwayswanting to experience what other
people are experiencing with notransportation and what they
(27:06):
have to go through.
Jay (27:08):
I mean the bus driver you were telling me about this, who
said he's been driving for along time.
You're his very firstwheelchair ride, correct?
Nate (27:17):
He didn't really know how to run the Lyft, and that's an
issue.
Jay (27:23):
Yeah.
Nate (27:26):
Because you know how many people are in wheelchairs and if
they don't have thetransportation, I hope that
they're not struggling to findtransportation or afraid to be
on the route of buses andthey're not realizing what
experience that is or what theyhave to go through by being on
the buses or scared to do it.
That's what I want to put alsoout.
(27:47):
There is because being in awheelchair and showing that you
can go on the bus, you can findthat transportation, they'll
take good care of you or thebest care of you.
It still needs a lot ofimprovement here in Omaha and I
also wanted to show like I'msurprised that for the 50-mile
(28:08):
march, you haven't had anypeople in wheelchairs to do the
50-mile march and I wanted tomotivate those people that you
can also do that.
You're just like any otherperson.
Jay (28:19):
Yeah, man, that's so, it's so true.
I thought about that in the.
You know publicly I've neversaid it, nate, but you know.
Again, there are, you know,warriors who have been injured
right and who have been injuredright and who have lost mobility
Right.
And I've just been remindedabout that right now because I
(28:40):
know a few of them, right, andtheir lives are a little
different, you know.
But sometimes we see them soalive and so like connected to
something, and then other timesI see them distanced, you know
you're right.
There are other times I seethem distance, you know you're
right.
Nate (28:58):
There are other people, other than Nate in a wheelchair
can do this, you know, and yeah,and you know what, if, if, if
you really wanted to, evenduring the March, or go on
Facebook lives with some of it,like, if you know some of those
people that are struggling withwheelchair bound or or injuries,
you know what, I'll name themon the Facebook live and, and
(29:20):
you know, kind of help themthrough and and not challenge
them.
But, you know, show that we'rewe're doing it for them, you
know we're we're doing it tohelp them as well, and it's in
focus on focusing on thosepeople that are struggling.
Jay (29:34):
I will tell you, and just you know, let's just call it
right.
You know, just being wheelchairbound, we already know that you
have to plan, make, you have tofind a way, like you said and
sometimes it's not easy for somepeople to just find a way right
, and you're right You'rereminding me of this right now,
nate that we are going to bemarching 9, 40 at night, two
(29:59):
o'clock in the morning.
Um, we'll be rolling, right,we'll be rolling right we'll be
rolling but walking, rolling,whatever you want to call it and
you know, because even nate,when I've introduced us, you
know and I and I'm like, oh, 50Mile March, you know, does that
do anything for you?
When you know, does it?
How does that make you feel?
(30:19):
Does it make you feel included?
Does it recognize you?
When you know we say the 50Mile March and when you've told
people I'm doing the 50 MileMarch, the people you don't know
that well, or people you kindof hardly know, what's been the
reaction on average, or whatreactions have you got?
Nate (30:37):
it's, it's a wow, or it's crazy, or or how are you going
to do that?
Or that's wild, or I mean it's,it's a surprising kind of
response.
Jay (30:52):
How does that make you feel , though, like it aside, like it
just keeps motivating me to doit.
Nate (31:00):
It keeps motivating to know that you know, this is what
I'm going to do and no matterwhat it takes, I'm going to do
it.
Jay (31:07):
There's other people who are not in a wheelchair, Nate,
who are thinking how am I goingto do this?
Right?
That's the answer is you've gotto find what motivates you,
because it is mental and, likeyou said, I mean, Nate, we're
going to be going up and downgrades and, like you said,
rotator cuff, shoulder tendons,hands.
I just remember watching you.
(31:27):
I was so tired, Nate, at theend of the qualifier right,
because I was running up anddown making sure everybody was
okay.
Then I saw I was there at theend.
I'm in those like at the endand we're yelling right and
we're like what did you feel inthat moment when?
Nate (31:46):
you're when it was on.
I have to be that that wasamazing, the support at that end
for me when I was cramp, myhands didn't want to even close
on my rims at the point I wasforcing my hands to close to get
up that hill.
Here's, I think, where Imentally failed.
Right there I had it in my mindthat hill, instead of just
(32:13):
approaching it I was saying tomyself oh, there are that hills
at the end, oh, that hill is atthe end and I was kind of
thinking in my mind that wholelike leading up to it instead of
just tackling it when it gotthere.
And that's what I had to learn,because I've never went 10
(32:35):
miles just in my chair before,or not even 20 miles.
I've is 20 miles we went, butright, 20, but I did 20 instead
of just, instead of justtackling.
At that point I was thinkingabout it and that could have
exhausted me more because, likeyou said, it's it's mental
(32:56):
strength.
I know I have the strength todo it, but will I be mentally
strong when it gets dark or orsomewhere where I haven't been,
or the trail, or it's stayingmental, and and even on the 5k
with my, my little nephew, whatkept me going is because I kept
(33:18):
on thinking of him the wholetime.
Announcer (33:20):
Yeah.
Nate (33:21):
Yeah.
Announcer (33:22):
I bet you're worn out there.
Jay (33:24):
To keep me going, Nate I want to share this with you, and
you know about it becauseyou've seen it the final hill at
Nebraska Brewing Company.
It's not downhill, nope,there's a name for that hill
that we won't see on thispodcast.
You'll see the sign when youwalk up that hill, when we go.
Nate (33:46):
But symbolically or real, I mean, how's that sit with you
right, because I think about youknow how it sits really good
with me, cause I know how much,how much this, how much support
I have behind me.
I and yeah, and the and thestrong mindset that I got from
(34:07):
that qualifier to say you knowwhat, if you have the strength
to do it, you have the mind todo it.
Jay (34:13):
It's, it's.
It's kind of cool, Nate,because you know you've entered
a tribe here of people that younever knew before, right, Some
people you never knew and nowthey swear they all know Nate,
right, they're all makingfriends now right.
Like it's so cool because, Nate,I will say that you are, it was
, it was symbolic.
The picture that I remembervividly and that I have here,
(34:44):
that I'd like to frame and getto you, is the black and white
photo great photo, oh my god,I've got eric.
Francis took that photo.
I've got goosebumps.
Right now I'm a littleemotional.
Those people were cheeringthemselves on.
They don't even know it.
They think they were cheeringyou on.
They were, but they were insideyelling for themselves to like
we belong to something great.
This dude, it just happens tobe the light at the end of the
(35:06):
tunnel, right like, literally,with your.
But I'm saying, nate, it was so, first of all, spectacular.
Number two is, um, it was veryemotional.
For a lot of us, it was amagical experience.
But that's what the 50 MileMarch is about.
It's about community gettingtogether to lift each other up.
Nate (35:27):
We're not competing.
And a lot of look.
When I talk to people, a lot ofthem are like why do you
continue to do this march?
A lot of look.
When I talk to people, a lot ofthem like why do you continue
to do this march?
And they always tell me youknow, the reason is that when
you're obviously for theveterans, the main thing where
we're doing this for and support, and they said that finish when
(35:47):
you finish, and there'shundreds to thousands of people
that they're cheering you onwhen you get there, oh, she goes
, they go.
That's the best feeling, yeah.
Jay (35:59):
So have you never seen that ending in person, then Not in
person.
Nate (36:03):
No.
Jay (36:04):
Oh, brother, I I don't want to mess this up for you I mean,
last year I were expectingthree to 5,000 people that this
ended.
Nate (36:12):
This year, yeah, and I know, you know, 5,000 people
this end of this year.
Yeah, and I know my wife willbe at the end.
My wife, I'm sure she's goingto get together a bunch of
people too.
Jay (36:20):
She'll probably bring half of them.
Nate (36:21):
Well, let's be honest, she'll probably bring half of
them on.
Jay (36:28):
I mean, you guys are so good together, your values are
aligned, you are two powerhouses, right Like.
I know her world too and youknow watching you guys get
together, grow together, getmarried, like it's again Nate.
I know that guy, but I don'tknow that guy.
Damn, I know that guy.
Nate (36:47):
I said I couldn't do it without her.
She's a number one supporter.
Jay (36:52):
Yeah, and you need those.
Let's talk about for her asecond.
Then let's talk about yourfamily and then we'll wrap up
with the last couple ofquestions.
But let's talk about do youever call her?
What do you call your wife?
Bree Brianna?
What do you call her?
Brianna Brianna?
Okay, so so you say this is mynumber one supporter, right,
(37:15):
this is.
I'm sure she doesn't have tokeep you accountable, but she's
probably why your, why when itcomes to a lot of things, what
do you mean in your mind?
Like man, I can't do thiswithout her.
Like, what does that mean?
Nate (37:31):
Well, she doesn't treat me any differently being in a
wheelchair.
Yeah, if I mess up, she's on melike she'd be with anybody else
.
She'll forget that I'm in awheelchair.
She won't see me being in awheelchair.
Yeah, you know, it's seeing meas a person, not what I use to
get around.
Jay (37:49):
And I think that's so important, nate, just outside of
your wife, I see it, nate, likeeverywhere, right, when someone
looks different than what we door is just not what we're used
to, we tend to oh, we get allfragile, right, we get.
Oh, hi, nate, you know what Imean.
Nate (38:12):
And there's no reason for it.
Jay (38:13):
There's no reason for it, right, because you don't go.
Oh hey you, you know what Imean, right, like it's, it's
almost like not discrimination,but it's it's kind of like
prejudging of weakness or orwithoutness, right.
Nate (38:29):
Yeah, that's what.
That's one way to think of it,but I never look at it like that
.
I try, I don't let it bother me.
I try, I don't let it bother me.
I just, I just join in theconversation and make them more
comfortable and realize that I'mthe same, I'm a, I'm the person
, just like they are.
Jay (38:42):
Yes, and I think that's important though, because you
have to know people are polite,they're courteous and sometimes
are a little too courteous.
I want people to get thismessage from the connection to
say listen when you talk to Nate, when you talk to anyone who is
unlike yourself, treat them forthe human being that they are,
see them for the human beingthey are.
I mean, that's something I'vealways you know, and this is
(39:06):
just everyone in the world.
I mean, we all are differentpeople.
We all have our own challengesor we have our own opportunities
.
All have our own challenges orwe have our own opportunities.
But I think the world justneeds to relax a little bit and
quit being so politicallycorrect and just talk to each
other, even if I disagree withyou, nate, which I'm sure we may
(39:28):
in the future sometime but Iwant to have a real conversation
.
Nate (39:31):
Yeah, and just be respectful.
Jay (39:34):
I respect your opinion, respect mine and we go forward
yeah you don't let, you don't nodivision yeah, and that's easy
to say, though you know what Imean it's, it's it's easier if
you're said than done yeah, and,and that's that's why podcasts
like that has people love tohear positive stuff, you know.
But talk talking about yourwife.
(39:55):
When you said, hey, babe, I'mdoing this truly, her first
reaction was she like okay, orwhat was she like?
Nate (40:07):
Are you sure?
I'm like yeah.
Jay (40:10):
Yeah.
Nate (40:11):
And she's fully supportive of it.
Obviously, she wants me tolisten to my body if my body
starts hurting or anything likethat, but she's fully supportive
of me doing this and fullysupportive of any charities that
I want to dive into and helpand raise awareness for.
I mean, there was no likesaying you know, don't do it.
(40:34):
There was none of that.
Jay (40:35):
Right, it's just, are you sure, listen to your?
Sure, listen to your.
I mean, yeah, that's foreverybody.
I want to make sure you knowpeople who do take this journey.
I mean, hey, you should seewhich.
Thank god you won't have thisproblem, but you should see some
of the feet, brother, okayit'll be, I'll be wearing, I'll
be bringing a couple gloves,maybe three pairs of gloves and
(41:00):
some anti-chafing for your hands.
But yeah you know, um let's talkabout your dad.
Um, I know your dad uh passedaway in 22, correct.
You said and um tell us aboutyour dad.
Nate (41:14):
So he was the discipline.
He always disciplined.
You know.
He made sure all of us were incheck.
He had very faithful values,always wanted us to make sure we
went to church, and so that ledme a long way of who I need to
be and a strong, faithful personthat I need to be going forward
(41:37):
.
Um, even when, before he passedaway, you know, I I had to get
permission.
I just asked him for permissionas he was in the hospital, to
see if this pastor that we, thatBrandon and I got married with
it was okay to get married bythat pastor.
After he listened to helistened to his sermon or the
(41:57):
message he did prior to thatweek and he listened to it and
he said, yes, that you have myblessings to get married by that
pastor.
Wow, and when he, before hepassed away, you know we were
saying that we love him and hegoes and he goes.
You know we love for everythingthat you did.
He goes no, I didn't doanything, I just disciplined you
.
And he goes.
You know we love for everythingthat you did.
He goes no, I didn't doanything, I just disciplined you
(42:19):
and none of my family got inbig trouble.
We all have good jobs now andall being successful, and he
obviously did something right.
Discipline that's what I hear.
Discipline was key for us andmake sure we kept it all in
check and we came a very tightknit in in faithful family
(42:40):
together.
Jay (42:42):
I think that's such a big deal because disciplinarians, or
discipline, that's all my dadwas.
He just disciplined us.
You know, some of it was severe,some of it was light, um, but
you know, oh, jay, wasn't yourdad loving, loving he was, but
he showed his love throughdiscipline yeah what I mean and
we're losing that today, man,we're serving, we're soothing
(43:05):
our kids, we're giving themexcuses, we're yelling at their
coach, we're yelling at umpiresin front of our kids, like then
we wonder what happens.
And I say we I I'm just talkingin general.
Right, yeah, I might disagreewith the coach or our umpire,
but I'm definitely not the oneto say kids, screw authority.
(43:28):
I've never said that.
Right, like I want my kids.
If you came over to my house,nate, they would not call you
Nate, they'd call you Mr Nate orMr Pites.
Yeah, period, end of story Foras long as they're grown, as
long as you're my friend.
Nate (43:42):
As long as you're in my household, yeah.
Jay (43:44):
Yeah.
And if you say, hey, I wishthat you called me Nate Great,
that's up to you.
They still would have a hardtime calling you that you know.
Calling you that you know, um,discipline goes a long way.
It does, man, and.
And discipline doesn't mean itmeans clean up after yourself,
it means do the things you saidyou were gonna do.
(44:05):
It means just like you have todiscipline yourself yeah, yeah,
which that's a whole notherthree part series podcast yes,
it is let's talk about yourdad's service um vietnam.
What do you know of it, or whatso he?
Nate (44:21):
so he, um was flying the plane.
He flew the planes um, um, andthen he also he he was a
mechanic with the plane, so ifit would break down any kind of
things, he was the one in theshop or doing anything like that
in fixing the planes.
He actually flew one flightwith Henry Kissinger what, and
(44:43):
just you know, because he justgot done fixing his plane.
Do you want to fly?
And so he knew exactly how allthe jets flew and everything ins
and outs, how all the jets flewand everything ins and outs,
and he was a mechanic for 40, 50years with vehicles, trucks and
cars.
Jay (45:06):
So that's what he did in the service as well, you know.
Think about that.
How old was dad?
Nate (45:11):
when he passed he was 70.
Jay (45:14):
Okay, think of that generation right now.
Think of the 70-year-olds or75-year-olds, 80-year-olds today
.
These are people that did it,got their knuckles broken, hard
work, family, like thatgeneration right there, right,
like I'm not saying ourgeneration is bad.
I'm 55.
But I'm definitely not bustingmy knuckles on cars.
(45:38):
I'm not helping the peopleacross the street.
I want to stop at every carthat's on the side of the road.
But I bet your dad lived inthat era, right where, if
somebody was Yep, yep, he livedthere.
Nate (45:52):
Definitely would help people that were broken down.
You could talk to them and ifit was making a noise, you'd
probably know what noise it wasmaking and how to fix it and
what part to bring in.
He just honestly wanted toretire and get out of there.
Before he worked on electricvehicles.
He did not want to work on anyelectric vehicles.
(46:14):
Yeah, worked on electricvehicles.
Announcer (46:15):
He did not want to work on any electric vehicles.
Nate (46:16):
Yeah, yeah, because all the wiring and the harnesses and
and how dangerous it was whenyou're working with that kinds
of that kind of electricity andthe amps, and yeah, he, he loved
everything mechanical hearingthe engine run.
Jay (46:29):
As long as you can put oil and exhaust right.
He was, he was yeah, exactly.
I get it, though there's.
There's some nostalgic.
You know parts of that.
So, vietnam, um, your father,um, did he talk about it at all,
did he?
Nate (46:45):
no, no was how his yeah and his dad was in world war ii.
That's captain yes and he evenhad a helmet that he ended up
getting shot in the helmet onetime too, and he was in the
tanks and everything else.
And he said had a helmet, thathe ended up getting shot in the
helmet one time too and he wasin the tanks and everything else
.
And he said his dad wouldreally not talk about it either
that's a generation, you knowwhat I mean.
Jay (47:06):
And vietnam was a generation where they came back
and there was no ticker tape,great brother no there was spit
on and yelled at and didn't knowwhy we were there.
I mean now, if you're in themilitary and I'm not trying to
downplay anybody and you serve asandwich or two for two years
(47:26):
and you come back, you'recelebrated like a war hero.
You know what I mean.
Again, no downplay.
But I'm saying what about theseyoung men who left their
families?
You know I just did a podcastwhere her father was killed in
action.
You know we take these thingsfor granted, but uh, tell me
about your grandfather.
(47:46):
You said um helmet shot.
Nate (47:49):
Now that world war he went yeah, he went through the front
lines and captaining everythingelse.
I didn't know too much about it.
Okay, um, I just know that heserved because, again, he didn't
know much about it and I know.
But he was always well knownwith the military and being the
captain of one of those linesthat were that were front facing
, so did you get to meet grandpa.
Yep, yeah, I was real youngwhen he passed away, um, but yes
(48:12):
, I did meet him.
Jay (48:13):
Okay, tell me about mom, though we haven't talked about
mom much.
Nate (48:21):
So she ran a daycare.
She watched how many differentkids and now the kids that she
watched is now growing up andhad their own kids and she still
has them on social media andall this stuff.
But now she works at the schoolas a cook in Hardington,
(48:45):
hardington.
Jay (48:45):
My God, do you think mom will come join you at the end
and watch you?
Nate (48:52):
She may, she may.
Jay (48:53):
It would be so cool to see mom, but it's crazy how life
happens.
One day we're going to be yourparents' age, right.
One day we're going to begrandpa's age, and it's the
things that I think we're doingnow.
I was reading in your bio here.
It says here this past year, Iwanted to focus my efforts on
giving back and serving.
To focus my efforts on givingback and serving.
(49:19):
But really I'm asking is thataccurate?
Because it sounds like you'vebeen doing a lot of this
informally anyway.
What is it about this past year?
And I don't know when this waswritten.
Nate (49:27):
So no, yeah, we just wrote this up today or last night,
Last night Awesome.
So, yes, what got me into it isjust give back more, raise
awareness more.
And I know some of our podcastswe haven't done one in a while,
(49:48):
ben and I and I just wantedanother way of raising awareness
.
I wanted another way tocontribute where I haven't
contributed ever before.
And these two charities my wifereally knew very well and I was
like I'm going to do it andwhen I put the mind something,
(50:08):
when I put my mind to it, I justI want to fulfill that and I
don't, I don't know really whatgot to me, but and I don't, I
don't know really what got to me, but you know, I think the
challenges and you know theforerunners of the chariots for
hope that they haven't donebefore.
Jay (50:23):
Yeah, yeah, that was a big deal.
Nate (50:31):
I really just wanted to accept that challenge and I got
in late and I called Michelleand saying I'm going to do it
and she would you know how sheis.
She's so excited that I was soexcited I going to do it and she
would you know how she is.
She's so excited that I was soexcited I wanted to do it, um,
and plug me into a date and Ididn't want to be any different.
Jay (50:45):
Yeah, you know, um, a couple of things before we leave
.
Uh, I'm going to ask you tospeak to two audiences before.
Number one is um, what do youwant your platoon, the people
who are going to walk with you,right?
What platoon?
Are you in White?
Oh, you're in mine.
Yes, that's right, yeah.
(51:05):
That's so awesome.
So the other part is I want toask you and I want to ask you
here on the podcast to be realand raw.
Would it help I'm just askingbecause I know me would it help
to always keep you in the frontof formation?
And here's why, because theback always accordions like this
.
Nate (51:24):
I'm just asking, it doesn't really matter to me.
Okay, I know when we were goingon that final stretch, or that
final last 10 miles, I was inthe front, yes, but before we
even got to that hill, you know,when I slowed down and I slowed
(51:46):
down a little to get up thatsteep hill, yeah, I said you
guys can pass me.
And our leader, our pace leader, says no, none of us are
passing you, you lead us to thefinish.
Oh my God.
Jay (52:04):
That gives me goosebumps, Nate.
I never intended for this to bethis impressionable on anybody,
and the 50-mile march was justsupposed to be one time yeah,
and it grew to.
Nate (52:22):
It grew to changing the route because so many marchers
which is crazy.
Jay (52:26):
And then, and then here's a guy named nate, who I kind of
know, but I don't know, but nowI don't, now you know me the
last, the last audience or thelast people I want you to speak
to is I'm going to put yourfundraising link on this podcast
and I hope someone in Japanhears it and goes oh my gosh,
(52:48):
how do I convert into US dollars?
We'll take crypto.
We'll take crypto.
We'll take crypto.
Um?
How do we um?
What do you want to say to thepeople who are supporting you,
supporting this mission, when itcomes to supporting you?
Nate (53:06):
I just want to continue to thank them and appreciate them
so much for for contributing tothis mission.
It's obviously greatly impactedthis community and look how far
it's gone.
There's nothing better thanpeople contributing and knowing
that the money is going to sucha great mission of continuing.
(53:30):
I'm not sure what everybodyknows what you have done with
this, jay, and what everybodyknows what you have done with
this Jay, and what everybody hasdone to this of doing this
community of hope.
What a great thing to supportwhen you went to this huge
(53:52):
milestone and huge step ofmaking these many houses with
the headquarters there andsupportive communities and in
offices there.
I mean why, once you want tosupport it and but again can't,
can't thank people enough forsupporting my mission for the 15
mile march.
I mean there's no, there's nothank you big enough, say to
(54:16):
appreciate people supportingthis for me.
Jay (54:20):
I mean that's incredible, Like you know all the things
that run through my head whenthey say hey, Jay, you need to
be a better listener.
But as you speak, Nate, I'malways like if you could just
hear the thoughts in my head asyou say that, again, of all the
things that happened because ofthe 50, it's it's getting to
(54:40):
people like you that have madethis journey.
For me, one number one worth itand number two is worthwhile
carrying forward you know, andit keeps on climbing and
climbing.
Nate (54:51):
So, just like, why wouldn't you want to just
continue on?
You know what, maybe I'll tryto get somebody else in a
wheelchair to join me next year.
Jay (55:02):
I freaking love it, man.
I always do this final thoughtsfor you and I want you to take
your time right, becausesometimes you forget things in a
podcast.
You're like gosh.
I wish I would have said that.
Nate, this is your time, yourtime.
Nate (55:21):
I just want to, you know, know people as me and know
people Respectful, friendly.
You know you can go up to me atany point to ask me any kind of
questions.
I don't want to be, if you callit, standoffish.
At any point, I'm alwayswilling to have a conversation
so you can learn more about thedisability and what it's like
(55:42):
being in a wheelchair.
I also want you to know of howto, if you ever approach
somebody with a disability,approach them in the same way
that you would approach anybodyelse.
Then if you go say hi or be ortimid, that's going to make them
more timid toward you of andhave the thought process of how
(56:04):
are they looking at me?
And I don't want anybody.
If they approach anybody with adisability or or being in a
wheelchair, I don't want them tothink that way.
I want them to be comfortableand, like I said so when they
went up, I think that way, Iwant them to be comfortable and,
like I said so when they wentup, I don't want people to be
timid.
I just want them to talk tothem like a normal person and
(56:24):
then you'll be morewell-perceived and well-talked
to.
At that point, I think, when Iwent up to you as soon as I met
you for the first time after Idecided to join the 50 Mile
March.
I want to tell you right awaythis has nothing to do with me
being in a wheelchair.
This is all about the 50-milemarch.
This is all about our veterans.
That's it.
I didn't want it to be drawntoward me.
I don't want anything to be, oh, nate's in a wheelchair.
(56:47):
No, it's not about me, it's notabout this.
Jay (56:57):
This is about the mission that you and your crew have
created for the 50-mile marchand getting to the point of
doing whatever we can for ourveterans.
Brother, talk about a soulfulfilling day right now.
Um, I you know, nate, you meeta lot of people and meet a lot
of people because of business ornetworking or the cool kids,
(57:18):
right?
I remember seeing you at CarolSprunk's event at Edge.
We were very cordial there, wewere just cordial.
Hi, hi, hi, hi hi, yeah.
And then maybe on social mediacommenting here and there, but
I've listened to your podcastwith your wife.
(57:39):
I know you started that almosttwo years ago.
Was that right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, cause Iremember your first episode when
you guys were like, hey, thisis what we're doing.
Nate (57:47):
We really need to start off again.
We can talk about so much moreyou know, and it just takes time
.
Jay (57:53):
And then the second it does .
The time that I reallyconnected with you was at the
mission briefing.
That's where I was like blownaway by your humility.
The things you said, and youreally said, they're like don't
treat me any different, because,honestly, at that point I don't
(58:13):
want to say that I was that guy, but I was like okay, it's Nate
.
Nate (58:18):
But you want to, you want to do that.
Jay (58:21):
Right, right and.
But I'm glad I know now howyour perspective is on life and
I know what your perspective isand it makes me feel comfortable
with myself.
Is what I'm saying?
Right, it makes me moreeducated and it pours over into
so many lessons, but I'm justgrateful that we got the time
(58:42):
today, brother, that's for sure.
Nate (58:44):
Appreciate the invitation.
Jay (58:48):
Dude, we're going to get to know each other.
I'm sorry that I missed youright here outside during our 5
am ruck.
Nate (58:56):
Yeah, I need to possibly go to more of those, but I I'd
end up going when you were goneperfect timing, right I'm like
where, where is jay?
I said even, I even messagedhim on on facebook saying I'm on
my way that's hilarious, I know.
Jay (59:11):
I think I was in arkansas or something but yeah, that's
what they told me.
Yeah you're the real deal, nate.
We're better because of you.
We have so much to make animpact with together.
I look forward to getting toknow you better.
I look forward to sharing yourstory.
So now, when we share this withthe 50 Mile March folks,
they'll be like but I know Nate,because he said that, like
(59:35):
that's what podcasting is for,that's so you don't have to tell
your story over and over, and Iwant someone to listen to this
who might be in despair or mightbe in a, in a in a season of
challenge, and I want them to goshoot, shoot.
I can do this, I'm competitive,but, nate, you're a bright
(59:57):
light.
Nate (59:58):
I appreciate it.
And, like I said, when I hearanybody struggling, I wish I
could talk to everybody.
All those people that arestruggling, that's my first
thing.
I wish I could talk to them.
I wish I could talk to them.
I want to talk to them.
But you know what you can'thelp everybody, but you can
always do what you can.
Jay (01:00:17):
All right, I'm going to put this out to the world.
This is going to be recorded.
Right now, you and I are doingan event together and whoever
else we're going to pour intosome people, I don't know, maybe
it's 45 days from now, maybeit's three weeks before the 50
mile march, I don't care and wewe're gonna have me and you and
(01:00:37):
maybe whoever else wants to joinin right and just talk about
perspective of life and, um,it's gonna be with maybe 90 to
150 people.
It's gonna be a good networkingevent.
All righty, are you up for it?
yeah, let's do it bro, don'tmake me do it because, like you
said, you can't talk toeverybody, but if we can
(01:00:59):
broadcast our message to a largeaudience, brother, I think this
would be cool.
Brother, you're awesome.
Thank you, I hope this met yourexpectations, but I know that
you made an impact with ours.
Thank you, I appreciate youAgain.
Nate (01:01:14):
Thank you for inviting me to this.
An impact with ours.
Thank you, I appreciate youAgain.
Thank you for inviting me tothis and it was a pleasure
talking to you.
Awesome, All right.
Announcer (01:01:23):
Thanks for tuning in to the Connection.
It's been a fantastic journey,exploring stories, insights and
inspirations that bridge ourlives.
Remember every connection hasthe power to transform.
Please subscribe, rate andreview.
Your feedback keeps us going Inthis connected world.
(01:01:43):
Let's make meaningfulconnections that enrich lives.
Now signing off until next time, the Connection, keep
connecting and let's go.
connecting the dots, connecting his guests to the
world, creating more connections.
Welcome to the connection.
Meet your host.
Author, coach.
Air coach, air Force veteranJay Morales.
Jay (00:30):
I'm so grateful to have my next guest on the Connection.
So, as you know, the Connectionis.
I just want to get down to howare they connected, who are they
connected to and how do theyconnect with other people?
It's kind of like this I wasjust talking with Nate offline.
I know him, but I don't knowhim.
Oh dang, now I know him.
(00:50):
So, nate, in order for us tomake a connection, let's start
real easy.
How and when did you get toNebraska and how did you get
here?
Nate (01:00):
Yeah, all right.
Well, my name is Nate Peitz andI was living in a small town of
Hardington, Nebraska, Went to acollege in southwest Minnesota
State where I started my collegecareer of wheelchair sports.
I also played.
What's crazy is I playedwheelchair basketball here in
Omaha when I was in high school.
I played wheelchair basketballat UNO.
(01:24):
I didn't have a college team.
I obviously played high school,but every Saturday we went for
practices, so I never lived inOmaha until 2017.
September 2017 is when I cameto Omaha and started my job at
Lexus of Omaha as one of thefinance managers over there.
Jay (01:44):
Funny that I've never run into you there.
I've I've been into theshowroom, but I've never
purchased the Lexus.
That's probably why.
Nate (01:50):
Yeah, you don't.
You don't get in my officeuntil you actually buy the
vehicle.
Jay (01:56):
I can safely say I don't have a Lexus.
No, that's funny.
So, hardington, you mentionedyou know wheelchair sports.
I want to go right and unpeelthe layer.
It says you were born with adisability called spina bifida.
Can we educate the public aboutthis?
And I want to talk about whenpeople approach you, how you
(02:17):
want to be seen and treatedright Like.
I'm learning this as we go.
I've learned a little bit inthe past, but, nate, you're a
person just like I am.
Nate (02:26):
Yes, that's, that's how I like to be seen and talked to as
well.
I like people to forget aboutthe wheelchair.
So what spina bifida is is whenyou're born with your bottom
portion of the back over yourspinal cord open at birth,
portion of the back over yourspinal cord open at birth, and
(02:49):
so it damages some of the spinalcords of of the um, um of the
spinal cord, and then it's it'shard to um close it up.
It takes about three, two ortwo or three surgeries to close
up by the.
By the time they're ready to beexposed, the damage is caused
Um, when I was born, they didn'tknow that I had spina bifida
until I was born and my momactually had to have me early
because of complications andthey think that possibly saved
(03:13):
me from it being more severethan it is.
Jay (03:28):
But I do have the most severe form, but not that kind
of.
There are just differentseverities to this specific type
.
Absolutely, and you know, again, like you said, I'd rather
people forget about thewheelchair, you know.
And so here's where I startuncovering the layers or making
the connection nate.
I've known of you, I've knownof your wife, brianna, like I've
I've seen you before.
I know you're involved in thecommunity and it's just when you
, when you network and you goout, you get to know people, or
(03:51):
sometimes you look the other wayor you don't know what to say.
You know, I think when Ilearned, like I said, I've known
you, I've seen you, but I thinkthe last time I got to really
witness something pretty magicalwas when we were doing the 50
mile March.
Uh, uh, qualifier togetherright.
Nate (04:12):
Yes, that was.
That was the more difficultthan I thought it would be.
But you know, I was.
I was raised, uh, to acceptchallenges and I was also raised
to, uh, never give up mentalityjust for how my parents were.
And I had a physical therapistthat you know.
You figure.
You figure stuff out.
Even if there's stairs, youfigure out how to get up them I,
(04:35):
I agree you figure out how toget them yes.
Jay (04:38):
When did you so?
When you were growing up as akid like young, figuring this
out and.
And you're going through lifejust as we all do, right,
whether what age it is.
When do you remember yourselftalking to yourself in that
positive way you are right now.
How young were you when youstarted saying I just got to
figure this out?
Nate (04:59):
it was probably when I got introduced to my physical
therapist.
Um you in or in high schoolwhen my parents at a very young
age told me to figure it out Donot have I can't in your
vocabulary.
No matter what you're going toface some challenges.
If you fall, you get back upand that's how you do with life
(05:22):
and that's how you do it.
And then I was the only one inmy in my family.
Of five siblings I have, I wasone in the wheelchair and they
didn't treat me any differently.
They didn't baby me anydifferently, they just treated
me the same as the rest of mysiblings and that gave me the
mentality to always be positiveand, no matter what challenges
that I do have, just keep going.
Jay (05:43):
Yeah, you know, know, and I think we all have limitations,
right and in our own, in our ownminds, some of us put
self-limiting beliefs that don'teven belong there.
But I think the ones of us whodo rise know that, hey, we may
have a limited scope in thisarea, but we're going to do it
regardless, like I want peopleto tell me nate, you can't.
(06:06):
What do you hear, nate?
Or what do you?
What goes through your mind?
Oh, nate, I, I don't know man,I don't know nate, what do you
what?
What goes?
See, I see your face smilingyeah, so do you see red or what?
what happened?
Nate (06:20):
no, I don't see your red I .
I just kind of chuckle in mymind, like you know, just just
like we.
We went, I'm part, you knowobviously part of the 50 mile
march.
What happened?
No, I don't see it red I I justkind of chuckle in my mind,
like you know, just just like we.
We went, I'm part of, you knowobviously a part of the 50 mile
march.
And when we got the updatedroute and and Adam called me and
he goes oh, I'm so sorry, nate,that I didn't call you before I
put the video out that the thatthe route changed, I'm like you
(06:47):
don't have to.
No matter what, I'm going toaccept that challenge, I'm going
to do it.
And you know what?
I just kind of laugh in my mindand say I'm going to do it
Concrete, sand, mud, gravel, I'mgoing to figure it out.
Jay (06:56):
You know, nate, let's stay right there, because there are
people already who are oh no, Ican't believe it.
There's going to be sand androcks in our feet.
What do you say, or what's youradvice, like what's your kind
advice and then what's yourdirect advice, what's your
advice to?
Nate (07:15):
somebody who says, oh Well , we're doing this for our
veterans, right, yeah, and theyendured more pain.
They endured more challengesthan we were enduring on a trail
.
They were in the heat They'vebeen born more challenges than
we were enduring on a on a trail.
They were in the heat.
They were in the desert,they're in everywhere else, with
dust, gravel, dirt, and thesewere going to be in better
conditions than they are.
And if they had to endure it,why don't we raise money, like
(07:39):
we are doing, and and thenendure or try to experience as
close as we can to what theyfaced?
Jay (07:47):
I mean, nate, that, just right there, makes me want to
work harder.
And this is I'm telling you,serious, just your words there.
I wish I could just play thatover and over again, which I'm
going to because this podcast.
But it's true, you are sayingthis is not about us.
Nate (08:04):
No.
Jay (08:05):
And it is going to be difficult.
When did you know that?
When did you know in your heartand maybe you didn't know when
did you find yourself saying notonly can I take care of me, I
want to give to others.
When did that start?
Or do you have any earlymemories?
Or when did you be?
Do you have any?
Nate (08:22):
early memories or when did you be For the support that I
had growing up with my parents,friends, family, physical
therapists.
It helped me when I was to havethat kind of attitude.
When I see other people'sinjuries, such car accidents and
many others, I had compassionabout helping those that were
(08:43):
going through that pain,depression or thought their life
was over and all they want todo is help.
From then on, when I wasgrowing up and experiencing more
and more of those people thathad those type of injuries that
made them wheelchair bound, andthat caught my heart, caught my
soul and you know, from there onI wanted to help others.
(09:05):
My wife and I started a podcastof just helping people with
disabilities and trying to getit out there of resources for
those that are wheelchair-boundand anything like that.
There was a lot of work thatstill needs to be done but again
, my main focus, that I'vealways had this mindset, is
(09:26):
taking the dis out of disabilityand living life that way.
Jay (09:30):
I love to take the dis out of disability, brother.
I think we need shirts and mugsthat say that man, I mean, I've
heard a lot of things but Ihaven't heard that.
Right, take the dis out ofdisability, because it is a dis.
It is a dis to someone likeyourself who says, oh, it's okay
, or hey, let's just work aroundhim.
That that right there is almostin itself, defeatist language.
(09:54):
Just as if I were to tell myson hey, you, you can't do that
because of this.
Nate (09:59):
You know what I mean.
It is just like anytime peoplesay that I can't do it.
I'm like, yes, you can.
Yes, you can do it.
You just got to put your mindto it and it may hurt, may be
painful, may do this, but nomatter what, you're going to get
through it.
And part of it is when I had.
My whole family is competitive.
I grew up in a very competitivefamily.
(10:21):
They were all playingcompetitive sports.
You know three older sisters,one younger sister, one younger
brother.
Everybody would compete abouthow fast you can even eat food.
How fast can people eat theirdinner Playing basketball
together?
I'm in a wheelchair.
My whole family wanted to beateach other and wanted to win.
(10:43):
My dad is the one thatdisciplined as well, and you
know what you got to talk it toif you lost in a good way.
But you know what he knew youcould do better.
Jay (10:54):
I've heard the word competitive out of your mouth
maybe three to five timesalready since this few minutes.
Let's talk about your family.
Real quick, you said seven ofyou siblings.
Is that correct?
Nate (11:04):
No, there's six of us together.
Jay (11:06):
Six together.
Okay, so then with the six ofyou.
Where were you in that lineup?
Nate (11:12):
In the middle.
Jay (11:12):
In the middle, okay.
Nate (11:14):
Three older sisters, one younger sister, one younger
brother.
Jay (11:17):
Okay, who now I'm not asking for favorites, right, but
who challenged you the most?
Nate (11:30):
Who made you think outside of the?
You know, I have one oldersister that's really competitive
all the time, okay.
Jay (11:35):
Tell me about her.
Nate (11:37):
But my brother also, I mean because we're the two boys,
yeah.
So I mean, no matter what itwas, sports, other competition,
we had always.
Anytime there was an activity,there was always a bet on who
could do better.
Jay (11:54):
I mean, you know, there's something to be said for that
right.
I mean there's the rivalry, butthere's healthy challenge also,
and I think sometimes thisworld is losing that right.
We are almost looking foreveryone to not leave people
behind or push someone to beaverage, and I mean this in
every sense of the word, becausewe're trying to include
(12:15):
everyone in everything, and Ithink sometimes it's okay to
stand out, it's okay to workharder than others, it's okay
for me to lose sometimes, right?
Yes, or a lot, or a lot.
Nate (12:28):
Yes, I'm good with that when you fail.
That's how you get better.
Jay (12:34):
Everyone hears that Nate, but what's Nate's version of
okay, you fail, you get better?
What's your version of thatwhen everyone says, know, uh,
mistakes are life lessons?
Okay, that's great, I've readthat.
What does that mean to nate,like, what are some of the
things you do to to cope, or tolearn, or to?
Nate (12:55):
since you know every time that I you know you don't see
just going around, going aroundthe lake or or going um doing
anything like wheeling.
I try to beat my time Going toexercise coach.
I try to beat my lifting or myresistance training.
I try to beat my other record.
(13:17):
It's always beating my otherrecords.
I don't have to compete againstanybody, it's competing against
myself and it's trying to getmy personal best personal
records and, yes, I'mdisappointed when I failed doing
that, but it helps me get abetter mindset and do better
next time and accept it.
It's all about accepting yourfailures first before you can
(13:38):
get better.
Jay (13:40):
That's true, and you said something very key.
I'm not competing againstanybody else, you know usually,
but to compete against a personyou were yesterday, first of all
you've got to know where youwere yesterday.
If it was 37 minutes around thelake, or I'm just making this
up, if you hit 36.8, that's afreaking win, right.
(14:01):
How do you apply that outsideof that?
How do you apply that to yourprofessional life?
Are there any good examples ofwhere you know where you're
competitive, where it helps you?
Because the reason I'm askingthis, nate, is there someone
listening?
His name's Bob, or it's somegirl named Shelly saying well,
how do I make myself better?
Nate (14:21):
So it's all about serving your purpose.
It's about serving your purposewith life, doing what you want
to do, being happy what you wantto do and consider yourself
(14:41):
successful.
And when you feel you'resuccessful, that's all about.
You know, continue to be happyin your role and satisfying
others.
And, like at my job, you knowyou have a lone goal.
You have those goals.
Obviously, when you achievethose goals, you're happy.
But can you do more?
Yes, you can do more.
You always want to do more, butin order to help others, you've
(15:03):
got to be happy with yourself.
And, like I said, you have yourown definition of success and
you and you got to write thatdefinition down and then reach
that success.
It's, it's about what yourdefinition is.
Jay (15:19):
Again, you said something.
You got to want more.
You know what's.
What's crazy is um.
I think about this all the timeand I think the people I choose
to podcast with right.
No one comes up to me and says,can I podcast with you?
And you know I mean some peopleI'd have to say no to right.
Nate (15:37):
Yeah, you can't podcast with everybody.
Jay (15:39):
But the people I choose to podcast are with people like
yourself, as you tell me.
Hey, it's all about satisfyingothers or it's about viewing
yourself as successful?
95% of the world does not talklike that, nate.
I'll be honest with you.
Look at the people you talkedto today or yesterday.
They're not telling you theirambitions, goals and dreams.
(16:04):
They're just trying to cope.
Nate (16:11):
They're just trying to get by, and I think people struggle
with this as well.
They try to satisfy everybody.
Yes, they try to satisfyeverybody in their circle.
They try to satisfy the peoplearound them.
You can't satisfy everybody.
Again, you can help otherpeople, give them advice and
help people around them, but youcan't.
(16:31):
You have to realize that youcannot satisfy everybody.
Jay (16:36):
It's true, and I think, while we want to do good for
others and we want others tofeel good, there's an addiction
to that right and sometimes it'sa bad addiction.
And you, I just I said this inone of my core goals is having
time for me means I have to sayno to some people.
(16:56):
It's true, right, like Nate,like today, we couldn't have, we
might not even schedule thispodcast.
Maybe you had something going,I had something going and it
worked out because we made ourtime a priority.
Nate (17:07):
You know, and if it doesn't work out, it's not.
You can't take it personal,it's business, it's something
else, something came up, it'sit's purely not taking anything
personal and not get down andnot getting down about it.
Jay (17:21):
No, that's, that's incredible.
I mean, it gives me moreinsight about who you are and,
again, I want people to connectwith what the words that you are
saying from your perspective.
I want to talk about yourcollege life of sports, and then
we're going to transition intoyour military connections.
Okay, so let's let's talk aboutsports for a bit.
(17:44):
I want to drill down, includingto your awards or achievements
in sports.
Name some of those, or some ofthem, that are meaningful to you
.
Nate (17:56):
So I ended up getting um winning a wheelchair basketball
championship in a D three Um.
I ended up being first team allAmerican and second team
All-American.
When I was in college I alsowon wheelchair soccer tournament
in New York.
(18:16):
Sled hockey, played in thefinals but didn't quite get
there.
But again, you know you didyour best and you got to know
you did your best.
And there's also wheelchairsoftball where I got third place
Wheelchair softball.
I never got that championshipbut you just keep on working at
it.
There's just a bunch of sportsthat I've also tried, but not
(18:38):
competitively.
But you know I always tryanything, try anything, all the
wheelchair sports I can.
I ended up getting a smallconcussion in sled hockey.
You know it gets when you seeanything on TV, especially
wheelchair rugby.
You know I'm sure people haveseen that that's.
That's actually paraplegicsonly.
There is wheelchair wheelchairfootball as well.
(19:00):
I never really did that becausethere wasn't there wasn't
really a team around when I wasin Las Vegas.
That's when I played for D3.
I was there for a little bit Incollege.
I played many of my sports inhigh school.
Jay (19:18):
Do you miss those days or what do you do to stay connected
to those days?
Nate (19:22):
I do miss those days.
But there's sometimes whereyou've got to take care of your
body, Um, and you've got to takesome years off because the
shoulders will wear on you andtendons and muscles and um, and
you don't want to get to thepoint where you know a lot of
people in wheelchairs have theirrotator cuff surgery and stuff
like that.
(19:42):
I just know my boundaries withthat.
Sometimes my wife would tell meyou don't ever listen to your
body, you just keep going.
But that's hard when you're acompetitor, you don't want to
listen to it, you just want toget through it.
But sometimes you got to listento your body at some point when
things really start going wrongwith the shoulders and arms,
because that's what I do need inlife.
Jay (20:04):
Yeah, I would say.
And, Nate, when you were at theElkhorn days, some people
struggle just walking up thathill.
Let's be honest.
I saw you going up.
The cops were there behind you,a couple of our walkers were
behind you, and here's Nate.
I saw that video.
(20:25):
Did you see the video of you?
Nate (20:27):
yes, I did see the video.
And then when I got to the topof that hill, um, there was a
guy.
When I, when I went around thecorner, he goes gosh, I can't, I
can hardly go up there with myelectric bike.
Jay (20:39):
Struggles, you know like it's true, and I want you to
know, like I, I I don't think Itreat you different.
I don't think I view youdifferent.
I just I want you to know,though, we do treat you
different.
We, we talk about you, we, ourcircle talks about you, right
and?
And we're saying what's ourexcuse?
(21:01):
You know, or we can work harder, or he's a great example of
work.
You know what I'm saying?
Uh, just the things you've toldme today just make me go, man,
I can work another 10, 15 hourstoday.
I love it.
Nate (21:15):
Yeah, and I can say this too, though is just, I don't.
There's there's times where Imake excuses.
It's not like I never makeexcuses, Um, and am I
disappointed sometimes when Imake excuses?
Yeah, I am, Um, but I try totake the excuses out.
Jay (21:33):
I mean, I make excuses too.
Nate (21:36):
We all do.
Jay (21:37):
And and the last thing we're trying to do is make you
like a Superman.
But, um, I do notice.
Do notice.
If you're not Superman, how doyou find all this time, or where
do you find it in your soul, toserve all these community?
I want to talk about that.
Like in community, I mean itsays here just recently you've
(21:58):
really wanted to focus yourefforts on giving back.
One of the places I saw yougive back is very near and dear
organization is Chariots forHope.
Tell me about them and theother things that you did.
Like I know you just did afundraiser for another.
I mean, it's incredible to seeyou everywhere, but, nate, where
(22:19):
I see you is you're alwaysgiving.
Nate (22:22):
Yes, and I and I do my best to to raise awareness where
I think it needs to be.
Obviously, you want to talkabout the military connection.
My dad was in the military, acouple of my grandpas, my uncles
, were in the military and Iwanted to serve in the military
but obviously I couldn't RightWent past the physical.
(22:45):
I even joked with military.
You know, try to submit anapplication in college and
they're on the table.
But obviously they find a niceway of saying no, you can't, and
they're on the table, butobviously they find a nice way
of saying no, you can't.
So since I couldn't be in themilitary and serve, why not find
another way to serve for them?
(23:05):
Also, for transportation.
I know how many people strugglewith getting transportation and
all the transportation barriersaround.
So that was another charitythat's near and dear to me,
raising awareness toward that.
And then with my nephew as wellthat has the Batten disease,
(23:29):
what's a 5K to do, even if it'sin the dirt and the mud?
And on that path he's goingthrough.
I just told my sister he'sgoing through so much more than
I was.
He's happier than I probablywas when I was dealing with all
my surgeries.
He's still smiling, he's stilllaughing.
So for the little things thatwe have to do to raise awareness
(23:53):
and to help them is just alittle ants on the ground of
what we're doing compared towhat they're going through.
Jay (24:02):
Perspective.
I think you're very wise.
I can see, looking through yourlens, how you're starting to,
how you think, and I can detectyour energy.
When you speak about certainthings.
Your energy raises Nate.
Nate (24:14):
The passion, yes, the passion, yes, the passion gets
to me, yeah.
Jay (24:18):
Yeah, but life is so busy and I'm so busy and I've got so
many distractions.
Take me through.
What made you to decide for the50-mile march, bro?
(24:39):
This is 150 hours before youeven step on the freaking march.
Nate (24:44):
Yeah, and you find a way to.
When you do that, you just findways to divide up your time.
You find ways to find that timeto prepare, um, and ever since
that I saw it last year with mywife um, I was just like, why
(25:07):
didn't you tell me that it was50 mile marks?
I wanted to do it last year,especially during, you know, I
know it was hot and the heat, um, but, but sometimes that's that
endures more of a challenge andI love bigger challenges and I
don't know what's wrong with me,but I always like the tough
challenges and the stuff withthe challenges.
I want to do it, um, and it'sjust finding that time.
(25:33):
Um, I'm lucky enough where youknow my wife gives me that time
and you know my job offers thattime and I'm successful.
You know, like I say, I'msuccessful at my job, so I get
more lenient of getting the timeoff when I do need it.
Yeah, and making sure I havetime for my wife as well.
You know you always have, youalways need that and especially,
(25:56):
you know preparing for this andyou want to prepare enough
where you don't fail.
You probably know about thisthrough my Facebook lives when I
was doing the Cherries for Hopewhen I was anxiety driven and I
don't get anxiety, especiallywhen I'm downtown with Clarkson
(26:20):
Hospital and I don't know whatbus to get out to next because
that bus stop was closed and atthat point you just figure it
out and you find that confidenceof doing it.
Jay (26:35):
You also didn't call any friends.
You did it all on the publictransportation, am I correct?
Nate (26:40):
The whole channel.
So I did.
No, I had friends that I didcall.
Jay (26:44):
Oh, okay.
Nate (26:45):
I did the one day of the transportation that took me, I
think, an hour and 50 minutes toget to work with three
different buses of getting me towork and it was nice to
experience that and I'm alwayswanting to experience what other
people are experiencing with notransportation and what they
(27:06):
have to go through.
Jay (27:08):
I mean the bus driver you were telling me about this, who
said he's been driving for along time.
You're his very firstwheelchair ride, correct?
Nate (27:17):
He didn't really know how to run the Lyft, and that's an
issue.
Jay (27:23):
Yeah.
Nate (27:26):
Because you know how many people are in wheelchairs and if
they don't have thetransportation, I hope that
they're not struggling to findtransportation or afraid to be
on the route of buses andthey're not realizing what
experience that is or what theyhave to go through by being on
the buses or scared to do it.
That's what I want to put alsoout.
(27:47):
There is because being in awheelchair and showing that you
can go on the bus, you can findthat transportation, they'll
take good care of you or thebest care of you.
It still needs a lot ofimprovement here in Omaha and I
also wanted to show like I'msurprised that for the 50-mile
(28:08):
march, you haven't had anypeople in wheelchairs to do the
50-mile march and I wanted tomotivate those people that you
can also do that.
You're just like any otherperson.
Jay (28:19):
Yeah, man, that's so, it's so true.
I thought about that in the.
You know publicly I've neversaid it, nate, but you know.
Again, there are, you know,warriors who have been injured
right and who have been injuredright and who have lost mobility
Right.
And I've just been remindedabout that right now because I
(28:40):
know a few of them, right, andtheir lives are a little
different, you know.
But sometimes we see them soalive and so like connected to
something, and then other timesI see them distanced, you know
you're right.
There are other times I seethem distance, you know you're
right.
Nate (28:58):
There are other people, other than Nate in a wheelchair
can do this, you know, and yeah,and you know what, if, if, if
you really wanted to, evenduring the March, or go on
Facebook lives with some of it,like, if you know some of those
people that are struggling withwheelchair bound or or injuries,
you know what, I'll name themon the Facebook live and, and
(29:20):
you know, kind of help themthrough and and not challenge
them.
But, you know, show that we'rewe're doing it for them, you
know we're we're doing it tohelp them as well, and it's in
focus on focusing on thosepeople that are struggling.
Jay (29:34):
I will tell you, and just you know, let's just call it
right.
You know, just being wheelchairbound, we already know that you
have to plan, make, you have tofind a way, like you said and
sometimes it's not easy for somepeople to just find a way right
, and you're right You'rereminding me of this right now,
nate that we are going to bemarching 9, 40 at night, two
(29:59):
o'clock in the morning.
Um, we'll be rolling, right,we'll be rolling right we'll be
rolling but walking, rolling,whatever you want to call it and
you know, because even nate,when I've introduced us, you
know and I and I'm like, oh, 50Mile March, you know, does that
do anything for you?
When you know, does it?
How does that make you feel?
(30:19):
Does it make you feel included?
Does it recognize you?
When you know we say the 50Mile March and when you've told
people I'm doing the 50 MileMarch, the people you don't know
that well, or people you kindof hardly know, what's been the
reaction on average, or whatreactions have you got?
Nate (30:37):
it's, it's a wow, or it's crazy, or or how are you going
to do that?
Or that's wild, or I mean it's,it's a surprising kind of
response.
Jay (30:52):
How does that make you feel , though, like it aside, like it
just keeps motivating me to doit.
Nate (31:00):
It keeps motivating to know that you know, this is what
I'm going to do and no matterwhat it takes, I'm going to do
it.
Jay (31:07):
There's other people who are not in a wheelchair, Nate,
who are thinking how am I goingto do this?
Right?
That's the answer is you've gotto find what motivates you,
because it is mental and, likeyou said, I mean, Nate, we're
going to be going up and downgrades and, like you said,
rotator cuff, shoulder tendons,hands.
I just remember watching you.
(31:27):
I was so tired, Nate, at theend of the qualifier right,
because I was running up anddown making sure everybody was
okay.
Then I saw I was there at theend.
I'm in those like at the endand we're yelling right and
we're like what did you feel inthat moment when?
Nate (31:46):
you're when it was on.
I have to be that that wasamazing, the support at that end
for me when I was cramp, myhands didn't want to even close
on my rims at the point I wasforcing my hands to close to get
up that hill.
Here's, I think, where Imentally failed.
Right there I had it in my mindthat hill, instead of just
(32:13):
approaching it I was saying tomyself oh, there are that hills
at the end, oh, that hill is atthe end and I was kind of
thinking in my mind that wholelike leading up to it instead of
just tackling it when it gotthere.
And that's what I had to learn,because I've never went 10
(32:35):
miles just in my chair before,or not even 20 miles.
I've is 20 miles we went, butright, 20, but I did 20 instead
of just, instead of justtackling.
At that point I was thinkingabout it and that could have
exhausted me more because, likeyou said, it's it's mental
(32:56):
strength.
I know I have the strength todo it, but will I be mentally
strong when it gets dark or orsomewhere where I haven't been,
or the trail, or it's stayingmental, and and even on the 5k
with my, my little nephew, whatkept me going is because I kept
(33:18):
on thinking of him the wholetime.
Announcer (33:20):
Yeah.
Nate (33:21):
Yeah.
Announcer (33:22):
I bet you're worn out there.
Jay (33:24):
To keep me going, Nate I want to share this with you, and
you know about it becauseyou've seen it the final hill at
Nebraska Brewing Company.
It's not downhill, nope,there's a name for that hill
that we won't see on thispodcast.
You'll see the sign when youwalk up that hill, when we go.
Nate (33:46):
But symbolically or real, I mean, how's that sit with you
right, because I think about youknow how it sits really good
with me, cause I know how much,how much this, how much support
I have behind me.
I and yeah, and the and thestrong mindset that I got from
(34:07):
that qualifier to say you knowwhat, if you have the strength
to do it, you have the mind todo it.
Jay (34:13):
It's, it's.
It's kind of cool, Nate,because you know you've entered
a tribe here of people that younever knew before, right, Some
people you never knew and nowthey swear they all know Nate,
right, they're all makingfriends now right.
Like it's so cool because, Nate,I will say that you are, it was
, it was symbolic.
The picture that I remembervividly and that I have here,
(34:44):
that I'd like to frame and getto you, is the black and white
photo great photo, oh my god,I've got eric.
Francis took that photo.
I've got goosebumps.
Right now I'm a littleemotional.
Those people were cheeringthemselves on.
They don't even know it.
They think they were cheeringyou on.
They were, but they were insideyelling for themselves to like
we belong to something great.
This dude, it just happens tobe the light at the end of the
(35:06):
tunnel, right like, literally,with your.
But I'm saying, nate, it was so, first of all, spectacular.
Number two is, um, it was veryemotional.
For a lot of us, it was amagical experience.
But that's what the 50 MileMarch is about.
It's about community gettingtogether to lift each other up.
Nate (35:27):
We're not competing.
And a lot of look.
When I talk to people, a lot ofthem are like why do you
continue to do this march?
A lot of look.
When I talk to people, a lot ofthem like why do you continue
to do this march?
And they always tell me youknow, the reason is that when
you're obviously for theveterans, the main thing where
we're doing this for and support, and they said that finish when
(35:47):
you finish, and there'shundreds to thousands of people
that they're cheering you onwhen you get there, oh, she goes
, they go.
That's the best feeling, yeah.
Jay (35:59):
So have you never seen that ending in person, then Not in
person.
Nate (36:03):
No.
Jay (36:04):
Oh, brother, I I don't want to mess this up for you I mean,
last year I were expectingthree to 5,000 people that this
ended.
Nate (36:12):
This year, yeah, and I know, you know, 5,000 people
this end of this year.
Yeah, and I know my wife willbe at the end.
My wife, I'm sure she's goingto get together a bunch of
people too.
Jay (36:20):
She'll probably bring half of them.
Nate (36:21):
Well, let's be honest, she'll probably bring half of
them on.
Jay (36:28):
I mean, you guys are so good together, your values are
aligned, you are two powerhouses, right Like.
I know her world too and youknow watching you guys get
together, grow together, getmarried, like it's again Nate.
I know that guy, but I don'tknow that guy.
Damn, I know that guy.
Nate (36:47):
I said I couldn't do it without her.
She's a number one supporter.
Jay (36:52):
Yeah, and you need those.
Let's talk about for her asecond.
Then let's talk about yourfamily and then we'll wrap up
with the last couple ofquestions.
But let's talk about do youever call her?
What do you call your wife?
Bree Brianna?
What do you call her?
Brianna Brianna?
Okay, so so you say this is mynumber one supporter, right,
(37:15):
this is.
I'm sure she doesn't have tokeep you accountable, but she's
probably why your, why when itcomes to a lot of things, what
do you mean in your mind?
Like man, I can't do thiswithout her.
Like, what does that mean?
Nate (37:31):
Well, she doesn't treat me any differently being in a
wheelchair.
Yeah, if I mess up, she's on melike she'd be with anybody else
.
She'll forget that I'm in awheelchair.
She won't see me being in awheelchair.
Yeah, you know, it's seeing meas a person, not what I use to
get around.
Jay (37:49):
And I think that's so important, nate, just outside of
your wife, I see it, nate, likeeverywhere, right, when someone
looks different than what we door is just not what we're used
to, we tend to oh, we get allfragile, right, we get.
Oh, hi, nate, you know what Imean.
Nate (38:12):
And there's no reason for it.
Jay (38:13):
There's no reason for it, right, because you don't go.
Oh hey you, you know what Imean, right, like it's, it's
almost like not discrimination,but it's it's kind of like
prejudging of weakness or orwithoutness, right.
Nate (38:29):
Yeah, that's what.
That's one way to think of it,but I never look at it like that
.
I try, I don't let it bother me.
I try, I don't let it bother me.
I just, I just join in theconversation and make them more
comfortable and realize that I'mthe same, I'm a, I'm the person
, just like they are.
Jay (38:42):
Yes, and I think that's important though, because you
have to know people are polite,they're courteous and sometimes
are a little too courteous.
I want people to get thismessage from the connection to
say listen when you talk to Nate, when you talk to anyone who is
unlike yourself, treat them forthe human being that they are,
see them for the human beingthey are.
I mean, that's something I'vealways you know, and this is
(39:06):
just everyone in the world.
I mean, we all are differentpeople.
We all have our own challengesor we have our own opportunities
.
All have our own challenges orwe have our own opportunities.
But I think the world justneeds to relax a little bit and
quit being so politicallycorrect and just talk to each
other, even if I disagree withyou, nate, which I'm sure we may
(39:28):
in the future sometime but Iwant to have a real conversation
.
Nate (39:31):
Yeah, and just be respectful.
Jay (39:34):
I respect your opinion, respect mine and we go forward
yeah you don't let, you don't nodivision yeah, and that's easy
to say, though you know what Imean it's, it's it's easier if
you're said than done yeah, and,and that's that's why podcasts
like that has people love tohear positive stuff, you know.
But talk talking about yourwife.
(39:55):
When you said, hey, babe, I'mdoing this truly, her first
reaction was she like okay, orwhat was she like?
Nate (40:07):
Are you sure?
I'm like yeah.
Jay (40:10):
Yeah.
Nate (40:11):
And she's fully supportive of it.
Obviously, she wants me tolisten to my body if my body
starts hurting or anything likethat, but she's fully supportive
of me doing this and fullysupportive of any charities that
I want to dive into and helpand raise awareness for.
I mean, there was no likesaying you know, don't do it.
(40:34):
There was none of that.
Jay (40:35):
Right, it's just, are you sure, listen to your?
Sure, listen to your.
I mean, yeah, that's foreverybody.
I want to make sure you knowpeople who do take this journey.
I mean, hey, you should seewhich.
Thank god you won't have thisproblem, but you should see some
of the feet, brother, okayit'll be, I'll be wearing, I'll
be bringing a couple gloves,maybe three pairs of gloves and
(41:00):
some anti-chafing for your hands.
But yeah you know, um let's talkabout your dad.
Um, I know your dad uh passedaway in 22, correct.
You said and um tell us aboutyour dad.
Nate (41:14):
So he was the discipline.
He always disciplined.
You know.
He made sure all of us were incheck.
He had very faithful values,always wanted us to make sure we
went to church, and so that ledme a long way of who I need to
be and a strong, faithful personthat I need to be going forward
(41:37):
.
Um, even when, before he passedaway, you know, I I had to get
permission.
I just asked him for permissionas he was in the hospital, to
see if this pastor that we, thatBrandon and I got married with
it was okay to get married bythat pastor.
After he listened to helistened to his sermon or the
(41:57):
message he did prior to thatweek and he listened to it and
he said, yes, that you have myblessings to get married by that
pastor.
Wow, and when he, before hepassed away, you know we were
saying that we love him and hegoes and he goes.
You know we love for everythingthat you did.
He goes no, I didn't doanything, I just disciplined you
.
And he goes.
You know we love for everythingthat you did.
He goes no, I didn't doanything, I just disciplined you
(42:19):
and none of my family got inbig trouble.
We all have good jobs now andall being successful, and he
obviously did something right.
Discipline that's what I hear.
Discipline was key for us andmake sure we kept it all in
check and we came a very tightknit in in faithful family
(42:40):
together.
Jay (42:42):
I think that's such a big deal because disciplinarians, or
discipline, that's all my dadwas.
He just disciplined us.
You know, some of it was severe,some of it was light, um, but
you know, oh, jay, wasn't yourdad loving, loving he was, but
he showed his love throughdiscipline yeah what I mean and
we're losing that today, man,we're serving, we're soothing
(43:05):
our kids, we're giving themexcuses, we're yelling at their
coach, we're yelling at umpiresin front of our kids, like then
we wonder what happens.
And I say we I I'm just talkingin general.
Right, yeah, I might disagreewith the coach or our umpire,
but I'm definitely not the oneto say kids, screw authority.
(43:28):
I've never said that.
Right, like I want my kids.
If you came over to my house,nate, they would not call you
Nate, they'd call you Mr Nate orMr Pites.
Yeah, period, end of story Foras long as they're grown, as
long as you're my friend.
Nate (43:42):
As long as you're in my household, yeah.
Jay (43:44):
Yeah.
And if you say, hey, I wishthat you called me Nate Great,
that's up to you.
They still would have a hardtime calling you that you know.
Calling you that you know, um,discipline goes a long way.
It does, man, and.
And discipline doesn't mean itmeans clean up after yourself,
it means do the things you saidyou were gonna do.
(44:05):
It means just like you have todiscipline yourself yeah, yeah,
which that's a whole notherthree part series podcast yes,
it is let's talk about yourdad's service um vietnam.
What do you know of it, or whatso he?
Nate (44:21):
so he, um was flying the plane.
He flew the planes um, um, andthen he also he he was a
mechanic with the plane, so ifit would break down any kind of
things, he was the one in theshop or doing anything like that
in fixing the planes.
He actually flew one flightwith Henry Kissinger what, and
(44:43):
just you know, because he justgot done fixing his plane.
Do you want to fly?
And so he knew exactly how allthe jets flew and everything ins
and outs, how all the jets flewand everything ins and outs,
and he was a mechanic for 40, 50years with vehicles, trucks and
cars.
Jay (45:06):
So that's what he did in the service as well, you know.
Think about that.
How old was dad?
Nate (45:11):
when he passed he was 70.
Jay (45:14):
Okay, think of that generation right now.
Think of the 70-year-olds or75-year-olds, 80-year-olds today
.
These are people that did it,got their knuckles broken, hard
work, family, like thatgeneration right there, right,
like I'm not saying ourgeneration is bad.
I'm 55.
But I'm definitely not bustingmy knuckles on cars.
(45:38):
I'm not helping the peopleacross the street.
I want to stop at every carthat's on the side of the road.
But I bet your dad lived inthat era, right where, if
somebody was Yep, yep, he livedthere.
Nate (45:52):
Definitely would help people that were broken down.
You could talk to them and ifit was making a noise, you'd
probably know what noise it wasmaking and how to fix it and
what part to bring in.
He just honestly wanted toretire and get out of there.
Before he worked on electricvehicles.
He did not want to work on anyelectric vehicles.
(46:14):
Yeah, worked on electricvehicles.
Announcer (46:15):
He did not want to work on any electric vehicles.
Nate (46:16):
Yeah, yeah, because all the wiring and the harnesses and
and how dangerous it was whenyou're working with that kinds
of that kind of electricity andthe amps, and yeah, he, he loved
everything mechanical hearingthe engine run.
Jay (46:29):
As long as you can put oil and exhaust right.
He was, he was yeah, exactly.
I get it, though there's.
There's some nostalgic.
You know parts of that.
So, vietnam, um, your father,um, did he talk about it at all,
did he?
Nate (46:45):
no, no was how his yeah and his dad was in world war ii.
That's captain yes and he evenhad a helmet that he ended up
getting shot in the helmet onetime too, and he was in the
tanks and everything else.
And he said had a helmet, thathe ended up getting shot in the
helmet one time too and he wasin the tanks and everything else
.
And he said his dad wouldreally not talk about it either
that's a generation, you knowwhat I mean.
Jay (47:06):
And vietnam was a generation where they came back
and there was no ticker tape,great brother no there was spit
on and yelled at and didn't knowwhy we were there.
I mean now, if you're in themilitary and I'm not trying to
downplay anybody and you serve asandwich or two for two years
(47:26):
and you come back, you'recelebrated like a war hero.
You know what I mean.
Again, no downplay.
But I'm saying what about theseyoung men who left their
families?
You know I just did a podcastwhere her father was killed in
action.
You know we take these thingsfor granted, but uh, tell me
about your grandfather.
(47:46):
You said um helmet shot.
Nate (47:49):
Now that world war he went yeah, he went through the front
lines and captaining everythingelse.
I didn't know too much about it.
Okay, um, I just know that heserved because, again, he didn't
know much about it and I know.
But he was always well knownwith the military and being the
captain of one of those linesthat were that were front facing
, so did you get to meet grandpa.
Yep, yeah, I was real youngwhen he passed away, um, but yes
(48:12):
, I did meet him.
Jay (48:13):
Okay, tell me about mom, though we haven't talked about
mom much.
Nate (48:21):
So she ran a daycare.
She watched how many differentkids and now the kids that she
watched is now growing up andhad their own kids and she still
has them on social media andall this stuff.
But now she works at the schoolas a cook in Hardington,
(48:45):
hardington.
Jay (48:45):
My God, do you think mom will come join you at the end
and watch you?
Nate (48:52):
She may, she may.
Jay (48:53):
It would be so cool to see mom, but it's crazy how life
happens.
One day we're going to be yourparents' age, right.
One day we're going to begrandpa's age, and it's the
things that I think we're doingnow.
I was reading in your bio here.
It says here this past year, Iwanted to focus my efforts on
giving back and serving.
To focus my efforts on givingback and serving.
(49:19):
But really I'm asking is thataccurate?
Because it sounds like you'vebeen doing a lot of this
informally anyway.
What is it about this past year?
And I don't know when this waswritten.
Nate (49:27):
So no, yeah, we just wrote this up today or last night,
Last night Awesome.
So, yes, what got me into it isjust give back more, raise
awareness more.
And I know some of our podcastswe haven't done one in a while,
(49:48):
ben and I and I just wantedanother way of raising awareness
.
I wanted another way tocontribute where I haven't
contributed ever before.
And these two charities my wifereally knew very well and I was
like I'm going to do it andwhen I put the mind something,
(50:08):
when I put my mind to it, I justI want to fulfill that and I
don't, I don't know really whatgot to me, but and I don't, I
don't know really what got to me, but you know, I think the
challenges and you know theforerunners of the chariots for
hope that they haven't donebefore.
Jay (50:23):
Yeah, yeah, that was a big deal.
Nate (50:31):
I really just wanted to accept that challenge and I got
in late and I called Michelleand saying I'm going to do it
and she would you know how sheis.
She's so excited that I was soexcited I going to do it and she
would you know how she is.
She's so excited that I was soexcited I wanted to do it, um,
and plug me into a date and Ididn't want to be any different.
Jay (50:45):
Yeah, you know, um, a couple of things before we leave
.
Uh, I'm going to ask you tospeak to two audiences before.
Number one is um, what do youwant your platoon, the people
who are going to walk with you,right?
What platoon?
Are you in White?
Oh, you're in mine.
Yes, that's right, yeah.
(51:05):
That's so awesome.
So the other part is I want toask you and I want to ask you
here on the podcast to be realand raw.
Would it help I'm just askingbecause I know me would it help
to always keep you in the frontof formation?
And here's why, because theback always accordions like this
.
Nate (51:24):
I'm just asking, it doesn't really matter to me.
Okay, I know when we were goingon that final stretch, or that
final last 10 miles, I was inthe front, yes, but before we
even got to that hill, you know,when I slowed down and I slowed
(51:46):
down a little to get up thatsteep hill, yeah, I said you
guys can pass me.
And our leader, our pace leader, says no, none of us are
passing you, you lead us to thefinish.
Oh my God.
Jay (52:04):
That gives me goosebumps, Nate.
I never intended for this to bethis impressionable on anybody,
and the 50-mile march was justsupposed to be one time yeah,
and it grew to.
Nate (52:22):
It grew to changing the route because so many marchers
which is crazy.
Jay (52:26):
And then, and then here's a guy named nate, who I kind of
know, but I don't know, but nowI don't, now you know me the
last, the last audience or thelast people I want you to speak
to is I'm going to put yourfundraising link on this podcast
and I hope someone in Japanhears it and goes oh my gosh,
(52:48):
how do I convert into US dollars?
We'll take crypto.
We'll take crypto.
We'll take crypto.
Um?
How do we um?
What do you want to say to thepeople who are supporting you,
supporting this mission, when itcomes to supporting you?
Nate (53:06):
I just want to continue to thank them and appreciate them
so much for for contributing tothis mission.
It's obviously greatly impactedthis community and look how far
it's gone.
There's nothing better thanpeople contributing and knowing
that the money is going to sucha great mission of continuing.
(53:30):
I'm not sure what everybodyknows what you have done with
this, jay, and what everybodyknows what you have done with
this Jay, and what everybody hasdone to this of doing this
community of hope.
What a great thing to supportwhen you went to this huge
(53:52):
milestone and huge step ofmaking these many houses with
the headquarters there andsupportive communities and in
offices there.
I mean why, once you want tosupport it and but again can't,
can't thank people enough forsupporting my mission for the 15
mile march.
I mean there's no, there's nothank you big enough, say to
(54:16):
appreciate people supportingthis for me.
Jay (54:20):
I mean that's incredible, Like you know all the things
that run through my head whenthey say hey, Jay, you need to
be a better listener.
But as you speak, Nate, I'malways like if you could just
hear the thoughts in my head asyou say that, again, of all the
things that happened because ofthe 50, it's it's getting to
(54:40):
people like you that have madethis journey.
For me, one number one worth itand number two is worthwhile
carrying forward you know, andit keeps on climbing and
climbing.
Nate (54:51):
So, just like, why wouldn't you want to just
continue on?
You know what, maybe I'll tryto get somebody else in a
wheelchair to join me next year.
Jay (55:02):
I freaking love it, man.
I always do this final thoughtsfor you and I want you to take
your time right, becausesometimes you forget things in a
podcast.
You're like gosh.
I wish I would have said that.
Nate, this is your time, yourtime.
Nate (55:21):
I just want to, you know, know people as me and know
people Respectful, friendly.
You know you can go up to me atany point to ask me any kind of
questions.
I don't want to be, if you callit, standoffish.
At any point, I'm alwayswilling to have a conversation
so you can learn more about thedisability and what it's like
(55:42):
being in a wheelchair.
I also want you to know of howto, if you ever approach
somebody with a disability,approach them in the same way
that you would approach anybodyelse.
Then if you go say hi or be ortimid, that's going to make them
more timid toward you of andhave the thought process of how
(56:04):
are they looking at me?
And I don't want anybody.
If they approach anybody with adisability or or being in a
wheelchair, I don't want them tothink that way.
I want them to be comfortableand, like I said so when they
went up, I think that way, Iwant them to be comfortable and,
like I said so when they wentup, I don't want people to be
timid.
I just want them to talk tothem like a normal person and
(56:24):
then you'll be morewell-perceived and well-talked
to.
At that point, I think, when Iwent up to you as soon as I met
you for the first time after Idecided to join the 50 Mile
March.
I want to tell you right awaythis has nothing to do with me
being in a wheelchair.
This is all about the 50-milemarch.
This is all about our veterans.
That's it.
I didn't want it to be drawntoward me.
I don't want anything to be, oh, nate's in a wheelchair.
(56:47):
No, it's not about me, it's notabout this.
Jay (56:57):
This is about the mission that you and your crew have
created for the 50-mile marchand getting to the point of
doing whatever we can for ourveterans.
Brother, talk about a soulfulfilling day right now.
Um, I you know, nate, you meeta lot of people and meet a lot
of people because of business ornetworking or the cool kids,
(57:18):
right?
I remember seeing you at CarolSprunk's event at Edge.
We were very cordial there, wewere just cordial.
Hi, hi, hi, hi hi, yeah.
And then maybe on social mediacommenting here and there, but
I've listened to your podcastwith your wife.
(57:39):
I know you started that almosttwo years ago.
Was that right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, cause Iremember your first episode when
you guys were like, hey, thisis what we're doing.
Nate (57:47):
We really need to start off again.
We can talk about so much moreyou know, and it just takes time
.
Jay (57:53):
And then the second it does .
The time that I reallyconnected with you was at the
mission briefing.
That's where I was like blownaway by your humility.
The things you said, and youreally said, they're like don't
treat me any different, because,honestly, at that point I don't
(58:13):
want to say that I was that guy, but I was like okay, it's Nate
.
Nate (58:18):
But you want to, you want to do that.
Jay (58:21):
Right, right and.
But I'm glad I know now howyour perspective is on life and
I know what your perspective isand it makes me feel comfortable
with myself.
Is what I'm saying?
Right, it makes me moreeducated and it pours over into
so many lessons, but I'm justgrateful that we got the time
(58:42):
today, brother, that's for sure.
Nate (58:44):
Appreciate the invitation.
Jay (58:48):
Dude, we're going to get to know each other.
I'm sorry that I missed youright here outside during our 5
am ruck.
Nate (58:56):
Yeah, I need to possibly go to more of those, but I I'd
end up going when you were goneperfect timing, right I'm like
where, where is jay?
I said even, I even messagedhim on on facebook saying I'm on
my way that's hilarious, I know.
Jay (59:11):
I think I was in arkansas or something but yeah, that's
what they told me.
Yeah you're the real deal, nate.
We're better because of you.
We have so much to make animpact with together.
I look forward to getting toknow you better.
I look forward to sharing yourstory.
So now, when we share this withthe 50 Mile March folks,
they'll be like but I know Nate,because he said that, like
(59:35):
that's what podcasting is for,that's so you don't have to tell
your story over and over, and Iwant someone to listen to this
who might be in despair or mightbe in a, in a in a season of
challenge, and I want them to goshoot, shoot.
I can do this, I'm competitive,but, nate, you're a bright
(59:57):
light.
Nate (59:58):
I appreciate it.
And, like I said, when I hearanybody struggling, I wish I
could talk to everybody.
All those people that arestruggling, that's my first
thing.
I wish I could talk to them.
I wish I could talk to them.
I want to talk to them.
But you know what you can'thelp everybody, but you can
always do what you can.
Jay (01:00:17):
All right, I'm going to put this out to the world.
This is going to be recorded.
Right now, you and I are doingan event together and whoever
else we're going to pour intosome people, I don't know, maybe
it's 45 days from now, maybeit's three weeks before the 50
mile march, I don't care and wewe're gonna have me and you and
(01:00:37):
maybe whoever else wants to joinin right and just talk about
perspective of life and, um,it's gonna be with maybe 90 to
150 people.
It's gonna be a good networkingevent.
All righty, are you up for it?
yeah, let's do it bro, don'tmake me do it because, like you
said, you can't talk toeverybody, but if we can
(01:00:59):
broadcast our message to a largeaudience, brother, I think this
would be cool.
Brother, you're awesome.
Thank you, I hope this met yourexpectations, but I know that
you made an impact with ours.
Thank you, I appreciate youAgain.
Nate (01:01:14):
Thank you for inviting me to this.
An impact with ours.
Thank you, I appreciate youAgain.
Thank you for inviting me tothis and it was a pleasure
talking to you.
Awesome, All right.
Announcer (01:01:23):
Thanks for tuning in to the Connection.
It's been a fantastic journey,exploring stories, insights and
inspirations that bridge ourlives.
Remember every connection hasthe power to transform.
Please subscribe, rate andreview.
Your feedback keeps us going Inthis connected world.
(01:01:43):
Let's make meaningfulconnections that enrich lives.
Now signing off until next time, the Connection, keep
connecting and let's go.
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