November 13, 2025 • 40 mins
DJ Black Unicorn hosts Tim Hauser, Kendra Gray, and Matt Eck to discuss veteran mental health, the PACT Act, and suicide awareness. They highlight the importance of family support and community resources, including the Rally Against Suicide and United Way 211. Kendra shares details about the 14th annual Cleveland Veterans Day Parade at Tower City and invites volunteers and sponsors at ClevelandVeteransDayParade.com.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is WOVU Studios. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to our voices
today right here on WOVU ninety five point nine FM
with your beloved Unicorn of the Land, DJ Black Unicorn
aka Union. How you're doing, how you're living, how you're feeling.
You know what we do at the top of the
ten o'clock hour. We breathe together, We pause together, we
(00:24):
take a moment together, because life be life. And as
the kids say, and sometimes I tend to agree, maybe
not today, but you know, we still gotta breathe, still
gotta stay centered, still gotta make sure we are taking
care of ourselves so deep in hell through the nose, pause, slow,
excel through the mouth, and remember we are exhaling all
(00:51):
the energy that does not serve us, all the things
that we want to release and not think about, let
go of. If you need further moments, please remember the
d attached For twenty minutes a day.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Put those screens.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Down, get off your phone, get off the tablet, turn
the TV off, put your laptop away. Just twenty minutes
a day will benefit you greatly when it comes to
that anxiety, that depression, whatever it is that you may
be facing. If you're stressed out with work, if the
kids driving you crazy, whatever the case may be, just
continue to breathe. And I got some lovely guests live
(01:24):
in the studio with me. As a veteran, you already
know I am very serious about supporting these fellas and
making sure that this information not only gets out here
to the masses, but that we understand that help is
out here for our veterans, that if you are a
family member to a veteran, how you yourself can support
them as well, because sometimes, you know, we could be
(01:44):
a bit stubborn, We can be a little stubvern.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
But Veterans Days coming up, and we got the parade
coming up.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I got the Grand Marshall off the Parade live in
the studio with me, along with some other great people.
But I'm gonna go ahead of I'm robbing this thing
and allow them to properly introduce themselves.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Hey everyone, my name's Tim Hauser, and I am this
year's Grand Marshall the Veterans Day Parade.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Hello, Tim, thank you so much for joying me. It's
good to see you again being with you again. Thank you.
I got someone new in the studio as well.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Hello morning, Hello, I'm kend your Gray, the chairman of
the Veterans Day Parade.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Thank you, thank you, chairman for how long this has been.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Now my second year.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Your second year. We're gonna come back around to that,
mister Chelmerton. Thank you, thank you, and I need you come.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
On, man, I like you been here before. Yeah, get
closer to the bike.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
He's good.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I appreciate.
Speaker 6 (02:52):
Got me.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
That's much better.
Speaker 6 (02:58):
There we go, There we go. Okay, So it wasn't
all my fault.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
No, it wasn't. It wasn't all your fault. It was
it was partially me, partially me. I realized that one
wasn't working. But it's sorry.
Speaker 7 (03:06):
Play in the universe. We don't have to accept responsibility
for that.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I'll take that. Thank you, Thank you, such grace, such
grace being given today. I appreciate that.
Speaker 6 (03:15):
Thank you.
Speaker 7 (03:16):
I work on the parade committee with with Kenya, but
also chair the committee at the NACP of Veterans Affairs.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Thank you so much, and thank you all for joining
me here again on our voices today. And I want
the people to really have an understanding of you all three,
what it is that you do and why Like the
why is the most important, Not that you're not important.
You are all so so important, obviously super important to
(03:45):
the mission as well, because you're getting some things done.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
And I would love.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
To talk to you, mister tail, about all the amazing
things You've been getting done in the past year since
i've seen you.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Oh man, Where to begin, Well, let's start from the
beginning where I advocate it for the Packed Act and
I played an instrumental role in getting that bill passed
that helped millions of veterans get healthcare through the VA.
I also got a bill passed here in Ohio designating
September twenty second as Veterans Suicide Awareness and Prevention Day,
(04:17):
and we are working to try to get that done nationally.
I also, along with Matt, organize what we call Rally
Against Suicide every year in September. We hold it down
at the Free Stamp Park and we provide free food
and resources for those who are in crisis.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Thank you, Thank you. How was it this year?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
I think this is the best ever.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
What happened? Tell me?
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Tell me all about it? Well, show up about the
stamp and what are we walking? Are we hanging out
down there and sharing stories?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
What are we doing well.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
We not only do we provide free hot dogs and
chips and sodas to everybody that comes, but we have
other nonprofits and organizations that help with suicide prevention come
and they promote what their organization does, and we educate
the community not only on suicide prevention and on the
(05:15):
warning science to look for, but on resources available for
those who are in crisis. And my organization, Veterans Assurance Network,
we cover everything for veterans.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
So I love a good cookout with a you know,
positive I love a cookout with a purpose.
Speaker 7 (05:37):
We have talk and science, yes, and there's a lot
of positivity. John Carroll ROTC was down there and giving
out free hugs, free hugs. So at the end of
the day, when you look at the sidewalk, it's filled
with messages of positivity.
Speaker 6 (05:55):
That last I mean, you.
Speaker 7 (05:56):
Know, there was a Browns game that day and just
the amount of people that were Packers fans or Browns
fans coming up and getting hogs, giving hogs, and just
the positive attitude. It just spreads to people that may
not even think they need it that day, right, which
was the Packers fans that day. But it's so much
(06:17):
fun to see all that positivity and see that last
thing thing on.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Every year we have held this, we've had at least
one veteran come and say that they weren't crisis and
needed help. And that was again this year as well,
so we were able to The VA had their people there,
so they were able to help that veteran out.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Thank you for those out there that may not be
familiar with the pack that can you tell us a
little details about that as well.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
The Packed Act is also known as the Burnt Pit Bill,
where veterans that went on to w warn got exposed
to all different types of toxins due to burning the garbage,
to being exposed to oil well fires during does storm,
or agent orange ter In Vietnam, the VA was denying
(07:05):
us health care, saying there was no scientific proof that
breathing those toxins made us sick. But we proved the
VA wrong and we got that bill passl Now the
VA has to approve claims. If you were in a
certain area and you're sick, and you have a certain illness,
they have to approve your claim.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Now, your veterans out there that I mean, you don't
know about it.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
You're entitled and I'm just saying I'm sorry.
Speaker 7 (07:31):
Yeah, if you haven't been to the VA in a
few years since Tim helped pass this bill, like go
back and check. And then if they're giving you any
you know, yes, reach out to the Veterans Assurance Network.
He has navigated that facility and knows a lot of
people that can help.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yes, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
So let's talk a little bit about the partners that
you all are involved with, because it's a lot of
resources out here, it's a lot of help out here.
So let's, you know, just highlight a little bit of them.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Well, who's your favorite? Give me a top five?
Speaker 1 (08:04):
In fact, just give me a top five because there's
so many already, see your mind overthinking it.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Yeah, give me your top five.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
We work along with American Foundation Suicide Prevention, also NAMI, Uh,
the VA of course. Uh, what's I can never remember
the Greek letters for Mike's organization Beta Phi. Yes, they're
a huge, huge supporter of what we do. And then
(08:34):
this year we were joined by Giant Eagle as a
corporate sponsor and matter of fact, we just signed they
just signed on to be corporate sponsor from here on out.
So as long as we keep holding rally against suicide,
Giant Eagle is going to be a big part of
it here in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
And it's a huge, a huge, huge fight against suicide.
And can we talk a little bit about why that is?
Not only the importance of fighting against suicide and letting
people know that there are options, there are resources, that
there are love out here, but what it is that
these veterans are going through. I want people to really
(09:16):
understand that.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Well, to begin with, if the veteran has gone off
to war, regardless if they seen combat or not, when
they come home, a part of them stays in the theater,
stays where they were deployed too. And when they come home,
that void is filled with anger, regret, a bunch of
(09:46):
other different emotions and it gets the spinning around and
nobody knows when that is going to stop spinning and explode.
And when I say explode, that means the veteran's going
to have a PTS the episode, and at nine times
out of ten, the veteran goes ahead and commits suicide
(10:09):
at that time. So if we can educate the people
around them, the community that they live in, on the
warning signs of what to look for with these veterans,
then we can probably help prevent them from taking their own.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Lives precisely, precisely, and that is what I want these
loved ones to understand.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
So, what are these warning signs that you're referring.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
To recent alcohol and illegal drugs consumption when they normally
don't do that, giving their possessions away, all of a
sudden out of nowhere, feeling regret, expressing regret. Well, so
(11:06):
all of a sudden having an interest in firearms when
they never had before. They're looking into buying one when
they never showed any interest in that before. Warning signs
like that, behavior patterns.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
That you see.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
I'm sorry, those behavior patterns that you see in an
individual that it's not normal for a veteran coming home
and dealing with the stress or not want to discuss
or talk about those issues. Because we have a lot
of pride as veterans. It's a lot of things that
we learn and believe it's the best way to deal
(11:42):
with things, and sometimes it's not when you come back
home in civilian society, because those things are a little
bit let's say, out of our box, and you you
want to just seem to be strong all the time.
And I'll say this for us as veterans, you never
want to look weak because of what you've been through
in the military, be it whatever branch you're in. It's
(12:05):
just the standard of way of what you learn. And unfortunately,
every twenty two seconds a veteran is committing suicide. And
but this is I wanted to also try in and
say this is why he was chosen as our Grand.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
Marshal this year. I just met him.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
I knew about Tim, but I met him a year
ago at an event and acted him right away before
he before I was thinking maybe somebody else asks him,
you know, to do something else to do this, because
he's so busy and you always use see TV, the internet,
He's always doing something.
Speaker 5 (12:36):
I was like, let me just ask him if.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
He would consider it. He considered it, and I took
it back to our committee and they all voted anonymis
only and said, hey, you know what, yes he should
be our Grand Marshal. But that is why because of
the work he's doing, the work he has put in
for a veteran. He has continued that work and improving
the standards of of of many things regarding to talk
(12:59):
about it, to say something, and those are the things
that you know, a lot of people may not be
aware of, but with Tim and what he's doing is
amazing work.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Thank you so much, Frett. That appreciation of Tim.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
I have that appreciation because I really just I appreciate
your work, like I said at the top of the
r when we got started, like I appreciate all the
things you all are doing.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
What Matt, I'm just happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
So we talked a little bit about the pack that
and what it is. Again, if you are a veteran,
I'm sorry, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Matter of fact, when I was advocating for the pac
that that's how I met Matt. I had to pay
for everything out of my own pocket, including printing of
brochures and information pamphlets and everything. I had to pay
for all that, and so I went to a friend
of mine, who at the time I thought still worked
(13:57):
for the Canvelliers, and I asked her, Hey, the Cavaliers
could help me out with something like this, and she says, well,
I don't work for them anymore, but contact this individual.
So I contacted that individual and she set up a
meeting with me Zoom. Meeting with her another individual and
I and we discussed it, and he says, well, let's
(14:18):
have another meeting and let me discuss this with some
other people. And we had a meeting two days later,
and that's where I met Matt. And then I told
him that I was going to run a rally and
supported the pac Act down at the Free Stamp Park.
That park has good memories for me. So so I
(14:41):
happened to mention that we're going to do that rally,
and of course cavaliers say, unfortunately, that's too political. We
can't be involved with that, but we'll still keep talking.
And Matt showed up out of nowhere and we've been
friends ever since.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Amazing. Yes, so Veterans Suicide Day will be one.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Again September twenty second.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
What was the fight like to make that an actual day?
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Well, I contacted my state congressman, who said, no, I
don't want any part of this. Yeah, So I contacted
my state senator and she says, well, let's meet. And
so we met face to face and she says, well,
you got a lot of convincing to do. So I
(15:27):
showed her the stats for Ohio as far as veteran
suicide goes. I also showed her where the state was
no longer going to report veteran suicide. They're just gonna
one general report and.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
And she's like, okay, yeah, we're we don't have very
good numbers, but why should we make this law? So
I should her the statistics from California. California has almost
two million more veterans residing in that state than Ohio has,
but yet they have the lowest veteran suicide rate in
(16:04):
the country.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Do you think it's the sun.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
No, it's not the sun.
Speaker 5 (16:09):
But here's why.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
There's state officials and their suicide Prevention Office get out
into the public where Ohio does not. So I challenged
the state, and I challenged my state senators. The state
has to do better and it's going to start with you,
and she agreed. So it was the first built in
(16:33):
the history of the state to passimous unanimously in both houses,
and this year it went into effect, and we're going
to be moving on with promoting even more rallies against
suicide throughout the state next year and we'll go from there.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Amazing, amazing.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
So we have the pack DOP being passed, we have
veteran suicide day being accomplished. You just did the rally
last month in September.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
What else? I feel like it's still more. I know
it was, alright.
Speaker 6 (17:08):
Beans, Uh all right, Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Summit County Veteran Suicie Services and Commission Services Commission just
named me their Veteran of the Year. And I just
got a proclamation from Congresswoman Chantale Brown. And I was
also named Champion of the Week by for District thirteen
(17:35):
by Congresswoman Amelia Sykes.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Amazing, amazing, y'all don't know, I understand.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Please give the website where people can find you find
your services?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Fine, what it is that you're doing.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Try to keep up with you, because, like they say,
you're always doing something.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
All right.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
The website is Veterans Assurance with an A, not an I.
Veterans Assurance dot org.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Thank you Veteran Insurance dot or. Can Can I call you?
Speaker 4 (18:03):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (18:03):
Yeah, okay, I can't.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
I'm not gonna say the joke. I just thought.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
So let's talk about your being dermid. How do you
feel about it? How do you like it? It's been
two years now, you said, correct, Well, well a little
over closer to.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Where is it closer to?
Speaker 4 (18:26):
But the challenges have come and but I'll tell you,
I'll tell you this rafter bat. Matt has been a
big help. Okay, Matt has been a bigger one. He
helps everybody, but he has a certain will helping you know,
his his stylings technique. I don't question it, okay. But
it's been a it's been fun. It's been I say,
(18:46):
a very changing, revolving door of of doing things differently
and making and trying to make this more family friendly,
but also getting the word out about Veterans Day and
what it means to the city of Cleveland. So that
was our infats this year. I mean Veterans Day Parade
has been around for thirteen years. I believe you're going
into our fourteenth year now. And the previous person who
(19:09):
had it was John Kinko, and I want to thank
him for giving me this opportunity and presenting me with
the new challenge that I have bringing organizations together for Cleveland,
calling and just talking to them and hoping they participate.
Which we have a lot of different organizations coming out
for that day. But it is a challenging situation sometimes
(19:32):
because sometimes you believe that some organizations are going to participate,
but then they don't, So you just have to still
walk through it and go through the fire just like
you know, just like you going through basic training.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Okay, you're gonna learn and achieve and get better.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
But it's a great opportunity not just for me, but
for the team I work with. They've been doing a
lot of different work and being there to assist me,
but also in new relationships. For this Veterans Day Parade
this year is a little bit different. Positively, this is
more of a celebration this year for Veterans Day. We
(20:12):
looked at me and Matt and some of the members
looked at the Veterans Day how they do it in Columbus, Cincinnati,
New York, and Chicago and those Veterans Day parade. They
are amazing the way they set up some things and
how many people come out and participate. And that's what
we're hoping that folks in the city come out and participate.
But this year, not just the parade. After the parade
(20:35):
is over, we're going to actually go into Tower City.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
We're gonna have.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Probably maybe right now fifty to sixty different organizations that's
in the parade, and as when the parade ends about
maybe one thirty quarter to two, we're going to have
them marching into Tower City with a marching band, which
is Warrensville City High School. I believe his name is
(21:00):
DeShawn Wilson, if that's his last name. He's going to
be leading the greatest high school band in the land,
he says, Warrensville High School.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
They've been all over.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
They was in the Hawaii Bow last actually this year
in twenty twenty five as one of the bands. They're
representing Ohio. That's a great opportunity. We also have Benedicting
High School who's going to participate, along with Beaumont High
School as well. So I really appreciate that, you know,
(21:32):
because they're gonna not just participate but recognize. We're going
to recognize your school as well. During this time at
Tower City, we're going to have we're not calling resources available,
but we are going to have tables set up of
other organization that's going to be there such as the
y m c A.
Speaker 7 (21:50):
Who's some other ones, American Red Cross, Cross, Veterans Service Commission,
the VA, the Cleveland Veterans Collaborative.
Speaker 6 (21:59):
Who I'm missing there's one that I'm listening. I'll think
of it.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
Yeah, we said the United Way.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
United Way.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
So you know, it's it's just not another resource event,
which is actually we have a Veterans Resource Affair event
coming up on November thirteenth, two days later, but it's
just more of a community celebration of what we have
available for folks throughout the city of Cleveland, and that's
something that we always need, especially around this day and time,
(22:28):
how lays are coming. Things are not as they used
to be. I'll say things have changed recently, but those
things that's available throughout the city will be there for
folks to at least know that they're there and for
veterans to come out and know that we are reinforcing
what it means to be a veteran and with our support,
(22:50):
and we know that being a veteran. The number one
folks that's there for us is family because when you're
overseas and you're in that theater of war and once
you from my experience, you know, coming back home or
making that phone call after I leave a site with
something that I think about every day. Listening to my
(23:12):
wife and listening to my daughter, listening to my son
just talk about their day. You know, I wouldn't talk
about what I did today, but it was always important.
It's to hear them and talk for that time or
the time I had allowed. So family support is a
definite plus for this event, and that's why this is
going to be more of a Veterans Day celebration, all
(23:34):
about the family and the veteran themselves.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
So you came in changing things out a little bit. Yeah, okay, okay,
how do you feel about the team. How do you
feel like the team? You feel about you? What's going
on with the team.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
I think we everybody has a process, okay, everybody has
a uniqueness of yes, we're doing this as a team.
It's like you know when you are in that platoon,
you know everybody in your platoon has something to offer. Okay,
doesn't matter what. We had that same uniform and you
(24:08):
put that uniform on. It never goes away. Your duty
must be served. So if you sign up, you know
you're gonna work. But you're gonna work and you know,
do your part, and we're gonna come together, have discussions,
have meetings. We're gonna agree, we're gonna disagree, But you
know what, it's all about the event. It's not about
the individual. It's about simply the event and serving the
(24:29):
public and as a soldier that never goes away. And
I remember again myself going to base a training which
is Fort Lennon Wood who lost in the woods. That
was truly it was something it was a sacrifice because
I had no clue.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
It was truly like that.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Okay, but I believe, you know, those things help me
become the MAM today because it helped me process a
lot of different things but understand but also be battle
tested for things that's gonna happen in my life that
I had no idea would come up. And I appreciated
that and working with this team. I look at that
way and like I said, I have Matt here. I can,
you know, ask Matt some questions and he may answer,
(25:10):
but he's not gonna answer the way I thought he
was gonna say. It's totally different, but you know what,
it's still for the purpose of the team for the event.
So I can understand clearly and with his clarity why
it works that way, you know. Or we have another folk,
another individual named Shari. She's also a veteran. She has
a certain way of working. The way she works and
(25:31):
it's different from Matt. It's different from me, it's different
from other folks, but we have that uniqueness of bringing
people together and again for the benefit of the parade.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (25:41):
So you're welcome.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Thank you, thank you. Are we looking for people to
join more?
Speaker 4 (25:46):
Oh, yes, definitely, we are looking for people to participate.
They can go to the website which is Cleveland Veterans
Day Parade dot com. Please sign up. Please Also, if
you like to join any organizations you'd like to participate
in the parade, they can also sign up on the
website as well.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
So make it easy, pasy, Yes, it's very easy.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
I'm assuming they can donate on the website.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
They can.
Speaker 6 (26:10):
They can donate, they can, they can sponsor.
Speaker 7 (26:12):
We have a number of sponsorships available, like talking about
it talking about being a family event. We have the
Veteran Service Commission that is sponsoring.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
The photo booth, a veteran photo booth, which should be cool.
Speaker 7 (26:28):
We're having patriotic crafts, and then the Salute to Veterans
Community coloring wall is being sponsored by the Travis Manyon Foundation.
So we have a number of other ones that if
people are out there, even all the way down to
one thousand dollars the All American bounce house. So if
we want a bounce house there somebody you know, go
(26:49):
on the website, click and you'll get an email address
or you can sign up right there. We'd love to
have you as a as a partner, as a sponsor,
and there's all the way up to a ten thousand
dollars starts spangled presenting partner. Which you know, it's getting
a little late in the game, so we might not
get that this year, but next year we're gonna We're
gonna be so far ahead next year because we learned
(27:10):
so much this year. Yeah, and you're all, okay, okay,
what do we gotta do. We we gotta come up
with a website, we gotta come up with social media. Well,
that stuff's already done now we just need to figure
out how to refine it. But if there are people
out there that want to be a part of it
this year, I know, the deadline on the website says
the twenty fourth or last week or whatever.
Speaker 6 (27:32):
Now we're still good. We're still good. We'll still open,
we'll still take you.
Speaker 7 (27:36):
We need to pay for this, but there, if you
go on the website, you'll see up at the top.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
You can sign up to be a volunteer.
Speaker 7 (27:43):
We want to make a human tunnel once you come
into Tower City, clapping and holding signs and so you know,
we have about twenty people so far. But as it
gets closer in that November first, after we get through Halloween,
I think people's attention will turn to this break.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
Don't Matt, don't forget. We have the Cavalie cheerleaders.
Speaker 7 (28:01):
We have the entertainment teams, yeah, performing at the stage.
We have a DJ, one of the DJs from the
Rock Entertainment Group. I need to mention Bedrock, who is
the ownership group of Tower City.
Speaker 6 (28:12):
They've been amazing in this whole process.
Speaker 7 (28:15):
They usually don't allow events from November first on because
they're getting ready for the holiday season, but they said, no,
let's pause.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
That for our veteran community.
Speaker 7 (28:30):
So they're allowing us to have that space and do
that and pausing some of the stuff that they have
to do.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
Which is going to create a little bit more work.
Speaker 7 (28:38):
But we thank them for that and allowing us to
do that, and hopefully that this becomes something that is
on par with Saint Patrick's Day or the Pride March
that like it just becomes known. Hey, we're going to
go downtown. If we have the day off of school,
we're going downtown. If we don't have the day of
a school maybe we take the day off of school
(28:58):
or off of work and we lie in the streets
and the route is also there. So if you want
to march in the parade, you don't have to be
a veteran allies. Anybody can march in the parade. It's
just like the Saint Patrick's Day Parade or the Pride Parade.
You can sign up, you can bring an ANTIQ car,
you can just march. You can organization can come out
and just have a good time. You're allowed to bring
(29:20):
goodies and stuff to pass out to the crowd, and
candy and whatever trinkets you want. We hope that'll be
bring people out. We also want organizations to line the
streets and that's going to be a campaign that will
turn on once November first hits to line the streets
because in the past, I think John and Kenya and
everybody's done a great job of having sixty to one
(29:42):
hundred participants units in the parade with probably over a
thousand people, but the streets there's only some people out there, right,
so let's line the streets. I know it's November, sometimes
the weather's not great. But if we can get organizations
in downtown Cleveland to encourage their teams to go out
(30:05):
and have an extended lunch.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Up and then come spices and then.
Speaker 7 (30:12):
Come to Tower City and enjoy the music, enjoy the
entertainment teams that are going to be there.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Have you tried to like partner with du and Donuts
for like teasing donuts along the ways as well?
Speaker 2 (30:24):
We like.
Speaker 7 (30:29):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
So let's talk day of November eleventh, we will be
downtown taking over all of the area, mainly Tower City,
but all of the area. Let's talk about the route,
let's talk about the time, Let's talk about all of
the things that people can expect besides you know, lining
up the streets. And this sounds like very family friendly.
You just mentioned crafts section and a photo booth as.
Speaker 6 (30:53):
Well, hopefully a bounce house.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Somebody bounce house.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
We might have to getland is that Cleveland. I'll circle
back around to you afterwards on that. Remind me they'll
don't let me forget all right, But let's talk day
of details.
Speaker 6 (31:10):
Twelve thirty Cleveland City Hall.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
The parade kicks off and it works its way Lakeside
East Ninth, East Ninth, takes it right on East Ninth,
takes a right on Superior, goes through Public Square, comes
through Public Square the middle part, and then takes a
left and right in front of Tower City. And then
if people who are walking go off and they enter
(31:35):
through the doors, the vehicles then can go turn right
on Ontario and then you know, do what they need
to do to make it road worthy and or you
know they're good, or they can go down in Tower
City and park and join us for the festivities.
Speaker 6 (31:50):
So it's only about less than a.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
Mile, so it's a nice and easy route. Abouzero point five.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Yeah, distance from Cleveland City Hall to Tower City and yeah,
not that far at all.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Our disabled vets charge those chairs. We want y'all out
there rolling with them. I'm sorry, but we need to.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
We are working on a vehicle for the disabled vets
who are not able to walk, but whould like to
participate in the in the event as well.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Because we can't forget about it.
Speaker 6 (32:20):
We're working on that.
Speaker 7 (32:21):
We'd like a sponsor for that as well. The Heroes
Boss it's called heroes.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Yes, heroes boss, Okay, yes, I got to write that
down so I can circle back around.
Speaker 6 (32:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (32:30):
Then you enter into Tower City, you make your way
all the way down and there will be hopefully that
human tunnel of people that.
Speaker 4 (32:36):
At least yelling, rallying, and then you have the bands
coming through and you know, and you'll hear that marching band.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
You know early enough, Oh my goodness. You know you
feel the emotion.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
You feel that the pride, the joy, the excitement of
seeing this happening, and this is going to be a
burst of like a celebration. Like I was on Channel
nineteen the other day. It was like, it's like a party.
It's a family because you know what this may be
the we've had this event before, but not like this,
and this is something that we're we've taken pride in
(33:08):
this and yes it is our first year doing this,
and now we know what to do to improve and
continue to work on things because the standards just not
the standard. We all remember that, right, the standards not
the standard. Right, Oh my goodness. So we will achieve.
We've already achieved a lot. Right now we're guarding the parade.
Speaker 5 (33:29):
But we know we can do more and we do better.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
So the next group can always you know, have those
things in place already to work on the next step. So,
but I also wanted to mention as well met with
the Cavaliers. Adam who's part of the Cavaliers, mentioned the
other day in the meeting that he has four tickets
to give away for the Cavaliers game on November fifteenth,
which is a Saturday.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Are we going to raffle those away?
Speaker 4 (33:53):
We're still working out the details about that, so but yes,
those it will be four tickets and they just make it.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
A door for one of the supporters along the lines
that we want cherry.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
We got some ideas coming, we got some I dis
but we'll take that one too.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Sorry, I'm always new committee member.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
Yes we have that.
Speaker 6 (34:10):
Yeah, we got a new committee members. You gotta figure
out how we distribute the tickets.
Speaker 7 (34:14):
And then reaching out to Dunk and Donnut.
Speaker 5 (34:17):
You hear us, dunk Oh, it's duncan wait?
Speaker 7 (34:20):
Are we giving them much love and they haven't given
us anything? You got that free advertising.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I wasn't gonna talk about how good it was.
Speaker 1 (34:32):
From that. So for those that would like to participate
and sign up again, you can do so at the
website that's Cleveland Veterans Day Parade dot com Cleveland not
with the S just Cleveland Veterans with an S Day betarade.
Not come before we get out of here. Is there
anything else we want to make sure we tap on?
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Yeah, Kenn, you mentioned that there's a new company in
Cleveland that's going to be participating in this parade, and
they're providing golf carts. Oh, if you want to give
them a little spiel.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
Yes, that was a good one.
Speaker 4 (35:14):
Yes, the Cleveland golf carts will be They just received
they just was approved by Cleveland Council City Council legislation
that they're able to now have the Cleveland golf carts
drive around downtown Cleveland for folks who just want to
do a site visit of Cleveland in the area, what
downtown's like.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
And I reached out.
Speaker 4 (35:34):
I reached out to the organization and they had said, yes,
they are in. They're also it's a veteran company as well,
so they will be participating. As a matter of fact,
Tim Harris, the Grand Marshall, will be in the league
golf cart as well.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Of course, super appropriate.
Speaker 4 (35:55):
Yeah, right, so they are definitely they're to the city,
but we're we're definitely appreciate their partnership in terms of,
you know, them providing the golf cart for the parade.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Awesome Matt.
Speaker 7 (36:13):
The other thing that this group is associated with this
is Cleveland Veterans Collaborative and the yearly Veterans Resource Fair
will be at Collinwood Rec Center on November thirteenth, Thursday,
so two days later, so that'll be advertised during the
parade and one of the tables there, so if you're
(36:34):
looking for a larger amount of resources, you're going to
find the big resources at this celebration is one of
the YEA and then the other many many tables, I
think fifty to sixty tables will be at Collinwood Rec
Center and we've been doing them in the neighborhoods and
(36:54):
working with so many groups, and so November thirteenth from
eleven to two at Collinwood Rec Center. So if you
live in the Collinwood neighborhood or anywhere in Cleveland, it
should be advertised at all the rec centers. And that's
with our good friend Edwin Paris and our Consulman Richard
(37:15):
Starr's office, and it's a great opportunity to get even
more resources. So come to the celebration in the parade
and you meet the VSC, you meet the United Way
and the American Red Cross, the VA, but you also
get a flyer there to come out to the Collinwood
Rec Center where you get even more resources that you can.
(37:41):
You can get all the things that you've earned, and
it doesn't matter if you how you were.
Speaker 6 (37:48):
There are some.
Speaker 7 (37:48):
Organizations that look at how you are discharged, but we
also have some that don't don't care. You know, like
people make mistakes or you get charged with the wrong
thing and that wasn't we don't care. There are some
organizations that will be with us on that Thursday that
don't care, and we'll help you.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Thank you, and then thank you for putting an emphasis
on that, because.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
I myself was one of those individuals.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
I have a general under honorable, So I am appreciative
that is not dis horrible. But I have a lot
of friends who were dishonorable, and that disqualified them from
a lot of things, a lot of things. They can't
even go to the VA if they wanted to. And
Cleveland we're number one VA in the US.
Speaker 6 (38:32):
I believe yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 7 (38:34):
We are.
Speaker 6 (38:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Way Perk is the number one hospital in the country period,
not just in the VA, for the entire country.
Speaker 7 (38:42):
And if you're in one of those circumstances, give United
Way two one one a call, yes and talk to
our friend Alex.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
He's amazing.
Speaker 7 (38:50):
He's got like this list of resources. So some organizations,
like we said, can't help you, and it's on their
boards and you know, like it's just written into the thing, right,
But United Way two one one Alex, he's amazing. He's
out in the community, he's doing so many things, and
he has this long list of these great resources for
(39:15):
anybody who served.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
Matter of fact, Alex just helped the friend of mine
get his discharge upgraded so he could get into the VA.
So many props out to Alex.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
Alex buss for us, and that is the option as well. Yeah,
depending on your situation. So don't be afraid to ask,
don't be too prideful, don't give up. Please don't give up,
because you deserve, you have earned. And look, if no
one else loves and cherish you, understand that UNI does.
And I hope to see November eleventh downtown for the
(39:47):
veterans parade again. If you have any questions, if you
want to participate, if you want to donate, if you
want to volunteer, whatever way, shape, or form you would
like to give your time or energy, please visit Cleveland
Veterans Day Parade dot com. And thank you all for
joining me here on our voices today. I hope you
all can make it again sometime soon.
Speaker 5 (40:08):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
This is w O v U Studios
This is WOVU Studios. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to our voices
today right here on WOVU ninety five point nine FM
with your beloved Unicorn of the Land, DJ Black Unicorn
aka Union. How you're doing, how you're living, how you're feeling.
You know what we do at the top of the
ten o'clock hour. We breathe together, We pause together, we
(00:24):
take a moment together, because life be life. And as
the kids say, and sometimes I tend to agree, maybe
not today, but you know, we still gotta breathe, still
gotta stay centered, still gotta make sure we are taking
care of ourselves so deep in hell through the nose, pause, slow,
excel through the mouth, and remember we are exhaling all
(00:51):
the energy that does not serve us, all the things
that we want to release and not think about, let
go of. If you need further moments, please remember the
d attached For twenty minutes a day.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Put those screens.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Down, get off your phone, get off the tablet, turn
the TV off, put your laptop away. Just twenty minutes
a day will benefit you greatly when it comes to
that anxiety, that depression, whatever it is that you may
be facing. If you're stressed out with work, if the
kids driving you crazy, whatever the case may be, just
continue to breathe. And I got some lovely guests live
(01:24):
in the studio with me. As a veteran, you already
know I am very serious about supporting these fellas and
making sure that this information not only gets out here
to the masses, but that we understand that help is
out here for our veterans, that if you are a
family member to a veteran, how you yourself can support
them as well, because sometimes, you know, we could be
(01:44):
a bit stubborn, We can be a little stubvern.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
But Veterans Days coming up, and we got the parade
coming up.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I got the Grand Marshall off the Parade live in
the studio with me, along with some other great people.
But I'm gonna go ahead of I'm robbing this thing
and allow them to properly introduce themselves.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Hey everyone, my name's Tim Hauser, and I am this
year's Grand Marshall the Veterans Day Parade.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Hello, Tim, thank you so much for joying me. It's
good to see you again being with you again. Thank you.
I got someone new in the studio as well.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Hello morning, Hello, I'm kend your Gray, the chairman of
the Veterans Day Parade.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Thank you, thank you, chairman for how long this has been.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Now my second year.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Your second year. We're gonna come back around to that,
mister Chelmerton. Thank you, thank you, and I need you come.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
On, man, I like you been here before. Yeah, get
closer to the bike.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
He's good.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I appreciate.
Speaker 6 (02:52):
Got me.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
That's much better.
Speaker 6 (02:58):
There we go, There we go. Okay, So it wasn't
all my fault.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
No, it wasn't. It wasn't all your fault. It was
it was partially me, partially me. I realized that one
wasn't working. But it's sorry.
Speaker 7 (03:06):
Play in the universe. We don't have to accept responsibility
for that.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I'll take that. Thank you, Thank you, such grace, such
grace being given today. I appreciate that.
Speaker 6 (03:15):
Thank you.
Speaker 7 (03:16):
I work on the parade committee with with Kenya, but
also chair the committee at the NACP of Veterans Affairs.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Thank you so much, and thank you all for joining
me here again on our voices today. And I want
the people to really have an understanding of you all three,
what it is that you do and why Like the
why is the most important, Not that you're not important.
You are all so so important, obviously super important to
(03:45):
the mission as well, because you're getting some things done.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
And I would love.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
To talk to you, mister tail, about all the amazing
things You've been getting done in the past year since
i've seen you.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Oh man, Where to begin, Well, let's start from the
beginning where I advocate it for the Packed Act and
I played an instrumental role in getting that bill passed
that helped millions of veterans get healthcare through the VA.
I also got a bill passed here in Ohio designating
September twenty second as Veterans Suicide Awareness and Prevention Day,
(04:17):
and we are working to try to get that done nationally.
I also, along with Matt, organize what we call Rally
Against Suicide every year in September. We hold it down
at the Free Stamp Park and we provide free food
and resources for those who are in crisis.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Thank you, Thank you. How was it this year?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
I think this is the best ever.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
What happened? Tell me?
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Tell me all about it? Well, show up about the
stamp and what are we walking? Are we hanging out
down there and sharing stories?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
What are we doing well.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
We not only do we provide free hot dogs and
chips and sodas to everybody that comes, but we have
other nonprofits and organizations that help with suicide prevention come
and they promote what their organization does, and we educate
the community not only on suicide prevention and on the
(05:15):
warning science to look for, but on resources available for
those who are in crisis. And my organization, Veterans Assurance Network,
we cover everything for veterans.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
So I love a good cookout with a you know,
positive I love a cookout with a purpose.
Speaker 7 (05:37):
We have talk and science, yes, and there's a lot
of positivity. John Carroll ROTC was down there and giving
out free hugs, free hugs. So at the end of
the day, when you look at the sidewalk, it's filled
with messages of positivity.
Speaker 6 (05:55):
That last I mean, you.
Speaker 7 (05:56):
Know, there was a Browns game that day and just
the amount of people that were Packers fans or Browns
fans coming up and getting hogs, giving hogs, and just
the positive attitude. It just spreads to people that may
not even think they need it that day, right, which
was the Packers fans that day. But it's so much
(06:17):
fun to see all that positivity and see that last
thing thing on.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Every year we have held this, we've had at least
one veteran come and say that they weren't crisis and
needed help. And that was again this year as well,
so we were able to The VA had their people there,
so they were able to help that veteran out.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Thank you for those out there that may not be
familiar with the pack that can you tell us a
little details about that as well.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
The Packed Act is also known as the Burnt Pit Bill,
where veterans that went on to w warn got exposed
to all different types of toxins due to burning the garbage,
to being exposed to oil well fires during does storm,
or agent orange ter In Vietnam, the VA was denying
(07:05):
us health care, saying there was no scientific proof that
breathing those toxins made us sick. But we proved the
VA wrong and we got that bill passl Now the
VA has to approve claims. If you were in a
certain area and you're sick, and you have a certain illness,
they have to approve your claim.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Now, your veterans out there that I mean, you don't
know about it.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
You're entitled and I'm just saying I'm sorry.
Speaker 7 (07:31):
Yeah, if you haven't been to the VA in a
few years since Tim helped pass this bill, like go
back and check. And then if they're giving you any
you know, yes, reach out to the Veterans Assurance Network.
He has navigated that facility and knows a lot of
people that can help.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yes, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
So let's talk a little bit about the partners that
you all are involved with, because it's a lot of
resources out here, it's a lot of help out here.
So let's, you know, just highlight a little bit of them.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Well, who's your favorite? Give me a top five?
Speaker 1 (08:04):
In fact, just give me a top five because there's
so many already, see your mind overthinking it.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Yeah, give me your top five.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
We work along with American Foundation Suicide Prevention, also NAMI, Uh,
the VA of course. Uh, what's I can never remember
the Greek letters for Mike's organization Beta Phi. Yes, they're
a huge, huge supporter of what we do. And then
(08:34):
this year we were joined by Giant Eagle as a
corporate sponsor and matter of fact, we just signed they
just signed on to be corporate sponsor from here on out.
So as long as we keep holding rally against suicide,
Giant Eagle is going to be a big part of
it here in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
And it's a huge, a huge, huge fight against suicide.
And can we talk a little bit about why that is?
Not only the importance of fighting against suicide and letting
people know that there are options, there are resources, that
there are love out here, but what it is that
these veterans are going through. I want people to really
(09:16):
understand that.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Well, to begin with, if the veteran has gone off
to war, regardless if they seen combat or not, when
they come home, a part of them stays in the theater,
stays where they were deployed too. And when they come home,
that void is filled with anger, regret, a bunch of
(09:46):
other different emotions and it gets the spinning around and
nobody knows when that is going to stop spinning and explode.
And when I say explode, that means the veteran's going
to have a PTS the episode, and at nine times
out of ten, the veteran goes ahead and commits suicide
(10:09):
at that time. So if we can educate the people
around them, the community that they live in, on the
warning signs of what to look for with these veterans,
then we can probably help prevent them from taking their own.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Lives precisely, precisely, and that is what I want these
loved ones to understand.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
So, what are these warning signs that you're referring.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
To recent alcohol and illegal drugs consumption when they normally
don't do that, giving their possessions away, all of a
sudden out of nowhere, feeling regret, expressing regret. Well, so
(11:06):
all of a sudden having an interest in firearms when
they never had before. They're looking into buying one when
they never showed any interest in that before. Warning signs
like that, behavior patterns.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
That you see.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
I'm sorry, those behavior patterns that you see in an
individual that it's not normal for a veteran coming home
and dealing with the stress or not want to discuss
or talk about those issues. Because we have a lot
of pride as veterans. It's a lot of things that
we learn and believe it's the best way to deal
(11:42):
with things, and sometimes it's not when you come back
home in civilian society, because those things are a little
bit let's say, out of our box, and you you
want to just seem to be strong all the time.
And I'll say this for us as veterans, you never
want to look weak because of what you've been through
in the military, be it whatever branch you're in. It's
(12:05):
just the standard of way of what you learn. And unfortunately,
every twenty two seconds a veteran is committing suicide. And
but this is I wanted to also try in and
say this is why he was chosen as our Grand.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
Marshal this year. I just met him.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
I knew about Tim, but I met him a year
ago at an event and acted him right away before
he before I was thinking maybe somebody else asks him,
you know, to do something else to do this, because
he's so busy and you always use see TV, the internet,
He's always doing something.
Speaker 5 (12:36):
I was like, let me just ask him if.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
He would consider it. He considered it, and I took
it back to our committee and they all voted anonymis
only and said, hey, you know what, yes he should
be our Grand Marshal. But that is why because of
the work he's doing, the work he has put in
for a veteran. He has continued that work and improving
the standards of of of many things regarding to talk
(12:59):
about it, to say something, and those are the things
that you know, a lot of people may not be
aware of, but with Tim and what he's doing is
amazing work.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Thank you so much, Frett. That appreciation of Tim.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
I have that appreciation because I really just I appreciate
your work, like I said at the top of the
r when we got started, like I appreciate all the
things you all are doing.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
What Matt, I'm just happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
So we talked a little bit about the pack that
and what it is. Again, if you are a veteran,
I'm sorry, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Matter of fact, when I was advocating for the pac
that that's how I met Matt. I had to pay
for everything out of my own pocket, including printing of
brochures and information pamphlets and everything. I had to pay
for all that, and so I went to a friend
of mine, who at the time I thought still worked
(13:57):
for the Canvelliers, and I asked her, Hey, the Cavaliers
could help me out with something like this, and she says, well,
I don't work for them anymore, but contact this individual.
So I contacted that individual and she set up a
meeting with me Zoom. Meeting with her another individual and
I and we discussed it, and he says, well, let's
(14:18):
have another meeting and let me discuss this with some
other people. And we had a meeting two days later,
and that's where I met Matt. And then I told
him that I was going to run a rally and
supported the pac Act down at the Free Stamp Park.
That park has good memories for me. So so I
(14:41):
happened to mention that we're going to do that rally,
and of course cavaliers say, unfortunately, that's too political. We
can't be involved with that, but we'll still keep talking.
And Matt showed up out of nowhere and we've been
friends ever since.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Amazing. Yes, so Veterans Suicide Day will be one.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Again September twenty second.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
What was the fight like to make that an actual day?
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Well, I contacted my state congressman, who said, no, I
don't want any part of this. Yeah, So I contacted
my state senator and she says, well, let's meet. And
so we met face to face and she says, well,
you got a lot of convincing to do. So I
(15:27):
showed her the stats for Ohio as far as veteran
suicide goes. I also showed her where the state was
no longer going to report veteran suicide. They're just gonna
one general report and.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
And she's like, okay, yeah, we're we don't have very
good numbers, but why should we make this law? So
I should her the statistics from California. California has almost
two million more veterans residing in that state than Ohio has,
but yet they have the lowest veteran suicide rate in
(16:04):
the country.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Do you think it's the sun.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
No, it's not the sun.
Speaker 5 (16:09):
But here's why.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
There's state officials and their suicide Prevention Office get out
into the public where Ohio does not. So I challenged
the state, and I challenged my state senators. The state
has to do better and it's going to start with you,
and she agreed. So it was the first built in
(16:33):
the history of the state to passimous unanimously in both houses,
and this year it went into effect, and we're going
to be moving on with promoting even more rallies against
suicide throughout the state next year and we'll go from there.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Amazing, amazing.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
So we have the pack DOP being passed, we have
veteran suicide day being accomplished. You just did the rally
last month in September.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
What else? I feel like it's still more. I know
it was, alright.
Speaker 6 (17:08):
Beans, Uh all right, Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Summit County Veteran Suicie Services and Commission Services Commission just
named me their Veteran of the Year. And I just
got a proclamation from Congresswoman Chantale Brown. And I was
also named Champion of the Week by for District thirteen
(17:35):
by Congresswoman Amelia Sykes.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Amazing, amazing, y'all don't know, I understand.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Please give the website where people can find you find
your services?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Fine, what it is that you're doing.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Try to keep up with you, because, like they say,
you're always doing something.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
All right.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
The website is Veterans Assurance with an A, not an I.
Veterans Assurance dot org.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Thank you Veteran Insurance dot or. Can Can I call you?
Speaker 4 (18:03):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (18:03):
Yeah, okay, I can't.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
I'm not gonna say the joke. I just thought.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
So let's talk about your being dermid. How do you
feel about it? How do you like it? It's been
two years now, you said, correct, Well, well a little
over closer to.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Where is it closer to?
Speaker 4 (18:26):
But the challenges have come and but I'll tell you,
I'll tell you this rafter bat. Matt has been a
big help. Okay, Matt has been a bigger one. He
helps everybody, but he has a certain will helping you know,
his his stylings technique. I don't question it, okay. But
it's been a it's been fun. It's been I say,
(18:46):
a very changing, revolving door of of doing things differently
and making and trying to make this more family friendly,
but also getting the word out about Veterans Day and
what it means to the city of Cleveland. So that
was our infats this year. I mean Veterans Day Parade
has been around for thirteen years. I believe you're going
into our fourteenth year now. And the previous person who
(19:09):
had it was John Kinko, and I want to thank
him for giving me this opportunity and presenting me with
the new challenge that I have bringing organizations together for Cleveland,
calling and just talking to them and hoping they participate.
Which we have a lot of different organizations coming out
for that day. But it is a challenging situation sometimes
(19:32):
because sometimes you believe that some organizations are going to participate,
but then they don't, So you just have to still
walk through it and go through the fire just like
you know, just like you going through basic training.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Okay, you're gonna learn and achieve and get better.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
But it's a great opportunity not just for me, but
for the team I work with. They've been doing a
lot of different work and being there to assist me,
but also in new relationships. For this Veterans Day Parade
this year is a little bit different. Positively, this is
more of a celebration this year for Veterans Day. We
(20:12):
looked at me and Matt and some of the members
looked at the Veterans Day how they do it in Columbus, Cincinnati,
New York, and Chicago and those Veterans Day parade. They
are amazing the way they set up some things and
how many people come out and participate. And that's what
we're hoping that folks in the city come out and participate.
But this year, not just the parade. After the parade
(20:35):
is over, we're going to actually go into Tower City.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
We're gonna have.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Probably maybe right now fifty to sixty different organizations that's
in the parade, and as when the parade ends about
maybe one thirty quarter to two, we're going to have
them marching into Tower City with a marching band, which
is Warrensville City High School. I believe his name is
(21:00):
DeShawn Wilson, if that's his last name. He's going to
be leading the greatest high school band in the land,
he says, Warrensville High School.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
They've been all over.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
They was in the Hawaii Bow last actually this year
in twenty twenty five as one of the bands. They're
representing Ohio. That's a great opportunity. We also have Benedicting
High School who's going to participate, along with Beaumont High
School as well. So I really appreciate that, you know,
(21:32):
because they're gonna not just participate but recognize. We're going
to recognize your school as well. During this time at
Tower City, we're going to have we're not calling resources available,
but we are going to have tables set up of
other organization that's going to be there such as the
y m c A.
Speaker 7 (21:50):
Who's some other ones, American Red Cross, Cross, Veterans Service Commission,
the VA, the Cleveland Veterans Collaborative.
Speaker 6 (21:59):
Who I'm missing there's one that I'm listening. I'll think
of it.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
Yeah, we said the United Way.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
United Way.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
So you know, it's it's just not another resource event,
which is actually we have a Veterans Resource Affair event
coming up on November thirteenth, two days later, but it's
just more of a community celebration of what we have
available for folks throughout the city of Cleveland, and that's
something that we always need, especially around this day and time,
(22:28):
how lays are coming. Things are not as they used
to be. I'll say things have changed recently, but those
things that's available throughout the city will be there for
folks to at least know that they're there and for
veterans to come out and know that we are reinforcing
what it means to be a veteran and with our support,
(22:50):
and we know that being a veteran. The number one
folks that's there for us is family because when you're
overseas and you're in that theater of war and once
you from my experience, you know, coming back home or
making that phone call after I leave a site with
something that I think about every day. Listening to my
(23:12):
wife and listening to my daughter, listening to my son
just talk about their day. You know, I wouldn't talk
about what I did today, but it was always important.
It's to hear them and talk for that time or
the time I had allowed. So family support is a
definite plus for this event, and that's why this is
going to be more of a Veterans Day celebration, all
(23:34):
about the family and the veteran themselves.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
So you came in changing things out a little bit. Yeah, okay, okay,
how do you feel about the team. How do you
feel like the team? You feel about you? What's going
on with the team.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
I think we everybody has a process, okay, everybody has
a uniqueness of yes, we're doing this as a team.
It's like you know when you are in that platoon,
you know everybody in your platoon has something to offer. Okay,
doesn't matter what. We had that same uniform and you
(24:08):
put that uniform on. It never goes away. Your duty
must be served. So if you sign up, you know
you're gonna work. But you're gonna work and you know,
do your part, and we're gonna come together, have discussions,
have meetings. We're gonna agree, we're gonna disagree, But you
know what, it's all about the event. It's not about
the individual. It's about simply the event and serving the
(24:29):
public and as a soldier that never goes away. And
I remember again myself going to base a training which
is Fort Lennon Wood who lost in the woods. That
was truly it was something it was a sacrifice because
I had no clue.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
It was truly like that.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Okay, but I believe, you know, those things help me
become the MAM today because it helped me process a
lot of different things but understand but also be battle
tested for things that's gonna happen in my life that
I had no idea would come up. And I appreciated
that and working with this team. I look at that
way and like I said, I have Matt here. I can,
you know, ask Matt some questions and he may answer,
(25:10):
but he's not gonna answer the way I thought he
was gonna say. It's totally different, but you know what,
it's still for the purpose of the team for the event.
So I can understand clearly and with his clarity why
it works that way, you know. Or we have another folk,
another individual named Shari. She's also a veteran. She has
a certain way of working. The way she works and
(25:31):
it's different from Matt. It's different from me, it's different
from other folks, but we have that uniqueness of bringing
people together and again for the benefit of the parade.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (25:41):
So you're welcome.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Thank you, thank you. Are we looking for people to
join more?
Speaker 4 (25:46):
Oh, yes, definitely, we are looking for people to participate.
They can go to the website which is Cleveland Veterans
Day Parade dot com. Please sign up. Please Also, if
you like to join any organizations you'd like to participate
in the parade, they can also sign up on the
website as well.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
So make it easy, pasy, Yes, it's very easy.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
I'm assuming they can donate on the website.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
They can.
Speaker 6 (26:10):
They can donate, they can, they can sponsor.
Speaker 7 (26:12):
We have a number of sponsorships available, like talking about
it talking about being a family event. We have the
Veteran Service Commission that is sponsoring.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
The photo booth, a veteran photo booth, which should be cool.
Speaker 7 (26:28):
We're having patriotic crafts, and then the Salute to Veterans
Community coloring wall is being sponsored by the Travis Manyon Foundation.
So we have a number of other ones that if
people are out there, even all the way down to
one thousand dollars the All American bounce house. So if
we want a bounce house there somebody you know, go
(26:49):
on the website, click and you'll get an email address
or you can sign up right there. We'd love to
have you as a as a partner, as a sponsor,
and there's all the way up to a ten thousand
dollars starts spangled presenting partner. Which you know, it's getting
a little late in the game, so we might not
get that this year, but next year we're gonna We're
gonna be so far ahead next year because we learned
(27:10):
so much this year. Yeah, and you're all, okay, okay,
what do we gotta do. We we gotta come up
with a website, we gotta come up with social media. Well,
that stuff's already done now we just need to figure
out how to refine it. But if there are people
out there that want to be a part of it
this year, I know, the deadline on the website says
the twenty fourth or last week or whatever.
Speaker 6 (27:32):
Now we're still good. We're still good. We'll still open,
we'll still take you.
Speaker 7 (27:36):
We need to pay for this, but there, if you
go on the website, you'll see up at the top.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
You can sign up to be a volunteer.
Speaker 7 (27:43):
We want to make a human tunnel once you come
into Tower City, clapping and holding signs and so you know,
we have about twenty people so far. But as it
gets closer in that November first, after we get through Halloween,
I think people's attention will turn to this break.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
Don't Matt, don't forget. We have the Cavalie cheerleaders.
Speaker 7 (28:01):
We have the entertainment teams, yeah, performing at the stage.
We have a DJ, one of the DJs from the
Rock Entertainment Group. I need to mention Bedrock, who is
the ownership group of Tower City.
Speaker 6 (28:12):
They've been amazing in this whole process.
Speaker 7 (28:15):
They usually don't allow events from November first on because
they're getting ready for the holiday season, but they said, no,
let's pause.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
That for our veteran community.
Speaker 7 (28:30):
So they're allowing us to have that space and do
that and pausing some of the stuff that they have
to do.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
Which is going to create a little bit more work.
Speaker 7 (28:38):
But we thank them for that and allowing us to
do that, and hopefully that this becomes something that is
on par with Saint Patrick's Day or the Pride March
that like it just becomes known. Hey, we're going to
go downtown. If we have the day off of school,
we're going downtown. If we don't have the day of
a school maybe we take the day off of school
(28:58):
or off of work and we lie in the streets
and the route is also there. So if you want
to march in the parade, you don't have to be
a veteran allies. Anybody can march in the parade. It's
just like the Saint Patrick's Day Parade or the Pride Parade.
You can sign up, you can bring an ANTIQ car,
you can just march. You can organization can come out
and just have a good time. You're allowed to bring
(29:20):
goodies and stuff to pass out to the crowd, and
candy and whatever trinkets you want. We hope that'll be
bring people out. We also want organizations to line the
streets and that's going to be a campaign that will
turn on once November first hits to line the streets
because in the past, I think John and Kenya and
everybody's done a great job of having sixty to one
(29:42):
hundred participants units in the parade with probably over a
thousand people, but the streets there's only some people out there, right,
so let's line the streets. I know it's November, sometimes
the weather's not great. But if we can get organizations
in downtown Cleveland to encourage their teams to go out
(30:05):
and have an extended lunch.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Up and then come spices and then.
Speaker 7 (30:12):
Come to Tower City and enjoy the music, enjoy the
entertainment teams that are going to be there.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Have you tried to like partner with du and Donuts
for like teasing donuts along the ways as well?
Speaker 2 (30:24):
We like.
Speaker 7 (30:29):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
So let's talk day of November eleventh, we will be
downtown taking over all of the area, mainly Tower City,
but all of the area. Let's talk about the route,
let's talk about the time, Let's talk about all of
the things that people can expect besides you know, lining
up the streets. And this sounds like very family friendly.
You just mentioned crafts section and a photo booth as.
Speaker 6 (30:53):
Well, hopefully a bounce house.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Somebody bounce house.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
We might have to getland is that Cleveland. I'll circle
back around to you afterwards on that. Remind me they'll
don't let me forget all right, But let's talk day
of details.
Speaker 6 (31:10):
Twelve thirty Cleveland City Hall.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
The parade kicks off and it works its way Lakeside
East Ninth, East Ninth, takes it right on East Ninth,
takes a right on Superior, goes through Public Square, comes
through Public Square the middle part, and then takes a
left and right in front of Tower City. And then
if people who are walking go off and they enter
(31:35):
through the doors, the vehicles then can go turn right
on Ontario and then you know, do what they need
to do to make it road worthy and or you
know they're good, or they can go down in Tower
City and park and join us for the festivities.
Speaker 6 (31:50):
So it's only about less than a.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
Mile, so it's a nice and easy route. Abouzero point five.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Yeah, distance from Cleveland City Hall to Tower City and yeah,
not that far at all.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Our disabled vets charge those chairs. We want y'all out
there rolling with them. I'm sorry, but we need to.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
We are working on a vehicle for the disabled vets
who are not able to walk, but whould like to
participate in the in the event as well.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Because we can't forget about it.
Speaker 6 (32:20):
We're working on that.
Speaker 7 (32:21):
We'd like a sponsor for that as well. The Heroes
Boss it's called heroes.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Yes, heroes boss, Okay, yes, I got to write that
down so I can circle back around.
Speaker 6 (32:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (32:30):
Then you enter into Tower City, you make your way
all the way down and there will be hopefully that
human tunnel of people that.
Speaker 4 (32:36):
At least yelling, rallying, and then you have the bands
coming through and you know, and you'll hear that marching band.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
You know early enough, Oh my goodness. You know you
feel the emotion.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
You feel that the pride, the joy, the excitement of
seeing this happening, and this is going to be a
burst of like a celebration. Like I was on Channel
nineteen the other day. It was like, it's like a party.
It's a family because you know what this may be
the we've had this event before, but not like this,
and this is something that we're we've taken pride in
(33:08):
this and yes it is our first year doing this,
and now we know what to do to improve and
continue to work on things because the standards just not
the standard. We all remember that, right, the standards not
the standard. Right, Oh my goodness. So we will achieve.
We've already achieved a lot. Right now we're guarding the parade.
Speaker 5 (33:29):
But we know we can do more and we do better.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
So the next group can always you know, have those
things in place already to work on the next step. So,
but I also wanted to mention as well met with
the Cavaliers. Adam who's part of the Cavaliers, mentioned the
other day in the meeting that he has four tickets
to give away for the Cavaliers game on November fifteenth,
which is a Saturday.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Are we going to raffle those away?
Speaker 4 (33:53):
We're still working out the details about that, so but yes,
those it will be four tickets and they just make it.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
A door for one of the supporters along the lines
that we want cherry.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
We got some ideas coming, we got some I dis
but we'll take that one too.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Sorry, I'm always new committee member.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
Yes we have that.
Speaker 6 (34:10):
Yeah, we got a new committee members. You gotta figure
out how we distribute the tickets.
Speaker 7 (34:14):
And then reaching out to Dunk and Donnut.
Speaker 5 (34:17):
You hear us, dunk Oh, it's duncan wait?
Speaker 7 (34:20):
Are we giving them much love and they haven't given
us anything? You got that free advertising.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I wasn't gonna talk about how good it was.
Speaker 1 (34:32):
From that. So for those that would like to participate
and sign up again, you can do so at the
website that's Cleveland Veterans Day Parade dot com Cleveland not
with the S just Cleveland Veterans with an S Day betarade.
Not come before we get out of here. Is there
anything else we want to make sure we tap on?
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Yeah, Kenn, you mentioned that there's a new company in
Cleveland that's going to be participating in this parade, and
they're providing golf carts. Oh, if you want to give
them a little spiel.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
Yes, that was a good one.
Speaker 4 (35:14):
Yes, the Cleveland golf carts will be They just received
they just was approved by Cleveland Council City Council legislation
that they're able to now have the Cleveland golf carts
drive around downtown Cleveland for folks who just want to
do a site visit of Cleveland in the area, what
downtown's like.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
And I reached out.
Speaker 4 (35:34):
I reached out to the organization and they had said, yes,
they are in. They're also it's a veteran company as well,
so they will be participating. As a matter of fact,
Tim Harris, the Grand Marshall, will be in the league
golf cart as well.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Of course, super appropriate.
Speaker 4 (35:55):
Yeah, right, so they are definitely they're to the city,
but we're we're definitely appreciate their partnership in terms of,
you know, them providing the golf cart for the parade.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Awesome Matt.
Speaker 7 (36:13):
The other thing that this group is associated with this
is Cleveland Veterans Collaborative and the yearly Veterans Resource Fair
will be at Collinwood Rec Center on November thirteenth, Thursday,
so two days later, so that'll be advertised during the
parade and one of the tables there, so if you're
(36:34):
looking for a larger amount of resources, you're going to
find the big resources at this celebration is one of
the YEA and then the other many many tables, I
think fifty to sixty tables will be at Collinwood Rec
Center and we've been doing them in the neighborhoods and
(36:54):
working with so many groups, and so November thirteenth from
eleven to two at Collinwood Rec Center. So if you
live in the Collinwood neighborhood or anywhere in Cleveland, it
should be advertised at all the rec centers. And that's
with our good friend Edwin Paris and our Consulman Richard
(37:15):
Starr's office, and it's a great opportunity to get even
more resources. So come to the celebration in the parade
and you meet the VSC, you meet the United Way
and the American Red Cross, the VA, but you also
get a flyer there to come out to the Collinwood
Rec Center where you get even more resources that you can.
(37:41):
You can get all the things that you've earned, and
it doesn't matter if you how you were.
Speaker 6 (37:48):
There are some.
Speaker 7 (37:48):
Organizations that look at how you are discharged, but we
also have some that don't don't care. You know, like
people make mistakes or you get charged with the wrong
thing and that wasn't we don't care. There are some
organizations that will be with us on that Thursday that
don't care, and we'll help you.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Thank you, and then thank you for putting an emphasis
on that, because.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
I myself was one of those individuals.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
I have a general under honorable, So I am appreciative
that is not dis horrible. But I have a lot
of friends who were dishonorable, and that disqualified them from
a lot of things, a lot of things. They can't
even go to the VA if they wanted to. And
Cleveland we're number one VA in the US.
Speaker 6 (38:32):
I believe yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 7 (38:34):
We are.
Speaker 6 (38:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Way Perk is the number one hospital in the country period,
not just in the VA, for the entire country.
Speaker 7 (38:42):
And if you're in one of those circumstances, give United
Way two one one a call, yes and talk to
our friend Alex.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
He's amazing.
Speaker 7 (38:50):
He's got like this list of resources. So some organizations,
like we said, can't help you, and it's on their
boards and you know, like it's just written into the thing, right,
But United Way two one one Alex, he's amazing. He's
out in the community, he's doing so many things, and
he has this long list of these great resources for
(39:15):
anybody who served.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
Matter of fact, Alex just helped the friend of mine
get his discharge upgraded so he could get into the VA.
So many props out to Alex.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
Alex buss for us, and that is the option as well. Yeah,
depending on your situation. So don't be afraid to ask,
don't be too prideful, don't give up. Please don't give up,
because you deserve, you have earned. And look, if no
one else loves and cherish you, understand that UNI does.
And I hope to see November eleventh downtown for the
(39:47):
veterans parade again. If you have any questions, if you
want to participate, if you want to donate, if you
want to volunteer, whatever way, shape, or form you would
like to give your time or energy, please visit Cleveland
Veterans Day Parade dot com. And thank you all for
joining me here on our voices today. I hope you
all can make it again sometime soon.
Speaker 5 (40:08):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
This is w O v U Studios
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The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.