December 11, 2024 • 51 mins
It's TripWire Wednesday!!! Join Etaci and I as we welcome Tom Reichert to the show. We'll dive right into his struggle of the last couple years, Brain Cancer. This man's positive attitude for life is inspiring. From west suburb of Chicago to becoming an Army Aviator of an Apache Helicopter. His is a fantastic story!!!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Hey, everybody, welcome back to Tripwire. Today is Wednesday, November eleventh.
It's gonna be ard. I'm sorry December eleventh. I'm so
losing my months. It's just crazy these days. Anyway, Sorry, Stacy. Anyway,
great to see everybody. Glad you joined us today. We've
got a great show ahead of us. Stacy, how about
(00:59):
you introduce our guest because he's one of your officers
there at the VFW, I believe if I'm not mistaken,
and uh, you guys are you guys live right there
in Neighborville, So let's kick it off.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Okay, So I want to introduce Tom Rickards and he
is a dear friend of mine. He is a member
of the VFW and our American legion here in Naperville.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
And he was do you.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Want me to start talking about him before he comes
on or do we want a little bit so well,
ten years I think it's ten or eleven years, Army
Apache Pilot. He's awesome, got yeah, he's got some cool stories.
He's got a little girl, Faith, his wife young jew
and they live right around the corner from me. They
(01:46):
are always at everything that we do, and uh yeah,
I just I he's got a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Of stories, you know, I just I just want to
bring him on and yeah, there he is. Do we
still have faith in the car? She's still with you.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
I got my whole cheer section back here.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
So okay, So you were in the army eleven ten
years or eleven.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Years Tom, if we're rounding up, that's to ten years.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, that's I'm yeah, I'm looking at and and a
patchy pilot. So you and then obviously you know what
you've done in your civilian career, going into sales and everything.
But I mean part of obviously we want to talk
about your your experiences in the army and your being
(02:36):
a patchy pilot. But one of the things that I
wanted to bring you on to talk about is what's
been going on with you for the past couple of
years and your amazing spirits, your can do attitude, which
I feel has really attributed to how you have progressed
through some of these hardships. But can you tell us
(03:00):
a little bit about what happened a few years ago
when you came to that blood drive.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
And then how things kind of transpired after that.
Speaker 6 (03:08):
Sure, well, let's welcome to the show. By the way, Tom,
welcome you again, brother, thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
If you want to share anything with the audience, by
all means, please do that before Stacey starts cracking the
whip and then you know we're we're on point non
stop with this whole damn thing.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So I mean go ahead and say, she's the commander
at the VFW.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
I'm used to getting order from her.
Speaker 6 (03:32):
Yeah, I get it, I get it. But just you know,
she's my co host. This still is my show.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
It is. I'm just helping out.
Speaker 6 (03:39):
I know I'm messing around. I'm totally messing around. Tom.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Great to see you, brother, Great to see you. So floors,
all your floors, all yours?
Speaker 6 (03:51):
Okay, well sweet, did you I speak for a little bit, so.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Cheer sections already in motion.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
So yeah, a couple of years ago, so to the
date October fifteenth, which I believe was a yeah Saturday,
there you go, all.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
October fourteenth of twenty twenty three.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
I started that morning by giving blood at the BFW.
They're doing a blood drive, and then I after that,
and for the record, I do remember I finished my
bag or filled my bag in record time three minutes
eighteen seconds. So that's the time to be just want
to throw it out there to your general crowd, and.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
I guess just yeah, I will turn anything into a competition.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
That's funny.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
But then after I finished filling my bag and they
cleared me to go, I went to go pick up
my daughter from uh her, we'll just call it her. Well,
my wife's Korean, so she was in Korean school on Saturday. Okay,
all right, And my daughter doesn't want me to replay
(05:15):
this story because she was there for it.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
But ultimately that that day.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
I then was ended up having some trouble and going
to the hospital with a pretty large headache. And I
say I ended up going to the hospital as opposed to.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Putting my daughter in the car and driving home.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Yeah, I got it, ye, which.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
Is I obviously want to play that out and as
I I'll repeat this because I always want my daughter
to remember this.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
I know that's hard for her, bless her heart, but
this is always I've been very very strong in my
faith with this process.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
As they found my brain tumor, that that if it
didn't go that way, if I didn't give blood and
I didn't end up with that big headache that ended
me in the hospital, which I'm pretty sure giving blood
was a big part of it.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
I would have just wrapped in my daughter and driven home.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
Doesn't mean I wouldn't have had a brain tumor, and
who knows what happened.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
So I'm very thankful for how things played out.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
And I say, I'm very willing to see where this goes.
Is God's plan because his plan already saved my daughter's
life once.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
So I'm in it for the for the long haul.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
That's amazing. That's amazing, and God, bless you, God bless you.
For Space. She's been telling me, I could.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
It's been a while since I've been back in Aberville,
but got Space has been telling me how how strong
and motivated you've been, and how what just a bright,
shining figure even with all the struggles that you've been
dealing with, and and how you've motivated other people.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
I just it's amazing, Tom.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
There's a God works some mysterious ways, and he's, uh,
he's definitely through your struggle.
Speaker 6 (07:15):
He's he's definitely using you to help others.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
So it just certainly felt like that.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
It's yeah, it has this condition that generally said has
come with far more blessings than curses. It really has
opened a lot of opportunities for me to help others.
And it is interesting and you say that, but I've
I've found it too. Yeah, I mean it's a great
I mean, first of all, it's a it's a good
inspiring story.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I think that helped that is relatable.
Speaker 6 (07:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Yeah, it really has provided me a an avenue to
talk with a lot of people with the issue that
might be happening that It just it's really opens that
door if you're also somebody suffering from something, then it
kind of just kind of evens the playing field a
lot that a lot of times opens up up some
people's ears.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, have you had have you had the opportunity throughout
the past couple of years when you've gone in for
treatments to to help motivate or uplift some some other
people that might not be handling it as well as
you are?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Have you been that that rock.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
For the The best compliment I think I ever received was, now,
this might be dangerous to Britain, but when one of
one of my care givers actually connected me with somebody
else she cares for that thought that I might be
able to help that person. That person was having a
(08:46):
tough time and that was that was a pretty big
compliment I felt at the time, because that's more than
happy to do it and motivated to do it, and
it's a great opportunity. But just the fact that she
would view me then that in that I was, I mean,
very complimentary, if not humbly.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yes, what do you can.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
You feel comfortable sharing with us? What you would say
to somebody in a situation like that, like, maybe what
are some of the thoughts that you've had that have
helped drag you out from, drag you up from maybe
a dark place that a lot of people would would
go to in the same circumstances. What are you saying
to yourself? What are you saying to other people?
Speaker 5 (09:29):
I like to say that, remember it's not him, it's the.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Other guy, and he does these.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Things to draw a wedge between us and him. Don't
let him be successful, don't let it be so as
I like to say, is then I kind of turn
it into my competitive nature where I say, so bring it,
bring it. Is this the best you got? I'm not
going anywhere, right, and you're not still fully believe in him?
Speaker 6 (10:03):
That's awesome, man, We're glad you're still here.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Tom absolutely really really glad that you're still here, brother,
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
And I love that whenever we have anything going on,
you know with the VFW and the Legion. I mean,
we have a chaplain at the VFW. He's our chaplain
at the Legion, but he's he often fills in no
matter what what we've got going on, and he'll come
up and he you know, he has his prayers that
are prepared, prepared for the events, and I just I
(10:34):
just love it when he goes up there, and it's
just very it's very motivating, it's very moving because everyone knows.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
His strong spirit and how he.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Has like you know, stayed stayed with this forward momentum.
Can you can you tell us a little bit about
your your your diagnosis as of late.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
Yeah, sure, And so it's it's called very simply, it's
referred to as GBM or.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Golf bravo mic okay, and which.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
Short at shorthand long long hand would be glioblastoma multiform.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Glioblastao stoma is the name of the I guess cancer
and multiform I guess means it comes in all shapes
and sizes. If you if anybody was brought up their
Google and just typed in capital GBM.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
I think it'll auto complete it with brain cancer.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
Yeah, got you?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Well, yeah, Ingrid was telling me, you know, when you
initially went into the hospital, she was telling me like
they had found what size it was and that you
were like right at that point where it was a
very pivotal point where if you had waited any longer
that it would have been inoperable.
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Is that correct? Am I remembering?
Speaker 5 (11:50):
Well, let's say, I don't know if they What they
removed was eight centimeters and one hundred grams of my
my temperal lobe, which is a pretty good good size
to this condition. Yeah, and uh and ultimate it was
my right temporal lobe, so think about it of your
like behind.
Speaker 6 (12:10):
Your right eye.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
And because it was done in that area, it's probably
why I was able to get to that size before
it actually started becoming symptomatic. Yeah, it was able to
grow decently large because there's some space there before it
starts pushing on something.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Great problem.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Yeahs and headaches with the cause in your headache that
led you to the go to the emergency room based
on you know, relief of the pressure valve by giving blood.
Speaker 6 (12:40):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, all right, So I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
So Tom, first and foremost, I'm glad Stacy kind of
drilled you on this and led with this, because I
just want the audience to know that you're doing well,
that things are You're still healing, and things are good.
Speaker 6 (13:02):
You're still with us, is you know, I mean, this
is huge what you've had to deal with.
Speaker 7 (13:08):
But what I would like to do is now, like
rewind a little bit and start from the beginning, if
you don't mind, where are you originally from?
Speaker 6 (13:19):
What legend into the military? Why did you we lost them?
Oh no, we lost staty. So so yeah, you're still there.
So so tell us about where you're from and.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
And what legend into the army, and then what made
you choose Where was the mindset and choosing Apache, Apache.
Speaker 6 (13:39):
Helicopters for your for your for your career in the army?
Sir sure?
Speaker 5 (13:45):
So, I was born and raise the western suburbs of Chicago, graduated.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Hensdale cent from Central in two thousand and one.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
Then what the college at DePauw University down and that's
what the W down in Greencastle, Indiana, And so that
you know, September my first semester, fall semester September of
two thousand and one, nine to eleven happens, yep, and which.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
I was. I was a soccer player.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
At the time and learning that I wasn't a college
level player at that time, and uh, and so my response,
I guess, you know, after September eleventh, there's a lot
of people raising their hand, and I guess I wanted
to too. But the best way I could do it
at the time figure it out was I joined Army ROTC.
(14:45):
Thank you so, or, as I like to joke, I
basically said, all right, you guys, wait right there. You
guys just messed up. I'm gonna go, like give me
about three or three years and then you know, I
gotta go trade right. But uh, but ultimately that was
my response after nine to eleven as I joined Army
ROTC and then graduated two thousand and five commissioned in
(15:09):
the Army and Aviation, which I was thankful to get
and uh interested in flying already.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Yeah, And.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
I ended up getting aviation going through flight school and
then I actually at the time, I think when I
first went in, I was going I was gunning forum.
I was hoping to fly the commands. If you guys
remember that that's a killed program. Yeah, and while I
was in flight school, the commanching program got sliced and anyway,
and then funding a lot more blackhocks. But so then
(15:47):
uh then I but I so, I definitely I kind
of believed this. There there are two things in the air.
There are things with guns, yea, and tart and targets.
So uh, it's so I always knew I wanted to
have as I like to say, I wanted to have
a vote.
Speaker 8 (16:04):
So yeah, oh yeah, vaguely. Yeah, she definitely gives you
the vote. That's awesome. That's awesome.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
I don't know what. I don't know what Bill is doing,
uh hoping.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Okay, all right, she'll be she'll be back on here
momentarily whenever Skywatcher brings her back on.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
She lost connection. So so two thousand and one, So,
how so were you warrant officer? You go officeer full portal.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Grade officer r O t C only creates a OS.
Speaker 6 (16:46):
Okay, so you went to she went full officer. You
got your pilot.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
I mean, so, I know a lot of warrants that
are aviators though you know what I'm saying, So I
get it.
Speaker 6 (16:56):
But yeah, that yeah, that's awesome to cool. What was
your first judy station?
Speaker 5 (17:02):
My first duty station after flight school? That was my
first first went to flight school. Then I ended up
going to Korea in Camp Eagle, Korea.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
There you go, okay, and you you went to How
many deployments did you have? I'm sorry, I can't remember.
Uh just Afghanistan was yeah?
Speaker 6 (17:23):
Okay? So and you deployed from Korea to Afghanistan?
Speaker 8 (17:27):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (17:27):
No, I went from Korea to Fort Carson, Colorado. Ah,
there you unit moved.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
There state I gotcha, and I got right then Carson, Colorado.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
Uh that eventually now deaf first cab and Fort Hood
and when that's where I.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
Employed from, gotcha, okay? Cool? And then uh so you did?
You said nine and a half almost ten years?
Speaker 5 (17:56):
Yeah, yep, yep from Uh graduated May of o five,
which is yep, day of my commission, and then got
out November of fourteen.
Speaker 6 (18:08):
Gotcha, okay? And then from Texas. And I'm assuming excuse
me when you got back from when you got back
from Korea, were you were you married at the time,
dim king?
Speaker 5 (18:26):
No, I mean I had already met my wife, and yeah,
I guess I just continued courting her from afar.
Speaker 6 (18:34):
Gotcha, I understand.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Yeah, And when when was the when was the awesome
the bluss day when you guys got married.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
Let's see we were married and uh June well in
the were married in the courthouse at Jim's twenty twelve.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
Nice, awesome, okay, cool? Well say you welcome back?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Oh, thanks, you're welcome. I can hear you, guys. I
was like sitting in the queue.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
I was like, I got I gotcha. I'm done grilling Tom.
So if you if you have questions for him.
Speaker 6 (19:14):
So.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
All right, so Tom, can you okay? I I uh.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
We talked a little bit about the PACs Act and
how that was, how that has been super helpful in
how everything is going for you right now, and that
piece of legislation legislative.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
It came into effect right after or right before right.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
Yeah, at the beginning of twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Yeah, so it was passed that it was that that
piece was passed right before this happened, and so that's
been very helpful and your benefits.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
And your care.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
It was really it's kind of a well just a
va terri well just I mean, it's mostly bets to
listen to this anyway, right, but this is a slam.
Speaker 6 (20:03):
It was a slam. It was a slam.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Dunk uh for a v a claim because GBM or
blue blastoma is now on the presum I believe that
proper vernacular term is uh is a presumed condition.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
On the list.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
So this, my my brand tambers on on the is
a presumed condition now. So as soon as it's there,
it was just check one hundred percent. And since it's
it's ultimately terminal, it's one hundred percent p and T boom.
Speaker 6 (20:33):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
But I say that not that sounds so BLib, but
it's a medical reality. But so meaning that doesn't. So
the ultimate victory is Stacy served me say this is
I I am mind my surroundings. So I'll just say, yes,
(20:56):
you know, the whole point to go is because I'm
so old, but I'm still gonna regardless, I'll go with this.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
It's not going anywhere. So the goal is to when
I go, because I'm just that old, right with this.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Right, Yeah, to make to make the most out of
every single day and have as many of those days
as possible.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
Sure, Yeah, live for every memory that you're making right
then and there.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Exactly and so the backpack.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Tell me about the backpack. I was telling Stephen about
the backpack. So you have to wear this all the time, right, Yeah, yeah,
I got.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
I'll give you guys a sorry I'm lapping it.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
I'm laughing at so look at he's got on his head.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Go back to wires.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
But this is a cool device called optune O p
t U n E made by Nova Cure and Israeli
medical company.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
There you go.
Speaker 5 (21:58):
Uh, it is what I like to call We've we
did chemo and radiation, which I refer to as offensive operations. Yeah,
and we completed offensive operations a while ago, like back
in the in January twenty twenty four almost. So after that,
(22:20):
all I've got is defensive operations, which is this ultimately
because without going into the putting everybody in science class
like freshman year biology. But short, what this thing does
is it disrupts cell division, got it, and so it
makes you sure my cancer cells can't grow into tumors.
Speaker 6 (22:39):
So it's defensive in nature. Yeah, inhibits the inhibits the growth.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Yep, exactly. And yeah it's so as I like to laugh,
I'm all in on the technology.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
It's uh, but it's seems to be effective and working
because everything's been going well good.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
And you have this on all the time. I mean
we were talking about it when we were out walking.
You said, sometimes you'll take it, take it off, but
you typically.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Have it on all the time.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Yes, yeah, almost as much as I can. I got
something it that way and that you know it doesn't
work well.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
In the shower, You're you're jump starting other pieces of
your anatomy with electronics.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
If you're doing that, brother, Yeah, right, Oh my gosh.
So that's hilarious. Man.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
So are you essentially retired now from sales? From your
job and.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
Sale that was one of the collateral benefits of this diagnosis. Yeah, effectively,
I retired at forty. Everybody talks about it in their twenties. No,
anybody's ever done it. I'm the only guy I know.
Speaker 6 (23:57):
Now.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
I didn't get there by selling my startup, but I'm
still not complaining.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
Yeah, I got pretty great. I got you well. So
before I forget, because I'm not not that I have.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
You know, I've got other head issues because I've been
hitting the head so many damn times. I'm going to
be back in Aperville. I'm coming back that way as
of the twenty first So definitely love to see you
if we get a chance over the holidays.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Bro, Yeah, that'd be fantastic.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
Yeah yeah, definitely. So sorry, Stacy, I keep interrupting you.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Oh yeah, no, no, no, it's fine.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
So Faith, Faith's birthday is on Christmas Eve's right right?
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Yeah, face birthdays on Christmas Eve.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
So do you guys have a lot of fun stuff
planned then for the holidays because it's your birthday.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Too, You've got somebody's attention.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
I see that.
Speaker 6 (25:01):
Hi good, it's you.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Good.
Speaker 8 (25:05):
Hi.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
How old are you going to be?
Speaker 9 (25:08):
Eight?
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (25:10):
Wow, that's awesome? Congratulations?
Speaker 5 (25:14):
Is there?
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Sorry I keep interrupting you, Stephen.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Is there anything that you want to do on your birthday?
Do you have you have you told your mom and
dad like something special?
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Nope?
Speaker 10 (25:27):
But last year they they they told me to wait
in my room and I was questioning them all types
of stuff, but they wouldn't answer it and kept winning
going downstairs.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
I realized it was my birthday. That's awesome, that's funny.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
I'm sure they've got surprises, is it. Do you like
having your birthday that close to Christmas?
Speaker 6 (25:53):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Yes, so it's like a little.
Speaker 6 (25:56):
Bit double yeah, double the presence. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Uh, and you guys went on a Disney cruise.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
When was that, oh, last last winter.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Last winter, last year.
Speaker 6 (26:11):
Yeah, yeah, that was all right.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
Trying to take that back. That was during the summer.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (26:19):
Yeah, was that fine? Sure it was.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
It was a cruise, so I'm pretty sure it was
warmer you were at regardless of the rest of us.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
I guess that's true. That's true.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Do you have any trips planned in the near future, Tom,
with the family?
Speaker 4 (26:36):
We're uh, we're going to Costa Rica in January.
Speaker 6 (26:42):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
Wow, that's gonna be a good time.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
And we're also getting together with a bunch of family
down in for the last week of December for New
Year's will be going down to Texas.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
Nice, you're going, don't go ahead? Do you need a moment?
Speaker 7 (27:02):
Are you?
Speaker 6 (27:03):
Are you at your destination? Tom?
Speaker 4 (27:06):
It's all right, that's all right, okay.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
Just whatever, whatever, whatever we need to do for you, Bud,
that's all. I just thought it as. I appreciate it.
Thank you so sure.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Then you know, the plan was good right up until
we all date.
Speaker 6 (27:24):
You know, it's ah, we we were looking forward to
having you on the show. Tom.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
But now we've got you and Faith. This is like
a double whammie. This is this is the best show
we're having this this this month. This is awesome.
Speaker 6 (27:37):
It's even better. Yeah, product, Yeah, it's even better.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Are you guys going to be going to the Disney
karaoke on February eighth?
Speaker 4 (27:50):
February eighth?
Speaker 3 (27:52):
What costume are you going to wear? Faith?
Speaker 2 (27:59):
That's gonna be here soon. You guys better start planning.
I'm already working on mine.
Speaker 5 (28:05):
Well, I mean, Stacey, that gives me an appreciation for
your level of planning as we sit here in December,
mid December, and your I think February eighth is right
around the corner. So everybody, lord, grant me patience, my commander.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
All right, Well, you know a.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Grown woman that's looking for a Disney costume, sometimes there's
going to be some planning put into that.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
I got to make sure it's the right thing.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
You know, you don't want to ended up with. Last time,
it was like a little girl's tinker Bell costume. I
don't know how I pulled that off, but it worked.
I got to put more planning into it this year.
Speaker 6 (28:44):
Those photographs are still in circulation. It's just ridiculous. It's
just ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
They're on the internet. They're not going Yeah, yeah they are.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
That's awesome. That's awesome. Oh my lord, So do.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
You miss being I mean, when was the last time
that you were able to fly?
Speaker 5 (29:09):
M I mean righting, I was still I saw my
private pilot's license, so I was, I was still flying
little Cessna's after even after I got out, I would
say I had gone flying maybe, so this was October,
so probably in that summer before so said like, this
(29:33):
is the last time I flew was probably junior July
of twenty twenty three.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Yeah, and you've gone up though.
Speaker 5 (29:42):
I saw some pictures who taken. Yeah, but she's she's
already she's already had the control. She's a great pilot.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
That's awesome. Yeah. If you liked going flying with daddy, yes, yeah.
Did you have fun? Do you have fun controlling the aircraft?
Speaker 9 (30:05):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (30:06):
Yeah. I don't know many almost eight year olds that
have done that. That's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
Yeah, I know you're almost a Yeah, you're like two
weeks away from me, two weeks away today, two weeks
away from yesterday, as a matter of fact, away from Yeah,
because it isn't Christmas.
Speaker 6 (30:27):
On Wednesday this year. Yeah, I think so. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (30:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
I started the podcast with you know, saying it was
November eleven, so I don't even know what month I mean,
So I'm trying to I'm trying to figure it out.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Are you gonna are you guys coming by for the
Army Navy game and then the holiday party?
Speaker 3 (30:46):
What are your plans for Saturday?
Speaker 5 (30:49):
I mean, Stacey, I'm going to be there with bells on,
probably probably with my heels together.
Speaker 10 (30:56):
But.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I'm gonna be there, you know, for the Army Navy game.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
And then there's gonna be like a point where I've
got to go home and change and some festive holiday
where to come back for the holiday party.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
It's gonna be a long day.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
The Army Navy game is always a who at that
it is.
Speaker 6 (31:13):
I've got some yeah, yeah, wearing your name, you're gonna
be wearing that, you're not gonna be wearing.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Just make sure everybody knows who I am.
Speaker 6 (31:31):
Okay, Well, you know that's awesome, excellent, good deal.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
And when I got that, when I got this time,
and I couldn't believe the size of it. I my
my both my kids and Scott were standing in the
kitchen and I pulled it out and I'm like, hey.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Guys, do you guys do you think this is too
big for my jacket?
Speaker 4 (31:50):
And they were all like, this, it looks like you're
wearing a flight suit.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
I know, it's well, it's my navy jacket.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
But they but they were like all laugh and they
didn't want to say it because they didn't want to
hurt my feelings. But I said, you guys got to
be honest, it's too big. And they were like, it's
ridiculous what it is.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
I ordered, knew what I.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
Ordered to do it, so you want to make sure
everybody sees it.
Speaker 6 (32:12):
You know.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Well, I just I don't know what I was thinking
when I was entering the measurements. I don't I don't
know what I was thinking.
Speaker 6 (32:18):
I wasn't thinking. I don't know.
Speaker 5 (32:20):
But you know they have those ball caps that with
the the sticker. You usually people put a flag right there,
but that'd be pretty great. Just put your name tag
right on the ball cap, yeah, right there.
Speaker 6 (32:32):
And then and then on the brim.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
We can put like a plastic anvil right there on
the brim. You know, I'm just messing around, Okay, So
Tom Uh, when do you you guys are going to Coastrika?
Speaker 6 (32:48):
When are you going to.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
Costa Rica in January?
Speaker 6 (32:50):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Uh? And then so I got a great idea, so uh,
we don't. We don't normally, we normally go about fifty
four minutes. Brother, But you know, you've got a child
with you, and Faith is awesome, But I don't want
to hinder your progress with your evening baby.
Speaker 6 (33:09):
Yes, she's wasn't the original plan. No, it's okay, It's okay.
We roll with the punches here.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
What I'd like to do is after after we see
all the pictures of Stacy's crazy Disney character outfit, whatever
she's wearing, and you guys have that, yeah, and then
in Faith and then because we have picked, we need
to have pictures of both of you, uh, and then
whatever dress you're wearing to Tom, you know, for the
for the Disney princess thing.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
So I mean, if Stacey's not using her Tinkerbell again
this year, you should.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Dress up though. Yes, you guys should dress up in match.
You guys should jump up.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
I'm going to be in Ohio. I'm going to be
in Ohio.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
So I got you Tom and Faith. Tom and Faith
I should should do something and that like collaborates, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Like Matt, Yes, absolutely absolutely. But what what I would
like to offer though, Tom is uh uh we we'd
love to have you back on after the Disney Disney
thing in February, check on your status, see how you're doing,
and we can dive more into you know, uh, your
(34:19):
your history, the your time as a veteran, your time
on the staff as an officer working for you know,
the queen here, Stacy Boyer.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
So he's an officer with the American Legion. But I'm
going to finagle him into some more some more things come.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Into the year. Yes, everything I asked, he is, but
he's he always shows up, I know.
Speaker 6 (34:43):
But Tom sem backed me up here.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
I did just get on a video call recently with
you and the three powerhouse women of Naperville. So I
survived that one to get here today to talk to
Tom so that we can talk about what what's going on.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
You know, he's an American Legion, I get it, but still,
you know, it's it's Naperville, babe. I get you. Guys
are doing aume work there, awesome work, So.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Rita Nadia and Jennifer Sloan and I all at the
same time.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
Tom, I was Tom, I was in fear for my life.
I was in fear for my life. That's fair. I'm
in Virginia.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
I'm in Virginia, and I was in fear for my life.
So yeah, what I'd like to do is offer you, uh,
the opportunity for us to slow down.
Speaker 6 (35:37):
We could end this early. Uh, definitely.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
We'll have you back on after February eighth, when you
guys have your your Disney karaoke thing, uh, because that
way we can give pictures to Skywatcher, when you can
put pictures up and talk.
Speaker 6 (35:50):
About that and talk about other things.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
Yeah, and maybe a more comfortable setting for you and
your co host Faith Tom.
Speaker 6 (35:58):
I think that would be awesome.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Instead of in the bar planning next time.
Speaker 6 (36:02):
It's fine, brother, we roll with the punches. It's all good.
Speaker 1 (36:04):
And you know what, God bless you, and I love you, man,
and I'm so happy that things are going well for you.
Speaker 6 (36:11):
I really am. And I look forward to tea in
a couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Look forward to it.
Speaker 6 (36:17):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
I'll see you Saturday, probably, I'm imagining. So I'll give
you a big hug and she always gives me.
Speaker 6 (36:27):
I love her.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
Thanks for having me, guys. I look forward to return
it and if I get the opportunity.
Speaker 6 (36:32):
Oh well, yeah, definitely gonna have the opportunity. Yes, uh.
And but we went we always end uh.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
I always end the show with asking our guests, uh
for what's your favorite quote as we move forward? What's
your favorite quote in life at this point in life
that you're having right now?
Speaker 4 (36:54):
Okay, I just heard this one, but I like it. Okay,
what you're not changing, you're choosing.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Oh, I like that one.
Speaker 6 (37:03):
That's a good Yeah, that's a good one. Never that
is a good one.
Speaker 5 (37:05):
I think I heard that just yesterday or something for
the first time. It's like, that's a really good quote.
If what you're not changing you are choosing.
Speaker 6 (37:12):
Yeah, And do you have the original author of that?
Speaker 5 (37:16):
I don't Actually I don't know who. I'm still not
from I heard it. But anyway, but that's my favorite quote.
I've had it for about twenty four hours.
Speaker 6 (37:25):
I love it. That's awesome. That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Well, it's been a it's been it's been great having
you on Tom Faith honey, great seeing you on the
show tonight. Okay, and take care of your dad for us.
Speaker 6 (37:42):
Would you.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
Yeah, okay, all right, Well Tom God bless your brother, Stacey,
I'm gonna totally screw up our ending quote because I
haven't done it in forever.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
So, oh, do you don't remember it?
Speaker 8 (37:58):
No?
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Again, you had injuries, you know, all that stuff. So
it seems to be the heads on the heads on
the topic tonight. So but anyway you want to, you
want to throw it at me in text, I'll read
it off real quick if you do that.
Speaker 6 (38:11):
So that way we can stay on point with this
for you. Yeah, let's do Yeah, let's do it. Get
it going. What is uh? Yeah? I know, Skywatcher.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
Do you have any ideas? Do you have any ideas
for my Disney costume?
Speaker 3 (38:26):
Since i'm fit.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
Worth, well, we could talk about that. Who's the uh,
who's the princess in Latin Laddin?
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Jasmine?
Speaker 6 (38:39):
Yes? Yeah, I think I think you can totally rock
Jasmine's outfit.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
Okay, see that's yours?
Speaker 6 (38:50):
Cool? All right? You what do you have as far
as ideas for your Disney outfit?
Speaker 3 (39:01):
I really don't know. I was going on.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I was Pocahontas, okay, that's what I was thinking of.
I got you because I could put two braids in
my hair. Sure, you know, you know, gred it and
then the little like I like it because I'm you know,
I'm Cherokee, so I'm actually Indian.
Speaker 6 (39:22):
Yes, I remember, right, good deal.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
I don't know I'm looking at I'm looking at that.
I'd rather do that than like a princess.
Speaker 6 (39:31):
Maybe. Yeah, I get it.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
I understand that. Let's real quick. Uh, well, since we're
on and we've got the audience, Uh, let's what's.
Speaker 6 (39:41):
Coming up for you? You're talking about you guys got
a holiday party You've got.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Yeah, we've got we're going to be doing a Veteran
Business Fair again in January eleventh. Okay, so we've got
obviously Army Navy game on Saturday the fourteenth, We've got
a holiday part for it's a members only, call it
a holiday party, but it's it's it's pretty expansive. The
VFWU Auxiliary American Legion, Sons of the Legion Legion riders
and their farewell yeah you know, and then just heading
(40:12):
into heading into January, which is the Veteran Business Fair,
and then February is the Disney Karaoke. We've got Joe
Caintafio coming up and he's going to be on our
canteen and everybody knows who he is around town here,
and then honestly we're going to be getting ready for
the fish Fry and all that that entails.
Speaker 6 (40:30):
Right, Yeah, crazy great, Yeah, Yeah, that's.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
The seven weeks of that, and then shortly right after there,
you know, the Phoenix Natural Mobile Warrior comes around again
for the year number four.
Speaker 6 (40:44):
So yeah, I look forward to talking to you offline
about that because.
Speaker 9 (40:48):
What we have two weeks Today's Wednesday, so exactly two
weeks is Christmas.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
Yeah, and yeah, I don't know if.
Speaker 9 (40:56):
Either one of you had any places where people can
donate toys, like where they can visit a site.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
Toys for to through the roof, toys for touch Stacy.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Yeah, I mean there's Toys for Tots locations everywhere. I
just don't know when they're gonna be shutting down when
they're finishing up. I mean, that's what all you got
to do is google Toys for Tots in the town
you're in.
Speaker 9 (41:20):
Now about locally where you are, is there a place
can people bring toys that can be donated. Is that
something that you guys do there or yeah?
Speaker 3 (41:30):
I mean if you bring, well we do we have.
We do it.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
Every time we have an event, we'll set up a
Toys for Tots box, but typically you know, the Marines
handle that around here, so that would be the three Nadia, Rita,
Jennifer Sloan that you we talked about that were on
the show.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
They handle that so and.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
We've got Toys for Tots fundraisers and toy collections. At
the holiday party, people are you can bring a toy
and people are donating toys the holiday party. So every
time we do anything, it's like, bring toys if you
want to, right, there's always there's always toy drives.
Speaker 9 (42:06):
And how did that go when you were making the
I think the trees you were talking about that for veterans,
How did that all work out with the students involved?
Speaker 6 (42:15):
It was great.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
Yeah, we made We made a hundred of them and
they're they're going to be taken down I believe next
week to the Quincy Assisted Living Home. It's veterans assisted
living home. The cool thing about that place is like
if you're a veteran and you go into the home,
you can bring your spouse, so it's it's it's it's
(42:37):
a really great place.
Speaker 3 (42:38):
Then we had someone else contact me.
Speaker 2 (42:42):
They were their group was making cards and they wanted
to see if they could donate Christmas cards that they
were handmade.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
And I said, well, why don't you make a card
to go with each one of these trees.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
Wow, So they wrote up a hundred of them. So
now each tree has a card with it that's handmade.
Speaker 6 (43:00):
It's cool. Yeah, it's personal touch right there. That's awesome.
That's amazing. That's great. So that's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 9 (43:10):
Actually, that's and it's great to have the community involved
and the passion, you know, like you guys mentioned this
on an earlier show, The Younger Generation showing that caring
and compassion and dedication to not just the you know,
the veterans, but also to the community and everyone working together.
Speaker 6 (43:33):
For the veterans.
Speaker 9 (43:34):
Cause I think that's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
I went to Naperville Central last Thursday and brought their
Veterans Club bagels and cream cheese, and I did the
same thing this morning to.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
The Naperville North and I.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Had the same message for each one of them, because
I wanted them to understand how grateful we.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
Are in the community and how important it is for
what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
And I wanted to make sure that they knew that
what they're doing isn't normal, Like it's not just normal
for people to care that much and to give back
into support a veteran community that they may not necessarily
be directly connected to, that what they are doing is special,
and we're all very engaged in what I was saying.
And I, you know, and I actually gave them an example.
(44:21):
I've been trying to find a company that would come
out and decorate the front lawn of the VFW for
the holidays, for Christmas with lights and something.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
I was going to do, like across marketing. I had
this great idea.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
I thought where we would put their signage up and
we would say, you know, it's decorations by I called
three different businesses and they were all bigger businesses, and
all three of them were like, no, we don't do
that kind of thing. We don't really do collaborations with
veteran organizations. We don't do discounts like that for the veterans.
(44:57):
And one of them, actually, one of them actually decorated
the mayors, decorated the Mayor's house in Naperville. And I said,
I could put signage up and I could put signage
up in and uh, you know, market you here and
they go, no, no, no, no, we're too high end.
We're not looking to get a bout from people that
live in Aprilville. And I said, oh, I get it.
Speaker 3 (45:18):
I get it.
Speaker 2 (45:18):
Not everybody's patriotic, I said this on the phone. I go,
not everybody loves veterans and is it you know, all
gung ho about you know, America.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
I totally get it. And they're like, Okay, thank you know,
thanks for understanding. I would fuck you.
Speaker 6 (45:32):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
I was like, but I actually told this story too.
I didn't say that the last part.
Speaker 5 (45:38):
To the kids.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
And I was like, these are three big I didn't
say the fuck you part, but there are the three.
Speaker 2 (45:44):
These are This is three businesses that you know are
these are adults that are acting, that are behaving this
way And you know, you guys are kids and you
have this beautiful patriotic spirit and it gives me lots
of makes my heart full. You know that that you
were going to be part of our future. And they
(46:05):
were very happy about that. They felt really good about it.
Speaker 9 (46:08):
So you know what, I have an idea for next year.
Make it like a festive event at the at the location,
get the students to do the decoration, and maybe have
the box for the toys for tots and have cowlers
there and make it like a real.
Speaker 6 (46:27):
Say that again, say that New Yorker thing again that
you just said.
Speaker 9 (46:32):
I don't know which one did, I.
Speaker 3 (46:33):
Say, Yeah, I like that idea. I like that idea.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
I think decorating making it, decorating it, and like maybe
even getting some lunch catered in and getting the kids
out and then and having toys for tots donating and.
Speaker 6 (46:49):
And we got a fan.
Speaker 9 (46:51):
He's right underscaring get od.
Speaker 6 (46:55):
So actually, yeah, we need to get Nolan. When you
get Nolan in here? Or was it count who was
the It was the marine Colin. He's got the white beard.
He was on the show. I can't think of his name.
Neil Collin. Neil Collin was a he was so Neil
(47:16):
Collins a marine.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
He's a public speaker, just a just a go getter
like yourself, but in a more of a nationwide type
thing for public speaking and motivational speaking and so.
Speaker 6 (47:29):
On and so forth.
Speaker 8 (47:31):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (47:31):
He there's actually pictures of him wearing a Santa outfit,
but it's like a retro Santa outfit because he's got
that massive white beard.
Speaker 6 (47:39):
I know you you remember him, Skywatcher. He was on
the show with us. Yeah, uh, just phenomenal.
Speaker 1 (47:46):
So I'm sorry I was interrupting you, Stacy, but I
had locked in on mister New Yorker there with with
no with his accent and trying to say care allers.
Speaker 6 (47:55):
So I'm just I haven't seen him in a while.
I was trying to bust his jobs.
Speaker 1 (47:59):
It seems feel like we're just having a little free
fall all right now, So I was trying to make
it fun.
Speaker 3 (48:03):
No, I like that idea. I'm actually going to do that.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
I'm going to turn the decorating of the vf W
into a big party where we can collect collect toys
for tots and feed people and and get the kids out.
Speaker 3 (48:17):
Yeah, I'm definitely going to do that.
Speaker 2 (48:19):
I'm going to talk to both of the school, both
of the veterans clubs, and get that on the docket
for next Christmas.
Speaker 6 (48:23):
Yes, that's awesome. Great, that's awesome.
Speaker 9 (48:25):
Anyway, I'm going to dive off while you guys close
out the show. But it was always okay come off
for a few minutes and talk to both of you
and We'll be back next week. So but I just say,
Merry Christmas, Happy how Todays to you and your families
and to all those that are watching out there as well. Yes,
I'm absolutely carless calous carolers.
Speaker 6 (48:50):
Sorry, Stacy. I couldn't. I couldn't let it go. I
couldn't let it go. I had to go. I had
to I had to call them out on it.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
So any any last motivational words from you, my my
beautiful co host, What can what can we share with
the audience.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
Just to you know, life is short and there's a
lot of stuff that you know, Tom wasn't able to
say because faith was in the car, and I'm glad
that we were able to respect that because you know,
there's a lot of this that's that was that he's
been through that has not been pretty and reliving that
whole story. Partly, I did want him to talk about
it because I'm amazed at his strength and resilience through it.
(49:28):
But it really it really makes you, you know, hold
on to those loved ones, spend time, be present through
the holidays. Let's put our phones down if we can't,
you know, right, be there in the moment, be here now.
Speaker 1 (49:43):
Yeah, agreed, agreed, And you know, I I'm glad you
brought that up because I'm I'm not that I don't
want Faith to join us the next time we have
them on. But if she, if she's not on screen
or not in the vicinity and we have him on,
we can we can share some of the he can
share with us some of those hard times and really
(50:06):
get to the core of the strength and the journey
that we've been through to this point. And I think
it's I think it's a very valid point.
Speaker 6 (50:17):
It would be.
Speaker 1 (50:18):
It's gonna be an awesome show. I'm really glad that
she was there with him tonight though. That was so
cute that she was there.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
And.
Speaker 3 (50:26):
She's cute.
Speaker 6 (50:27):
So any last words, that's it.
Speaker 3 (50:31):
No, I think that's it for me today.
Speaker 6 (50:33):
Okay, Well, I hope you have I.
Speaker 1 (50:39):
Know you've got I think you've got some other stuff
going on for the rest of the day to day.
Speaker 6 (50:43):
But thank you everybody for joining us. This has been
trip wire.
Speaker 1 (50:48):
We're always happy to have you here, same time, same
place next Wednesday.
Speaker 6 (50:53):
And remember, the path of freedom is paved.
Speaker 3 (50:55):
With courage and honor is the wire.
Speaker 6 (50:58):
We never trip h
Hey, everybody, welcome back to Tripwire. Today is Wednesday, November eleventh.
It's gonna be ard. I'm sorry December eleventh. I'm so
losing my months. It's just crazy these days. Anyway, Sorry, Stacy. Anyway,
great to see everybody. Glad you joined us today. We've
got a great show ahead of us. Stacy, how about
(00:59):
you introduce our guest because he's one of your officers
there at the VFW, I believe if I'm not mistaken,
and uh, you guys are you guys live right there
in Neighborville, So let's kick it off.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Okay, So I want to introduce Tom Rickards and he
is a dear friend of mine. He is a member
of the VFW and our American legion here in Naperville.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
And he was do you.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Want me to start talking about him before he comes
on or do we want a little bit so well,
ten years I think it's ten or eleven years, Army
Apache Pilot. He's awesome, got yeah, he's got some cool stories.
He's got a little girl, Faith, his wife young jew
and they live right around the corner from me. They
(01:46):
are always at everything that we do, and uh yeah,
I just I he's got a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Of stories, you know, I just I just want to
bring him on and yeah, there he is. Do we
still have faith in the car? She's still with you.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
I got my whole cheer section back here.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
So okay, So you were in the army eleven ten
years or eleven.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Years Tom, if we're rounding up, that's to ten years.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, that's I'm yeah, I'm looking at and and a
patchy pilot. So you and then obviously you know what
you've done in your civilian career, going into sales and everything.
But I mean part of obviously we want to talk
about your your experiences in the army and your being
(02:36):
a patchy pilot. But one of the things that I
wanted to bring you on to talk about is what's
been going on with you for the past couple of
years and your amazing spirits, your can do attitude, which
I feel has really attributed to how you have progressed
through some of these hardships. But can you tell us
(03:00):
a little bit about what happened a few years ago
when you came to that blood drive.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
And then how things kind of transpired after that.
Speaker 6 (03:08):
Sure, well, let's welcome to the show. By the way, Tom,
welcome you again, brother, thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
If you want to share anything with the audience, by
all means, please do that before Stacey starts cracking the
whip and then you know we're we're on point non
stop with this whole damn thing.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So I mean go ahead and say, she's the commander
at the VFW.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
I'm used to getting order from her.
Speaker 6 (03:32):
Yeah, I get it, I get it. But just you know,
she's my co host. This still is my show.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
It is. I'm just helping out.
Speaker 6 (03:39):
I know I'm messing around. I'm totally messing around. Tom.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Great to see you, brother, Great to see you. So floors,
all your floors, all yours?
Speaker 6 (03:51):
Okay, well sweet, did you I speak for a little bit, so.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Cheer sections already in motion.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
So yeah, a couple of years ago, so to the
date October fifteenth, which I believe was a yeah Saturday,
there you go, all.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
October fourteenth of twenty twenty three.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
I started that morning by giving blood at the BFW.
They're doing a blood drive, and then I after that,
and for the record, I do remember I finished my
bag or filled my bag in record time three minutes
eighteen seconds. So that's the time to be just want
to throw it out there to your general crowd, and.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
I guess just yeah, I will turn anything into a competition.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
That's funny.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
But then after I finished filling my bag and they
cleared me to go, I went to go pick up
my daughter from uh her, we'll just call it her. Well,
my wife's Korean, so she was in Korean school on Saturday. Okay,
all right, And my daughter doesn't want me to replay
(05:15):
this story because she was there for it.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
But ultimately that that day.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
I then was ended up having some trouble and going
to the hospital with a pretty large headache. And I
say I ended up going to the hospital as opposed to.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Putting my daughter in the car and driving home.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Yeah, I got it, ye, which.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
Is I obviously want to play that out and as
I I'll repeat this because I always want my daughter
to remember this.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
I know that's hard for her, bless her heart, but
this is always I've been very very strong in my
faith with this process.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
As they found my brain tumor, that that if it
didn't go that way, if I didn't give blood and
I didn't end up with that big headache that ended
me in the hospital, which I'm pretty sure giving blood
was a big part of it.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
I would have just wrapped in my daughter and driven home.
Speaker 5 (06:20):
Doesn't mean I wouldn't have had a brain tumor, and
who knows what happened.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
So I'm very thankful for how things played out.
Speaker 5 (06:27):
And I say, I'm very willing to see where this goes.
Is God's plan because his plan already saved my daughter's
life once.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
So I'm in it for the for the long haul.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
That's amazing. That's amazing, and God, bless you, God bless you.
For Space. She's been telling me, I could.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
It's been a while since I've been back in Aberville,
but got Space has been telling me how how strong
and motivated you've been, and how what just a bright,
shining figure even with all the struggles that you've been
dealing with, and and how you've motivated other people.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
I just it's amazing, Tom.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
There's a God works some mysterious ways, and he's, uh,
he's definitely through your struggle.
Speaker 6 (07:15):
He's he's definitely using you to help others.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
So it just certainly felt like that.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
It's yeah, it has this condition that generally said has
come with far more blessings than curses. It really has
opened a lot of opportunities for me to help others.
And it is interesting and you say that, but I've
I've found it too. Yeah, I mean it's a great
I mean, first of all, it's a it's a good
inspiring story.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I think that helped that is relatable.
Speaker 6 (07:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Yeah, it really has provided me a an avenue to
talk with a lot of people with the issue that
might be happening that It just it's really opens that
door if you're also somebody suffering from something, then it
kind of just kind of evens the playing field a
lot that a lot of times opens up up some
people's ears.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, have you had have you had the opportunity throughout
the past couple of years when you've gone in for
treatments to to help motivate or uplift some some other
people that might not be handling it as well as
you are?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Have you been that that rock.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
For the The best compliment I think I ever received was, now,
this might be dangerous to Britain, but when one of
one of my care givers actually connected me with somebody
else she cares for that thought that I might be
able to help that person. That person was having a
(08:46):
tough time and that was that was a pretty big
compliment I felt at the time, because that's more than
happy to do it and motivated to do it, and
it's a great opportunity. But just the fact that she
would view me then that in that I was, I mean,
very complimentary, if not humbly.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yes, what do you can.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
You feel comfortable sharing with us? What you would say
to somebody in a situation like that, like, maybe what
are some of the thoughts that you've had that have
helped drag you out from, drag you up from maybe
a dark place that a lot of people would would
go to in the same circumstances. What are you saying
to yourself? What are you saying to other people?
Speaker 5 (09:29):
I like to say that, remember it's not him, it's the.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Other guy, and he does these.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Things to draw a wedge between us and him. Don't
let him be successful, don't let it be so as
I like to say, is then I kind of turn
it into my competitive nature where I say, so bring it,
bring it. Is this the best you got? I'm not
going anywhere, right, and you're not still fully believe in him?
Speaker 6 (10:03):
That's awesome, man, We're glad you're still here.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Tom absolutely really really glad that you're still here, brother,
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
And I love that whenever we have anything going on,
you know with the VFW and the Legion. I mean,
we have a chaplain at the VFW. He's our chaplain
at the Legion, but he's he often fills in no
matter what what we've got going on, and he'll come
up and he you know, he has his prayers that
are prepared, prepared for the events, and I just I
(10:34):
just love it when he goes up there, and it's
just very it's very motivating, it's very moving because everyone knows.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
His strong spirit and how he.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Has like you know, stayed stayed with this forward momentum.
Can you can you tell us a little bit about
your your your diagnosis as of late.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
Yeah, sure, And so it's it's called very simply, it's
referred to as GBM or.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Golf bravo mic okay, and which.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
Short at shorthand long long hand would be glioblastoma multiform.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Glioblastao stoma is the name of the I guess cancer
and multiform I guess means it comes in all shapes
and sizes. If you if anybody was brought up their
Google and just typed in capital GBM.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
I think it'll auto complete it with brain cancer.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
Yeah, got you?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Well, yeah, Ingrid was telling me, you know, when you
initially went into the hospital, she was telling me like
they had found what size it was and that you
were like right at that point where it was a
very pivotal point where if you had waited any longer
that it would have been inoperable.
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Is that correct? Am I remembering?
Speaker 5 (11:50):
Well, let's say, I don't know if they What they
removed was eight centimeters and one hundred grams of my
my temperal lobe, which is a pretty good good size
to this condition. Yeah, and uh and ultimate it was
my right temporal lobe, so think about it of your
like behind.
Speaker 6 (12:10):
Your right eye.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
And because it was done in that area, it's probably
why I was able to get to that size before
it actually started becoming symptomatic. Yeah, it was able to
grow decently large because there's some space there before it
starts pushing on something.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Great problem.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Yeahs and headaches with the cause in your headache that
led you to the go to the emergency room based
on you know, relief of the pressure valve by giving blood.
Speaker 6 (12:40):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, all right, So I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
So Tom, first and foremost, I'm glad Stacy kind of
drilled you on this and led with this, because I
just want the audience to know that you're doing well,
that things are You're still healing, and things are good.
Speaker 6 (13:02):
You're still with us, is you know, I mean, this
is huge what you've had to deal with.
Speaker 7 (13:08):
But what I would like to do is now, like
rewind a little bit and start from the beginning, if
you don't mind, where are you originally from?
Speaker 6 (13:19):
What legend into the military? Why did you we lost them?
Oh no, we lost staty. So so yeah, you're still there.
So so tell us about where you're from and.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
And what legend into the army, and then what made
you choose Where was the mindset and choosing Apache, Apache.
Speaker 6 (13:39):
Helicopters for your for your for your career in the army?
Sir sure?
Speaker 5 (13:45):
So, I was born and raise the western suburbs of Chicago, graduated.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Hensdale cent from Central in two thousand and one.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
Then what the college at DePauw University down and that's
what the W down in Greencastle, Indiana, And so that
you know, September my first semester, fall semester September of
two thousand and one, nine to eleven happens, yep, and which.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
I was. I was a soccer player.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
At the time and learning that I wasn't a college
level player at that time, and uh, and so my response,
I guess, you know, after September eleventh, there's a lot
of people raising their hand, and I guess I wanted
to too. But the best way I could do it
at the time figure it out was I joined Army ROTC.
(14:45):
Thank you so, or, as I like to joke, I
basically said, all right, you guys, wait right there. You
guys just messed up. I'm gonna go, like give me
about three or three years and then you know, I
gotta go trade right. But uh, but ultimately that was
my response after nine to eleven as I joined Army
ROTC and then graduated two thousand and five commissioned in
(15:09):
the Army and Aviation, which I was thankful to get
and uh interested in flying already.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Yeah, And.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
I ended up getting aviation going through flight school and
then I actually at the time, I think when I
first went in, I was going I was gunning forum.
I was hoping to fly the commands. If you guys
remember that that's a killed program. Yeah, and while I
was in flight school, the commanching program got sliced and anyway,
and then funding a lot more blackhocks. But so then
(15:47):
uh then I but I so, I definitely I kind
of believed this. There there are two things in the air.
There are things with guns, yea, and tart and targets.
So uh, it's so I always knew I wanted to
have as I like to say, I wanted to have
a vote.
Speaker 8 (16:04):
So yeah, oh yeah, vaguely. Yeah, she definitely gives you
the vote. That's awesome. That's awesome.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
I don't know what. I don't know what Bill is doing,
uh hoping.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Okay, all right, she'll be she'll be back on here
momentarily whenever Skywatcher brings her back on.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
She lost connection. So so two thousand and one, So,
how so were you warrant officer? You go officeer full portal.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Grade officer r O t C only creates a OS.
Speaker 6 (16:46):
Okay, so you went to she went full officer. You
got your pilot.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
I mean, so, I know a lot of warrants that
are aviators though you know what I'm saying, So I
get it.
Speaker 6 (16:56):
But yeah, that yeah, that's awesome to cool. What was
your first judy station?
Speaker 5 (17:02):
My first duty station after flight school? That was my
first first went to flight school. Then I ended up
going to Korea in Camp Eagle, Korea.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
There you go, okay, and you you went to How
many deployments did you have? I'm sorry, I can't remember.
Uh just Afghanistan was yeah?
Speaker 6 (17:23):
Okay? So and you deployed from Korea to Afghanistan?
Speaker 8 (17:27):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (17:27):
No, I went from Korea to Fort Carson, Colorado. Ah,
there you unit moved.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
There state I gotcha, and I got right then Carson, Colorado.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
Uh that eventually now deaf first cab and Fort Hood
and when that's where I.
Speaker 6 (17:46):
Employed from, gotcha, okay? Cool? And then uh so you did?
You said nine and a half almost ten years?
Speaker 5 (17:56):
Yeah, yep, yep from Uh graduated May of o five,
which is yep, day of my commission, and then got
out November of fourteen.
Speaker 6 (18:08):
Gotcha, okay? And then from Texas. And I'm assuming excuse
me when you got back from when you got back
from Korea, were you were you married at the time,
dim king?
Speaker 5 (18:26):
No, I mean I had already met my wife, and yeah,
I guess I just continued courting her from afar.
Speaker 6 (18:34):
Gotcha, I understand.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Yeah, And when when was the when was the awesome
the bluss day when you guys got married.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
Let's see we were married and uh June well in
the were married in the courthouse at Jim's twenty twelve.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
Nice, awesome, okay, cool? Well say you welcome back?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Oh, thanks, you're welcome. I can hear you, guys. I
was like sitting in the queue.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
I was like, I got I gotcha. I'm done grilling Tom.
So if you if you have questions for him.
Speaker 6 (19:14):
So.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
All right, so Tom, can you okay? I I uh.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
We talked a little bit about the PACs Act and
how that was, how that has been super helpful in
how everything is going for you right now, and that
piece of legislation legislative.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
It came into effect right after or right before right.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
Yeah, at the beginning of twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Yeah, so it was passed that it was that that
piece was passed right before this happened, and so that's
been very helpful and your benefits.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
And your care.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
It was really it's kind of a well just a
va terri well just I mean, it's mostly bets to
listen to this anyway, right, but this is a slam.
Speaker 6 (20:03):
It was a slam. It was a slam.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Dunk uh for a v a claim because GBM or
blue blastoma is now on the presum I believe that
proper vernacular term is uh is a presumed condition.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
On the list.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
So this, my my brand tambers on on the is
a presumed condition now. So as soon as it's there,
it was just check one hundred percent. And since it's
it's ultimately terminal, it's one hundred percent p and T boom.
Speaker 6 (20:33):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
But I say that not that sounds so BLib, but
it's a medical reality. But so meaning that doesn't. So
the ultimate victory is Stacy served me say this is
I I am mind my surroundings. So I'll just say, yes,
(20:56):
you know, the whole point to go is because I'm
so old, but I'm still gonna regardless, I'll go with this.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
It's not going anywhere. So the goal is to when
I go, because I'm just that old, right with this.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Right, Yeah, to make to make the most out of
every single day and have as many of those days
as possible.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
Sure, Yeah, live for every memory that you're making right
then and there.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Exactly and so the backpack.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Tell me about the backpack. I was telling Stephen about
the backpack. So you have to wear this all the time, right, Yeah, yeah,
I got.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
I'll give you guys a sorry I'm lapping it.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
I'm laughing at so look at he's got on his head.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Go back to wires.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
But this is a cool device called optune O p
t U n E made by Nova Cure and Israeli
medical company.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
There you go.
Speaker 5 (21:58):
Uh, it is what I like to call We've we
did chemo and radiation, which I refer to as offensive operations. Yeah,
and we completed offensive operations a while ago, like back
in the in January twenty twenty four almost. So after that,
(22:20):
all I've got is defensive operations, which is this ultimately
because without going into the putting everybody in science class
like freshman year biology. But short, what this thing does
is it disrupts cell division, got it, and so it
makes you sure my cancer cells can't grow into tumors.
Speaker 6 (22:39):
So it's defensive in nature. Yeah, inhibits the inhibits the growth.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Yep, exactly. And yeah it's so as I like to laugh,
I'm all in on the technology.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
It's uh, but it's seems to be effective and working
because everything's been going well good.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
And you have this on all the time. I mean
we were talking about it when we were out walking.
You said, sometimes you'll take it, take it off, but
you typically.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Have it on all the time.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Yes, yeah, almost as much as I can. I got
something it that way and that you know it doesn't
work well.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
In the shower, You're you're jump starting other pieces of
your anatomy with electronics.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
If you're doing that, brother, Yeah, right, Oh my gosh.
So that's hilarious. Man.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
So are you essentially retired now from sales? From your
job and.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
Sale that was one of the collateral benefits of this diagnosis. Yeah, effectively,
I retired at forty. Everybody talks about it in their twenties. No,
anybody's ever done it. I'm the only guy I know.
Speaker 6 (23:57):
Now.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
I didn't get there by selling my startup, but I'm
still not complaining.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
Yeah, I got pretty great. I got you well. So
before I forget, because I'm not not that I have.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
You know, I've got other head issues because I've been
hitting the head so many damn times. I'm going to
be back in Aperville. I'm coming back that way as
of the twenty first So definitely love to see you
if we get a chance over the holidays.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Bro, Yeah, that'd be fantastic.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
Yeah yeah, definitely. So sorry, Stacy, I keep interrupting you.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
Oh yeah, no, no, no, it's fine.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
So Faith, Faith's birthday is on Christmas Eve's right right?
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Yeah, face birthdays on Christmas Eve.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
So do you guys have a lot of fun stuff
planned then for the holidays because it's your birthday.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Too, You've got somebody's attention.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
I see that.
Speaker 6 (25:01):
Hi good, it's you.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Good.
Speaker 8 (25:05):
Hi.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
How old are you going to be?
Speaker 9 (25:08):
Eight?
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (25:10):
Wow, that's awesome? Congratulations?
Speaker 5 (25:14):
Is there?
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Sorry I keep interrupting you, Stephen.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Is there anything that you want to do on your birthday?
Do you have you have you told your mom and
dad like something special?
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Nope?
Speaker 10 (25:27):
But last year they they they told me to wait
in my room and I was questioning them all types
of stuff, but they wouldn't answer it and kept winning
going downstairs.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
I realized it was my birthday. That's awesome, that's funny.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
I'm sure they've got surprises, is it. Do you like
having your birthday that close to Christmas?
Speaker 6 (25:53):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Yes, so it's like a little.
Speaker 6 (25:56):
Bit double yeah, double the presence. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Uh, and you guys went on a Disney cruise.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
When was that, oh, last last winter.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Last winter, last year.
Speaker 6 (26:11):
Yeah, yeah, that was all right.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
Trying to take that back. That was during the summer.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (26:19):
Yeah, was that fine? Sure it was.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
It was a cruise, so I'm pretty sure it was
warmer you were at regardless of the rest of us.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
I guess that's true. That's true.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Do you have any trips planned in the near future, Tom,
with the family?
Speaker 4 (26:36):
We're uh, we're going to Costa Rica in January.
Speaker 6 (26:42):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
Wow, that's gonna be a good time.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
And we're also getting together with a bunch of family
down in for the last week of December for New
Year's will be going down to Texas.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
Nice, you're going, don't go ahead? Do you need a moment?
Speaker 7 (27:02):
Are you?
Speaker 6 (27:03):
Are you at your destination? Tom?
Speaker 4 (27:06):
It's all right, that's all right, okay.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
Just whatever, whatever, whatever we need to do for you, Bud,
that's all. I just thought it as. I appreciate it.
Thank you so sure.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Then you know, the plan was good right up until
we all date.
Speaker 6 (27:24):
You know, it's ah, we we were looking forward to
having you on the show. Tom.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
But now we've got you and Faith. This is like
a double whammie. This is this is the best show
we're having this this this month. This is awesome.
Speaker 6 (27:37):
It's even better. Yeah, product, Yeah, it's even better.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
Are you guys going to be going to the Disney
karaoke on February eighth?
Speaker 4 (27:50):
February eighth?
Speaker 3 (27:52):
What costume are you going to wear? Faith?
Speaker 2 (27:59):
That's gonna be here soon. You guys better start planning.
I'm already working on mine.
Speaker 5 (28:05):
Well, I mean, Stacey, that gives me an appreciation for
your level of planning as we sit here in December,
mid December, and your I think February eighth is right
around the corner. So everybody, lord, grant me patience, my commander.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
All right, Well, you know a.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Grown woman that's looking for a Disney costume, sometimes there's
going to be some planning put into that.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
I got to make sure it's the right thing.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
You know, you don't want to ended up with. Last time,
it was like a little girl's tinker Bell costume. I
don't know how I pulled that off, but it worked.
I got to put more planning into it this year.
Speaker 6 (28:44):
Those photographs are still in circulation. It's just ridiculous. It's
just ridiculous.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
They're on the internet. They're not going Yeah, yeah they are.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
That's awesome. That's awesome. Oh my lord, So do.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
You miss being I mean, when was the last time
that you were able to fly?
Speaker 5 (29:09):
M I mean righting, I was still I saw my
private pilot's license, so I was, I was still flying
little Cessna's after even after I got out, I would
say I had gone flying maybe, so this was October,
so probably in that summer before so said like, this
(29:33):
is the last time I flew was probably junior July
of twenty twenty three.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Yeah, and you've gone up though.
Speaker 5 (29:42):
I saw some pictures who taken. Yeah, but she's she's
already she's already had the control. She's a great pilot.
Speaker 6 (29:52):
That's awesome. Yeah. If you liked going flying with daddy, yes, yeah.
Did you have fun? Do you have fun controlling the aircraft?
Speaker 9 (30:05):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (30:06):
Yeah. I don't know many almost eight year olds that
have done that. That's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
Yeah, I know you're almost a Yeah, you're like two
weeks away from me, two weeks away today, two weeks
away from yesterday, as a matter of fact, away from Yeah,
because it isn't Christmas.
Speaker 6 (30:27):
On Wednesday this year. Yeah, I think so. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (30:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
I started the podcast with you know, saying it was
November eleven, so I don't even know what month I mean,
So I'm trying to I'm trying to figure it out.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Are you gonna are you guys coming by for the
Army Navy game and then the holiday party?
Speaker 3 (30:46):
What are your plans for Saturday?
Speaker 5 (30:49):
I mean, Stacey, I'm going to be there with bells on,
probably probably with my heels together.
Speaker 10 (30:56):
But.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I'm gonna be there, you know, for the Army Navy game.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
And then there's gonna be like a point where I've
got to go home and change and some festive holiday
where to come back for the holiday party.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
It's gonna be a long day.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
The Army Navy game is always a who at that
it is.
Speaker 6 (31:13):
I've got some yeah, yeah, wearing your name, you're gonna
be wearing that, you're not gonna be wearing.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Just make sure everybody knows who I am.
Speaker 6 (31:31):
Okay, Well, you know that's awesome, excellent, good deal.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
And when I got that, when I got this time,
and I couldn't believe the size of it. I my
my both my kids and Scott were standing in the
kitchen and I pulled it out and I'm like, hey.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Guys, do you guys do you think this is too
big for my jacket?
Speaker 4 (31:50):
And they were all like, this, it looks like you're
wearing a flight suit.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
I know, it's well, it's my navy jacket.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
But they but they were like all laugh and they
didn't want to say it because they didn't want to
hurt my feelings. But I said, you guys got to
be honest, it's too big. And they were like, it's
ridiculous what it is.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
I ordered, knew what I.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
Ordered to do it, so you want to make sure
everybody sees it.
Speaker 6 (32:12):
You know.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Well, I just I don't know what I was thinking
when I was entering the measurements. I don't I don't
know what I was thinking.
Speaker 6 (32:18):
I wasn't thinking. I don't know.
Speaker 5 (32:20):
But you know they have those ball caps that with
the the sticker. You usually people put a flag right there,
but that'd be pretty great. Just put your name tag
right on the ball cap, yeah, right there.
Speaker 6 (32:32):
And then and then on the brim.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
We can put like a plastic anvil right there on
the brim. You know, I'm just messing around, Okay, So
Tom Uh, when do you you guys are going to Coastrika?
Speaker 6 (32:48):
When are you going to.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
Costa Rica in January?
Speaker 6 (32:50):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Uh? And then so I got a great idea, so uh,
we don't. We don't normally, we normally go about fifty
four minutes. Brother, But you know, you've got a child
with you, and Faith is awesome, But I don't want
to hinder your progress with your evening baby.
Speaker 6 (33:09):
Yes, she's wasn't the original plan. No, it's okay, It's okay.
We roll with the punches here.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
What I'd like to do is after after we see
all the pictures of Stacy's crazy Disney character outfit, whatever
she's wearing, and you guys have that, yeah, and then
in Faith and then because we have picked, we need
to have pictures of both of you, uh, and then
whatever dress you're wearing to Tom, you know, for the
for the Disney princess thing.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
So I mean, if Stacey's not using her Tinkerbell again
this year, you should.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Dress up though. Yes, you guys should dress up in match.
You guys should jump up.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
I'm going to be in Ohio. I'm going to be
in Ohio.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
So I got you Tom and Faith. Tom and Faith
I should should do something and that like collaborates, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Like Matt, Yes, absolutely absolutely. But what what I would
like to offer though, Tom is uh uh we we'd
love to have you back on after the Disney Disney
thing in February, check on your status, see how you're doing,
and we can dive more into you know, uh, your
(34:19):
your history, the your time as a veteran, your time
on the staff as an officer working for you know,
the queen here, Stacy Boyer.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
So he's an officer with the American Legion. But I'm
going to finagle him into some more some more things come.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Into the year. Yes, everything I asked, he is, but
he's he always shows up, I know.
Speaker 6 (34:43):
But Tom sem backed me up here.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
I did just get on a video call recently with
you and the three powerhouse women of Naperville. So I
survived that one to get here today to talk to
Tom so that we can talk about what what's going on.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
You know, he's an American Legion, I get it, but still,
you know, it's it's Naperville, babe. I get you. Guys
are doing aume work there, awesome work, So.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Rita Nadia and Jennifer Sloan and I all at the
same time.
Speaker 6 (35:15):
Tom, I was Tom, I was in fear for my life.
I was in fear for my life. That's fair. I'm
in Virginia.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
I'm in Virginia, and I was in fear for my life.
So yeah, what I'd like to do is offer you, uh,
the opportunity for us to slow down.
Speaker 6 (35:37):
We could end this early. Uh, definitely.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
We'll have you back on after February eighth, when you
guys have your your Disney karaoke thing, uh, because that
way we can give pictures to Skywatcher, when you can
put pictures up and talk.
Speaker 6 (35:50):
About that and talk about other things.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
Yeah, and maybe a more comfortable setting for you and
your co host Faith Tom.
Speaker 6 (35:58):
I think that would be awesome.
Speaker 4 (35:59):
Instead of in the bar planning next time.
Speaker 6 (36:02):
It's fine, brother, we roll with the punches. It's all good.
Speaker 1 (36:04):
And you know what, God bless you, and I love you, man,
and I'm so happy that things are going well for you.
Speaker 6 (36:11):
I really am. And I look forward to tea in
a couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Look forward to it.
Speaker 6 (36:17):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
I'll see you Saturday, probably, I'm imagining. So I'll give
you a big hug and she always gives me.
Speaker 6 (36:27):
I love her.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
Thanks for having me, guys. I look forward to return
it and if I get the opportunity.
Speaker 6 (36:32):
Oh well, yeah, definitely gonna have the opportunity. Yes, uh.
And but we went we always end uh.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
I always end the show with asking our guests, uh
for what's your favorite quote as we move forward? What's
your favorite quote in life at this point in life
that you're having right now?
Speaker 4 (36:54):
Okay, I just heard this one, but I like it. Okay,
what you're not changing, you're choosing.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Oh, I like that one.
Speaker 6 (37:03):
That's a good Yeah, that's a good one. Never that
is a good one.
Speaker 5 (37:05):
I think I heard that just yesterday or something for
the first time. It's like, that's a really good quote.
If what you're not changing you are choosing.
Speaker 6 (37:12):
Yeah, And do you have the original author of that?
Speaker 5 (37:16):
I don't Actually I don't know who. I'm still not
from I heard it. But anyway, but that's my favorite quote.
I've had it for about twenty four hours.
Speaker 6 (37:25):
I love it. That's awesome. That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Well, it's been a it's been it's been great having
you on Tom Faith honey, great seeing you on the
show tonight. Okay, and take care of your dad for us.
Speaker 6 (37:42):
Would you.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
Yeah, okay, all right, Well Tom God bless your brother, Stacey,
I'm gonna totally screw up our ending quote because I
haven't done it in forever.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
So, oh, do you don't remember it?
Speaker 8 (37:58):
No?
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Again, you had injuries, you know, all that stuff. So
it seems to be the heads on the heads on
the topic tonight. So but anyway you want to, you
want to throw it at me in text, I'll read
it off real quick if you do that.
Speaker 6 (38:11):
So that way we can stay on point with this
for you. Yeah, let's do Yeah, let's do it. Get
it going. What is uh? Yeah? I know, Skywatcher.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
Do you have any ideas? Do you have any ideas
for my Disney costume?
Speaker 3 (38:26):
Since i'm fit.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
Worth, well, we could talk about that. Who's the uh,
who's the princess in Latin Laddin?
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Jasmine?
Speaker 6 (38:39):
Yes? Yeah, I think I think you can totally rock
Jasmine's outfit.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
Okay, see that's yours?
Speaker 6 (38:50):
Cool? All right? You what do you have as far
as ideas for your Disney outfit?
Speaker 3 (39:01):
I really don't know. I was going on.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I was Pocahontas, okay, that's what I was thinking of.
I got you because I could put two braids in
my hair. Sure, you know, you know, gred it and
then the little like I like it because I'm you know,
I'm Cherokee, so I'm actually Indian.
Speaker 6 (39:22):
Yes, I remember, right, good deal.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
I don't know I'm looking at I'm looking at that.
I'd rather do that than like a princess.
Speaker 6 (39:31):
Maybe. Yeah, I get it.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
I understand that. Let's real quick. Uh, well, since we're
on and we've got the audience, Uh, let's what's.
Speaker 6 (39:41):
Coming up for you? You're talking about you guys got
a holiday party You've got.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
Yeah, we've got we're going to be doing a Veteran
Business Fair again in January eleventh. Okay, so we've got
obviously Army Navy game on Saturday the fourteenth, We've got
a holiday part for it's a members only, call it
a holiday party, but it's it's it's pretty expansive. The
VFWU Auxiliary American Legion, Sons of the Legion Legion riders
and their farewell yeah you know, and then just heading
(40:12):
into heading into January, which is the Veteran Business Fair,
and then February is the Disney Karaoke. We've got Joe
Caintafio coming up and he's going to be on our
canteen and everybody knows who he is around town here,
and then honestly we're going to be getting ready for
the fish Fry and all that that entails.
Speaker 6 (40:30):
Right, Yeah, crazy great, Yeah, Yeah, that's.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
The seven weeks of that, and then shortly right after there,
you know, the Phoenix Natural Mobile Warrior comes around again
for the year number four.
Speaker 6 (40:44):
So yeah, I look forward to talking to you offline
about that because.
Speaker 9 (40:48):
What we have two weeks Today's Wednesday, so exactly two
weeks is Christmas.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
Yeah, and yeah, I don't know if.
Speaker 9 (40:56):
Either one of you had any places where people can
donate toys, like where they can visit a site.
Speaker 6 (41:05):
Toys for to through the roof, toys for touch Stacy.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Yeah, I mean there's Toys for Tots locations everywhere. I
just don't know when they're gonna be shutting down when
they're finishing up. I mean, that's what all you got
to do is google Toys for Tots in the town
you're in.
Speaker 9 (41:20):
Now about locally where you are, is there a place
can people bring toys that can be donated. Is that
something that you guys do there or yeah?
Speaker 3 (41:30):
I mean if you bring, well we do we have.
We do it.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
Every time we have an event, we'll set up a
Toys for Tots box, but typically you know, the Marines
handle that around here, so that would be the three Nadia, Rita,
Jennifer Sloan that you we talked about that were on
the show.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
They handle that so and.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
We've got Toys for Tots fundraisers and toy collections. At
the holiday party, people are you can bring a toy
and people are donating toys the holiday party. So every
time we do anything, it's like, bring toys if you
want to, right, there's always there's always toy drives.
Speaker 9 (42:06):
And how did that go when you were making the
I think the trees you were talking about that for veterans,
How did that all work out with the students involved?
Speaker 6 (42:15):
It was great.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
Yeah, we made We made a hundred of them and
they're they're going to be taken down I believe next
week to the Quincy Assisted Living Home. It's veterans assisted
living home. The cool thing about that place is like
if you're a veteran and you go into the home,
you can bring your spouse, so it's it's it's it's
(42:37):
a really great place.
Speaker 3 (42:38):
Then we had someone else contact me.
Speaker 2 (42:42):
They were their group was making cards and they wanted
to see if they could donate Christmas cards that they
were handmade.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
And I said, well, why don't you make a card
to go with each one of these trees.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
Wow, So they wrote up a hundred of them. So
now each tree has a card with it that's handmade.
Speaker 6 (43:00):
It's cool. Yeah, it's personal touch right there. That's awesome.
That's amazing. That's great. So that's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 9 (43:10):
Actually, that's and it's great to have the community involved
and the passion, you know, like you guys mentioned this
on an earlier show, The Younger Generation showing that caring
and compassion and dedication to not just the you know,
the veterans, but also to the community and everyone working together.
Speaker 6 (43:33):
For the veterans.
Speaker 9 (43:34):
Cause I think that's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
I went to Naperville Central last Thursday and brought their
Veterans Club bagels and cream cheese, and I did the
same thing this morning to.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
The Naperville North and I.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Had the same message for each one of them, because
I wanted them to understand how grateful we.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
Are in the community and how important it is for
what they're doing.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
And I wanted to make sure that they knew that
what they're doing isn't normal, Like it's not just normal
for people to care that much and to give back
into support a veteran community that they may not necessarily
be directly connected to, that what they are doing is special,
and we're all very engaged in what I was saying.
And I, you know, and I actually gave them an example.
(44:21):
I've been trying to find a company that would come
out and decorate the front lawn of the VFW for
the holidays, for Christmas with lights and something.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
I was going to do, like across marketing. I had
this great idea.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
I thought where we would put their signage up and
we would say, you know, it's decorations by I called
three different businesses and they were all bigger businesses, and
all three of them were like, no, we don't do
that kind of thing. We don't really do collaborations with
veteran organizations. We don't do discounts like that for the veterans.
(44:57):
And one of them, actually, one of them actually decorated
the mayors, decorated the Mayor's house in Naperville. And I said,
I could put signage up and I could put signage
up in and uh, you know, market you here and
they go, no, no, no, no, we're too high end.
We're not looking to get a bout from people that
live in Aprilville. And I said, oh, I get it.
Speaker 3 (45:18):
I get it.
Speaker 2 (45:18):
Not everybody's patriotic, I said this on the phone. I go,
not everybody loves veterans and is it you know, all
gung ho about you know, America.
Speaker 3 (45:25):
I totally get it. And they're like, Okay, thank you know,
thanks for understanding. I would fuck you.
Speaker 6 (45:32):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
I was like, but I actually told this story too.
I didn't say that the last part.
Speaker 5 (45:38):
To the kids.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
And I was like, these are three big I didn't
say the fuck you part, but there are the three.
Speaker 2 (45:44):
These are This is three businesses that you know are
these are adults that are acting, that are behaving this
way And you know, you guys are kids and you
have this beautiful patriotic spirit and it gives me lots
of makes my heart full. You know that that you
were going to be part of our future. And they
(46:05):
were very happy about that. They felt really good about it.
Speaker 9 (46:08):
So you know what, I have an idea for next year.
Make it like a festive event at the at the location,
get the students to do the decoration, and maybe have
the box for the toys for tots and have cowlers
there and make it like a real.
Speaker 6 (46:27):
Say that again, say that New Yorker thing again that
you just said.
Speaker 9 (46:32):
I don't know which one did, I.
Speaker 3 (46:33):
Say, Yeah, I like that idea. I like that idea.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
I think decorating making it, decorating it, and like maybe
even getting some lunch catered in and getting the kids
out and then and having toys for tots donating and.
Speaker 6 (46:49):
And we got a fan.
Speaker 9 (46:51):
He's right underscaring get od.
Speaker 6 (46:55):
So actually, yeah, we need to get Nolan. When you
get Nolan in here? Or was it count who was
the It was the marine Colin. He's got the white beard.
He was on the show. I can't think of his name.
Neil Collin. Neil Collin was a he was so Neil
(47:16):
Collins a marine.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
He's a public speaker, just a just a go getter
like yourself, but in a more of a nationwide type
thing for public speaking and motivational speaking and so.
Speaker 6 (47:29):
On and so forth.
Speaker 8 (47:31):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (47:31):
He there's actually pictures of him wearing a Santa outfit,
but it's like a retro Santa outfit because he's got
that massive white beard.
Speaker 6 (47:39):
I know you you remember him, Skywatcher. He was on
the show with us. Yeah, uh, just phenomenal.
Speaker 1 (47:46):
So I'm sorry I was interrupting you, Stacy, but I
had locked in on mister New Yorker there with with
no with his accent and trying to say care allers.
Speaker 6 (47:55):
So I'm just I haven't seen him in a while.
I was trying to bust his jobs.
Speaker 1 (47:59):
It seems feel like we're just having a little free
fall all right now, So I was trying to make
it fun.
Speaker 3 (48:03):
No, I like that idea. I'm actually going to do that.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
I'm going to turn the decorating of the vf W
into a big party where we can collect collect toys
for tots and feed people and and get the kids out.
Speaker 3 (48:17):
Yeah, I'm definitely going to do that.
Speaker 2 (48:19):
I'm going to talk to both of the school, both
of the veterans clubs, and get that on the docket
for next Christmas.
Speaker 6 (48:23):
Yes, that's awesome. Great, that's awesome.
Speaker 9 (48:25):
Anyway, I'm going to dive off while you guys close
out the show. But it was always okay come off
for a few minutes and talk to both of you
and We'll be back next week. So but I just say,
Merry Christmas, Happy how Todays to you and your families
and to all those that are watching out there as well. Yes,
I'm absolutely carless calous carolers.
Speaker 6 (48:50):
Sorry, Stacy. I couldn't. I couldn't let it go. I
couldn't let it go. I had to go. I had
to I had to call them out on it.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
So any any last motivational words from you, my my
beautiful co host, What can what can we share with
the audience.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
Just to you know, life is short and there's a
lot of stuff that you know, Tom wasn't able to
say because faith was in the car, and I'm glad
that we were able to respect that because you know,
there's a lot of this that's that was that he's
been through that has not been pretty and reliving that
whole story. Partly, I did want him to talk about
it because I'm amazed at his strength and resilience through it.
(49:28):
But it really it really makes you, you know, hold
on to those loved ones, spend time, be present through
the holidays. Let's put our phones down if we can't,
you know, right, be there in the moment, be here now.
Speaker 1 (49:43):
Yeah, agreed, agreed, And you know, I I'm glad you
brought that up because I'm I'm not that I don't
want Faith to join us the next time we have
them on. But if she, if she's not on screen
or not in the vicinity and we have him on,
we can we can share some of the he can
share with us some of those hard times and really
(50:06):
get to the core of the strength and the journey
that we've been through to this point. And I think
it's I think it's a very valid point.
Speaker 6 (50:17):
It would be.
Speaker 1 (50:18):
It's gonna be an awesome show. I'm really glad that
she was there with him tonight though. That was so
cute that she was there.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
And.
Speaker 3 (50:26):
She's cute.
Speaker 6 (50:27):
So any last words, that's it.
Speaker 3 (50:31):
No, I think that's it for me today.
Speaker 6 (50:33):
Okay, Well, I hope you have I.
Speaker 1 (50:39):
Know you've got I think you've got some other stuff
going on for the rest of the day to day.
Speaker 6 (50:43):
But thank you everybody for joining us. This has been
trip wire.
Speaker 1 (50:48):
We're always happy to have you here, same time, same
place next Wednesday.
Speaker 6 (50:53):
And remember, the path of freedom is paved.
Speaker 3 (50:55):
With courage and honor is the wire.
Speaker 6 (50:58):
We never trip h
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