August 27, 2025 • 16 mins
Join us in Santa Monica for the Second Annual Where is EB? A 5K walk and Fundraiser benefiting Team PHenomenal Hope ALL led by 'EB', Eric Borstein who had a life changing incident 5 years ago...that now has him walking daily to stay ALIVE!! Sunday, September 7th, at Annenberg Community Beach House, for a morning filled with fun, light refreshments, and a 5K walk to kick things off before EB walks to San Diego to raise $$ and awareness for people with his terminal illness. Go to Whereiseb.org and join the 104.3 MYFM Lisa Foxx'ers team!
Aired August 24, 2025: In this podcast, Lisa Foxx talks to Eric about his story and why he hopes more and more folks will come out and join him, his family and growing supportive village to raise much needed funds and awareness for this cause. The event will culminate with encouragement and cheer as Eric begins his journey walking from Los Angeles to San Diego to raise funds and awareness for PH. 100% of the proceeds will go straight to Team PHenomenal Hope, helping fuel their vital work. We hope you will take the opportunity to join us and help support patients living with pulmonary hypertension.
On September 21st, 2020, while at home, Eric collapsed from massive right heart failure and almost died. He spent sixteen days in the intensive care unit at Cedars Sinai Medical Center where he was diagnosed with an extremely rare disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). A disease with no cure.
Walking helped get him through the miserable side effects attributed to the medications, it assisted in keeping him mentally fresh and provided so many additional benefits. And still does to this day. With these walks the miles began to add up, in the calendar years 2022, 2023, and 2024, he walked over 14,000 miles! On September 7th, 2025, almost five years later, he'll begin his second walk from Los Angeles to San Diego to raise money and awareness for patients living with pulmonary hypertension and for TEAM PHENOMENAL HOPE 🙂
Aired August 24, 2025: In this podcast, Lisa Foxx talks to Eric about his story and why he hopes more and more folks will come out and join him, his family and growing supportive village to raise much needed funds and awareness for this cause. The event will culminate with encouragement and cheer as Eric begins his journey walking from Los Angeles to San Diego to raise funds and awareness for PH. 100% of the proceeds will go straight to Team PHenomenal Hope, helping fuel their vital work. We hope you will take the opportunity to join us and help support patients living with pulmonary hypertension.
On September 21st, 2020, while at home, Eric collapsed from massive right heart failure and almost died. He spent sixteen days in the intensive care unit at Cedars Sinai Medical Center where he was diagnosed with an extremely rare disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). A disease with no cure.
Walking helped get him through the miserable side effects attributed to the medications, it assisted in keeping him mentally fresh and provided so many additional benefits. And still does to this day. With these walks the miles began to add up, in the calendar years 2022, 2023, and 2024, he walked over 14,000 miles! On September 7th, 2025, almost five years later, he'll begin his second walk from Los Angeles to San Diego to raise money and awareness for patients living with pulmonary hypertension and for TEAM PHENOMENAL HOPE 🙂
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, It's Lisa Fox and this is the iHeart So
cal Show, asking you to mark your calendars for Sunday,
September seventh. Please plan to join us in Santa Monica
for the second annual.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Where is Eb? Where is Eb? Where is that Guy?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
For the five K fundraiser benefiting team Phenomenal Hope, all
led by my guest e b. Eric Borstein, who had
a life changing incident five years ago that now has
him walking daily fifteen miles a day to stay alive.
I want you to hear his story and then to
join us for the big fundraiser.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Hi, Eric, Hi, how are you? Thank you so much?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
When we met a year ago, you know, we met
through our mutual friend Alessandro, and I bumped into Alessandro
and I said, hey, you know, you look great and
what have you been doing? And He's like, I've been
walking and I'm you know, I'm doing him with.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Love here, Lisa, Lisa. He's Fromittedly.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
He's very, very a ton Lisa, I've been walking a lot,
my friend. You have to meet my friend Eric Borstein.
He has an amazing story. It's got to get on
the radio. And essentially he's like you guys, he's walked
with you a lot as a friend, but also you
walking fifteen plus miles every single day is more.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Than just about exercise.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
So let's start with your story and then we'll, you know,
talk about where we're at today.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah. So five years ago, this September, I collapsed in
our bedroom and nearly died. I was dying in the
bedroom and was transported to Saint John's where I was stabilized,
and after a couple of days, I was transported to
Cedar Sinai, where I spent a total of sixteen days
in the cardiac ICU. I was diagnosed with a very
(01:34):
rare lung condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension, also known as PAH.
And I also i'd actually collapsed from severe right ventricular
heart failure, which can be a result of severe PAH.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
And You're busy doing life. I married with three wonderful kids.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Did you were you feeling any symptoms or were just regular, normal,
healthy guy?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
And this came out of nowhere?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
No, I Unfortunately I was. I It's not that I
was ignoring the symptoms, but I was afraid to find
out what was wrong. And I learned afterwards, you know,
I talked to a psychologist once a week, and I've
done that ever since I left the hospital. I learned
(02:15):
that we'ds of seventy five percent of mails don't go
to the doctor when something is wrong. And my wife
was trying to get me to the go to the hospital,
to go to the doctor. The signs were definitely there,
but again, you know, I was afraid. I was afraid
to find out what was wrong, and unfortunately it got
to the point where I collapsed and nearly didn't make it,
(02:37):
but I did and am just you know, all the
stronger for it. You know, that's one of the messages
that I definitely get out is go to the doctor. Yeah,
but you know, if you if you're not, you're not alone.
But definitely, you know, don't don't ignore those signs. I did,
and it almost cost me my life.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
And that day, that day that that happened to you, right,
your family, right, because it was during during the pandemic,
so you know your kids were home and right, I
mean they had they're the ones who had to call
an eye one one so scary it was.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Yeah, my one of my daughters unfortunately saw me collapse,
and my other daughter, Yeah, they were all home for
cod during COVID for ZOOM, and she found me unconscious.
And it's unfortunate, but if they weren't home, I wouldn't
be alive. So, you know, through this whole process, you know,
(03:28):
I tell people I only have one regret, and that's
that my kids saw me collapse and saw me unconscious.
You know, other than that it happened so dramatically that
it immediately changed my life. You know, I I now
just completely live a different life. You know, I abide
by really positive mental health. I go to the doctor
regularly for this condition. I eat very well, I obviously exercise,
(03:54):
and I rely on my on my village. You know,
I rely on my family and friends and friends like you,
and my neighborhood and my community, and my doctors and
you know, just everybody that I call my village. So
and those are that's what I call pieces of my pie.
So when I was in the hospital, when I was
you know, I was in the hospital and they didn't
think I was going to leave the hospital. They and
(04:16):
I didn't know any of this, but they told my wife.
You know, I was very very sick. I was I
was obviously dire, and they stabilized me. And when I
was in the hospital, I was lucky enough to have
a couple of nurses who encouraged me to start walking,
and I took them up on it, and I learned
very early on that walking helped me mitigate the side
(04:36):
effects that I was on. The drugs that you're put
on for this disease are are very.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Hard because this disease is extremely rare and there is
no cure. So living with this sounds extremely difficult.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, correct, Only five hundred to one thousand people are
you're diagnosed with PAH, And yes, extremely rare and unfortunately
there's no cure. It is a progressive terminal disease. And
that's you know that that that's also part of the
part of the reason why you know, I stress positive
mental health. You know, living living with a disease like
(05:11):
this requires good positive mental health, like like pretty much
anything does. You know. One of the other things that
I was really taught by my psychologist was, you know,
everybody in life is hit by that proverbial two by
four at some point, whether it's yourself, whether it's a
family member. You know, you lose a family member, suddenly,
somebody is diagnosed with the disease, you lose your home
(05:33):
in a fire, divorce, something big happens, and you know,
for me that it was walking. You know, I found
something that made me happy and that provides me positive
mental health along with helping with the side effects of
the medications. And for other people, that could be playing
the classic guitar for somebody else, that could be playing
chess for somebody else, it could be swimming, you know,
(05:55):
whatever it is. I say, find something that makes you happy,
because when you're going through adversity, it's it's equally as
important as anything else. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
But like you said, though, but the walking daily, I mean,
do you just walk until it feels good, because I know,
right on the average we've said in the past you
walk about fifteen miles a day. Is it's still about
fifteen miles a.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Day, it is, so I average between thirteen and fifteen
a day. I the last three years, I've gone between
forty five hundred and five thousand miles a year. And yeah,
it helps both with the mid with the side effects,
because every day I have bad side effects and you know,
it's just you wake up and you hope some days,
(06:35):
you know, some days they're much better than others. But
the walking helps with that, and then the walking helps
with positive mental health.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And the more Eric walked in his neighborhood on the
West Side, the more he walked, the more people began
to see him out all the time, and the more
people start to join him and walk with him.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
And I want you to talk about that part because
that's also why the where's eb.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Like, you know, it became kind of a thing on
the West Side, people where's that guy? And you kind
of earned this reputation of the being the walking man,
that the walking guy, because you're always out walking. And
then as people get to know you and walk with you,
You're like, Wow, this guy has to walk to stay live.
How dare I be lazy and not get my steps in.
You're walking to stay alive and to feel good and
to get through this as best you can. And I
(07:18):
love how people have joined you, and the group of
supporters has just grown and grown and grown.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yes, exactly. Yeah. So as the walking continued to grow,
you know, as I was getting better, a mile turned
into two, turned into three, turned into five. Eventually I
was starting to be spotted two three times a day
throughout the West Side of La and eventually people started,
you know, calling me the walking Guy, and and friends
(07:46):
would call up and say, you know, either to my
wife or or the kids or myself, you know, where
where's Ev? My nickname is EV? And Where's Eb started
to stick? You know, my wife will say I'm the
modern day where's Waldo? But where's zeb stuck? And so yeah,
So then I was again, I'm starting to be recognized
(08:07):
a couple two three times a day. And we were actually,
you know, I tell the story. We were in mikon
Os Grease last summer and we were having breakfast and
a mom and a daughter walked by us and and
the mom stops and she turns to me and she says,
do you live in Los Angeles? And I said yes,
And she goes, do you live in West Los Angeles?
(08:28):
And I said yes, And you know, everybody's kind of
looking at me, and she's like, do you live in
Brentwood And I said yeah, And she said do you
live on such and such street? I said. She grabs
her daughter and says, oh, my goodness, it's the walking Guy.
And you know it's around the world, around the world.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Did they say did you walk?
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So you know, but it's happened in the East Coast,
It's happened here. So yes, that's me the walking Guy
was born and where Zebe was born and and yeah,
so it's just it's just taken on a life of
its own. But it's truly, you know, it's turned into
a movement, and it's turned into this movement that has
raised awareness. You know, every time I tell my story,
it raises awareness for this very rare disease. But it
(09:09):
but it's really it's turning into this story of overcoming
adversity and in the face of adversity, taking that first step.
And you know, for me, that was walking and and
I've taken that first step, and I'm providing hope and
and you know, that's that's what's most important to me,
is that I'm helping those that live with pulmonary hypertension
(09:29):
and pH that need it most. But I'm really sharing
a story that it's a catalyst to help others outside
of the disease also, and really that message of you know,
when you're in the face of adversity, just take that
step and there is hope for you too. And I
love sharing the story and I'm but that's that's really
what were zb is becoming and again it's it's it's
(09:50):
becoming this movement to raise awareness to.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
This very rare disease and so inspiring, so inspiring. Again,
I mean, if you're doing this, you know I need
to do more. I want to do more, and I
want to do more for you and with you and
with these super amazing nice people I met last year
at the where is eb fundraiser and walking.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Essentially, this is what he does.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
We get the easy part, Okay, we just get to
show up, go to the website where iseb dot org,
sign up, get registered so we know that you're coming.
And then also if you want, you can join my team.
I having a team officially this year, the one O
four to three MYFM Lisa Foxers is my team. And
donate whatever whatever you can give. And essentially we go.
(10:30):
We meet near Annenberg in Santa Monica. We do a gathering,
we meet nice people. Eric will say a few things
at the podium, I'll say hello. We'll do some fun
little things there and kind of like you know, whoop
it up a little bit and talk about what all
this is for. We do a five k to and
from the Santa Monica pier Eric does that with us, then.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
He walks to San Diego.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
You keep going, My gosh, that was an incredible experience.
Last year, How did it take you a week? How
long did it take the whole process of walking to
San diegoing back?
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Yeah? Last year we again, yeah, yes. Last year was
the first annual where is Abe five K fundraiser, which
was amazing. You know, we were there, it was it
was so much fun. And it was our first year
and we thought maybe we'd have one hundred and fifty
people come out. We had over three hundred people the
first year, and we raised so much awareness and money
(11:19):
for pulmonary haypertension all you know, for the benefit of
Team Phenomenal Hope. And this year we're doing it again.
And last year I walked, yeah, I you know, everybody
sent me off and I went two hundred and two
miles and six and a half days, wow, averaging about
thirty miles a day. Yeah, you know, headed down the coast.
Was at military escorted through US based Camp Pendleton, which
(11:43):
was probably the highlight of the week, which was just
an amazing experience. And when all the way down, if
people are familiar all the way almost to the border,
we went to Imperial Beach, came back up through Coronado
and ended in del Mar, which made it two hundred
and two miles. And we're doing it all over again
this year on September seventh. Oh yeah, we're gonna we're
getting back out there and we're gonna have again. We're
(12:05):
going to have an amazing morning breakfast and entertainment and
speakers and giveaways and yeah, this year we are having teams.
We're excited to announce that there's a bunch of teams
that have signed up and you have your team, the
Lisa Foxers, and we're gonna have giveaways for you know,
for the for the most creative team name and largest
(12:27):
team and most money raised and just all this fun stuff.
And yeah, then we're gonna go walk three point one
miles again so everybody can do it. It's a walk
from Annenberg down to the pier and back. And then
you're going to lead the charge and you're gonna send
me off and I'm going to walk again from La
to San Diego two hundred miles.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
The raise awareness, yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Amazing, amazing.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
I'm tapping already and I'm already exhausted knowing you're going
to walk to you know, two hundred and whatever plus miles.
It's so much, but against you raise awareness, raise awareness,
raise money. And I'll say you know this, Eric, last
year when I went to the Where's Eb Walk, met
the nicest people. And only did I meet the nicest
people through your friends and through your community, but also
(13:09):
your kids, your family, and then like their friends and
so many of their friends from school and the parents came,
and people who know you through softball and all the
kids' sports. And then it actually bumped into several of
my friends and I've known for twenty plus years and
I'm like, wait, that's Sarah, so by me into mutual
mutual friends, super nice people. I think I made five
new friends that day, and just a wonderful group that
(13:32):
we would like to grow. And we would really love
to have you join us out there and learn more
about this wonderful man and what he's going through and
what he's doing, but what he's all about spreading that
positivity and walking to do so and just all the
different levels that it gives back. So we'd love you
to join us again. It's a Sunday, September the seventh
in Santa Monica. Where is eb dot org Join a team,
(13:52):
join the Lisa Foxer's name some of the other names,
because they're really funny. What's your brother's team's name?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Again, we've got the Red Hot Chili Steppers.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
I love that one, which is yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
So there there's some And you can go to where
is eb dot org and see all the team names
and register your own team. And you know, one thing
that I would like to say that that and you
just touched on it. When I was sick, when you're
when you're when you're living with a disease like PAH,
you're you're literally suffocating from the inside and you feel
alone and detached. And you know, one of the things
(14:26):
that I've learned in my recovery is to rely on
family and friends and community and what I call my village.
And for anybody again, you know, living with a rare
disease or going through adversity, I I I want people
to know that you're not alone, you know it. It
helps to talk, It helps to have friends. You know,
(14:48):
You've been an amazing friend and just just speaking and
sharing your story and but but knowing you're not alone,
you know, knowing that you have people there that love
you is so important and so critical and so you
know that. And so when we had the first annual
and all of a sudden, three hundred plus people showed up,
it was he felt that love and yeah, and so
(15:11):
you know, I want people to see that and coming
out and again, yeah, it's just such a fun event
and it's so warm and there's just so much love
and yeah, I mean everybody is welcomed.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
So yeah, thank you, Yes, please join us. Eric Borstein's
where is ebe? Where is he?
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Well?
Speaker 1 (15:28):
We are going to be in Santa Monica on Sunday,
September the seventh, So all the information join the Lisa
Foxers are just coming out and be a part of it.
Meet just amazing like minded people. Meet Eric. He's a hugger.
I love that everybody's huggers out there on that day.
So it's a really wonderful group of people, positive vibes,
a lot of love. iHeartRadio was partnered with him again
and we're excited to be a part of it myself
(15:48):
personally with my boyfriend Eric. And you know, I've got
colleagues in the radio station and a bunch of my
friends on the West Side coming out to join the team.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
So we love to have you be a big part
of it.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Oh, don't forget the incredible items on this silent auction happening.
Dodgers tickets, Lakers tickets, gift cards, vacations, concert tickets, It's
all going to be right there where you sign up
and where you find out more information at where iseb
dot org. And we'll see you Sunday morning, September the
seventh in Santa Monica for Where is EB with Eric
Burstein and iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Yeah, thank you, thank you so much.
Hi, It's Lisa Fox and this is the iHeart So
cal Show, asking you to mark your calendars for Sunday,
September seventh. Please plan to join us in Santa Monica
for the second annual.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Where is Eb? Where is Eb? Where is that Guy?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
For the five K fundraiser benefiting team Phenomenal Hope, all
led by my guest e b. Eric Borstein, who had
a life changing incident five years ago that now has
him walking daily fifteen miles a day to stay alive.
I want you to hear his story and then to
join us for the big fundraiser.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Hi, Eric, Hi, how are you? Thank you so much?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
When we met a year ago, you know, we met
through our mutual friend Alessandro, and I bumped into Alessandro
and I said, hey, you know, you look great and
what have you been doing? And He's like, I've been
walking and I'm you know, I'm doing him with.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Love here, Lisa, Lisa. He's Fromittedly.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
He's very, very a ton Lisa, I've been walking a lot,
my friend. You have to meet my friend Eric Borstein.
He has an amazing story. It's got to get on
the radio. And essentially he's like you guys, he's walked
with you a lot as a friend, but also you
walking fifteen plus miles every single day is more.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Than just about exercise.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
So let's start with your story and then we'll, you know,
talk about where we're at today.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah. So five years ago, this September, I collapsed in
our bedroom and nearly died. I was dying in the
bedroom and was transported to Saint John's where I was stabilized,
and after a couple of days, I was transported to
Cedar Sinai, where I spent a total of sixteen days
in the cardiac ICU. I was diagnosed with a very
(01:34):
rare lung condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension, also known as PAH.
And I also i'd actually collapsed from severe right ventricular
heart failure, which can be a result of severe PAH.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
And You're busy doing life. I married with three wonderful kids.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Did you were you feeling any symptoms or were just regular, normal,
healthy guy?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
And this came out of nowhere?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
No, I Unfortunately I was. I It's not that I
was ignoring the symptoms, but I was afraid to find
out what was wrong. And I learned afterwards, you know,
I talked to a psychologist once a week, and I've
done that ever since I left the hospital. I learned
(02:15):
that we'ds of seventy five percent of mails don't go
to the doctor when something is wrong. And my wife
was trying to get me to the go to the hospital,
to go to the doctor. The signs were definitely there,
but again, you know, I was afraid. I was afraid
to find out what was wrong, and unfortunately it got
to the point where I collapsed and nearly didn't make it,
(02:37):
but I did and am just you know, all the
stronger for it. You know, that's one of the messages
that I definitely get out is go to the doctor. Yeah,
but you know, if you if you're not, you're not alone.
But definitely, you know, don't don't ignore those signs. I did,
and it almost cost me my life.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
And that day, that day that that happened to you, right,
your family, right, because it was during during the pandemic,
so you know your kids were home and right, I
mean they had they're the ones who had to call
an eye one one so scary it was.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Yeah, my one of my daughters unfortunately saw me collapse,
and my other daughter, Yeah, they were all home for
cod during COVID for ZOOM, and she found me unconscious.
And it's unfortunate, but if they weren't home, I wouldn't
be alive. So, you know, through this whole process, you know,
(03:28):
I tell people I only have one regret, and that's
that my kids saw me collapse and saw me unconscious.
You know, other than that it happened so dramatically that
it immediately changed my life. You know, I I now
just completely live a different life. You know, I abide
by really positive mental health. I go to the doctor
regularly for this condition. I eat very well, I obviously exercise,
(03:54):
and I rely on my on my village. You know,
I rely on my family and friends and friends like you,
and my neighborhood and my community, and my doctors and
you know, just everybody that I call my village. So
and those are that's what I call pieces of my pie.
So when I was in the hospital, when I was
you know, I was in the hospital and they didn't
think I was going to leave the hospital. They and
(04:16):
I didn't know any of this, but they told my wife.
You know, I was very very sick. I was I
was obviously dire, and they stabilized me. And when I
was in the hospital, I was lucky enough to have
a couple of nurses who encouraged me to start walking,
and I took them up on it, and I learned
very early on that walking helped me mitigate the side
(04:36):
effects that I was on. The drugs that you're put
on for this disease are are very.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Hard because this disease is extremely rare and there is
no cure. So living with this sounds extremely difficult.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, correct, Only five hundred to one thousand people are
you're diagnosed with PAH, And yes, extremely rare and unfortunately
there's no cure. It is a progressive terminal disease. And
that's you know that that that's also part of the
part of the reason why you know, I stress positive
mental health. You know, living living with a disease like
(05:11):
this requires good positive mental health, like like pretty much
anything does. You know. One of the other things that
I was really taught by my psychologist was, you know,
everybody in life is hit by that proverbial two by
four at some point, whether it's yourself, whether it's a
family member. You know, you lose a family member, suddenly,
somebody is diagnosed with the disease, you lose your home
(05:33):
in a fire, divorce, something big happens, and you know,
for me that it was walking. You know, I found
something that made me happy and that provides me positive
mental health along with helping with the side effects of
the medications. And for other people, that could be playing
the classic guitar for somebody else, that could be playing
chess for somebody else, it could be swimming, you know,
(05:55):
whatever it is. I say, find something that makes you happy,
because when you're going through adversity, it's it's equally as
important as anything else. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
But like you said, though, but the walking daily, I mean,
do you just walk until it feels good, because I know,
right on the average we've said in the past you
walk about fifteen miles a day. Is it's still about
fifteen miles a.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Day, it is, so I average between thirteen and fifteen
a day. I the last three years, I've gone between
forty five hundred and five thousand miles a year. And yeah,
it helps both with the mid with the side effects,
because every day I have bad side effects and you know,
it's just you wake up and you hope some days,
(06:35):
you know, some days they're much better than others. But
the walking helps with that, and then the walking helps
with positive mental health.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And the more Eric walked in his neighborhood on the
West Side, the more he walked, the more people began
to see him out all the time, and the more
people start to join him and walk with him.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
And I want you to talk about that part because
that's also why the where's eb.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Like, you know, it became kind of a thing on
the West Side, people where's that guy? And you kind
of earned this reputation of the being the walking man,
that the walking guy, because you're always out walking. And
then as people get to know you and walk with you,
You're like, Wow, this guy has to walk to stay live.
How dare I be lazy and not get my steps in.
You're walking to stay alive and to feel good and
to get through this as best you can. And I
(07:18):
love how people have joined you, and the group of
supporters has just grown and grown and grown.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Yes, exactly. Yeah. So as the walking continued to grow,
you know, as I was getting better, a mile turned
into two, turned into three, turned into five. Eventually I
was starting to be spotted two three times a day
throughout the West Side of La and eventually people started,
you know, calling me the walking Guy, and and friends
(07:46):
would call up and say, you know, either to my
wife or or the kids or myself, you know, where
where's Ev? My nickname is EV? And Where's Eb started
to stick? You know, my wife will say I'm the
modern day where's Waldo? But where's zeb stuck? And so yeah,
So then I was again, I'm starting to be recognized
(08:07):
a couple two three times a day. And we were actually,
you know, I tell the story. We were in mikon
Os Grease last summer and we were having breakfast and
a mom and a daughter walked by us and and
the mom stops and she turns to me and she says,
do you live in Los Angeles? And I said yes,
And she goes, do you live in West Los Angeles?
(08:28):
And I said yes, And you know, everybody's kind of
looking at me, and she's like, do you live in
Brentwood And I said yeah, And she said do you
live on such and such street? I said. She grabs
her daughter and says, oh, my goodness, it's the walking Guy.
And you know it's around the world, around the world.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Did they say did you walk?
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So you know, but it's happened in the East Coast,
It's happened here. So yes, that's me the walking Guy
was born and where Zebe was born and and yeah,
so it's just it's just taken on a life of
its own. But it's truly, you know, it's turned into
a movement, and it's turned into this movement that has
raised awareness. You know, every time I tell my story,
it raises awareness for this very rare disease. But it
(09:09):
but it's really it's turning into this story of overcoming
adversity and in the face of adversity, taking that first step.
And you know, for me, that was walking and and
I've taken that first step, and I'm providing hope and
and you know, that's that's what's most important to me,
is that I'm helping those that live with pulmonary hypertension
(09:29):
and pH that need it most. But I'm really sharing
a story that it's a catalyst to help others outside
of the disease also, and really that message of you know,
when you're in the face of adversity, just take that
step and there is hope for you too. And I
love sharing the story and I'm but that's that's really
what were zb is becoming and again it's it's it's
(09:50):
becoming this movement to raise awareness to.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
This very rare disease and so inspiring, so inspiring. Again,
I mean, if you're doing this, you know I need
to do more. I want to do more, and I
want to do more for you and with you and
with these super amazing nice people I met last year
at the where is eb fundraiser and walking.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Essentially, this is what he does.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
We get the easy part, Okay, we just get to
show up, go to the website where iseb dot org,
sign up, get registered so we know that you're coming.
And then also if you want, you can join my team.
I having a team officially this year, the one O
four to three MYFM Lisa Foxers is my team. And
donate whatever whatever you can give. And essentially we go.
(10:30):
We meet near Annenberg in Santa Monica. We do a gathering,
we meet nice people. Eric will say a few things
at the podium, I'll say hello. We'll do some fun
little things there and kind of like you know, whoop
it up a little bit and talk about what all
this is for. We do a five k to and
from the Santa Monica pier Eric does that with us, then.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
He walks to San Diego.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
You keep going, My gosh, that was an incredible experience.
Last year, How did it take you a week? How
long did it take the whole process of walking to
San diegoing back?
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Yeah? Last year we again, yeah, yes. Last year was
the first annual where is Abe five K fundraiser, which
was amazing. You know, we were there, it was it
was so much fun. And it was our first year
and we thought maybe we'd have one hundred and fifty
people come out. We had over three hundred people the
first year, and we raised so much awareness and money
(11:19):
for pulmonary haypertension all you know, for the benefit of
Team Phenomenal Hope. And this year we're doing it again.
And last year I walked, yeah, I you know, everybody
sent me off and I went two hundred and two
miles and six and a half days, wow, averaging about
thirty miles a day. Yeah, you know, headed down the coast.
Was at military escorted through US based Camp Pendleton, which
(11:43):
was probably the highlight of the week, which was just
an amazing experience. And when all the way down, if
people are familiar all the way almost to the border,
we went to Imperial Beach, came back up through Coronado
and ended in del Mar, which made it two hundred
and two miles. And we're doing it all over again
this year on September seventh. Oh yeah, we're gonna we're
getting back out there and we're gonna have again. We're
(12:05):
going to have an amazing morning breakfast and entertainment and
speakers and giveaways and yeah, this year we are having teams.
We're excited to announce that there's a bunch of teams
that have signed up and you have your team, the
Lisa Foxers, and we're gonna have giveaways for you know,
for the for the most creative team name and largest
(12:27):
team and most money raised and just all this fun stuff.
And yeah, then we're gonna go walk three point one
miles again so everybody can do it. It's a walk
from Annenberg down to the pier and back. And then
you're going to lead the charge and you're gonna send
me off and I'm going to walk again from La
to San Diego two hundred miles.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
The raise awareness, yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Amazing, amazing.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
I'm tapping already and I'm already exhausted knowing you're going
to walk to you know, two hundred and whatever plus miles.
It's so much, but against you raise awareness, raise awareness,
raise money. And I'll say you know this, Eric, last
year when I went to the Where's Eb Walk, met
the nicest people. And only did I meet the nicest
people through your friends and through your community, but also
(13:09):
your kids, your family, and then like their friends and
so many of their friends from school and the parents came,
and people who know you through softball and all the
kids' sports. And then it actually bumped into several of
my friends and I've known for twenty plus years and
I'm like, wait, that's Sarah, so by me into mutual
mutual friends, super nice people. I think I made five
new friends that day, and just a wonderful group that
(13:32):
we would like to grow. And we would really love
to have you join us out there and learn more
about this wonderful man and what he's going through and
what he's doing, but what he's all about spreading that
positivity and walking to do so and just all the
different levels that it gives back. So we'd love you
to join us again. It's a Sunday, September the seventh
in Santa Monica. Where is eb dot org Join a team,
(13:52):
join the Lisa Foxer's name some of the other names,
because they're really funny. What's your brother's team's name?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Again, we've got the Red Hot Chili Steppers.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
I love that one, which is yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
So there there's some And you can go to where
is eb dot org and see all the team names
and register your own team. And you know, one thing
that I would like to say that that and you
just touched on it. When I was sick, when you're
when you're when you're living with a disease like PAH,
you're you're literally suffocating from the inside and you feel
alone and detached. And you know, one of the things
(14:26):
that I've learned in my recovery is to rely on
family and friends and community and what I call my village.
And for anybody again, you know, living with a rare
disease or going through adversity, I I I want people
to know that you're not alone, you know it. It
helps to talk, It helps to have friends. You know,
(14:48):
You've been an amazing friend and just just speaking and
sharing your story and but but knowing you're not alone,
you know, knowing that you have people there that love
you is so important and so critical and so you
know that. And so when we had the first annual
and all of a sudden, three hundred plus people showed up,
it was he felt that love and yeah, and so
(15:11):
you know, I want people to see that and coming
out and again, yeah, it's just such a fun event
and it's so warm and there's just so much love
and yeah, I mean everybody is welcomed.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
So yeah, thank you, Yes, please join us. Eric Borstein's
where is ebe? Where is he?
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Well?
Speaker 1 (15:28):
We are going to be in Santa Monica on Sunday,
September the seventh, So all the information join the Lisa
Foxers are just coming out and be a part of it.
Meet just amazing like minded people. Meet Eric. He's a hugger.
I love that everybody's huggers out there on that day.
So it's a really wonderful group of people, positive vibes,
a lot of love. iHeartRadio was partnered with him again
and we're excited to be a part of it myself
(15:48):
personally with my boyfriend Eric. And you know, I've got
colleagues in the radio station and a bunch of my
friends on the West Side coming out to join the team.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
So we love to have you be a big part
of it.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Oh, don't forget the incredible items on this silent auction happening.
Dodgers tickets, Lakers tickets, gift cards, vacations, concert tickets, It's
all going to be right there where you sign up
and where you find out more information at where iseb
dot org. And we'll see you Sunday morning, September the
seventh in Santa Monica for Where is EB with Eric
Burstein and iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Yeah, thank you, thank you so much.
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