September 1, 2024 • 30 mins
This week on the show, Whitney Reynolds has The Chicago Lighthouse gala Co-chair Shauna Montgomery on to discuss their fashion show Flair. Bryan Stern Chairman & Founder of Grey Bull Rescue discusses his veteran-led, donor-funded organization’s work rescuing Americans from conflict zones
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the weekly show on iHeartRadio, heard every weekend
on ninety three point nine Light FM, one oh three five,
Kiss FM, and Rock ninety five to five. Hey there,
it's mcklee.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
On the show, we have Brian Stern, chairman and founder
of Gray Bull Rescue, as he discusses his veteran led
donor fund and organizations work rescuing Americans from conflict zones
like the Middle East and other dangerous parts of the world.
We also have Whitney Reynolds back for Whitney's Women. Her guest,
Seanna Montgomery, is the co chair of the Chicago Lighthouse
(00:30):
gala that's coming up and their fashion show called Flair.
Whitney Reynolds and Brady are back. Let's talk to him now.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
She is here to make your life, but especially mine
because I'm being selfish right now, a better place to live.
It is the one and only Whitney Reynolds from The
Whitney Reynolds Show for another awesome edition of Whitney's Women.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Hello Whitney, Hello you. It is wonderful to be on
and I always say Chicago does not disappoint when it
comes to the ladies who give Backney is. I mean,
we've been doing this so long, Bray, I can't even
tell you when we started this together. And today this
woman has actually never been on the show, and I'm
(01:08):
shocked because she does so much around the city. But
today she's coming on for the Lighthouse. Welcome Sean Montgomery.
How are you.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
I'm doing great. I'm glad to be here and talking
with you.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Yes, we are so excited to have you on. You
have this fashion show coming up, but it's not a
normal fashion show. One you're getting honored and two is
going back to an amazing organization. Tell us all about Flair.
Speaker 6 (01:37):
Okay, So Flair is the name of the whole event,
and it's benefiting the Chicago Lighthouse.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
But Flair it's just a really fun afternoon.
Speaker 6 (01:47):
I Meanney, you've been to Flair, so you've kind of
got an idea of it, and it's just it's just
got an eye on style. And it's February, September thirteenth.
It's at the Ritz Carlton and you come in it's
like eleven o'clock and they have a reception, a silent auction,
you have cocktails.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
You look around.
Speaker 6 (02:04):
We've got great stuff in the silent auction places to
you can bet on restaurants and beauty products and spa things,
and then you go in to the fashion show and
we have an unbelievable fashion show, and then with the luncheon,
we just get a food tasting yesterday actually at the
(02:25):
Ritz and the food's going to be really, really great,
and we've got a few surprises there.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
And the fashion show is done by like the Latest.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
We're kind of focused this year on boutiques, small boutiques
and maybe newer boutiques, so to kind of give back
to our retailers in Chicago.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
Amaze. We have let's see, we've got Maria Pinto.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
We've got Nina that's her store is right next to
the Four Seasons here in Chicago. And then we have
Contessa who's done with us for years, and Fontaine.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Lafayette who opened up not too long.
Speaker 6 (03:06):
Ago on Oak Street. They've got a beautiful botique. And
we've got Laura Lines and Minati and we do a.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Fan so many Yeah, I was gonna say so many
places in Chicago. And I love what you're saying about, like,
not only is this benefiting the Chicago Lighthouse, but also
we're giving back in our community and featuring some of
our stores that need us too. So I just before
we go any further about the event, I want to
make let our viewers know, our our listeners know that
(03:37):
the Chicago Lighthouse is a leader in comprehensive vision care
and social services. So tell us, like how you got
involved with the Chicago Lighthouse, because, like I mentioned, you're
being honored that day, So tell us your history with them.
Speaker 6 (03:52):
Oh gosh, you know, it's so it's so crazy because
this is coming in front of me so many times,
and all of a sudden, I'm like immersed in with
the Chicago Lighthouse. I'm loving what they do. I'm loving
being a part of it. I mean, it's become family
to me.
Speaker 5 (04:11):
Lo and behold.
Speaker 6 (04:12):
I have a godson that went in for an eye exam.
He's eighteen years old, he's dropped dead, gorgeous, he is
speaks three languages. He was getting ready to go over
to Barcelona to do his semester abroad. And my girlfriend
and I take him in to his eye appointment and
(04:35):
the doctor comes, just a regular eye routine, just like
you and I would do. And the doctor comes back
and he said, I really think you should see a specialist.
So his mom takes him over to a specialist and he.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
Was diagnosed with RP. With his retin tonightis.
Speaker 6 (04:55):
Pigmentosis, which means the same kind of of disease.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I don't know if disease is.
Speaker 6 (05:02):
Really the right word, but condition that Steve Win, you
know the Win Hotel in Las Vegas, he has had
and bears with. They have done a lot of research
on it and they're coming much further on it.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
But basically, you're living your life and just maybe one
day you go dark.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 6 (05:24):
It's very unforsetated, and it could be a gradual you know,
where it just goes over time where you lose your vision,
or it can happen a moment.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
So that's how I basically started.
Speaker 6 (05:36):
And then she met me at lunch and we were
at Lake Colonial and we were talking and she said,
would you like to do get involved in the Chicago
Lighthouse And I said, let's go and you know, do
a tour. We went down, did a tour and then
I'm met Janet Sleck, who is a CEO.
Speaker 7 (05:53):
And Whitney it was just she She's just a full
and intelligence and a mover and shaker and I went
through the facility, the Lighthouse.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
Which is really really grown, and.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
I just became like, my god, I got to I
got to.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
Get into this ball game.
Speaker 6 (06:14):
Give me a min let's go and within the gallup
in twenty twenty three, and then we did the gallap
in twenty twenty four, and now I sit on the
Border trustees, and then with these incredible lines of doctors
and lawyers and people that are really making a difference.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
You know, they do for the blind, they do visually
impaired veterans. It goes a little bit broader expanse.
Speaker 6 (06:41):
But the thing that I love about the Chicago Lighthouse
It's been around forever, so it's not something that's new.
Speaker 5 (06:48):
I mean, you're exactly right.
Speaker 6 (06:51):
It was founded in nineteen oh six, so I mean
Helen Keller. It was the days of Helen Keller, so wack.
But it's a phenomenal facility and it's a great group
of people and I'm just blessed to be a part
of it now and I'm just I'm loving all the meetings.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
I mean, it's really really mind blowing.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Well, I've gone by the facility, and you're right, it
is one of those things that once you tour and
you see the impact they're having, do you They reach
sixty seven thousand people each year, Brady, and that incredible
and like their mission. In order to reach that many
people and what they're doing, they need these events in
our city and people to show up and be there
(07:33):
and understand the mission and spread it. So let's go
back to the fashion show that is coming up all
the phenomenal stores. We have some celebrities walking the runway.
We have some of their people walking the runway. So
tell us about the Flare event again and how people
get tickets.
Speaker 6 (07:51):
Okay, so the Flare event is happening September thirteenth, it's
a Friday, and it is after it's Carlton. If you
want to get tickets, they're available at the Chicago Lighthouse
dot org.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
You could do slash events, slash.
Speaker 6 (08:08):
Flare or just go on their website and go into
Lighthouse dot org and you will get into their uh,
just press Flare event for the search.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
You can get tickets there. The runway, we're incorporating VIP.
Speaker 6 (08:23):
Models along with the visually impaired and they walk the runway.
And you know what's funny, I've learned so much because
you know, in years ago, it was like you had.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
A child that was born blind. You know, they became
like they were broken or something.
Speaker 6 (08:38):
And I've met so many people that are you know,
these girls, these kids.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
Oh flare event.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
I do have to say it really benefits the youth program,
the children. Okay, they've got a program at the Lighthouse
from zero to three and then you go into a
youth program. And that's basically what these funds are going toward,
is the youth and the children's programs. And they do
the modeling fashion show, and you know, I've met people
(09:05):
that have been.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
Blind, they've gone on to be musicians.
Speaker 6 (09:08):
They've been lawyers, they've been and if you go on
their website, you can go and press in all these
inspirational stories. But it's just a little it's a fundraiser
and it's been very successful for men and women. We
have men in the fashion show and Macy's is our sponsor.
And it's a really fun afternoon. Everyone gathers, we have drinks.
We you know, it's just it's a it's a fun,
(09:30):
fun event and it's been going for you know, they've
done it for.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Years, so people know about it.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Yeah, one hundred and tenth anniversary in nineteen and twenty sixteen.
So they've been going and it really is people like
learning more about them and walking alongside them. So this
is going to be a great event. Like you said,
September thirteenth, you can get your tickets Chicago Lighthouse dot Org,
Sean and you're going to be Freton Center that day
because you're being honored, and I just want to say
things for all you do for a city.
Speaker 6 (09:57):
Seriously, Ah, I love you, thank you for having me,
and I want everyone to come. Flair is fun, it's
about fashion, philanthropy, and it's going to be a great,
great day.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Amazing. Well, thank you so much for coming on and
being Whitney is a Woman of the Week. Okay, I love.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
It, Whitney.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
I feel like I feel like Flair is your middle name.
I don't know why you're picturing. I'm picturing the graphic
right now now, Whitney, Whitney, Flare Reynolds. It's just just shines.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
Oh yeah, you know. I've been looking to name my
alter ego that comes out on the runway Brady, because
I don't.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
Know what it is.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Something about and getting on a way. She's one of
our moms on the rock line. Yes, I am actually so,
maybe we do go by Whitney flair. Maybe that is
what we what we name the alter ego that comes
out on days like that. But you know one thing
I love about these fall things that are coming is
(10:52):
that means our new season is approaching. Anytime. I when
anytime the Lighthouse says hey, do you want a model
for the flare, I'm like, oh my goodness, that means
fall is almost here, which the Whitney Reynolds Shows new
season actually hits October twenty first, and you know, grat
I've been saying this, but our whole goal is to
be the strongest voice of hope when it comes to television,
(11:13):
and this season does not disappoint, it will be there.
We'll be bringing it. We want people to know that
their story matters, and hopefully they see themselves in some
of these tought stories that inspire hope.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Thank you Whitney, Thank you Brady. This is the weekly show.
Let's continue it right now with Ryan Gorman.
Speaker 8 (11:27):
Let me bring in Brian Stern, founder and chairman of
Grabel Rescue, which you can learn more about and support
at graybel Rescue dot org. Brian, thanks so much for
ticket a few minutes to come on the show. Before
we get into the work you're doing with this new organization,
I want to start with a little bit about you.
Your time as a multiple tour combat veteran of the
(11:48):
United States Army and Navy, also a nine to eleven
first responder Purple Heart recipient. Tell us a little bit
about how you got to this point in your career.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
One hundred years ago, I joined the Army and found
myself in Army intelligence, especially was a thing called counterintelligence,
which is threat based, meaning in the intelligence community is
very interrogative. Where are the tanks, where are the bad guys?
How many bad guys are there? Counter Intel is much
more threat based. We do offensive and defensive things to
(12:21):
prevent or detect or exploit the bad guys. So I
did that for a long, long, long time. I was
working in New York. On the morning in nine to eleven,
I was at the base when Tower two got hit,
and I've basically been deployed and fighting one way or
the other since about noon on nine to eleven. Went
all over the world, did all kinds of cool things,
(12:41):
supported and daring freedom, Iraqi, freedom, I did evasions. But
my real kind of claim to fame as I like
doing weird things. I like to go places where the
generals and admirals are not, so there was just more
fun and working on problem sets that were hard in
places that aren't atypical. So, you know, lots of guys
(13:04):
like me. You went to Afghanistan, but the way you
do operations in Afghanistan is different than how you do
operations just next door in Pakistan. Let's say, did that
forever I had a break in the military service, still
working for the government, found myself in the Navy. Was
worked for seal teams and all kinds of cool stuff,
units that don't have names, things that we don't talk about,
(13:26):
lots of classified things, lots of very sensitive things. I've
been doing that for pretty much my whole life. One
way or the other. I've always considered myself a servant
of the nation.
Speaker 8 (13:36):
We certainly thank you for that service. I'm Ryan Gorman,
joined by Brian Stern, founder and chairman of Gray Bul Rescue.
So this all leads you to that moment in twenty
twenty one when the United States withdraws from Afghanistan and
you see Afghans and especially Americans trying to escape the Taliban.
(14:00):
Step us through that experience, which put you on the
path to do what you do now, rescue Americans from
these different places.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Yeah, nine to eleven. I tell people it's like it's
like it's like having a kid. It's a life changing experience. Yeah,
that impacts you every single day. Fast forward almost twenty
years later to August twenty twenty one, the withdrawal of
Afghanistan got really nasty, and as an Afghan, this is
very emotional for me. Right I'm watching the Afghans that
(14:29):
we promised that we would help them. We promised for year,
twenty years and you know, if you help us, we will,
we will, we will take care of you. And watching
us not honor that agreement, that agreement that I personally
made to hundreds of Afghans myself. This is a very
emotional thing. People need. My phones are exploding from every
(14:49):
single Afghan that I ever met that still had my number,
begging me for help, saying you promised, you promised all
this stuff, And I said, you know what, I'm not
going to watch this on TV. I got some friends
to and I said, this is what we're gonna do.
We're gonna pack our stuff. We're gonna go to Uzbekistan
and open up the northern border. And everyone said, you're
out of your mind, and I said, I don't care.
(15:11):
You know you think I'm wrong. I know I'm right.
This is what we're doing. The game was figure out
ways to get people to the Marines at the gate,
and then the Marines will let them in and get
them on airplanes. The Secondary of Finch, General Austin and
Secretary of State Tony B. Lincoln UH and a couple
of other senior leaders. They get on TV and they
say August thirtieth will be the last day for US
(15:35):
troops in Afghanistan. I got a hold of my whole
team and by now we're busy. Now we're there, we're
doing things, and I tell them our entire calculus has
to change. I go getting an Afghan who we know,
an interpreter, a source, a judge, whoever, getting that person
and their family to the Marine at the gate to
get them on an air Force plane. That's awesome, and
(15:57):
that's hard. But once the Marine wink and once the
air Force breathed, because Secary Defense and Secretary said said
they're going to this entire thing goes sideways. Everything changes
because there is no marines anymore and there is no
air force and the Taliban are going to run the DMV, right,
the Taliban are in charge. Now what do we do
(16:19):
with that problem?
Speaker 8 (16:20):
And these people's lives they're at stake here and again
we're joined by Brian Stern, founder and chairman of Gray
Bull Rescue. If they don't get out, they very well
could be and some of them were murdered.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
I mean, what happens is is chaos. We had a
very deliberate conversation right around this time about who should
we try and get out because you can't rescue the world,
you just can't. Everyone that lives in Afghanistan doesn't want
to be there, even when we were there, they don't
want to be there, right, So we had this discussion
(16:54):
about who are we going to rescue? And as the boss,
what I said is is it has to be so
who we know, and if it's someone who we don't know,
they have to know someone who we really know and trust. So,
meaning my interpreter is, okay, he's gonna vouch for his family,
that's fair. If he's not a friend down the road
who I've never met before. It needs to be someone
(17:15):
who I know and trust. We had a discussion about Americans,
and my instructions to my team were that's not for us.
And everyone said, well, and I go, Look, we've got
Navy seals, We've got Green berets, We've got a trillion
dollar a year national security budget. There are whole units
that wake up every single day with the express mission
(17:36):
of how do I rescue Americans from bad places? Surely
we won't need to deal with that. Let's focus on Afghans.
In twenty five years in the intelligence business, I have
never been that wrong about an assessment in my career.
Abby Gate happens, lots of thirteen brave Americans get killed,
a whole lot more get tore up real bad, and
(17:58):
the whole calculus changes. General Donahue great officer, phenomenal, real
national treasure for leadership. General Donahue is the last man,
last American soldier in Afghanistan. Right around then is when
all the Americans started reaching out to us saying help.
I couldn't believe it. It can't be that we're leaving Americans behind.
(18:22):
We don't do that. We did, and a lot of
them so everyone leaves and we have to figure out ways.
How do you land an airplane under Taliban rule? Actually
that's not so hard. What's really hard is is how
do you take off? Of course, the Taliban won a
three hundred million dollar air of US A three to
(18:43):
twenty as an asset. It's like breaking into jail. That's easy.
Breaking out of jail is hard. We figured out a
way to not only land an airplane, to not only
take off an airplane, but to do it legally under
the Taliban. My team and I got the first landing
clearance under Taliban rule, and on.
Speaker 8 (19:03):
That first mission, you saved the one hundred and seventeen
stranded Americans in one day.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
In one day. At the time, that was the largest
private rescue of American citizens from a war zone in history.
I thought that would be the most gnarly thing that
we ever did. Twenty five years intelligence business again, I
was fast forward to October twenty twenty three. We doubled
(19:33):
our number with two hundred and ninety three Americans out
of Israel. That became the undisputed largest private rescue of
American citizens from a war zone in history. In between
those we do all kinds of things. We do land ops,
we do air ops, we break people out of jail
from the Russians, we do babies in Ukraine, we do
(19:54):
the first rescue of Americans in Ukraine, all kinds of things.
We go into Sudan, right the US embassy gets evacuated
and same song, different verse. US government leaves. They leave
behind sixteen thousand American citizens in the middle of a
very terrible civil war. Yet again we land the first
(20:19):
plane for American citizens of that war. Maui happens. Yeah,
Team and I forward Deployeda Maui. We do two thousand,
four hundred percent more operations in Maui in the first
six days than the entire Department of Defense combined.
Speaker 8 (20:34):
And that's what I want to touch on because this
goes beyond just these conflict zones. And again I'm Ryan
Gorman joined by Brian Stern, founder and Chairman of Gray
Bull Rescue. You can learn more about all the work
they do which we're talking about right now, and support
that work at Gray Bull Rescue dot org. So Maui,
you have the fires in Florida, you have a hurricane
Ian and the flooding there on the southwest coast of Florida.
(20:59):
So you've gone beyond these conflict zones and you've dealt
with natural disasters too, and rescuing Americans there.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Well, yeah, because if you think about it, so we're
not gray. My team and I UH as my team
and I. We are. Our specialty is doing operations like this,
playing strains, automobiles, helicopters, boats, big planes, little planes, all
kinds of stuff. We are. Our expertise is doing things
(21:31):
where the government is not. That's that's our that's our
space that we work in, what we call the gray space.
That's why we're called grapel this space. We're not competitors
of the government. We work where they're not. You'll never
see a picture of me or any of my teammates
next to UH an American soldier helping him do anything.
(21:53):
That's not what we do. We don't augment. We're in
lieu of So it doesn't matter to me, It really doesn't.
It doesn't matter to me where an American may be
in trouble. It's kind of irrelevant. Actually, if you're an
American stuck in Lehaina, Maui and you can't get out,
or you're an American stuck in in Malova, Ukraine and
(22:15):
you can't get out, or you're there an American stuck
in Porter Prince Hadian, you can't get out. What I
know to be true is that you're an American and
you can't get out. That's all. That's really the beginning
and the end of, you know, of my decision making
when we go do analysis, you know, should we or
should we not do an operation? It's a very binary discussion.
(22:37):
Are they American? Yes or no? Yes? Are they in trouble?
Yes or no? Yes? Can we get there? And can
we do an operation? Yes? Is anyone else coming? No?
Pucking our bags. Let's get out of here, Let's go.
Speaker 8 (22:51):
And I think it's important to note that when you
go into these different areas, whether it's Ukraine or Afghanistan,
and this is not like what people will see in
movies of these rescues where you're going and guns blazing
and things like that. You're having to do it a
very different way because the cavalry's not coming. If you
(23:13):
get in trouble, there.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Is no net, There is no net, there is no help.
You know, we are my team and I are the
absolute end of the road, last resort. You call us
after you've called everybody already. Have you had people who
you've rescued? When you show up, they're like, is it
(23:37):
everybody else? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I'm more than one engage you.
You know, we we've had you know, you know, people
always ask me, you know, well, when you're in the field,
what kind of gun do you carry? Like, you know,
(23:58):
what do you carry? You're in all these crazy places, says,
you know, what do you carry?
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Right?
Speaker 2 (24:02):
And people are usually shocked to year that I work unharmed,
and they're like how how what do you mean how?
And I explain, if it's like me and one or
two other people three hundred four hundred miles behind enemy lines,
surrounded by Russian bad guys, I would need a dump
truck of AMMO to survive. Yeah, you know, you know
(24:26):
I did an operation of this place called Malova, Ukraine,
and we're working we're working this other place called pri Verrigan'saparagia,
surrounded by bad guys. You know, between between me and
anything that looks like a friend is thirty one hours away.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
You know.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
At my day, you know, I can hold my own
in a gunfight. But yeah, I don't know anyone that's
killed three four thousand people in one shot. Uh, you know,
my shoulder would get tired, right, So you know those
are the kinds of numbers that we're talking about. So
it's much more like a magic trick. It's seemingly but
not the half the time we do these things. The
(25:03):
bad guys see it later and they're like, wow, we
had no idea happens all the time. We broke this
kid out of jail. We broke this kid out of jail.
He's the first American victim of war crimes alive since
World War Two. Young kid from Detroit, Michigan, gets arrested
by the Russians. He ask for help. Help doesn't come.
(25:23):
He's right in the invasion corridor and he gets arrested
by the Russians. Eleven counts of espionage, tortured, beaten, the
whole nine yards. His case is the first indictment in
the history of the United States. The Department of Justice
was able to bring indictments for war crimes against foreign
powers for the first time ever in the history of
(25:45):
the United States. This is our case, and we we
we we took him. He wasn't released. Brittany Grinder was
exchanged right amicably. This wasn't bad. The Russians still had
his underwear, they still his passport. He was We took
him today. The Russians have no idea how we did it.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
It's amazing. I do want to note and again we're
joined by Brian Stern, founder and chairman of Gray Bull Rescue,
which you can learn more about and support a gray
Bul Rescue dot org. These stories that you're telling us,
these missions that you go on, we only have a
couple of minutes left, and I want to make sure
we get to this. This can't happen without the help
of everyone listening.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
That's the thing is. Helicopters in Haiti, the rescue Americans
cost money. Boats during Hurricane Eot cost money. Helicopters in
Maui cost money. I can't get Russians to, you know,
betray their country because I'm a nice guy. Doesn't work
that way. Airplanes in Afghanistan and today cost money. All
(26:47):
these things, travel, body armor, helmets, night vision, intelligence vehicles,
all those things, they all cost money. If you're if
one of your listeners wants to do us a favor,
and then in the night vision business or the body
armor business, or the boat business, or you own a car,
you own a car dealership, Go to gray bul Rescue
(27:07):
Dot or push to contact need button. I need your help.
We need gear, We need comms, We need laptops, GPS, strobs,
landing lights, all kinds radios, all kinds of stuff. It
all costs money or has to be donated in kind.
We don't get anything from the government, so my team
and I love to do the work, but we need
(27:30):
your help. Our motto is, don't be a spectator. It
doesn't mean you got to give us a million dollars.
One dollar is good too. If you can uh, if
you if you own a Chevy dealership and you want
to donate us a suburban we need, we need. We
need suburbans for hurricane ops, for domestic for natural disasters.
All kinds of stuff, all kinds of stuff. You can
(27:52):
donate us your your travel points from your Marriott thing,
all kinds of stuff. But it all cost money. It
all takes resources. My team and we've rescued over seven
thousand people since August twenty twenty one. That's what we
admit to. Number is actually a lot bigger. We've done
six hundred operations all over the place. We're the only
(28:13):
people to rescue hostages that kidnapped Americans out of Gaza.
January twenty twenty four, five American kids trapped in Gaza.
Got them out. The FBI tried for months, couldn't figure
it out. We did it. They're from Campa, Florida. You
can meet them. Google it. I have the receipts. Google
anything I say. You could see it for yourself. Don't
take my word for it. No problem. It's all out there.
(28:35):
It's all out there, but we need your help. Not
being a spectator means being an American. I don't care
if you're a Republican. I don't care if you're a Democrat.
On my team. I got Republicans, Democrats, Muslims, Christians, Jews, men, women, Skinny,
Harry bald we got them all. We got them all.
(28:55):
If Paul Revere were alive today, he would have a
grable patch on his course because we're just Americans doing
what Americans should do. My oath of enlistment when I
joined did not have did I join the Army, did
not have an expiration date. I made a commitment many
years ago to the people and my team and I
(29:17):
all of us do at Grabel, I actually make my
people do an oath so that we don't forget why
we do what we do.
Speaker 8 (29:25):
As a reminder, the work you do is absolutely incredible
and it's vital and everyone can support that work at
gray Bull Rescue dot org. Brian Stern, Founder and Chairman
of Gray Bull Rescue, Brian, really want to thank you
for your service to this country and for taking a
few minutes to come on the show. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Thanks so much for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Thank you, Thank you, Ryan. This is the Weekly Show
on iHeartRadio. Thank you so much for listening. If you
want to hear this episode or a previous one, you
can always go to our podcast page on the iHeartRadio
app search for the Weekly Show. Enjoy the rest of
your weekend, and we'll be back next week here on iHeartRadio.
Welcome to the weekly show on iHeartRadio, heard every weekend
on ninety three point nine Light FM, one oh three five,
Kiss FM, and Rock ninety five to five. Hey there,
it's mcklee.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
On the show, we have Brian Stern, chairman and founder
of Gray Bull Rescue, as he discusses his veteran led
donor fund and organizations work rescuing Americans from conflict zones
like the Middle East and other dangerous parts of the world.
We also have Whitney Reynolds back for Whitney's Women. Her guest,
Seanna Montgomery, is the co chair of the Chicago Lighthouse
(00:30):
gala that's coming up and their fashion show called Flair.
Whitney Reynolds and Brady are back. Let's talk to him now.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
She is here to make your life, but especially mine
because I'm being selfish right now, a better place to live.
It is the one and only Whitney Reynolds from The
Whitney Reynolds Show for another awesome edition of Whitney's Women.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Hello Whitney, Hello you. It is wonderful to be on
and I always say Chicago does not disappoint when it
comes to the ladies who give Backney is. I mean,
we've been doing this so long, Bray, I can't even
tell you when we started this together. And today this
woman has actually never been on the show, and I'm
(01:08):
shocked because she does so much around the city. But
today she's coming on for the Lighthouse. Welcome Sean Montgomery.
How are you.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
I'm doing great. I'm glad to be here and talking
with you.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Yes, we are so excited to have you on. You
have this fashion show coming up, but it's not a
normal fashion show. One you're getting honored and two is
going back to an amazing organization. Tell us all about Flair.
Speaker 6 (01:37):
Okay, So Flair is the name of the whole event,
and it's benefiting the Chicago Lighthouse.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
But Flair it's just a really fun afternoon.
Speaker 6 (01:47):
I Meanney, you've been to Flair, so you've kind of
got an idea of it, and it's just it's just
got an eye on style. And it's February, September thirteenth.
It's at the Ritz Carlton and you come in it's
like eleven o'clock and they have a reception, a silent auction,
you have cocktails.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
You look around.
Speaker 6 (02:04):
We've got great stuff in the silent auction places to
you can bet on restaurants and beauty products and spa things,
and then you go in to the fashion show and
we have an unbelievable fashion show, and then with the luncheon,
we just get a food tasting yesterday actually at the
(02:25):
Ritz and the food's going to be really, really great,
and we've got a few surprises there.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
And the fashion show is done by like the Latest.
Speaker 6 (02:33):
We're kind of focused this year on boutiques, small boutiques
and maybe newer boutiques, so to kind of give back
to our retailers in Chicago.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
Amaze. We have let's see, we've got Maria Pinto.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
We've got Nina that's her store is right next to
the Four Seasons here in Chicago. And then we have
Contessa who's done with us for years, and Fontaine.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Lafayette who opened up not too long.
Speaker 6 (03:06):
Ago on Oak Street. They've got a beautiful botique. And
we've got Laura Lines and Minati and we do a.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Fan so many Yeah, I was gonna say so many
places in Chicago. And I love what you're saying about, like,
not only is this benefiting the Chicago Lighthouse, but also
we're giving back in our community and featuring some of
our stores that need us too. So I just before
we go any further about the event, I want to
make let our viewers know, our our listeners know that
(03:37):
the Chicago Lighthouse is a leader in comprehensive vision care
and social services. So tell us, like how you got
involved with the Chicago Lighthouse, because, like I mentioned, you're
being honored that day, So tell us your history with them.
Speaker 6 (03:52):
Oh gosh, you know, it's so it's so crazy because
this is coming in front of me so many times,
and all of a sudden, I'm like immersed in with
the Chicago Lighthouse. I'm loving what they do. I'm loving
being a part of it. I mean, it's become family
to me.
Speaker 5 (04:11):
Lo and behold.
Speaker 6 (04:12):
I have a godson that went in for an eye exam.
He's eighteen years old, he's dropped dead, gorgeous, he is
speaks three languages. He was getting ready to go over
to Barcelona to do his semester abroad. And my girlfriend
and I take him in to his eye appointment and
(04:35):
the doctor comes, just a regular eye routine, just like
you and I would do. And the doctor comes back
and he said, I really think you should see a specialist.
So his mom takes him over to a specialist and he.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
Was diagnosed with RP. With his retin tonightis.
Speaker 6 (04:55):
Pigmentosis, which means the same kind of of disease.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I don't know if disease is.
Speaker 6 (05:02):
Really the right word, but condition that Steve Win, you
know the Win Hotel in Las Vegas, he has had
and bears with. They have done a lot of research
on it and they're coming much further on it.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
But basically, you're living your life and just maybe one
day you go dark.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 6 (05:24):
It's very unforsetated, and it could be a gradual you know,
where it just goes over time where you lose your vision,
or it can happen a moment.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
So that's how I basically started.
Speaker 6 (05:36):
And then she met me at lunch and we were
at Lake Colonial and we were talking and she said,
would you like to do get involved in the Chicago
Lighthouse And I said, let's go and you know, do
a tour. We went down, did a tour and then
I'm met Janet Sleck, who is a CEO.
Speaker 7 (05:53):
And Whitney it was just she She's just a full
and intelligence and a mover and shaker and I went
through the facility, the Lighthouse.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
Which is really really grown, and.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
I just became like, my god, I got to I
got to.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
Get into this ball game.
Speaker 6 (06:14):
Give me a min let's go and within the gallup
in twenty twenty three, and then we did the gallap
in twenty twenty four, and now I sit on the
Border trustees, and then with these incredible lines of doctors
and lawyers and people that are really making a difference.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
You know, they do for the blind, they do visually
impaired veterans. It goes a little bit broader expanse.
Speaker 6 (06:41):
But the thing that I love about the Chicago Lighthouse
It's been around forever, so it's not something that's new.
Speaker 5 (06:48):
I mean, you're exactly right.
Speaker 6 (06:51):
It was founded in nineteen oh six, so I mean
Helen Keller. It was the days of Helen Keller, so wack.
But it's a phenomenal facility and it's a great group
of people and I'm just blessed to be a part
of it now and I'm just I'm loving all the meetings.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
I mean, it's really really mind blowing.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Well, I've gone by the facility, and you're right, it
is one of those things that once you tour and
you see the impact they're having, do you They reach
sixty seven thousand people each year, Brady, and that incredible
and like their mission. In order to reach that many
people and what they're doing, they need these events in
our city and people to show up and be there
(07:33):
and understand the mission and spread it. So let's go
back to the fashion show that is coming up all
the phenomenal stores. We have some celebrities walking the runway.
We have some of their people walking the runway. So
tell us about the Flare event again and how people
get tickets.
Speaker 6 (07:51):
Okay, so the Flare event is happening September thirteenth, it's
a Friday, and it is after it's Carlton. If you
want to get tickets, they're available at the Chicago Lighthouse
dot org.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
You could do slash events, slash.
Speaker 6 (08:08):
Flare or just go on their website and go into
Lighthouse dot org and you will get into their uh,
just press Flare event for the search.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
You can get tickets there. The runway, we're incorporating VIP.
Speaker 6 (08:23):
Models along with the visually impaired and they walk the runway.
And you know what's funny, I've learned so much because
you know, in years ago, it was like you had.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
A child that was born blind. You know, they became
like they were broken or something.
Speaker 6 (08:38):
And I've met so many people that are you know,
these girls, these kids.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
Oh flare event.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
I do have to say it really benefits the youth program,
the children. Okay, they've got a program at the Lighthouse
from zero to three and then you go into a
youth program. And that's basically what these funds are going toward,
is the youth and the children's programs. And they do
the modeling fashion show, and you know, I've met people
(09:05):
that have been.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
Blind, they've gone on to be musicians.
Speaker 6 (09:08):
They've been lawyers, they've been and if you go on
their website, you can go and press in all these
inspirational stories. But it's just a little it's a fundraiser
and it's been very successful for men and women. We
have men in the fashion show and Macy's is our sponsor.
And it's a really fun afternoon. Everyone gathers, we have drinks.
We you know, it's just it's a it's a fun,
(09:30):
fun event and it's been going for you know, they've
done it for.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Years, so people know about it.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Yeah, one hundred and tenth anniversary in nineteen and twenty sixteen.
So they've been going and it really is people like
learning more about them and walking alongside them. So this
is going to be a great event. Like you said,
September thirteenth, you can get your tickets Chicago Lighthouse dot Org,
Sean and you're going to be Freton Center that day
because you're being honored, and I just want to say
things for all you do for a city.
Speaker 6 (09:57):
Seriously, Ah, I love you, thank you for having me,
and I want everyone to come. Flair is fun, it's
about fashion, philanthropy, and it's going to be a great,
great day.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Amazing. Well, thank you so much for coming on and
being Whitney is a Woman of the Week. Okay, I love.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
It, Whitney.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
I feel like I feel like Flair is your middle name.
I don't know why you're picturing. I'm picturing the graphic
right now now, Whitney, Whitney, Flare Reynolds. It's just just shines.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
Oh yeah, you know. I've been looking to name my
alter ego that comes out on the runway Brady, because
I don't.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
Know what it is.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Something about and getting on a way. She's one of
our moms on the rock line. Yes, I am actually so,
maybe we do go by Whitney flair. Maybe that is
what we what we name the alter ego that comes
out on days like that. But you know one thing
I love about these fall things that are coming is
(10:52):
that means our new season is approaching. Anytime. I when
anytime the Lighthouse says hey, do you want a model
for the flare, I'm like, oh my goodness, that means
fall is almost here, which the Whitney Reynolds Shows new
season actually hits October twenty first, and you know, grat
I've been saying this, but our whole goal is to
be the strongest voice of hope when it comes to television,
(11:13):
and this season does not disappoint, it will be there.
We'll be bringing it. We want people to know that
their story matters, and hopefully they see themselves in some
of these tought stories that inspire hope.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Thank you Whitney, Thank you Brady. This is the weekly show.
Let's continue it right now with Ryan Gorman.
Speaker 8 (11:27):
Let me bring in Brian Stern, founder and chairman of
Grabel Rescue, which you can learn more about and support
at graybel Rescue dot org. Brian, thanks so much for
ticket a few minutes to come on the show. Before
we get into the work you're doing with this new organization,
I want to start with a little bit about you.
Your time as a multiple tour combat veteran of the
(11:48):
United States Army and Navy, also a nine to eleven
first responder Purple Heart recipient. Tell us a little bit
about how you got to this point in your career.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
One hundred years ago, I joined the Army and found
myself in Army intelligence, especially was a thing called counterintelligence,
which is threat based, meaning in the intelligence community is
very interrogative. Where are the tanks, where are the bad guys?
How many bad guys are there? Counter Intel is much
more threat based. We do offensive and defensive things to
(12:21):
prevent or detect or exploit the bad guys. So I
did that for a long, long, long time. I was
working in New York. On the morning in nine to eleven,
I was at the base when Tower two got hit,
and I've basically been deployed and fighting one way or
the other since about noon on nine to eleven. Went
all over the world, did all kinds of cool things,
(12:41):
supported and daring freedom, Iraqi, freedom, I did evasions. But
my real kind of claim to fame as I like
doing weird things. I like to go places where the
generals and admirals are not, so there was just more
fun and working on problem sets that were hard in
places that aren't atypical. So, you know, lots of guys
(13:04):
like me. You went to Afghanistan, but the way you
do operations in Afghanistan is different than how you do
operations just next door in Pakistan. Let's say, did that
forever I had a break in the military service, still
working for the government, found myself in the Navy. Was
worked for seal teams and all kinds of cool stuff,
units that don't have names, things that we don't talk about,
(13:26):
lots of classified things, lots of very sensitive things. I've
been doing that for pretty much my whole life. One
way or the other. I've always considered myself a servant
of the nation.
Speaker 8 (13:36):
We certainly thank you for that service. I'm Ryan Gorman,
joined by Brian Stern, founder and chairman of Gray Bul Rescue.
So this all leads you to that moment in twenty
twenty one when the United States withdraws from Afghanistan and
you see Afghans and especially Americans trying to escape the Taliban.
(14:00):
Step us through that experience, which put you on the
path to do what you do now, rescue Americans from
these different places.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Yeah, nine to eleven. I tell people it's like it's
like it's like having a kid. It's a life changing experience. Yeah,
that impacts you every single day. Fast forward almost twenty
years later to August twenty twenty one, the withdrawal of
Afghanistan got really nasty, and as an Afghan, this is
very emotional for me. Right I'm watching the Afghans that
(14:29):
we promised that we would help them. We promised for year,
twenty years and you know, if you help us, we will,
we will, we will take care of you. And watching
us not honor that agreement, that agreement that I personally
made to hundreds of Afghans myself. This is a very
emotional thing. People need. My phones are exploding from every
(14:49):
single Afghan that I ever met that still had my number,
begging me for help, saying you promised, you promised all
this stuff, And I said, you know what, I'm not
going to watch this on TV. I got some friends
to and I said, this is what we're gonna do.
We're gonna pack our stuff. We're gonna go to Uzbekistan
and open up the northern border. And everyone said, you're
out of your mind, and I said, I don't care.
(15:11):
You know you think I'm wrong. I know I'm right.
This is what we're doing. The game was figure out
ways to get people to the Marines at the gate,
and then the Marines will let them in and get
them on airplanes. The Secondary of Finch, General Austin and
Secretary of State Tony B. Lincoln UH and a couple
of other senior leaders. They get on TV and they
say August thirtieth will be the last day for US
(15:35):
troops in Afghanistan. I got a hold of my whole
team and by now we're busy. Now we're there, we're
doing things, and I tell them our entire calculus has
to change. I go getting an Afghan who we know,
an interpreter, a source, a judge, whoever, getting that person
and their family to the Marine at the gate to
get them on an air Force plane. That's awesome, and
(15:57):
that's hard. But once the Marine wink and once the
air Force breathed, because Secary Defense and Secretary said said
they're going to this entire thing goes sideways. Everything changes
because there is no marines anymore and there is no
air force and the Taliban are going to run the DMV, right,
the Taliban are in charge. Now what do we do
(16:19):
with that problem?
Speaker 8 (16:20):
And these people's lives they're at stake here and again
we're joined by Brian Stern, founder and chairman of Gray
Bull Rescue. If they don't get out, they very well
could be and some of them were murdered.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
I mean, what happens is is chaos. We had a
very deliberate conversation right around this time about who should
we try and get out because you can't rescue the world,
you just can't. Everyone that lives in Afghanistan doesn't want
to be there, even when we were there, they don't
want to be there, right, So we had this discussion
(16:54):
about who are we going to rescue? And as the boss,
what I said is is it has to be so
who we know, and if it's someone who we don't know,
they have to know someone who we really know and trust. So,
meaning my interpreter is, okay, he's gonna vouch for his family,
that's fair. If he's not a friend down the road
who I've never met before. It needs to be someone
(17:15):
who I know and trust. We had a discussion about Americans,
and my instructions to my team were that's not for us.
And everyone said, well, and I go, Look, we've got
Navy seals, We've got Green berets, We've got a trillion
dollar a year national security budget. There are whole units
that wake up every single day with the express mission
(17:36):
of how do I rescue Americans from bad places? Surely
we won't need to deal with that. Let's focus on Afghans.
In twenty five years in the intelligence business, I have
never been that wrong about an assessment in my career.
Abby Gate happens, lots of thirteen brave Americans get killed,
a whole lot more get tore up real bad, and
(17:58):
the whole calculus changes. General Donahue great officer, phenomenal, real
national treasure for leadership. General Donahue is the last man,
last American soldier in Afghanistan. Right around then is when
all the Americans started reaching out to us saying help.
I couldn't believe it. It can't be that we're leaving Americans behind.
(18:22):
We don't do that. We did, and a lot of
them so everyone leaves and we have to figure out ways.
How do you land an airplane under Taliban rule? Actually
that's not so hard. What's really hard is is how
do you take off? Of course, the Taliban won a
three hundred million dollar air of US A three to
(18:43):
twenty as an asset. It's like breaking into jail. That's easy.
Breaking out of jail is hard. We figured out a
way to not only land an airplane, to not only
take off an airplane, but to do it legally under
the Taliban. My team and I got the first landing
clearance under Taliban rule, and on.
Speaker 8 (19:03):
That first mission, you saved the one hundred and seventeen
stranded Americans in one day.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
In one day. At the time, that was the largest
private rescue of American citizens from a war zone in history.
I thought that would be the most gnarly thing that
we ever did. Twenty five years intelligence business again, I
was fast forward to October twenty twenty three. We doubled
(19:33):
our number with two hundred and ninety three Americans out
of Israel. That became the undisputed largest private rescue of
American citizens from a war zone in history. In between
those we do all kinds of things. We do land ops,
we do air ops, we break people out of jail
from the Russians, we do babies in Ukraine, we do
(19:54):
the first rescue of Americans in Ukraine, all kinds of things.
We go into Sudan, right the US embassy gets evacuated
and same song, different verse. US government leaves. They leave
behind sixteen thousand American citizens in the middle of a
very terrible civil war. Yet again we land the first
(20:19):
plane for American citizens of that war. Maui happens. Yeah,
Team and I forward Deployeda Maui. We do two thousand,
four hundred percent more operations in Maui in the first
six days than the entire Department of Defense combined.
Speaker 8 (20:34):
And that's what I want to touch on because this
goes beyond just these conflict zones. And again I'm Ryan
Gorman joined by Brian Stern, founder and Chairman of Gray
Bull Rescue. You can learn more about all the work
they do which we're talking about right now, and support
that work at Gray Bull Rescue dot org. So Maui,
you have the fires in Florida, you have a hurricane
Ian and the flooding there on the southwest coast of Florida.
(20:59):
So you've gone beyond these conflict zones and you've dealt
with natural disasters too, and rescuing Americans there.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Well, yeah, because if you think about it, so we're
not gray. My team and I UH as my team
and I. We are. Our specialty is doing operations like this,
playing strains, automobiles, helicopters, boats, big planes, little planes, all
kinds of stuff. We are. Our expertise is doing things
(21:31):
where the government is not. That's that's our that's our
space that we work in, what we call the gray space.
That's why we're called grapel this space. We're not competitors
of the government. We work where they're not. You'll never
see a picture of me or any of my teammates
next to UH an American soldier helping him do anything.
(21:53):
That's not what we do. We don't augment. We're in
lieu of So it doesn't matter to me, It really doesn't.
It doesn't matter to me where an American may be
in trouble. It's kind of irrelevant. Actually, if you're an
American stuck in Lehaina, Maui and you can't get out,
or you're an American stuck in in Malova, Ukraine and
(22:15):
you can't get out, or you're there an American stuck
in Porter Prince Hadian, you can't get out. What I
know to be true is that you're an American and
you can't get out. That's all. That's really the beginning
and the end of, you know, of my decision making
when we go do analysis, you know, should we or
should we not do an operation? It's a very binary discussion.
(22:37):
Are they American? Yes or no? Yes? Are they in trouble?
Yes or no? Yes? Can we get there? And can
we do an operation? Yes? Is anyone else coming? No?
Pucking our bags. Let's get out of here, Let's go.
Speaker 8 (22:51):
And I think it's important to note that when you
go into these different areas, whether it's Ukraine or Afghanistan,
and this is not like what people will see in
movies of these rescues where you're going and guns blazing
and things like that. You're having to do it a
very different way because the cavalry's not coming. If you
(23:13):
get in trouble, there.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Is no net, There is no net, there is no help.
You know, we are my team and I are the
absolute end of the road, last resort. You call us
after you've called everybody already. Have you had people who
you've rescued? When you show up, they're like, is it
(23:37):
everybody else? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I'm more than one engage you.
You know, we we've had you know, you know, people
always ask me, you know, well, when you're in the field,
what kind of gun do you carry? Like, you know,
(23:58):
what do you carry? You're in all these crazy places, says,
you know, what do you carry?
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Right?
Speaker 2 (24:02):
And people are usually shocked to year that I work unharmed,
and they're like how how what do you mean how?
And I explain, if it's like me and one or
two other people three hundred four hundred miles behind enemy lines,
surrounded by Russian bad guys, I would need a dump
truck of AMMO to survive. Yeah, you know, you know
(24:26):
I did an operation of this place called Malova, Ukraine,
and we're working we're working this other place called pri Verrigan'saparagia,
surrounded by bad guys. You know, between between me and
anything that looks like a friend is thirty one hours away.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
You know.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
At my day, you know, I can hold my own
in a gunfight. But yeah, I don't know anyone that's
killed three four thousand people in one shot. Uh, you know,
my shoulder would get tired, right, So you know those
are the kinds of numbers that we're talking about. So
it's much more like a magic trick. It's seemingly but
not the half the time we do these things. The
(25:03):
bad guys see it later and they're like, wow, we
had no idea happens all the time. We broke this
kid out of jail. We broke this kid out of jail.
He's the first American victim of war crimes alive since
World War Two. Young kid from Detroit, Michigan, gets arrested
by the Russians. He ask for help. Help doesn't come.
(25:23):
He's right in the invasion corridor and he gets arrested
by the Russians. Eleven counts of espionage, tortured, beaten, the
whole nine yards. His case is the first indictment in
the history of the United States. The Department of Justice
was able to bring indictments for war crimes against foreign
powers for the first time ever in the history of
(25:45):
the United States. This is our case, and we we
we we took him. He wasn't released. Brittany Grinder was
exchanged right amicably. This wasn't bad. The Russians still had
his underwear, they still his passport. He was We took
him today. The Russians have no idea how we did it.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
It's amazing. I do want to note and again we're
joined by Brian Stern, founder and chairman of Gray Bull Rescue,
which you can learn more about and support a gray
Bul Rescue dot org. These stories that you're telling us,
these missions that you go on, we only have a
couple of minutes left, and I want to make sure
we get to this. This can't happen without the help
of everyone listening.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
That's the thing is. Helicopters in Haiti, the rescue Americans
cost money. Boats during Hurricane Eot cost money. Helicopters in
Maui cost money. I can't get Russians to, you know,
betray their country because I'm a nice guy. Doesn't work
that way. Airplanes in Afghanistan and today cost money. All
(26:47):
these things, travel, body armor, helmets, night vision, intelligence vehicles,
all those things, they all cost money. If you're if
one of your listeners wants to do us a favor,
and then in the night vision business or the body
armor business, or the boat business, or you own a car,
you own a car dealership, Go to gray bul Rescue
(27:07):
Dot or push to contact need button. I need your help.
We need gear, We need comms, We need laptops, GPS, strobs,
landing lights, all kinds radios, all kinds of stuff. It
all costs money or has to be donated in kind.
We don't get anything from the government, so my team
and I love to do the work, but we need
(27:30):
your help. Our motto is, don't be a spectator. It
doesn't mean you got to give us a million dollars.
One dollar is good too. If you can uh, if
you if you own a Chevy dealership and you want
to donate us a suburban we need, we need. We
need suburbans for hurricane ops, for domestic for natural disasters.
All kinds of stuff, all kinds of stuff. You can
(27:52):
donate us your your travel points from your Marriott thing,
all kinds of stuff. But it all cost money. It
all takes resources. My team and we've rescued over seven
thousand people since August twenty twenty one. That's what we
admit to. Number is actually a lot bigger. We've done
six hundred operations all over the place. We're the only
(28:13):
people to rescue hostages that kidnapped Americans out of Gaza.
January twenty twenty four, five American kids trapped in Gaza.
Got them out. The FBI tried for months, couldn't figure
it out. We did it. They're from Campa, Florida. You
can meet them. Google it. I have the receipts. Google
anything I say. You could see it for yourself. Don't
take my word for it. No problem. It's all out there.
(28:35):
It's all out there, but we need your help. Not
being a spectator means being an American. I don't care
if you're a Republican. I don't care if you're a Democrat.
On my team. I got Republicans, Democrats, Muslims, Christians, Jews, men, women, Skinny,
Harry bald we got them all. We got them all.
(28:55):
If Paul Revere were alive today, he would have a
grable patch on his course because we're just Americans doing
what Americans should do. My oath of enlistment when I
joined did not have did I join the Army, did
not have an expiration date. I made a commitment many
years ago to the people and my team and I
(29:17):
all of us do at Grabel, I actually make my
people do an oath so that we don't forget why
we do what we do.
Speaker 8 (29:25):
As a reminder, the work you do is absolutely incredible
and it's vital and everyone can support that work at
gray Bull Rescue dot org. Brian Stern, Founder and Chairman
of Gray Bull Rescue, Brian, really want to thank you
for your service to this country and for taking a
few minutes to come on the show. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Thanks so much for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Thank you, Thank you, Ryan. This is the Weekly Show
on iHeartRadio. Thank you so much for listening. If you
want to hear this episode or a previous one, you
can always go to our podcast page on the iHeartRadio
app search for the Weekly Show. Enjoy the rest of
your weekend, and we'll be back next week here on iHeartRadio.
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