November 2, 2024 • 29 mins
Conversation with "SGT BIG COUNTRY" Brian Conwell and what the heck happened on a particular airline?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, everybody, welcome to my show this morning. Uh, this
is a special report because we typically don't do podcast
on Saturday, so this has got to be a pretty
big deal. And it is a big deal because we're
dealing with a big guy with a big heart. Uh Brian,
of course, big country. How are you doing this morning
or this afternoon?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Doing pretty good man, wonderful weather, off season training, you know,
just living life, fixing the fix, the take THEO to
fix the take the wife out to eat. Here in
just a little bit, have some have some bake time.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
One of my one of my favorite hobbies is to eat.
It's one of my favorite. Oh yeah, yours too?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Right? Yeah, Well that's that's That's a good part about
being the athlete that I am and having to throw
and have muscles. You get to eat. You get to
eat a lot.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
We did not get a chance to hang out and
take you around to go eat. So next time you're
in town, we have to take you around to you
Just say, Brett, I am craving biscuits and gravy. Where
I want to good pork rib and we will take
you out. We just didn't get a chant enough time.
It seemed like everything will buy too quick.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Oh yeah, looking forward to it. Yeah, we're we're me
and me and uh, me and Robs. We talked, we're
definitely gonna get back out there, so that way we
can come hang out brain and wife with us this time.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
I appreciate it. So what's for the for anybody that
hasn't seen our past podcast or or tuning in for
the first time, or you know, maybe see I know
that guy, I've seen him somewhere, but maybe they don't
know the whole story. Tell us about you, tell us
about what you were like, let's go back to high school,
because you probably were an athlete.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I would think, Yeah, played basketball in high school. Still
fairly one of the tallest guys around. There might have
been one or two kids a little bit taller than me,
but it's not very often that I see that played
by basketball. All growing up through high school. Uh we
(01:58):
were required to run track playing basketball so that way
we could keep up with our endurance and cardio, our
cardio stuff, which was really smart because we never got
tired right enough and down to court, so it was
it was pretty nice.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
So you didn't play football.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
I did in little league. I wasn't as big den
as I am now, So basketball was more my forte
you know, tall, skinny, able to move quick. I was
actually approached by both my high school coaches, football and
(02:33):
basketball to actually choose one of the one of the
two because you know, they fall right right behind each other.
So you know, one coach didn't see it fair to
be picking up one of his star players right after
football season. So I was actually made to choose between
my coaches, and I chose basketball over football.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Okay, so when was it you decided that you wanted
to I mean, I'm sure you've been patriotic your whole life.
When did you decide that you wanted this or our country?
And then what branch did you go into?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
You know, that's that's always been a thing with me. There.
There really wasn't a specific point. You know, my uh
my my grandfather on my mother's side, you know, raised
me during during my younger years, and he was retired Navy,
So it's always been a bug in my ear. Later
(03:26):
on during my career, I did a lot of genealogy
work and stuff like that and found out that my
family's been in every conflict that America has ever been
in since the Revolutionary war, So it's it's kind of
in the blood. So so we we we we we
know why we gave up a full ride basketball scholarship
and doing the military. So it's it's always been a thing.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Okay, So you you tell us about so you decided
to go. How old were you when you joined?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I was twenty six when I joined up. Joined up
a little late. I was going to do it right
out of high school. I got two kids by a
previous marriage and she didn't want anything to do with
the military, so kind of put it off on hold.
But time finally came around. It was the right point
(04:17):
at the right time. We left at O six and
got ten years then before we got hurt.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Well, so tell us to tell us, so you joined
the Butch branch or was it again?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Tell us the United State's Army.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Uned States Army. I knew that, and it's just for
the listener, and so you're in there, yeah, And how
long were you in there for?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
We joined up julyb six and we was medically retired
out of October twenty seventh of twenty fifteen. So I
actually just passed my anniversary date last week.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Anniversary, Happy anniversary, Thank you, so tell us about the
injuries you sustained while you were in the army.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
So I was the acting motor sergeant at the time,
January seventh, twenty fourteen. I was on my way to
get my guys lunch. We've been working some really long
days doing command inventory and I hit black Ice on
Trooper drive, ran off one hundred and fifty foot Ravine
(05:19):
was actually showing the car picture to a few people
at the gala and I hit. I hit the ground
in the tree at the same time, crushed, crushed both
my legs. I lost the left one above the knee,
the right ones of the limb salvage. There's thirty screws,
four plates, and a tennis riding that right leg between
the kneecap and the ankle. Can't feel my right foot,
(05:41):
so it's almost like having a BK on the right
side because I can't feel my foot, so not able
to use my toes or anything like that to balance.
It's one of the reasons why I wear that brace
on my leg.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Tell us about that rehab and what it was, the
hell that you went through to go through that. How
long did it take?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
You know? Rehab was rehab was really not that great.
You know. It wasn't long after I lost my leg
that they did try to get me in, you know,
to transfer over into a wheelchair. Within like a week
(06:24):
or two of them amputating my leg, which was very,
very painful, especially for the right side. That's when they
kind of came to me and said that I really
wouldn't walk again. If I did that it would have
to be with crutches or a walker. I got transferred
to the Audie Murphy VA in March seventeenth of twenty fourteen,
(06:48):
actually on my birthday. The therapy there was probably the
best that I got the entire time that I was
in rehab, but it was more of conditioning my upper
body so that way it's easy to do my transfers
and stuff. They did have me on a bed strapped
(07:09):
down so I could put on a prosthetics for the
first time, but I wasn't up walking around or anything
like that. I was still pretty much bound to a wheelchair.
It was in a hospital for an entire year before
I was actually released to go home, so and even
even I was at the CFI on Fort Sam Houston,
(07:31):
which not a lot of people know about the CFI.
It's pretty much like it's kind of like Walter Reed,
but it's a one stop shop, especially for like amputees.
They make your prosthetics there, They do everything in that building.
I actually had to fire two of the first two
therapists that I had because they had already started my
(07:52):
medboard before I even got out of the hospital, so
they were already in the process of medically retired with
me before I even had a chance to step foot
in the CFIAH. So my therapists were just like, hey,
you know, take the walker, take the crutches, go upstairs
and try to walk, you know, And that was it,
Like they wouldn't pay any attention to the pain in
my leg, how difficult it was. I did end up
(08:15):
with a therapist though, that got me in this idea
of brace, which helped out with the pain dramatically. It
was he was able to help me go through some
motions with some crutches in a walker to kind of
show me how things are gonna work. But that was it.
I didn't do any more rehab after that. Everything after
that I taught myself.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
How much And I'm sure this is something that you
know we talked about that we've talked about the physical part,
spiritually and psychologically tell us the impact of what you
went through and how you're able to turn that around.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah. That wow, that one, That one took, Uh, that
one took a hard turn for quite a while. I
mean PTSD on top of the depression from not being
able to do anything with my kids, family kind of,
(09:13):
I mean family there but not there. Not there because
they didn't know how to act. They didn't know how
to react, you know. It was it was one of
those things. They knew that I was going through some
mental things with PTSD and whatnot, but it you know,
they just really didn't know how to act, so they
just didn't kind of come around. So it was a
(09:34):
dark place for quite a while, you know it. I
had to drag myself out of it. I spent five
years in that dark hole. Really wasn't around a lot
of people or whatnot. It's my shadow box right there
above my fireplace. That's That's what I looked at, and
(09:54):
I was like, you know what this is, this is
my fault. I need to get up off my butt
and start doing something for myself and quit thinking that
somebody is gonna come magically save me from how I'm feeling.
And that's what we did. We gotta tall ourselves how
to walk, played in the gym just a little bit.
February twenty twenty one came around and I hit the
(10:15):
gym five days a week, and once that happened, my
mental clarity came started coming back, you know, started being happy,
was able to do things with my kids. You know it.
I was feeling normal finally after all that.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Well, Number one, thank you for your service, and thank
you for inspiring so many people across the world.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
And appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Brother no I, we we appreciate you. Your story is
something that everybody can learn something from to get off
their asses and when they're feeling beat up and down,
because you could have very easily gave given up. And
so this leads me into this, how do you feel
about the fact that you were nominated for this military
(11:04):
gala that we just put on, and you know, tell
us a little bit about that experience and how you
felt about being there, and how was it for you
tell to tell the tell our brothers and sisters out
there what that experience was for for you, what it was.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Like that was such an honor man. First of all,
thank you all so much for for doing that for
for me and every and the other recipients. That was
That is definitely one thing that came out of left field.
That's something that I never thought was ever gonna happen.
But that was a true, true happy moment to see
(11:43):
the community has seen that the work that I've done,
the work that I'm trying to do for others with disabilities.
It's it's it's it's one of those signs that you're
on the right path. You know, you got people that
see to see your work and believe in you and
and the other people that you're inspiring to do great
(12:06):
things with their life and regain their purpose and fitness
and and ada disport. It's been amazing, you know, it's
it's definitely something to be proud of. Got to meet
some amazing people the couple of days that I was there. Uh,
you know, the hotel was amazing, the food was great. Uh,
(12:27):
the company was even better. You know, talk to the
other recipients, Uh, you know, being able to give a
speech up on stage and see the crowds reaction that
right there just warmed my heart to see everybody up
on their feet and clapping and and whatnot. Uh uh,
we're gonna be doing uh rob talking to Cake Munroe.
(12:48):
We're gonna be doing a little bit of work with Backcom.
Uh an amazing company that that I've just learned about. Uh.
Really happy to be to be part of that. And
to the other appiens, you know, just making contacts and
stuff like that and actually been able to talk to like,
you know, a few of them over the last couple
of days. It's been awesome and it's it's a really
(13:09):
really great experience and y'all did an amazing job putting
that on. I'm really really excited to see how much
it grows over the next few years too.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yeah, there's a lot, there's a lot we'd like to do.
But you know, I think what really transpired out of
that whole thing was the spirit of everybody that was there,
the human spirit of a very challenge, very obstacle. We
didn't candy coat anything. We let everybody kind of be
real and put it out there and be raw as
they could be. And I think that that's what resonated
(13:39):
with everybody there. Yeah, it made it made everything. It
was like getting hit in the face. It was a
reality check. It made everybody recheck their own lives and
also we live what they've gone through. But when you
think your stories, you know you've had a pretty challenging time.
But when you hear some of these other stories as well,
it puts things a little bit in perspective because you're
(14:01):
I mean, you know this because you're you know, you're
a very wise guy. But you're very, very smart and
have a lot of wisdom. But sometimes we forget there's
so many other people out there hurting like they are.
I mean, I mean, you knew this, we know that,
but actually you have a name and then get to
tell a story and get to be there with those people.
(14:23):
It brought I think it brought everybody together. I mean,
I can't tell you how many your responses we've been getting.
We're still getting them. And actually one of the NFL
players that was there, John Carney, who is probably one
of the greatest kickers of all time, reached out to
me a couple of days ago and he would like
to get in contact with you as well, and have
(14:44):
you talked to some of the NFL players. Uh, I
don't know what his idea plan is. I mean, I
know you're very inspirational, so he we're going to make
that contact for you too, So the NFL interested in
talking to you as well about your story. So I
didn't even tell Sarah Thiss. So this is the first
(15:04):
time she's heard this, and she might have known it
because she always finds out. But so we look forward
to next year and now let's talk about you had
a great time. I'm glad you did, and I'm glad
everything was nice for you, and hopefully you'll come back
next year. What happened on the way home when you
were going to the airport and the airlines.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Well, what's what we have is actually on the way
out there? Okay there, Yeah, So we got to check
in at the American Airline desk and sitting there waiting
my turn in line, I get called up to the desk,
put my suitcase on the on the wait table, and
(15:50):
the guy on my I V start checking in. Well,
the guy that I'm that I'm that I'm working with
speaks multiple languages. You can tell he's you know, he's Hispanic.
So there is a guy that just kind of rumbled
around in the back and decides to come around and
walk up front and start speaking to the intendant that
(16:13):
I'm working with, and this guy doesn't speak a lick
of English. So I didn't say anything because sometimes people
can multitask, you know, we were taught to do that
in the military, to multitask. But as he's trying to help,
this gentleman, he's putting in my information incorrectly. He had
(16:33):
to be on the wrong flight at the wrong time
and had been in a different seat than what was
paid for. And very politely as he was going over
the details, very politely asked him. I was like, sir,
I need you to pay attention to me. I was like,
I was here first. I was like, this gentleman jumped
(16:54):
out of line. I was like, you got my information
all wrong. Let's let's pay attention to what we got
going on right here. And and then he was like, first, second,
third person, what does it matter if you don't like it,
you can fly with another airline. So he was just
really really rude that he got called out on his mistakes.
That I wasn't rude about this, rude about it. I
(17:16):
mean I could have been, but I'm trying to get
somewhere and I'm just politely asked him just to pay attention.
And uh so we got things fixed. But the way
he was treating me and the way he was talking
towards me was very disrespectful. And I don't care if
(17:38):
your person with or with that disability doesn't deserve to
be talked to you like that.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Well, no, I agree with you. So did you? Can
you again mention the airline?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Well? Was that?
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Can you mention the airline?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Yeah? American Airlines?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Isn't that ironic?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Yeah? Yeah, I mean it is. I mean, you know,
you would think that they would know better at this point,
since they're going through a fifty million dollar lawsuit for
stuff like this. You know, Rob talked to one to
one person. They offered here, they offered one hundred dollars
credit on a flight, and we politely rejected. I spoke
(18:23):
the customer relations on Thursday, and yesterday they turned around
and offered a twenty five thousand flyer miles, which comes
to like four hundred and seventy three dollars. I told
the lady yesterday. I was like, man, I'm gonna politely
say no to that too, because the way I was
(18:46):
treated both at the counter and on the plane was
that was not that was that was not supposed to happen,
you know, And I told the lady. She asked, She's like, well,
what do you think will be fair? And I was like, well, one,
we want a public apology on your website. I want
(19:07):
three first three round trip first class tickets, so that
way that would help me out get the competitions and
stuff next year. And for them to have some type
of compliance officer if they don't have one already, that
goes around specifically to the flights that have people with
(19:29):
disabilities on them. One at the front desk, want at
the check in desk when you get on the plane,
and stuff like that, so that way there's somebody there
that's just for people with disabilities to make sure that
their transition from the time that you check in to
the time that you get on the plane is smooth
and polite and you're treated the way that you're supposed
(19:52):
to be treated. Now, they do have people that can
help you get from gate to gate, but they're not
all the time nice either. You know, sometimes it's like
a hassle for them just to push you in a
wheelchair down the down the aisle.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Well, you know what I think Roberts reached out, uh
to the American Airlines, of course, but uh, it sounds
to me like, uh, American Airlines probably needs to hire
my wife for customer service. He's for a good customer service.
So I'm wondering if maybe they they've dropped the ball
and they've missed the uh they miss what really is important,
(20:29):
which is if they don't have customers, they have no business,
and they have no business in the.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
You know, there's there's a lot of veterans that have
jumped up and started sharing these stories. Rob has worked
his butt off, bless his heart, y'all. If you're not
working with Robert Garcia, y'all are truly missing out on
one of the on the best pr man out there
right now. But it's you know, it's like they're subsidizing this,
(21:03):
like it like it's not like it doesn't mean anything
to them. You know, you got this big lawsuit going on,
and you just did this to a disabled veteran and
you're you're trying to find the right word for it.
It doesn't seem like you're taking it seriously. It seems like, oh,
you're we're just gonna throw a little bit this way,
(21:23):
and that he's gonna go away. No, it's not gonna
go away. And I explained that to the lady yesterday too.
I was like, because you're not, because you're not giving
us what we deserve and you're just trying to make
it subsidize it like it's something little. We're gonna continue
on with these stories, you know, until something's done, because
(21:47):
it's not. It's not just disabled veterans that we're fighting
for now. I'm fighting for everybody with disabilities, not one
person when the disability deserves to be treated like that.
Whenever it comes to flying on the airline, we're not
just taking trips. There's people with disabilities out there that
are going out of state to go see doctors because
(22:08):
they're specialtists are not in town, so they have no
choice but to fly somewhere else to get medical attention.
You know, you got kids that are disabled flying around.
You don't want to be disrespectful to that child or
that child's parent. You know. It's unfortunately, it seems like
astigmatism that's in the American society today, that people just
(22:31):
think they can treat people however the hell they want to,
and that's not the case. Respect is the biggest thing
out there. If you treat somebody with kindness and respect,
you're going to get so much more out of that
person than if you're just a total ass to them.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Did you or has Robert reached out to the CEO
of American Airlines?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
I think Robert has. Robert's reached out to quite quite
a number of people. He's even he's even put pictures
and websited email addresses to some of the some of
the employees that he's reached out to, So he's he's
climbed up the chain pretty good.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Good. Maybe we'll try to reach out to the CEO
of American Airlines as well and see if Weekend, is
there something you'd like to say to the CEO of
American Airlines? I mean, other other than what you just said,
something very quick and short to the point.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
You know, I on behalf of everybody with disabilities, especially
a disabled veteran who now was not combat wounded. I
was hurt on Fort Riley, but nevertheless I was serving
my country when I lost body parts. So that way
y'all are able to go walk the streets and do
whatever that you want to do on a daily day basis.
(23:50):
I think that there needs to be some retraining, and
I think there needs to be a little bit more
stricter rules that if you are respectful and you treat
a customer wrong, that you lose your job on the spot.
That man, that man that treated me that way, has
no right to be sitting in a customer service dealing
(24:14):
with people, you know, And for for y'all to just
kind of act like this isn't a big deal when
it's a very big deal, I think it's just even
more disrespectful. You know, your your company was just find
fifty million dollars for treating people with disabilities in a
bad way, and you're still doing it, and you think
(24:37):
that one hundred to four hundred bucks is going to
buy somebody's mouth to be shut about it when it's not.
You're not even you're not even actually trying to help
the person that was treated bad. You need to do better.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
How long ago was that lossuit for fifty dollars?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Not that long ago? I don't have the specific day
in front of me, but it really wasn't that long ago,
unless it still may be going on right now, but
it was not that long ago.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Okay, what word of inspiration can you give anybody out
there right now that maybe is down in their luck
having a really rough time, maybe feels like giving up. Unfortunately,
we have a very high suicide rate in the country
right now and with our veterans. What could you tell
somebody out there that maybe is contemplating that.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
YO to my brothers and sisters out there, I almost
became a part of that statistic of twenty two a day.
Life may seem hard, but here's something that I personally
have learned about life that all the bad things and
(25:49):
negative things, the hard times are meant to happen for
a reason. Okay, it's shaping us into the people that
we're supposed to be. And you have so many you
have so much family out here, so many military brothers
and sisters that are willing to lend a hand and
lend an ear to help you along your journey of
(26:13):
what you're going through. If you think that you can't
overcome something, I used to think that at one point
in time too. I had doctors in my ears telling
me that I would never walk again. You are able
to do anything that you set your mind to, and
you dig down deep and put in the work. You
have to put into work. Nothing is going to be
(26:34):
handed to you, but you have hands to help you along.
Your journey. There's so many of us out here. There's
resource numbers, there's amazing people like Brett Davis and Rob
Garcia and Kate Munroe, and there's so many of us
out there that are willing to lend that hand to
help you along your journey. That you are not alone,
(26:55):
no matter how much you think you are.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
I look forward to seeing you again end soon, hopefully
before not too long because the year is almost over.
But who knows, Maybe we'll come visit you. Yeah, man,
that'd be great. Come on, come on up to the Carolinas.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Man. We'll get you some good Southern cooking, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Now you're making me hungry. So one last, one last question,
because that was really a good way to end the show.
But one last question. What does the tattoo by your
eye mean? On your on your cheek? There?
Speaker 2 (27:28):
This one?
Speaker 1 (27:29):
So?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Uh? It is part of the North Pagan compass. This
helps keep evil entities, keeps you on the right path,
keeps you focused, positive, bond, positive body, positive spirit. Uh
and like I said, just keeps that that negative and
(27:50):
entities away from you. So it's it's a positive thing.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Well, you're very positive, guys. It doesn't surprise me, Brian.
You have a good rest of the weekend. Thank you
for everything. Do we have the website up there so
people can check out everything? What's up there? Good? Great?
And look forward to picking your brain and seeing how
we can make next year's event better and somewhere along
the way working on doing some type of fitness event
(28:19):
to where maybe people are challenged physically, mentally and spiritually with.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
You absolutely looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Okay, brother, you take care of yourself. Okay, God bless
you too.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
I'll have a great one you two. Brother.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
That's of course the amazing My friend, Big Country Brian
Conwell inspires me and everybody else. And if my wife
says he's a good guy, he's got to be a
good guy because she just doesn't say that about anybody.
Everybody take care God bless Next time you see a
veteran in the grocery store line at a restaurant, quietly
(28:53):
pay for the groceries, or pay for a meal, or
just go up and say thank you for your service.
It doesn't take that much. Everybody take care of us
at your support.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Brother,
Hello, everybody, welcome to my show this morning. Uh, this
is a special report because we typically don't do podcast
on Saturday, so this has got to be a pretty
big deal. And it is a big deal because we're
dealing with a big guy with a big heart. Uh Brian,
of course, big country. How are you doing this morning
or this afternoon?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Doing pretty good man, wonderful weather, off season training, you know,
just living life, fixing the fix, the take THEO to
fix the take the wife out to eat. Here in
just a little bit, have some have some bake time.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
One of my one of my favorite hobbies is to eat.
It's one of my favorite. Oh yeah, yours too?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Right? Yeah, Well that's that's That's a good part about
being the athlete that I am and having to throw
and have muscles. You get to eat. You get to
eat a lot.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
We did not get a chance to hang out and
take you around to go eat. So next time you're
in town, we have to take you around to you
Just say, Brett, I am craving biscuits and gravy. Where
I want to good pork rib and we will take
you out. We just didn't get a chant enough time.
It seemed like everything will buy too quick.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Oh yeah, looking forward to it. Yeah, we're we're me
and me and uh, me and Robs. We talked, we're
definitely gonna get back out there, so that way we
can come hang out brain and wife with us this time.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
I appreciate it. So what's for the for anybody that
hasn't seen our past podcast or or tuning in for
the first time, or you know, maybe see I know
that guy, I've seen him somewhere, but maybe they don't
know the whole story. Tell us about you, tell us
about what you were like, let's go back to high school,
because you probably were an athlete.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I would think, Yeah, played basketball in high school. Still
fairly one of the tallest guys around. There might have
been one or two kids a little bit taller than me,
but it's not very often that I see that played
by basketball. All growing up through high school. Uh we
(01:58):
were required to run track playing basketball so that way
we could keep up with our endurance and cardio, our
cardio stuff, which was really smart because we never got
tired right enough and down to court, so it was
it was pretty nice.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
So you didn't play football.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
I did in little league. I wasn't as big den
as I am now, So basketball was more my forte
you know, tall, skinny, able to move quick. I was
actually approached by both my high school coaches, football and
(02:33):
basketball to actually choose one of the one of the
two because you know, they fall right right behind each other.
So you know, one coach didn't see it fair to
be picking up one of his star players right after
football season. So I was actually made to choose between
my coaches, and I chose basketball over football.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Okay, so when was it you decided that you wanted
to I mean, I'm sure you've been patriotic your whole life.
When did you decide that you wanted this or our country?
And then what branch did you go into?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
You know, that's that's always been a thing with me. There.
There really wasn't a specific point. You know, my uh
my my grandfather on my mother's side, you know, raised
me during during my younger years, and he was retired Navy,
So it's always been a bug in my ear. Later
(03:26):
on during my career, I did a lot of genealogy
work and stuff like that and found out that my
family's been in every conflict that America has ever been
in since the Revolutionary war, So it's it's kind of
in the blood. So so we we we we we
know why we gave up a full ride basketball scholarship
and doing the military. So it's it's always been a thing.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Okay, So you you tell us about so you decided
to go. How old were you when you joined?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
I was twenty six when I joined up. Joined up
a little late. I was going to do it right
out of high school. I got two kids by a
previous marriage and she didn't want anything to do with
the military, so kind of put it off on hold.
But time finally came around. It was the right point
(04:17):
at the right time. We left at O six and
got ten years then before we got hurt.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Well, so tell us to tell us, so you joined
the Butch branch or was it again?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Tell us the United State's Army.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Uned States Army. I knew that, and it's just for
the listener, and so you're in there, yeah, And how
long were you in there for?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
We joined up julyb six and we was medically retired
out of October twenty seventh of twenty fifteen. So I
actually just passed my anniversary date last week.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Anniversary, Happy anniversary, Thank you, so tell us about the
injuries you sustained while you were in the army.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
So I was the acting motor sergeant at the time,
January seventh, twenty fourteen. I was on my way to
get my guys lunch. We've been working some really long
days doing command inventory and I hit black Ice on
Trooper drive, ran off one hundred and fifty foot Ravine
(05:19):
was actually showing the car picture to a few people
at the gala and I hit. I hit the ground
in the tree at the same time, crushed, crushed both
my legs. I lost the left one above the knee,
the right ones of the limb salvage. There's thirty screws,
four plates, and a tennis riding that right leg between
the kneecap and the ankle. Can't feel my right foot,
(05:41):
so it's almost like having a BK on the right
side because I can't feel my foot, so not able
to use my toes or anything like that to balance.
It's one of the reasons why I wear that brace
on my leg.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Tell us about that rehab and what it was, the
hell that you went through to go through that. How
long did it take?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
You know? Rehab was rehab was really not that great.
You know. It wasn't long after I lost my leg
that they did try to get me in, you know,
to transfer over into a wheelchair. Within like a week
(06:24):
or two of them amputating my leg, which was very,
very painful, especially for the right side. That's when they
kind of came to me and said that I really
wouldn't walk again. If I did that it would have
to be with crutches or a walker. I got transferred
to the Audie Murphy VA in March seventeenth of twenty fourteen,
(06:48):
actually on my birthday. The therapy there was probably the
best that I got the entire time that I was
in rehab, but it was more of conditioning my upper
body so that way it's easy to do my transfers
and stuff. They did have me on a bed strapped
(07:09):
down so I could put on a prosthetics for the
first time, but I wasn't up walking around or anything
like that. I was still pretty much bound to a wheelchair.
It was in a hospital for an entire year before
I was actually released to go home, so and even
even I was at the CFI on Fort Sam Houston,
(07:31):
which not a lot of people know about the CFI.
It's pretty much like it's kind of like Walter Reed,
but it's a one stop shop, especially for like amputees.
They make your prosthetics there, They do everything in that building.
I actually had to fire two of the first two
therapists that I had because they had already started my
(07:52):
medboard before I even got out of the hospital, so
they were already in the process of medically retired with
me before I even had a chance to step foot
in the CFIAH. So my therapists were just like, hey,
you know, take the walker, take the crutches, go upstairs
and try to walk, you know, And that was it,
Like they wouldn't pay any attention to the pain in
my leg, how difficult it was. I did end up
(08:15):
with a therapist though, that got me in this idea
of brace, which helped out with the pain dramatically. It
was he was able to help me go through some
motions with some crutches in a walker to kind of
show me how things are gonna work. But that was it.
I didn't do any more rehab after that. Everything after
that I taught myself.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
How much And I'm sure this is something that you
know we talked about that we've talked about the physical part,
spiritually and psychologically tell us the impact of what you
went through and how you're able to turn that around.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah. That wow, that one, That one took, Uh, that
one took a hard turn for quite a while. I
mean PTSD on top of the depression from not being
able to do anything with my kids, family kind of,
(09:13):
I mean family there but not there. Not there because
they didn't know how to act. They didn't know how
to react, you know. It was it was one of
those things. They knew that I was going through some
mental things with PTSD and whatnot, but it you know,
they just really didn't know how to act, so they
just didn't kind of come around. So it was a
(09:34):
dark place for quite a while, you know it. I
had to drag myself out of it. I spent five
years in that dark hole. Really wasn't around a lot
of people or whatnot. It's my shadow box right there
above my fireplace. That's That's what I looked at, and
(09:54):
I was like, you know what this is, this is
my fault. I need to get up off my butt
and start doing something for myself and quit thinking that
somebody is gonna come magically save me from how I'm feeling.
And that's what we did. We gotta tall ourselves how
to walk, played in the gym just a little bit.
February twenty twenty one came around and I hit the
(10:15):
gym five days a week, and once that happened, my
mental clarity came started coming back, you know, started being happy,
was able to do things with my kids. You know it.
I was feeling normal finally after all that.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Well, Number one, thank you for your service, and thank
you for inspiring so many people across the world.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
And appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Brother no I, we we appreciate you. Your story is
something that everybody can learn something from to get off
their asses and when they're feeling beat up and down,
because you could have very easily gave given up. And
so this leads me into this, how do you feel
about the fact that you were nominated for this military
(11:04):
gala that we just put on, and you know, tell
us a little bit about that experience and how you
felt about being there, and how was it for you
tell to tell the tell our brothers and sisters out
there what that experience was for for you, what it was.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Like that was such an honor man. First of all,
thank you all so much for for doing that for
for me and every and the other recipients. That was
That is definitely one thing that came out of left field.
That's something that I never thought was ever gonna happen.
But that was a true, true happy moment to see
(11:43):
the community has seen that the work that I've done,
the work that I'm trying to do for others with disabilities.
It's it's it's it's one of those signs that you're
on the right path. You know, you got people that
see to see your work and believe in you and
and the other people that you're inspiring to do great
(12:06):
things with their life and regain their purpose and fitness
and and ada disport. It's been amazing, you know, it's
it's definitely something to be proud of. Got to meet
some amazing people the couple of days that I was there. Uh,
you know, the hotel was amazing, the food was great. Uh,
(12:27):
the company was even better. You know, talk to the
other recipients, Uh, you know, being able to give a
speech up on stage and see the crowds reaction that
right there just warmed my heart to see everybody up
on their feet and clapping and and whatnot. Uh uh,
we're gonna be doing uh rob talking to Cake Munroe.
(12:48):
We're gonna be doing a little bit of work with Backcom.
Uh an amazing company that that I've just learned about. Uh.
Really happy to be to be part of that. And
to the other appiens, you know, just making contacts and
stuff like that and actually been able to talk to like,
you know, a few of them over the last couple
of days. It's been awesome and it's it's a really
(13:09):
really great experience and y'all did an amazing job putting
that on. I'm really really excited to see how much
it grows over the next few years too.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yeah, there's a lot, there's a lot we'd like to do.
But you know, I think what really transpired out of
that whole thing was the spirit of everybody that was there,
the human spirit of a very challenge, very obstacle. We
didn't candy coat anything. We let everybody kind of be
real and put it out there and be raw as
they could be. And I think that that's what resonated
(13:39):
with everybody there. Yeah, it made it made everything. It
was like getting hit in the face. It was a
reality check. It made everybody recheck their own lives and
also we live what they've gone through. But when you
think your stories, you know you've had a pretty challenging time.
But when you hear some of these other stories as well,
it puts things a little bit in perspective because you're
(14:01):
I mean, you know this because you're you know, you're
a very wise guy. But you're very, very smart and
have a lot of wisdom. But sometimes we forget there's
so many other people out there hurting like they are.
I mean, I mean, you knew this, we know that,
but actually you have a name and then get to
tell a story and get to be there with those people.
(14:23):
It brought I think it brought everybody together. I mean,
I can't tell you how many your responses we've been getting.
We're still getting them. And actually one of the NFL
players that was there, John Carney, who is probably one
of the greatest kickers of all time, reached out to
me a couple of days ago and he would like
to get in contact with you as well, and have
(14:44):
you talked to some of the NFL players. Uh, I
don't know what his idea plan is. I mean, I
know you're very inspirational, so he we're going to make
that contact for you too, So the NFL interested in
talking to you as well about your story. So I
didn't even tell Sarah Thiss. So this is the first
(15:04):
time she's heard this, and she might have known it
because she always finds out. But so we look forward
to next year and now let's talk about you had
a great time. I'm glad you did, and I'm glad
everything was nice for you, and hopefully you'll come back
next year. What happened on the way home when you
were going to the airport and the airlines.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Well, what's what we have is actually on the way
out there? Okay there, Yeah, So we got to check
in at the American Airline desk and sitting there waiting
my turn in line, I get called up to the desk,
put my suitcase on the on the wait table, and
(15:50):
the guy on my I V start checking in. Well,
the guy that I'm that I'm that I'm working with
speaks multiple languages. You can tell he's you know, he's Hispanic.
So there is a guy that just kind of rumbled
around in the back and decides to come around and
walk up front and start speaking to the intendant that
(16:13):
I'm working with, and this guy doesn't speak a lick
of English. So I didn't say anything because sometimes people
can multitask, you know, we were taught to do that
in the military, to multitask. But as he's trying to help,
this gentleman, he's putting in my information incorrectly. He had
(16:33):
to be on the wrong flight at the wrong time
and had been in a different seat than what was
paid for. And very politely as he was going over
the details, very politely asked him. I was like, sir,
I need you to pay attention to me. I was like,
I was here first. I was like, this gentleman jumped
(16:54):
out of line. I was like, you got my information
all wrong. Let's let's pay attention to what we got
going on right here. And and then he was like, first, second,
third person, what does it matter if you don't like it,
you can fly with another airline. So he was just
really really rude that he got called out on his mistakes.
That I wasn't rude about this, rude about it. I
(17:16):
mean I could have been, but I'm trying to get
somewhere and I'm just politely asked him just to pay attention.
And uh so we got things fixed. But the way
he was treating me and the way he was talking
towards me was very disrespectful. And I don't care if
(17:38):
your person with or with that disability doesn't deserve to
be talked to you like that.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Well, no, I agree with you. So did you? Can
you again mention the airline?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Well? Was that?
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Can you mention the airline?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Yeah? American Airlines?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Isn't that ironic?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Yeah? Yeah, I mean it is. I mean, you know,
you would think that they would know better at this point,
since they're going through a fifty million dollar lawsuit for
stuff like this. You know, Rob talked to one to
one person. They offered here, they offered one hundred dollars
credit on a flight, and we politely rejected. I spoke
(18:23):
the customer relations on Thursday, and yesterday they turned around
and offered a twenty five thousand flyer miles, which comes
to like four hundred and seventy three dollars. I told
the lady yesterday. I was like, man, I'm gonna politely
say no to that too, because the way I was
(18:46):
treated both at the counter and on the plane was
that was not that was that was not supposed to happen,
you know, And I told the lady. She asked, She's like, well,
what do you think will be fair? And I was like, well, one,
we want a public apology on your website. I want
(19:07):
three first three round trip first class tickets, so that
way that would help me out get the competitions and
stuff next year. And for them to have some type
of compliance officer if they don't have one already, that
goes around specifically to the flights that have people with
(19:29):
disabilities on them. One at the front desk, want at
the check in desk when you get on the plane,
and stuff like that, so that way there's somebody there
that's just for people with disabilities to make sure that
their transition from the time that you check in to
the time that you get on the plane is smooth
and polite and you're treated the way that you're supposed
(19:52):
to be treated. Now, they do have people that can
help you get from gate to gate, but they're not
all the time nice either. You know, sometimes it's like
a hassle for them just to push you in a
wheelchair down the down the aisle.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Well, you know what I think Roberts reached out, uh
to the American Airlines, of course, but uh, it sounds
to me like, uh, American Airlines probably needs to hire
my wife for customer service. He's for a good customer service.
So I'm wondering if maybe they they've dropped the ball
and they've missed the uh they miss what really is important,
(20:29):
which is if they don't have customers, they have no business,
and they have no business in the.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
You know, there's there's a lot of veterans that have
jumped up and started sharing these stories. Rob has worked
his butt off, bless his heart, y'all. If you're not
working with Robert Garcia, y'all are truly missing out on
one of the on the best pr man out there
right now. But it's you know, it's like they're subsidizing this,
(21:03):
like it like it's not like it doesn't mean anything
to them. You know, you got this big lawsuit going on,
and you just did this to a disabled veteran and
you're you're trying to find the right word for it.
It doesn't seem like you're taking it seriously. It seems like, oh,
you're we're just gonna throw a little bit this way,
(21:23):
and that he's gonna go away. No, it's not gonna
go away. And I explained that to the lady yesterday too.
I was like, because you're not, because you're not giving
us what we deserve and you're just trying to make
it subsidize it like it's something little. We're gonna continue
on with these stories, you know, until something's done, because
(21:47):
it's not. It's not just disabled veterans that we're fighting
for now. I'm fighting for everybody with disabilities, not one
person when the disability deserves to be treated like that.
Whenever it comes to flying on the airline, we're not
just taking trips. There's people with disabilities out there that
are going out of state to go see doctors because
(22:08):
they're specialtists are not in town, so they have no
choice but to fly somewhere else to get medical attention.
You know, you got kids that are disabled flying around.
You don't want to be disrespectful to that child or
that child's parent. You know. It's unfortunately, it seems like
astigmatism that's in the American society today, that people just
(22:31):
think they can treat people however the hell they want to,
and that's not the case. Respect is the biggest thing
out there. If you treat somebody with kindness and respect,
you're going to get so much more out of that
person than if you're just a total ass to them.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Did you or has Robert reached out to the CEO
of American Airlines?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
I think Robert has. Robert's reached out to quite quite
a number of people. He's even he's even put pictures
and websited email addresses to some of the some of
the employees that he's reached out to, So he's he's
climbed up the chain pretty good.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Good. Maybe we'll try to reach out to the CEO
of American Airlines as well and see if Weekend, is
there something you'd like to say to the CEO of
American Airlines? I mean, other other than what you just said,
something very quick and short to the point.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
You know, I on behalf of everybody with disabilities, especially
a disabled veteran who now was not combat wounded. I
was hurt on Fort Riley, but nevertheless I was serving
my country when I lost body parts. So that way
y'all are able to go walk the streets and do
whatever that you want to do on a daily day basis.
(23:50):
I think that there needs to be some retraining, and
I think there needs to be a little bit more
stricter rules that if you are respectful and you treat
a customer wrong, that you lose your job on the spot.
That man, that man that treated me that way, has
no right to be sitting in a customer service dealing
(24:14):
with people, you know, And for for y'all to just
kind of act like this isn't a big deal when
it's a very big deal, I think it's just even
more disrespectful. You know, your your company was just find
fifty million dollars for treating people with disabilities in a
bad way, and you're still doing it, and you think
(24:37):
that one hundred to four hundred bucks is going to
buy somebody's mouth to be shut about it when it's not.
You're not even you're not even actually trying to help
the person that was treated bad. You need to do better.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
How long ago was that lossuit for fifty dollars?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Not that long ago? I don't have the specific day
in front of me, but it really wasn't that long ago,
unless it still may be going on right now, but
it was not that long ago.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Okay, what word of inspiration can you give anybody out
there right now that maybe is down in their luck
having a really rough time, maybe feels like giving up. Unfortunately,
we have a very high suicide rate in the country
right now and with our veterans. What could you tell
somebody out there that maybe is contemplating that.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
YO to my brothers and sisters out there, I almost
became a part of that statistic of twenty two a day.
Life may seem hard, but here's something that I personally
have learned about life that all the bad things and
(25:49):
negative things, the hard times are meant to happen for
a reason. Okay, it's shaping us into the people that
we're supposed to be. And you have so many you
have so much family out here, so many military brothers
and sisters that are willing to lend a hand and
lend an ear to help you along your journey of
(26:13):
what you're going through. If you think that you can't
overcome something, I used to think that at one point
in time too. I had doctors in my ears telling
me that I would never walk again. You are able
to do anything that you set your mind to, and
you dig down deep and put in the work. You
have to put into work. Nothing is going to be
(26:34):
handed to you, but you have hands to help you along.
Your journey. There's so many of us out here. There's
resource numbers, there's amazing people like Brett Davis and Rob
Garcia and Kate Munroe, and there's so many of us
out there that are willing to lend that hand to
help you along your journey. That you are not alone,
(26:55):
no matter how much you think you are.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
I look forward to seeing you again end soon, hopefully
before not too long because the year is almost over.
But who knows, Maybe we'll come visit you. Yeah, man,
that'd be great. Come on, come on up to the Carolinas.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Man. We'll get you some good Southern cooking, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Now you're making me hungry. So one last, one last question,
because that was really a good way to end the show.
But one last question. What does the tattoo by your
eye mean? On your on your cheek? There?
Speaker 2 (27:28):
This one?
Speaker 1 (27:29):
So?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Uh? It is part of the North Pagan compass. This
helps keep evil entities, keeps you on the right path,
keeps you focused, positive, bond, positive body, positive spirit. Uh
and like I said, just keeps that that negative and
(27:50):
entities away from you. So it's it's a positive thing.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Well, you're very positive, guys. It doesn't surprise me, Brian.
You have a good rest of the weekend. Thank you
for everything. Do we have the website up there so
people can check out everything? What's up there? Good? Great?
And look forward to picking your brain and seeing how
we can make next year's event better and somewhere along
the way working on doing some type of fitness event
(28:19):
to where maybe people are challenged physically, mentally and spiritually with.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
You absolutely looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Okay, brother, you take care of yourself. Okay, God bless
you too.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
I'll have a great one you two. Brother.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
That's of course the amazing My friend, Big Country Brian
Conwell inspires me and everybody else. And if my wife
says he's a good guy, he's got to be a
good guy because she just doesn't say that about anybody.
Everybody take care God bless Next time you see a
veteran in the grocery store line at a restaurant, quietly
(28:53):
pay for the groceries, or pay for a meal, or
just go up and say thank you for your service.
It doesn't take that much. Everybody take care of us
at your support.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Brother,
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