WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:04.679 Great to be with you on another nightcap here on 2 00:00:04.839 --> 00:00:08.199 seven hundred Wlody of the Reds on All Star Break, 3 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:11.279 which means I get to talk to you. And some 4 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:16.640 very special people guessed that I have chosen myself for 5 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:20.440 this because they just sounded like something that a nightcap 6 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:26.480 broadcast would air. And as we continue this evening speaking 7 00:00:26.519 --> 00:00:32.039 to George Lutz. George Lutz is a gold Star father 8 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:36.679 and for most of us, you know what that means. 9 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:41.200 Gold star father's, gold star mother's, gold star families. It 10 00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:46.479 means that they have lost one of their own while 11 00:00:46.520 --> 00:00:49.600 they were serving our country and defending our freedom. And 12 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:54.840 George's story is unique. He has written a book that 13 00:00:55.759 --> 00:00:59.920 we will get into and talk about. Title is Tragedy 14 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:04.079 to tribute one father's grief fuels a passionate journey to 15 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:08.079 change the mindset of a nation. And I will say 16 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:10.760 as we began, George, and by the way, welcome to 17 00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:11.200 the show. 18 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:15.159 Well, thank you very much. Gary. It's an honor to 19 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:15.920 be with you today. 20 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:21.000 This is all about and originated with the loss of 21 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:24.599 your son, George Tony Lutz the second, who was killed 22 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:28.680 in Fallujah, Iraq, in December of two thousand and five. 23 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:33.680 So it's been almost twenty years now, and you know 24 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:37.359 the first question I want to ask you, does the 25 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:41.640 pain ever really go away when it comes to the 26 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:46.079 loss of your son. Hence, almost twenty years now, my guest, 27 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:48.319 my guest would be probably not, But. 28 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:53.439 Go ahead, yeah, no, Gary, I will tell you that 29 00:01:54.599 --> 00:01:57.239 you know at this point, I mean, you know, a 30 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:00.560 year later, five years later, ten years later, you know, 31 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:05.079 it becomes a scab and it's something that you learn 32 00:02:05.239 --> 00:02:10.319 to deal with right and you know, anything can trigger it. 33 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:16.039 Write a favorite song, you know, a color, a smell 34 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:21.400 of finding another, a letter, or you know, anything that 35 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:24.280 you know, going to a location where he might have 36 00:02:24.360 --> 00:02:26.759 been a high school. I mean, there's so many triggers 37 00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:30.319 that happened. And you know, this is twenty years for me. 38 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:33.319 But I will tell you that I have met thousands 39 00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:36.080 of families now that have been going through it from 40 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:36.919 every generation. 41 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:39.000 And I will talk. 42 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:43.599 To mothers who have lost their their sons in Vietnam, 43 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.840 and it is something that is always on the edge, 44 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:51.560 you know, every single day, because you know what happens. 45 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:54.400 If I could paint this picture. 46 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:57.199 For you, is that you know when you know, when 47 00:02:57.240 --> 00:02:58.000 you know. 48 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:00.039 That you're not going to hear their voice again. And 49 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:03.120 when they're not going to walk through that front door again, 50 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:08.520 you know, the the memories, the new memories cease at 51 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:12.639 that moment. Right, all you have is everything that came 52 00:03:12.680 --> 00:03:16.280 before that moment. And so the greatest fear of a 53 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:19.560 family member is that they're going to forget what they 54 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:23.080 look like, what they sounded like. And so you have 55 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:27.360 to hold on to everything that came before. And that 56 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:31.919 is the it's like being in purgatory, you know, in 57 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:34.479 a sense, because you have to keep that top of 58 00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:38.599 mind all the time. Otherwise that greatest fear is that 59 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:42.680 you forget them, and so it never goes away. You've 60 00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:46.479 and even the family member, like I have five children, 61 00:03:47.199 --> 00:03:51.120 and so the other children, right will often go, well, 62 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:53.840 how come you know we're you know, we we have 63 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:56.759 to keep talking about this, you know, you know, you 64 00:03:56.800 --> 00:04:00.039 know I'm right here, you know, love on me, And 65 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:01.280 I go, yeah, but I'm. 66 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:03.599 Never going to get another memory of your brother. 67 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:05.159 Right right? 68 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:06.000 Oh? 69 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:09.759 Absolutely, absolutely, so go ahead. 70 00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:11.879 No, you go, that's good. 71 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:15.840 That's a good place, all right. I didn't mean to. 72 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:20.040 It's not about trying to pick that scab or bring 73 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:22.800 the pain back for you. But uh, if you could 74 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:26.560 a little bit tell me about Tony. Tell tell me 75 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:31.199 about the boy that you raised and fathered and then 76 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:34.040 decided to go into the military to serve our country. 77 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:37.600 What was he like as a kid in high school 78 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:39.879 and as he grew into a man. 79 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:45.759 Well, Tony was always competitive, you know, he loved to 80 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:49.000 be in there and be competitive athletically. 81 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:50.759 You know, he began. 82 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:55.319 Running you know, five k's and mile events back when 83 00:04:55.319 --> 00:04:56.560 he was eleven years old. 84 00:04:56.639 --> 00:04:59.160 Wow, and every every year. 85 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:01.680 From when he was eleven, and you know he continued 86 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:06.160 that running weekend after weekend. He played baseball in high school. 87 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:08.600 He wasn't the best, but he always wanted to be 88 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:12.519 out there competing, and you know, he became the captain 89 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:16.000 of the team. He set the record in his high school. 90 00:05:16.439 --> 00:05:20.839 He went on to be the captain of his college team. 91 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:25.319 And you know, always put himself out there. Very very friendly, 92 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:30.240 very salesman like, you know, very gregarious. If you walked 93 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:32.879 into a he walked into a room, you would know 94 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:33.480 his name. 95 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:35.279 When he left. Very extroverted. 96 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:38.480 But the funny thing as a child, he didn't even 97 00:05:38.519 --> 00:05:43.040 talk until he was three years old because because his sister, 98 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:46.720 who was two years older than him, did all the 99 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:50.600 talking for him. So anything that Tony needed, she would 100 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:51.040 tell you. 101 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:51.720 That he needed. 102 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:56.040 Right, Tony wants this, Tony needs this. And so at 103 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:59.560 one point he ended up rebelling and I think coming 104 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:02.920 out of his shell. And and so you know, fast 105 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:08.680 forward nine to eleven happened. Tony was married, had a child, 106 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:12.160 and decided that he had a skill set that would make. 107 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:18.720 A difference eleven. Nine to eleven then was the catalyst. 108 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:19.959 For nine to eleven, was the catalyst for so many 109 00:06:20.680 --> 00:06:23.879 and he wanted to join the army and he wanted 110 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:28.439 to make a difference. He had a very unique skill set. 111 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:31.439 He was a very you know, as I said, he 112 00:06:31.480 --> 00:06:35.879 had he had had a sales mentality, right, so he 113 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:41.399 went into this job description called psychological operations, which was. 114 00:06:41.399 --> 00:06:43.959 A way of winning the enemy. 115 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:49.759 Over psychologically right, trying to save lives without bombs, and 116 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:53.680 and he was very very good at it. And so 117 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:57.519 that that was him as a kid. He he always 118 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:02.120 challenged himself. He always put himself others above himself. He 119 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:04.959 was he was a man of faith, and you know, 120 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:09.319 believe that God was always protecting him. The last conversation 121 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:13.079 I had with Hungary was, hey, you know, be careful, 122 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:16.560 and he said, you know, God is literally my shield, 123 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:18.959 and what should you say to that? 124 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:23.199 There's no answer for that. And he's dead on right, 125 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:27.680 And I'm glad to know, as as someone who was 126 00:07:27.720 --> 00:07:30.160 also a believer, I'm glad to know that he had 127 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:37.240 that in his life, in his being. And we know 128 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:42.360 that he is gone to a place that we all 129 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:46.199 aspire to go some day when our time on earth 130 00:07:46.279 --> 00:07:51.680 is done. He had a child, your grandchild who is now. 131 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:55.959 He ended up having two children before he passed. And 132 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:58.560 we had a boy and a girl three months old 133 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:02.600 and three years old. And uh, so you know they're now, 134 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:07.360 you know, in their twenties, right, and both in college 135 00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:08.600 actually both finished in. 136 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:11.360 College, and very proud of them. 137 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:14.879 And they've gone on to to have a great life, 138 00:08:15.319 --> 00:08:19.000 but didn't really know their father. And you know that's 139 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:23.560 the tragedy of you know, having a dad gone too soon. 140 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:27.439 How is his How is his wife? How does how 141 00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:31.319 did his wife? Uh and this is a stupid question, probably, 142 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:34.240 but how did his wife handle this and deal with it? 143 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:38.039 Because it's well, it's awfully hard for a father, for 144 00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:42.200 a spouse with young children, it's got to be incredibly 145 00:08:42.279 --> 00:08:44.679 difficult to wrap your head around this. 146 00:08:45.720 --> 00:08:48.440 Yeah, sure, you know, you know she he was the 147 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:53.200 love of her life. And uh, you know, as I say, uh, 148 00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:56.039 you know one that was very involved as a father 149 00:08:56.120 --> 00:08:59.720 and a husband, and you know, it was tragic, it 150 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:03.679 was were horrific, and you know, luckily she was able 151 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:08.159 to move closer to us and Tony's siblings and then 152 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:12.360 she eventually remarried to an amazing man and has got 153 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:13.720 a really solid life now. 154 00:09:14.279 --> 00:09:17.639 So it you know, things work out right. 155 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:22.559 We go forward, we grieve, we learn to deal, and 156 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:25.000 hopefully we make things positive for us. 157 00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:29.159 We're talking to George Lutz, the author of Tragedy to tribute. 158 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:32.279 One father's grief fuels a passionate journey to change the 159 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:35.799 mindset of a nation. And when you say change the 160 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:40.000 mindset of a nation, a lot of things happened. A 161 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:44.240 lot of things happened during nine to eleven to this country. 162 00:09:44.679 --> 00:09:47.559 We became closer as a nation, at least for a 163 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:51.720 little while. We also had a greater respect for the 164 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:57.000 men and women who volunteer to wear our uniforms and 165 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:00.360 represent us and defend our freedom around the world world 166 00:10:00.440 --> 00:10:04.840 When they are called, uh, what is happened? 167 00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:05.120 What is that? 168 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:07.679 Let me go ahead, please. 169 00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:10.159 I was gonna say, let's let me let me uh. 170 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:16.399 Jump off of that thought, because there's some very real 171 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:21.240 statistics involved with that, some of which I just noticed myself. 172 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:22.639 And you know have written about. 173 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:26.480 But let's take that nine to eleven incident, when on 174 00:10:26.679 --> 00:10:29.879 nine to twelve we became the most patriotic nation. 175 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:30.279 In the world. 176 00:10:30.440 --> 00:10:33.519 I know, right, you couldn't you couldn't find an American 177 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:37.919 flag anywhere to buy because we just scooped them all up, 178 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:43.639 and so we went into this this crazy patriotic mode 179 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:45.840 for a very short time. 180 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:50.240 So this is the way I envision it is that 181 00:10:50.679 --> 00:10:51.200 on nine. 182 00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:54.519 To twelve, we couldn't find an American flag. Everybody was patriotic. 183 00:10:55.080 --> 00:10:58.960 Three months later, those flags were fading a little bit, 184 00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:03.600 you know, six months later, those flags were tattered, and 185 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:09.000 twelve months later there wasn't anybody flying the American flag. 186 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:11.399 That wasn't flying it on nine to ten. 187 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:17.000 So we quickly moved on because we didn't have any 188 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:20.279 stake in the game. You know, we became very patriotic, 189 00:11:20.440 --> 00:11:23.440 and then we quickly you know, went back to where 190 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:26.480 we were and moved on, you know, as everybody does 191 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:30.919 in every situation, and so I realized, you know, when 192 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:35.279 when my son died, that I was part of that apathy. 193 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:40.039 You know, I was this typical American who flew an 194 00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:43.759 American flag. But you know, I wasn't any more patriotic 195 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:47.320 than the next person. I wasn't thinking about sacrifice. I 196 00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:51.200 wasn't doing anything any more than anybody else was. You know, 197 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:53.279 Memorial Day was a picnic. 198 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:53.679 You know day to me. 199 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:57.879 And so after he died, when I actually had skin 200 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:01.279 in the game, I became the super patriot. 201 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:02.919 Right. I got the biggest. 202 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:04.960 Flag pole I could put in my yard, with the 203 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:07.799 biggest flag I could put on it. And I think 204 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:13.360 that that's the way most Americans are. You've heard the 205 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:17.799 statistics that less than one percent of Americans are serving, right, 206 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:20.799 there's a very few number of us that are actually 207 00:12:21.480 --> 00:12:25.480 enlisting and putting their names, you know, on the dotted line. Recently, 208 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:29.759 I went to a conference of veterans of veterans, you know, 209 00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:35.879 appointed veterans in charge of veterans affairs and leadership in 210 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:40.240 all fifty states, and I kind of unofficially pulled them 211 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:43.519 and asked, well, how many people really are connected? Because 212 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:46.480 I want to know what that universe looks like out there. 213 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:51.440 And basically from got I got from a consensus of 214 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:55.799 this group who represent veterans all over America, that it's 215 00:12:55.879 --> 00:13:00.879 probably about eight percent that actually include veterans, you know, 216 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:04.080 include all of those who would be connected, you know, 217 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:06.559 somehow to a military relationship. 218 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:07.759 Eight percent. 219 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:11.440 I mean that was you know, kind of an evangelistic number. 220 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:15.639 And so I'm thinking, let's make it ten percent. That 221 00:13:15.720 --> 00:13:20.320 there's ninety percent of Americans who really don't get it right. 222 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:22.720 You really don't understand. 223 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:23.679 What sacrifice means. 224 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:28.039 And I've seen some polls recently that show between fifty 225 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:33.320 and eighty percent of Americans don't know what Memorial Day 226 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:37.120 is for. So if you have over half the country 227 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.960 who doesn't know what Memorial Day is for, and you 228 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:42.879 have ninety percent of them who have no military connection, 229 00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:45.799 then there's a lot of education that we could be 230 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:49.639 doing out there to make people recognize that two hundred 231 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:53.399 and fifty years of freedom doesn't come without two hundred 232 00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:54.000 and fifty. 233 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:54.799 Years of sacrifice. 234 00:13:55.519 --> 00:14:00.759 And we need to be letting families know an American 235 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:04.720 citizens know that there's men and women willing. 236 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:06.759 To give their lives so that your. 237 00:14:07.799 --> 00:14:11.279 Family doesn't have to and the least that we can 238 00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:15.080 do is appreciate that. And how do we appreciate it? 239 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:15.919 You know, I. 240 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:18.399 Believe that the creation of the honor Or Member flag 241 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:23.200 and my journey, which started after Tony's death, is probably 242 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:29.159 the most public facing community effort to get everybody sending 243 00:14:29.240 --> 00:14:33.080 a message off the same page to every family in 244 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:35.960 America who has ever lost someone in a way that 245 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:38.799 says thank you. And this is why this mission that 246 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:39.960 I'm on is so important. 247 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:44.200 I believe it's very important too, especially right now. People 248 00:14:44.279 --> 00:14:46.879 keep on citing the fact that our nation's never been 249 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:49.320 more divided on it like, well, wait a minute, we 250 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:52.000 did fight a civil war and split up for about 251 00:14:52.039 --> 00:14:54.600 four and a half bloody years at which is where 252 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:57.759 Memorial Day originated. So I don't know if if this 253 00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:01.039 nation is really that divided, but I I think you're right. 254 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:07.360 I think the education of the nation about what sacrifice 255 00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:10.919 really means is the most important message that someone like 256 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:16.200 you and anybody else who believes it can spread. That's 257 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:19.759 very powerful. Two hundred and fifty years of freedom does 258 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:24.279 not come without two hundred and fifty years of sacrifice. Now, well, 259 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:32.080 military enrollment has been on the rise in the last 260 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:37.519 six months, and I don't think that that's any real 261 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:44.360 surprise seeing the you know, the the differences in commanders 262 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:49.480 in chief that we have witnessed. Is there anything else 263 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:52.679 while we have a few minutes, George Lutz, that you 264 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:55.639 would like people listening to to know. 265 00:15:57.159 --> 00:16:00.840 Yeah, sure, So the Honor Member flag, we didn't you know, 266 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:06.320 talking in detail about it. Really what the story is about, Gary, 267 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:10.320 It's leaving a legacy of remembrance in this country that 268 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:13.120 would unify this country in a way. 269 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:14.240 That they've never seen before. 270 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:18.759 A tangible symbol that I hoped would become one of 271 00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:22.879 the most recognizable symbols in America because we can't fly 272 00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:27.440 our US stars and stripes without the lives given right, 273 00:16:27.559 --> 00:16:29.480 so that sacrifice component. 274 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:31.240 And so for the last. 275 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:35.480 Eighteen years, I've been working on making this flag recognizable 276 00:16:35.799 --> 00:16:39.679 and getting it on flagpoles and getting it seen and 277 00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:43.159 so over the course of those years, this flag has 278 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:48.080 been legislated in twenty nine states to be the official 279 00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:51.960 state symbol of remembrance. That's a well over half the country. 280 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:56.519 We have a federal bill out there in the House 281 00:16:56.559 --> 00:17:01.960 of Representatives HR thirteen sixty three that would make this 282 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:08.799 if if passed the official federal symbol of remembrance, and 283 00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:12.039 it's something that we are you know, diligently working on, 284 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:14.640 you know, and those listening can be a part of that. 285 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:19.359 You know, you're in the Ohio area, right the state 286 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:22.279 of the state of of Ohio is not one of 287 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:26.160 our twenty nine states. So if there's anybody listening that 288 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:29.519 you know has any influence, you know, in the legislation there, 289 00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:32.759 you know, we would love to see Ohio. You know, 290 00:17:32.839 --> 00:17:36.599 Ohio lost thousands, you know, of sons and daughters over 291 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:40.000 the years, and we would love to see Ohio on board. 292 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:43.720 But there's so many things that are so important. If 293 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:47.160 those listening have a flagpole, you know, at their home, 294 00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:50.640 at their business, at their church, you know, put an 295 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:53.160 ID to Remember flag up there, and let's make a 296 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:56.839 statement that hey, I do want to recognize those lives, 297 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:59.799 and I want to send a message to those families. 298 00:17:59.400 --> 00:17:59.920 That I might not. 299 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:03.480 Now, these are all important ways that they can get 300 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:08.160 involved in sending this message and appreciating write their neighbors 301 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:10.680 who have given loved ones for freedom's cause. 302 00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:15.759 George incredible. I just loved having you on the show. 303 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:18.480 I'm glad that we decided to do this and thank 304 00:18:18.519 --> 00:18:21.880 you for your time and great success with your mission 305 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:23.000 and with the book. 306 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:28.880 Well, thank you, you know, tragedy toottribute, dot org or 307 00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:31.720 honor and remember dot org is where they can find 308 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:35.160 out more and we would love everyone's support. 309 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:36.640 I appreciate the time. 310 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:40.799 Gary, you Bet, thank you, sir. As I mentioned before 311 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:44.240 the break, if you're a parent or a grandparent, or 312 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:47.039 you're a young person and you're coming up in this 313 00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:50.839 crazy world in which we live, this is an important 314 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:54.400 conversation I think to have for people to understand and 315 00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:59.640 point to another very important conversation or podcast that's occurring 316 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:03.000 tomorrow afternoon at four o'clock, and we'll tell you how 317 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:06.319 to sign up for that. As we continue with our discussion, 318 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:09.839 we have Bill McGrain of McGrain Global Centers and Jim 319 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:12.920 Twoman of Jim Twuman and Associates. And let me just 320 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:17.920 first say that both of these gentlemen have a long 321 00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:23.039 and successful career and talking to youth and talking to 322 00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:27.240 the people who are raising our next generation, and I 323 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:31.240 want to welcome you both to the program. First, all right, Hi, Bill, 324 00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:33.960 Hi Jay, Hi. 325 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:36.480 Thanks. Well. 326 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:39.759 First and foremost, let's talk about your history. Bill, I 327 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:42.519 was looking at some of the material you sent me, 328 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:46.440 and you said you started doing this kind of speaking 329 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:48.119 at the age of sixteen. 330 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:51.640 Yes, so how so. 331 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.079 Go ahead. 332 00:19:55.400 --> 00:20:00.799 My parents started the McGrain Institute, and I grew up 333 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:03.599 around it, thinking that most people knew these things. 334 00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:04.519 That I took for granted. 335 00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:07.759 And then I discover that God gave me a unique 336 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:09.880 gift to know how to help people get from where 337 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:13.400 they are to live they want to be. So I 338 00:20:13.640 --> 00:20:16.119 developed a program. I did research on what are the 339 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:20.319 needs of young people, and out of that came a 340 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:23.160 class that we have now been doing called Get High 341 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:26.240 in Life with Self Esteem. It's been done thousands of 342 00:20:26.359 --> 00:20:31.400 times and school systems and church ministries and public school 343 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:32.279 systems and. 344 00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:33.880 Literally around the world. 345 00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:38.839 And what we discovered is that many children are unhappy. 346 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:43.640 They're depressed, they're abused, they don't like school, they feel 347 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:47.279 left out and bullied, and they oftentimes are feeling shut down. 348 00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:53.039 They seem disinterested, and oftentimes they're suicidal. And so you 349 00:20:53.160 --> 00:20:56.640 never know how the death of someone can impact your life. 350 00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:59.960 One of our graduates by the name of Michael Wickett, 351 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:05.119 a very famous speaker who died about three weeks ago 352 00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:09.240 or so. I was in Michigan for the funeral, and 353 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:13.119 I met Jim Tuman, who I've heard about through Michael 354 00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:16.039 Wickett for many years, but we've never met each other. 355 00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:20.079 And so through a funeral. You know, God uses great 356 00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:22.880 things in many ways. We don't realize the. 357 00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:24.000 Impact that can happen. 358 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:27.240 So as I was there in meeting Jim Tuman, who's 359 00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:30.440 literally spoken to millions of people and young people around 360 00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:35.000 the world. He'll talk in just a minute. But when 361 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:38.279 we met each other, we found the common denominator, which 362 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:43.039 then caused us to want to help more parents, more people, 363 00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:46.400 to influence young people, whether it's a school system or 364 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:49.720 just young people themselves, to equip them for life. And 365 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:52.000 so Jim and I decided that we're going to do 366 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:56.559 this webinar tomorrow, July the sixteenth and four pm Eastern, 367 00:21:57.160 --> 00:21:59.240 And that's what got us connected. 368 00:21:59.359 --> 00:22:03.359 All right, Jim, for your for your part of Jim 369 00:22:03.400 --> 00:22:07.240 Tioman and Associates, you were involved and started something called 370 00:22:07.319 --> 00:22:10.319 Jimmy's Kids. Talk to me about that a little bit 371 00:22:10.359 --> 00:22:10.640 if you. 372 00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:16.519 Would, well, let me back up a little bit. Jimmy's 373 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:21.799 Kids is my charity that is in its thirty seventh 374 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:26.839 year and we've served you know, indigen families and youth 375 00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:31.960 of risk and everything. Now we've reached a milestone of 376 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:38.000 half a million that we reach and we have spread 377 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:44.640 this and everything. But my work as a speaker started 378 00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:48.359 when I went on my mission. I'm a product of 379 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:53.359 three suicide attempts in high school. I was at the 380 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:57.839 wealthiest high school in the country, Starsdale, New York, and 381 00:22:58.039 --> 00:22:59.680 I attempted to take. 382 00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:01.039 My life three times. 383 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:07.160 And I realized the loneliness of kids and how difficult 384 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:11.960 it is for kids to connect, and kids only what 385 00:23:12.039 --> 00:23:15.960 they want to be is that they want they want 386 00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:20.319 people to not just care about them, but they want people, 387 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:25.400 you know, to accept them and especially their friends. 388 00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:27.400 So I went on a journey. 389 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:28.400 I've spoken to. 390 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:31.640 Two million, two million. 391 00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:35.480 Kids in more than two thousand schools in every state 392 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:40.200 and eleven foreign countries. I've been honored by you know, 393 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:46.799 about fifty or more you know, uh, you know, between 394 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:52.839 presidents and senators and world leaders. And I have the 395 00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:56.920 tbspity documentary on my life. I was on OPRAH and 396 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:01.240 Good Morning America and The Today Show, and the list 397 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:01.880 goes on. 398 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:03.720 But I. 399 00:24:05.319 --> 00:24:11.359 Wanted so much to see suicide you know, you know, 400 00:24:12.039 --> 00:24:18.079 be in the back back burner, and it was swept 401 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:22.519