00:00:01 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, Welcome to episode number twenty six with the Hunting Collective. I've been O'Brien and today I'm in Austin, Texas at Archery Country, the best archery shop in all of Texas in my opinion, and I'm joined by a living legend, a man that deserves more respect than anybody I've ever met. After you hear his story, I hope that you will feel the same. His name is Omar Vila. He goes by Crispy, and he is a veteran of the Iraq War and a man who has lived in exemplary life. He was in a I don't even how you really explained, in a firefight in Iraq, and it's hard to even talk about. His makes me emotional, but he was in a firefight and he sustained serious entrance and still fights them today. But he's a bow hunter. He is a man of character, a man of conviction, and somebody that we can all look at um and thank for not only the service but the person that he is. So without further ado, on our final lap in Texas, I wanted to talk to this Texas native uh hero, a man who defines what this state is all about what this country is all about and what life is all about. So without further ado, Crispy, Crispy, what's up? Man? I don't know. Man. We're here in Texas. It's freaking August, ten degrees sweat and just drawing your bow back. You know, sweat everywhere I go, especially when I'm using my bow. So but that means hunting season is upon us. Just what a few weeks ago, a few weeks away? Are you getting dove hunt this year at all? Or yeah? Are you? Yeah? I'm gonna That's what I'm looking forward to. That was something that Todd. I want to get one of the one of the front broadheads on my bow. And if I get board, try to sling one item. You gotta let me know if you starts working out for you get better, to get better with the boat, with the shotguns. Man there, they're tough hunting, that's right. But it is Texas. That's like the religion down here. You gotta go dove hunting when it opens up. Are you born and raised in Texas? Man? I was actually born in Mexico, but I was raised in Texas and the Browns of Wich of South Texas. It's a little different than the rest of Texas. So what, um, tell me about your upbringing, man, because I know a lot about your more contemporary story. You know, start with your military service. But yeah, what was life like come up? Man? So I was nine years I was actually eight, and uh my dad from the US serving in the military and all that good stuff. But my mom in Mexico got married. Um my mom wanted to live down there for for a while and then finally, um, you know, we were eight or nine and she's like, I want to move. So we migrated from South Mexico up to Matta Morris, which is right next to Brownsville. And my dad was trying to do everything legal, I mean, to try to get us over but it was just gonna take forever. And my dad got tired of commuting from from the U. S to Mexico every single day just for work. And uh, this is awesome because I've never told this story on another podcast ever before. Um. So my dad had this old school LeBaron convertible and um, one day, man, he's just he was just fed up and he's like, I don't care, I'll paid all the fees. And I didn't know what the hell my dad was talking about. So my dad brings Brandon clue us from my brother, my sister, and I'm Mom's dressed up and we got balloons and gifts and I'm just like, oh, we're going to a party with with a friend or something. And uh, next thing, I know, we're going over this bridge and I just looked at my mom and my mom's praying, man like hard, just praying. I've never seen my mom yeah everything. I mean, you know, growing up Mexican Catholic obviously, and you know she's praying and got a rosary in her hand and whatnot. But before that, my dad looked at me and this conversation was in Spanish, but he told me, you know, if they ask you something, we're going to a party. He's like, you're the oldest, and I need you to memorize this word. So he said party. So I'm sitting in the back and they're trying to be a good time. I remember this this word, and um, we get to this booth and I had no idea who the guy was, but he's in a uniform and I'm like, what the hell is this a checkpoint or something that I don't know, And he's he starts talking English to my dad, asking him where we're going. And my dad said, oh, it's one of our one of their cousin's birthday. We're going to McDonald's right across here, and uh, we're gonna go, you know, celebrate a birthday. And um he looks over at my mom. My mom doesn't speak, and he goes, you a citizen, and my mom just laughed and she goes yes, and uh. He looks over at me and he goes where you guys headed. And I just looked at him and I was like party and had a bunch of balloons in my hand, and uh like, I said, go ahead. And that's how we crossed the border. Wow. And so the most interesting part of that is the balloons where the balloons like a stage, like if you were holding the whole thing was that was staged because he had balloons. We had gibbs that were wrapped. I mean, I was just you know, there was nothing in them, but they were wrapped. Oh man, you got us across. That was here in the summer and uh, you know, uh, summer ended. And then I started the third grade that that same year and Brownsville. Yeah, so I ever since you know, I grew up there, played football, basketball, the whole nine. Man, So you had immediate place to live like he had. He already had a house, everything he had planned. So it was it was all all of his eggs in that basket and said this is how we're gonna do it. And I appreciate his Yeah, man, yeah, so it was you know, I was. It was crazy when you know when that happens. Do you feel like, when did you figure out that's what had happened when you started living there and never went back to Mexico. Yeah. Actually, when I went to school that first year, because everybody there spoken English and I had no clue what was going on. It was catch up or or get left behind. So I made it one of my my missions early in life was when I got home, I would pick up a dictionary and try to learn an English word and and implemented in a sentence when I went back to school, and watching TV played a big role. Watching all the uh you know, the stupid shows like Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles and all that. Yeah, so picked up a lot of a lot of words from it, and uh, you know what they say, man, I I've heard it in a bunch of different podcasts. When a child can develop the brain and learned a new language, opposed to an adult, it's a lot harder and it was easy man. E picked it up pretty quick. And uh, that was one of the things my mom always said, learn as much English as you can at school, but when you come home Spanish. So she wanted us to be by lingual and have that for the rest of our lives so we can use it anywhere we go. Well, and and most countries around the world there you know, children are biling you go to candidate and most children by ling will go to anywhere in Europe, most children are you know, tri lingual if that's a word. Um, yeah, we just did America. We yeah. Well, I mean if you think about it, everywhere you go, everybody speaks English. No, no matter where you're at that everybody knows language or or somewhat knows the language. So that's what we get lazy. And then you know it was your childhood normal yel like after that you just felt like a normal American kid. It was all American man, and just uh, you know, mom and dad had two jobs trying to support us racist Righte. I take care of my brother and my sister being the oldest, grew up playing football, basketball. I was like all American in high school, had had opportunities to go play football at different universities here in Texas. I mean, it was just all American upg upbringing. It was just you know, South Texas and hunting and you know, just kind of it was a whole three sixty man. I never would have thought, you know, that I was born in Mexico or anything. It was just you know, it was uh kind of a you know, all the things that you experienced growing up here. You know, I got my first pair of boots, I got the first one to ride a bike or a horse, and the first time I went dub hunting. You know, it's just just the upbringing of being an American. It was just there the whole time. Happy childhood. Yeah, I mean I had a blast. Man. My parents were amazing. They they always busted their asked to provide for us, and not one once that I ever hear them complain or or a bitch about anything. They never asked for government assistance. They knew that, you know, that they needed to do it the right way, man, And you know that that kind of rubbed off on myself and my siblings. It was just, you know, always do the right thing, and you're close to your siblings now even Yeah, yeah, man, we're We're always been closed. I speak to my siblings at least four times a week as it was her text or phone call or FaceTime or whatever where we all staying touch. Same thing with my parents, Um, you know, we talked on a daily. So it's just, man, I've always teld people it's kind of it's kind of a blessing man, how Hispanic people are brought up. You know, we're very family orient it, and it's it's a big part of who we are and and I've always been blessed with that. Man. Even when I got injured, my parents dropped everything. My dad was the executive chef at a restaurant in South Padre Island and he dropped everything. My mom, I just opened up a salon and uh she she's a cosptology major and had her own salon and stuff and sold it and moved brother and sister, dropped school and kivin straight to San Antonio to be with me. So it's that support system. It was always been there. So we were super tight. Well it makes I think it makes for stronger people, stronger souls, you know, more resilient souls after what you're going through. And you know, you know, as a kid, you you probably don't realize what crossing the border meant and what not at all. Not at all, man, not at all. And I never did, not not until like, you know, when I was young and dumb in high school and we go to Matam Morris he going party and onenot and I come over and uh, you know, they asked you in the board like hey, U s citizens? Like yeah, then what are you talking about? Let's go. And when I come back home, I told my mom we went to Mexico and she's like, whoa, you can't get in trouble where you're gonna get deported, And I what are you talking about? So I never really realized till I was probably a sophomore in high school. So when my dad got done paying all the fines, Mom and dad paid all the fines and we got an attorney and all that, and it was a a week and a half before night and eleven happened, which is my software is when I became a citizen. Wow. Yeah, So the week and a half before night before night eleven happened. Um So when nine eleven happens, um, I think probably something changed in you a little bit. You start feeling, um a need to serve or or a call to duty as it were, without saying being too hyperbolic, Yeah, no, man, And it's it's the same thing that I have. Millions of other guys, you know, they heard the calling, and it was the same thing for me. I knew I was the oldest, and um, I knew I needed to go, and I was just you know, when it happened. Man, I had always felt American, but until I got my citizenship, that was a validation of of me being a real American and and being proud and and what not. So sitting there and watching those hours get hit, man, I think I was one of maybe fight kids that were crying because it had that much of a significant impact in my life. And right then and there, I made up my mind. I said, I'm gonna go and and go fight these cowards so that my brother and my sister can grow up free in our country and and accomplish anything they want to be, you know, if they want to be a doctor or a surgeon, whatever, you know, the case was. I wanted to go over there and fight for them, um, so that they can live free. And I feel like it was my duty. Man. I feel like, you know, the US give me an opportunity to be an American and give me the chance to accomplish and be anybody that I wanted to be, and I feel like I needed to fight for that so that my siblings can can keep living it. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, how old are you? The sophomore high school is fifteen sixteen, about the same age, so I think I was about sixteen. I didn't feel anything like that. Um. I just think, like what it strikes me about how you grew up and how I grew up in the suburbs and comfortable life. My parents will work their ass off on their own business and worked hard a lot. But I think there was a there's just a different mentality, like the the immigrant mentality mentality coming over here, and they appreciates you that you had. I feel like ship for not having. It's not that I feel like shit. I just I understand how you got to where you got to and why you got there, and I also understand like why my path took a little bit longer. Took me, you know, six eight, ten years to realize, holy crap, what do I have here? Um? Because there's nothing else to compare it to. It's just like it's just life. Yeah, that's what it was. Um. So how long you went through high school? When you got out of high school, did you immediately joined the army or I did? Man, So when I was a senior, I was kind of on the fence because I had a couple of universities asking, you know, if I wanted to complay football there, and it's just that was another thing. Man. Football became alive for me, you know, as as any Texan. Then It's just it took over it and I happened to be a great athlete. I was six two eighty five pounds and I was running the forty like a I can't remember, like four six four I have something like that. Yeah. So, you know, a couple of different schools wanted to turn me from defensive end into a linebacker, and uh, you know, I mean I remember there was nights that I couldn't sleep just trying to make up my mind and what I wanted to do. But I remember I said I had made that that promise that I was gonna go, and uh, I just kind of pushed all the schools away and signed up, man, And everybody was kind of shocked of what I had chosen to do. But you know, signed up on the left right away. Man. I think I went into the recruiting office. It was June sixteenth, June. I was on an airplane to four Bedding, Georgia. The first time I've ever been on a plane holy ship headed a four Banning Georgia because I signed up as I was eighteen year Yeah, eighteen years old, brand human. I've never been been gone from home more than like a week or something. So what's that moment like when you're on the plane going to Georgia and you realize I'm flying away to a strange place to join this thing. Man, A lot of mixed emotions, just wondering what the hell I'm doing or is this gonna take me? Just a lot of mixed emotions. Are happy, excited, just thrilled? And uh men is just just a lot of mixed emotions, man, But it was it was all good at that point. Is it all opportunity for you? Remember him back then? Like it's all about the opportunity. It's not like I'm sacrificed and get on this plane. No, not at all. It was just kind of want to Like, you know, I started thinking about it. I was like, I'm gonna go do this, and then when I get done, I want to be uh you know my I did a lot of research in the military. I wanted to come in as an infantryman, and then I wanted to move over a range of battalion, and then from there I wanted to be in the special operations community because you know, I started looking at all those things that had friends that were already in that were seniors when I was a sophomore that had gotten injury, I mean that had joined the military and had gone down that path, so that that path was already there for me, and that's what I wanted to do. So it was all opportunity. I just wanted to keep growing and I have made up my mind I wanted to make the military career. It was like it was all in for me with the military. Yeah. So then when you get there and you get to to Georgia and you start to experience what this is like this is basic training. Yeah, it was man, it it took me for a spin. I was not expecting it. Like, you know, a lot of the guys kind of preparing me that, like listen, they're gonna yell at you either they are gonna get in your face. And I was like I can take that. Yeah the gunny. Yeah. So I was like, OK, I'm ready for this. And then, uh, you know, accidentally bumped into one. And and this is you're talking about two thousand and four, when they can still put their hands on you. Now I hated, but the military has got in super soft and everybody cares about everybody emotions and feelings now and back then they didn't care. Man. They were like, we're shipping you up to go to war. We don't care about your feelings. And uh, you know, I bumped into one of them and next thing I know, I'm on the ground. I'm getting kicked by all six of them. And so it was there was that kind of military And now that I look back at it, I was like, man, that shipped me up two I am today, But it was there was definitely some lonely nights man, when you start thinking of all your buddies back at home, and you know, like I said, I went here in the summer, so I didn't graduate to like around December. So you know, I'm sitting there and I'm like, man, I wish I was in a blind right now hunting, or I wish I was dub hunting, or you know, just a thought of having a dip in your mouth and walking some fields. And that's kind of where I used to bring me back at night and miss home. And you were living that like idyllic Texas Friday night lights life. I mean, you know, for lack of a better term, like start of the football team, jock. You had a lot in front of you. Yeah, man, went from being in the front of the newspaper to being in a room where nobody gave a ship who I was. So it was it was a culture shock for sure. They kicked you, maneah man, they did. They kicked people today. They'd be like sensitivity training the next week. Man, the army be done and they found it down and shut the whole thing down no more. Basically kick the guy. They kicked the guy. It's funny you say that that that that that shapes you later on, or that even today you that you're appreciative of that. It's not like some bad experience, not at all. I mean, you know, it's just, man, it's lessons in everything. I don't think that it was meant to necessarily break me or change me in a bad way. It's just, hey, man, these are the rules and and this is the way that everything is set up. And you put your hands on a superior and we're not going to tolerate it. You know. It's the same thing if I would have had one of my privates put their hands on me. Oh you damn sure, Me and my other n c o s are gonna beat the crap out of you. And it's just, you know, teaches you to establish um, you know, the channels that that's in the military, you know, from a private all the way up up to the higher command. And it's just it's a military, man, it's not it's not a nine five working at and mcdonnos or at a car wash or something where it's a lot different that this is at the end of the day, that this is this job. Your life is on the line, and I don't have room to baby anybody or be soft like you expect something from everybody. And and that's that's just what it is. From that's there's no you didn't get like a participation show. You participated in the beating. Yeah, thank Yeah. I mean I can tell you I never did it again. I make sure all my surroundings at all times. So that's it. That's severe punishment teaches you immediately. I realized right now that my wife is doing that to me with things like hand towns like that. I'll like, pick up the wrong hand town, put it on the dishes. You like, I kill you. I'm like, I give what you're doing. That's like kicking me. I get it. Um. Um. But yeah, I mean I think your story as it builds, because I've read read it a couple of times and I was interested to go through it with you. But I didn't know a lot of this, these little points, but it builds into this this. You know, people love to talk about Pat Tilman leaving the NFL. They like, you know, these sacrifices are the type of people that are molded in shaped in their young lives to be mature enough to make that type of sacrifice. Um, and then being put room with you know a lot of people that have that same idea. I mean, that's gotta that's gotta. Oh, it's changing. Everybody feeds off for everybody, and it's it's just one of those It's one of those things where a lot of people always talk is like what happens when you put all this alpha guys together? You know it's gonna be a competition and whatnot. And that's the complete opposite there. Everybody understands that it's a team and everybody's got to work together. And you know, I've always I've always heard everybody kinda talk about like, oh, all these betas and blah blah blah blah. Is just like you don't understand you gotta have all these betas and then one alpha because if that offa goes down, you know this fate is gonna step up. So it's just it's just a team environment, man, And you're gonna understand when you put all those type of personalities in the same room, it's bigger than all of us. It's bigger than that, than your ego and what you think you are. It's it's a whole group. So it definitely was. It's life changing, and I loved it because, like you can know, I can work with people like that and not take it to offense and be like, well he's trying to do I'm gonna do him. It's just like I'm at that level that I completely understand respect. Yeah. Yeah, So you're in, You're in basic training, and then what's the next step for basic training got done? You know, Uh, you go through infantry school. You get your blue cord, which is an infantry blue cord, and then I went through a school called the JABL and it's uh, it's one of the most expensive missiles that the army has. They're like five thousand apiece. And I went through that school because I was waiting for Airborne school to open up. And at this time there was a lot of people that were coming in because they wanted to go fight, so the schools were kind of backed up. So I went to that school for a for about a week? Was it a weekend? Was a week? Graduated, went through everyone school and I got shipped to my unit, got to come home for two weeks and um, luckily it was during Christmas time, so I got to spend Christmas a New Years in my family. And then I got shipped to Germany. My order said of Europe, and I was excited because the only UM airborne unit in Europe was the hundred twenty third where it was out of Italy. So I was like, oh, man, that's awesome. Come to find out, the Army had different plants for me. They're like, you're not going to airborning unit. You're gonna make a nice unit, which is to make a nice infantry. You know. We wrote onund Bradley's which is kind of smaller tanks, and uh, you know, I see my orders and I'm like, oh ship Germany. And I was like, well whatever when units in Germany and everybody's like none and I was like, damn it, I'm wanted that training for nothing. And it happens a lot. And I got to my unit. Um, the guys were just getting back from the deployment and uh you know, and then we started a regular rotation and started going to the field, started getting ready for uh for our deployment, and UH deployed and uh man. We we got into a zone called Automia, which it was the last place that Sad al Mussein had been seen before he went into hiding. And the guys before was actually UM had a battle between his two sons and that that that castle that we took over or the palace that we took over, and you can home and there was just that every building was all jacked that with bullet hose here and there, and um that place had hadn't been patrolled in two years. So we kind of showed up and then took over. So how many people in your unit? And then what was your kind of role? So we're about three hundred and ninety guys. That's a company element and uh I was a gunner. Um. So when you come in as a company, you gotta break it down. You got first platoon, second platoon, third platoon, your headquarters. So there there's about four six different groups and uh we all kind of take terms and patrols kind of established that we're in the area. So kind of the biggest thing that was going on there, man is you had the sunning uh and the s I And as soon as we used to come over to the SI, I kidnap them and UH do execution style. Man, set him up, just shoot him in the head and they go back to their side. And then these guys that go back and retaliates. It was a constant battle going back and forward. So we need to show presence and and stop them because a lot of I D materials were coming out of that area, so we kind of need you to come in. And we did a lot of night rates and we went out the hpt S, which is Hvalley Targets. There was a lot of a lot of guys that had bet at themselves in that area that were supplying millions of millions of dollars two people all over Iraq to buy products to make more io D s and ammunition and guns and all that stuff. So that was our Our main goal was to come in and capture these guys where they be dead or alive, and bring them into justice. So it was it was a constant day. There was in a day man that nothing didn't go on what we were there. And so how prepared were you Looking back at it now, you feel like getting in there, it was just I'm doing a job, I'm performing a function. Or was there some just sticker shock of I'm in war now? No, um man, dude, it's just at an infantryman. I think we're wired a little different than everybody else in the military or any operations guys or just frontline jobs. We're wired a little different. We're in a sense, I guess brainwashed. He was like, you're your sole purpose is to kill the enemy and that's it, you know, And so training for so long, you know, it's just kind of like a hunter, you shoot your brow. What does John do like a hundred arrows a day or something? Um, So that that was our job. We practiced every single day, and then you get dropped in the area and you want to put your skills to the test, you know, And that's kind of what it was. We were ready to go and we're really gonna have been a firefight and implement everything that we learned on how to overrun and win. So it was yeah, I mean I was ready. All of us were ready to be honest, and it was there was never a sense of like, ship, what am I doing here? It was just like, come on, I'm ready. Yeah pretty much. But um but yeah, like the first time that we gotta fire right and I actually saw, uh, the guy that I had killed in the firefight, it was probably a split second where it was like, holy shit, I'm eight nineteen years old and I just took a life. And but it it was as soon as you know, you process that and you let it go because it's part of your job. Then then it's it's behind you. And honestly, man, it was. It was one of those things where it was like he was trying to do me in and I beat him to the punch. So next one that deal thing. And you can't let that consume you because the minute that it does, you can't perform your job at and that's when you start getting complacent or you start making mistakes that could cost somebody else's life. Yeah, it's kind of being an efficient machine. You don't have time to let your own personal feelings get in pretty much. You're a machine when you're there. And so what year is this? Two thousand seven? Yeah? Um, I'm trying to as your talk. I think where I was like some dumb calm, so it was it was all six So sorry we got there no six. But yeah, yeah, so you're there for how long? Are there for a year or so? So we were supposed to be there for a year, and um, this is a time where the surge had happened, so there was a lot a lot of fighters coming in from Syria and a bunch of different places, so the fighting was really good. And uh, that's when President Bush decided to extend us from twelve months to fifteen months, and uh, you know, none of us caredmen, We're like, come on, let's do this, because you know, we were all looking at it like we're getting paid a lot more because it's extended pay and then you get extra pay for this and that. So instead of making like I don't know, I think we won. If we were making like three grand a month or something like that, you're gonna make like five. So we were all like, hell, yeah, yeah, I'm gonna buy a brand new crow when I get home. So like you know, we were looking at at a pay and then spending a little more time at home. Um, so I would jump into an atlytic today that I got hurt. So we were already there eleven months and uh man, it just started off like any other day. That It was November four and I'm sorry May fourteenth or two thousand seven, and um we rolled out, man, and we were a five vehicle convoy. There was I was in the third vehicle in the middle and uh, as we're rolling now was like six of the morning and I A d goes off and it hit the last vehicle. Well thankfully it was a small one. I think they were trying to line us up for the much bigger one, and the small one goes off. So an ideas, uh explosive device that they kinda either shape it or hide it in in in the road, or they can dig a hole and planet. So it's an improvised explosive device, that's what it is. And so small little bomb goes off. It just blew the spirits higher, and so we were like, okay, we're ready to go with as a situation. We get back and we start patrolling and then around I don't know, like eight thirty in the morning, I just had like this eerie feeling. I was like, man, there's something going on. Is too quiet, there's nobody in the street, Like what is going on. There's just something fishy about this. And as we were doing that, we were to say, we're traveling north, we start getting engaged from our left hand side. And on that road that we were on, the only road the only way you can turn was to the left. So we're rolling in the first two vehicles just started getting pounded by an a K. They couldn't turn, so they pushed forward and we turned from the income and fire and I just opened up on my fifth account and I remember seeing about five of them and I dropped about three or four of them. One of them got away, and as soon as we do that, we all came back into formation. But this point, this time, I was leading to the lead vehicle and as we do that, I'm gonna turret. I was a gunner, so I'm in the gunner behind a fifth a cow. And as this happens, you know, we come back into formation and I see enemy in front of us again and I I'm telling my driver, we got it. I mean in front of skill, let's go. So we started going to start opening up fire and I remember going over a bump. And we've been there eleven months. I knew the real like the back of my hands. Man, I knew we were at I knew everything. And I remember going on that bump and I just took a second and I closed my eyes and I was trying to process everything. I was like, wait, that shouldn't be here. Where there's Nope, that should not be there. And then as I was doing that, the loudest idea that I've ever heard went off. And and at this point I've been blown up about eleven times, so it was I I knew an I D in the vehicle had been hit by I D s or Yeah, every other vehicle that I was on had been hit up by by an I D. But eleven times before I really got injured, were very uninjured by those are just just concussions and scrapes here and there. Um. So I remember this one and this one was just loud, and the guys behind us set the vehicle went up about three or four feet in the air, and we were lucky because it was a commanded nation I D. So what they did is they there was a house on the right hind side and they had dug a hole a way to the street, impacked it with explosives and commanding nation. The guy that was inside panicked because he was supposed to hit it in the middle of the of the humby so split the humpy and kill everybody. So he timed it wrong and he hit the backside of it, hit the fuel tank. Um vickle goes up, it comes down. Now in that vehicle, there was five of us. It was. The driver was Cataton, that was a gunner. We had TC compos Uh Fleming was in the back and we had um Harky behind the the TC, which just a trickle bander and uh Vickle goes up. Man, I come down and when I hit the platform of the gunner's hatch, I my legs kind of gave out a little bit and I fell down to the right on Harkey's lap. And I remember looking at Harky and and his eyes were just white. He was he was dead. He was killing the impact. And I remember looking at him, Man, he's he was just his body was so it felt weird. Man, he was just so loose and limb, like you can feel like every bone and his body had broken or something. And you know, I looked at his eyes and they were just white, and I was like, man, he's dead. And in my in our world, man either come home alive or you don't. You know, I never knew there was such thing as being injured and coming home and living somewhat of a normal life. That was not in my job description. So I'm laying there, there's fire around me, you know. I looked at my left. Uh Fleming jumped out and I see him running on fire. It was so slow but so fast. And then our driver got out, and I remember Compost couldn't get out because the fire had burned his equipment into the seat, and he's grabbing me and telling me to get out. And I was like, man, I'm good, like this is it for me? And he's like get out, get out, and uh. I remember I was making peace with God um because at that point we had lost about eighteen guys that I saw on a regular day, like on on a regular basis. I saw these guys and we had meals and stuff, and we lost that many guys knew the reality, yeah seen it. It wasn't like people, yeah, I know, you know, seeing the bodies and stuff over your fellow soldiers. It was just kind of you know. It angered me and I blame God. I was like, why can you allow this to happen? You know, we're here to do something good and you're letting my brothers get killed. So I was mad at the woman for a while. I didn't believe in them, But as I was laying there, I was making peace with him, and I was asking him to take care of my brother and my sister, and mostly importantly to take care of my mom because then of my mom was gonna be I wasn't gonna take it very well, and I need my Dad's to be okay. I being a military guy, he knew the risks that I was taking and what what comes with that job? And um, so I'm laying there and making peace with God, dude, and I just remember feeling like this inner light in me and until today, man, I created God. But something inside kind of reached over and said, not today, this is not where your die. Get up. And I got up and I'm in that fifth account. I started shooting back to make time so the guys can come on and get composed out and they did. And as that happened, Um, that vehicle, we had extra grenades, extra ammunition, so things started cooking off, you know, with all that heat, things started exploding. And a grenade went off and peppered me all on my right side. And at that point, I said, all right, now I need to get out. So I climb up the gunner's hatch and as a gunner, you're taught to jump from the top down to the engine and then down because it's about six ft high. And I looked at the engine. The engine was on fired and I was like, there, there's no way that I'm gonna be able to do this without going down with the engine and dying there. So I looked at the back. Couldn't do that, so I jumped to the side, and when I jumped down, I was still on fire. My body was still burning. Both of my famers broke. So I remember being there and I was like, ship, I'm still on fire, stop dropping row when I already dropped. So I rolled and man, until today, dude, I I want to find the guy that invented it and beat the ship out of him because it doesn't work. I rolled and rolled in the fire was not going off. Jesus. Then finally one of the guys kind of rolled up on me and put me out with a fire extate with shore and he said, hold on, I'll be right back. I'm gonna go get help. Well, as he said that, insurgeons, about thirty to four of them were coming towards our way shooting already. They were trying to finish the whole platoon off, and uh, you know, I can't blame him. He got busy shooting back and whatnot and kind of slipped his mind. So I'm there and I managed to grab my INN four as I jumped out, and there was a door behind me, so I saw it, I started pushing myself towards so I turned around three took about three shots to the door, just to make sure nobody was coming out of it, and I started scanning the rooftops where there was guys in the rooftoupse. So I started shooting, trying to divert them from shooting the other way. And as I did that, man, it was kind of like the sen No black Hawk. You remember when the shoppers come in and all that brass comes down. Well, two black Hawks were in our in our aoh, which is our operations, and they had seen the smoke come up, so they came to check it out and they noticed that it was us, and so they established communications with the guys in the ground and told them we were at So these guys came in and just started smoking all these dudes from the top. We got very lucky. So they took all these guys out and just brast falling everywhere, and I was just like, oh ship. And I remember laying there and I ran out of AMMO. So I'm just sitting there waiting for somebody to see me, and one of my guys was running by me and he looked at me and he's like due a year alive and I'm sitting in the look up on him and I was like, I think. So He's like, all right, we gotta get you up, and I was like, I think my legs are broken. And he takes a quick glance and me. He goes, no, no no, no, you're fine, and I was like okay. So he picks me up, and um, I mean I put a lot of my weight on him so I was able to walk. So we walked to the next humpy and as we get to the next humpy, he goes, right, dude, I gotta let you go. I gotta open the door because these doors are up armor. They're about five hundred pounds. And I said, cool, don't worry about it. So he lets me going. As he opens the door all that way, he goes back on my femers and they rebreak and I just fall back and I remember watching him the humby and then the sky and he just comes over me and he goes, oh, Shi, are you okay? Are you okay? And I was like, dude, I'm fine, I'm fine. I was like, but I told you my legs were broken. And he's just looking at me and shocked. Well, men, my adrenaline was so high that I couldn't feel it at all. And he grabs me and throws me inside the the humby and he's like, I'll be right back. I'm gonna go get the medic and said, okay, go, Well, I'm sitting on that humby. The driver was a replacement, brand new guy, first day in theater, first day out the wire, and uh so he's he's he's freaking out a little bit. I can't blame the guys this first day. And he's kind of screaming pretty loud, and um, I just reached over and I slapped the ship out of him and I said, shut up, you're okay, We're gonna be fine, and he's like, okay, okay, son. So I said, give me the headset, and he gives me the headset and I call up the company and I was like, man, I got I got four wounded, I got one dead. I need a medical evacuation as soon as possible. We're gonna push out of out of out of the kill zone here soon. And nobody knew that I was wounded, because you know, I just got on the mic and I started giving directions and in commands and and then it's just it's part of the job, Like at the end of the day, it's just it's part of the job. And that's what I was thought to do. So it all kicked in. And as all that kicks in, the medic jumps in and he grabs my arm, starts giving me an ivy and starts assessing this my um uh, my injuries. And I looked at him and I was like, Doc, I need some water. Man, I'm I'm thirsty, I'm dying. And he goes, man, I can't give any water. Um, you know, you're extremely dehydrated and burned. He's like, I don't want to give you any right now, it may be and me I kind of looked over him and I was like, dude, I rank you give some fucking water right now. So he's like fine. He gives me a water bottle. I take a sip, and uh, I made the biggest mistake in my life. Man. I poured it over my head and all the chemicals and everything just kind of rolling in my eyes and I wentn't blind for a little bit. I couldn't see the top it off. I asked the driver what position we were in the convoy, and he said we were the first vehicle. So I knew it was my job to get everybody back because he had no clue where we were going. So right then and there, I made up my mind. I was like, do I panic or do I keep my composure and get this guy back? And I knew I needed to keep my composure because it wasn't just me. There was a lot of guys depending on me to make the right call. And as we do that, you know you can hear with the radio we're loaded up, a loaded up. We gotta go. Let's go, let's go, let's go. So we started pushing and like I mentioned earlier, we're beIN eleven months, so I knew this place like the back of my hand. So I was like, I knew exactly what we were at, and I knew how to get back. So I started giving in commands on how to get back, and he's following them. And I asked him, was that can you see the gate? And he's like, I see the gates, so to give me the hatset. So it gives me the hatset, I call it up. I was like, open the gates were coming in, We're coming in. We rolled in and as soon as you roll in, there was already the medics winning on us. And like I said, that was four of us wounded, one dad and we only have three medics. So when they opened the door to my hom VIA closed it and they were like what the hell, So they opened it again. I closed it and they opened it. Was like, dude, we need to get you out. I said, there's three other guys behind me that are worse than I am, and get them and they're looking at me like you're pretty jacked up. Your naked here burned. I'm still they're still smoke coming out of my body, and uh well. What was awesome was that we were attached the Special Forces group that was right next to us. So their medic came over and he's like, hey man, I'm here, I got you. And I was like, okay, cool, let's do it. So he grabs me and as soon as he grabs me, he um. They take me inside. And as I'm laying there, I see the guys coming in and I looked at Accomplish and I was like you good, bro, and he couldn't speak and he was like. I was like, all right, man, we're going home and he's like all right. Um. Shortly after that, the choppers came in. They picked us up. They took us to what's called the Green Zone, which is one of the biggest UM fob before we're operating base in Iraq. I mean it's it's a small city and they had a full um hospital there. So we fly into there and I remember getting there and I remember watching the guys come in and that's all I remember. Then after that, man, I don't remember everything for about three months. I wasn't induced come on for about three and a half months. But I woke up and and broke Army Medical Center which is in San Antonio, Texas, and my whole family was there when all that happened. And I just remember waking up and kind of dissori and and I didn't know what was going on, but it was you know, I was looking at myself like what the hell, Like what happened? And it took me a little bit to grasp what had happened. And then from there, man, and everything else began like surgeries and and um, did they think you were gonna die at any point? They did, so they actually gave my mom and dad a thirty percent chance of me of surviving. So they told him to get ready to start making funeral arrangements. So but my mom refused, you know, her being religious and all of us being she was like, no, God's gonna spare his life and he's gonna save him. And you know, eleven years and here I am. But yeah, man, it was as a result of it, it was burns to the body thirty and fourth degree burns, lost the right leg below the knee on the right side, and I think I out a hundred and two surgeries since then. Yeah, but hey, I'm here. Yeah, your face right now. The man, It's just it's part of life, man, It's just you know, whether it's that or you know, I think we as people accomplished a lot of things in our lives. There's a lot of obstacles, and we don't give ourselves enough credit. We sell ourselves short, and you know, we get wrapped up about stuff that doesn't matter and supposed to being happy and and just celebrating life every single day. Man, we're here for a short short time, and I think people waste a lot of time and being negative or fighting with other people and just taking things away out of hand. So man, I try to live as happy as possible and try to give as much as I can and try to share my story with as many people as I can, because if it makes it an impact on theirs, man, that's all that matters. Yeah, I mean, what strikes me about the way you tell the story is just the nature of which as you tell the details of your experience, you know, because you're only living through your experience, you can't you know. I'm sure you talked to your other teammates and folks you serve with um and that's important. But what's more important is that you never addressed during telling all that story the pain or having looked down and seeing your body during that time, or you know, any any point of realizing what was actually happened. You were dealing with what was right in front of you and dealing with the safety of others and dealing with your duties rather than dealing with, ah, what was happening to you. Man. It's just part of the job, man, That's that's I can't stress that enough. Man, It's just everything kicks in because it's just you know, it's second nature. You know, you practice to do that so many times and when that situation presents itself, you know exactly what to do. And you know, it's just I think I keep uh saying, it's like kind of like honeyman, you practice so much and you make different things and different adjustments to your scope or your bow or whatever it is that you're hunting with. You know where you've got to place a shot or what you gotta do if you don't. It's the same thing, man, the same thing in the military train for every single scenario you can think of, and we trained for that. So it's just it all just kicked in. I wasn't doing something extraordinary or being a hero on anything. It was just what I was taught to do. It just kicked in. Yeah, so you get back, You remember waking up in the hospital, and then many many surgeries, many many, many many surgeries, um, and then you get some awards at some point. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got a couple of words here and there with valor and whatnot. But yeah, man, there they call the awards that yeah, right, terminology. I don't know what. Yeah, it's the words, man. You know, you get you get different things. You get a purple heart, purple hearts, silver Star, broun Star. Um Ah, well that's and I think it was like an arm accommodation matter with valor just a bunch of different what's that? What's that mean to you? Now? Nothing? Nothing? Not man, they just they just man, I don't know what I explained, Just stuff that you get for for doing your job, and not that it's supposed to validate anything, but they're they're more for for putting them on your uniform and looking good when you go out and whatnot, or talking smack to your buddies and be like you've got one of these that. But at the end of the day, man, I don't think any metal uh represents with that person is or shapes some up or does anything different. It's just it's just the piece of freaking metal that costs maybe two daughters, Like, well it signifies something. But the other thing I was thinking a while we were talking about this is like what was the real award because the word wasn't the purple heart, Like that's not what you what you got from this, but there was you were awarded something for going through the experience, whether it was a very personal thing that you you feel you've achieved as a better self or you know, just a better perspective. Like what at the end, what was the real award from this? I mean, it's harrowing, it's it's it's everything you can describe. I mean from from the whole thing you're talking about, Like what what I got it out of it? Man? I think the biggest A word that I've gotten it it's when I get messages from people from all over the world on how I've made an impact in their lives and how they switched their lives and um, just how I motivate them and and they've made changes because of something that I wrote or something that I shared with them. That that, to me is the award. When I can see something like that, knowing that I'm making a positive and impact in different places in the world, that that, to me is it's the most amazing thing because I've been giving this this this story and this laugh experience and able to share with other people to give them a different perspective in life or inspire them in any way and they take something from it. Dude. That that's that's that's the biggest a word for me because I get to keep the memory of my buddies alife and people are gonna remember them, and it's just it's giving back, man, it's doing something positive, like we turned that whole negative situation into something positive. That that to me is the biggest a word. Yeah. Well, and that's what strikes me about you personally, is that it's it's always about the what you're giving, never about what you're getting. And to the point where you got something but it didn't matter, but it's about the real war is what you gave um. And that strikes me. The other thing I would say, you know, he you got all these injuries and you have to fight through all those. They don't need to go through the details and those, But then you get back to what is relatively normal life. I mean, I don't think you've ever had a normal life, not really, but you get back to living a life, right, You get back to making relationships and being able to yeah, making the best out of out of the situation you're in many you know, disabilities is the only way to put it. And then you get back into the world and at some point you know, the guys that owned were sitting in archery Country, the guys tyler Um and Brendan that you guys aren't we're talking about the time you came in here in the first time you drew a bow and when that was pretty emotional for you, like that that was something that it was, man, because like, growing up, I was always a rifle hunter and um, you know if but I had always had it in the back of mind. I was like, I want to shoot a bow. I want to shoot a bow. And you know, I came here after hours with with Tyler and Brennan, and I remember sitting there. I was like, man, I don't know how strong I am to pull a bow back. I was like, and they're kind of laughing at me because they know I got world record titles in the Paralympics and yeah, yeah per lift there. So they're like, shut up. But I'm like, these are different muscles that this is something different that I've never kind of picked up on sober to describe for people. Just for this was probably how many working fingers do you have them? Probably one one that triggered for the one that counts. And so, yeah, the injuries are a part of it too. I mean it's not you just don't have the same dexterity. Yeah, and that was the biggest thing, man, I told Brendan, and Tyler was like, the thing that I'm scared of is that I'm going to hurt someone else around me or I'm gonna hurt myself. And I was like, and I can't afford to jack up my hands more than I already are. So they brought out a beginner's but it was like a kid's bow, and uh, I was pulling twenty pounds on the man, and you know, I let that first ever fly and dude, it was done. After that, I was in here five times another week, like just shooting and went from from twenty five pounds to fifty five pounds. And uh, I had my first kill at fifty five pounds on a bison. Remember you telling me that story said I killed a bison? What my first book? It was? They presented itself when I was like, I gotta take this, so anytime I bison presented itself. Yeah, man. So it took the shot, hard shot. It was a perfect, just perfect shot. And I came back in and and uh, Tyler and Brendan were like, dude, we need to upgrade you. He's like, you're done with that kids bow. So I still have it. That's one of the things that I'll never give up because every time I look at it in the garage just reminds me. But you know, I moved up and you know I'm pulling soe many pounds now, and I mean I probably put more over I don't think I need to. I don't think you need more than the seventy pounds to hunt. And uh yeah, man, now you know I'm in here quite a bit and I'll shoot at home. I feel comfortable, and you know, I try to, uh try to practice as much as possible because it's just man, I love. I fell in love with archery. I mean I still rifle, hunt and whatnot. But anytime but I get a chance to to go honey with with that my bow, I'm all about it. Yeah, it's archery discipline for you now that you've you've gone through so many of these, it is it is. You know, for the longest time, rifle was was was it for me? Because it took a lot of discipline and it's time and whatnot. And I was making pretty far shots and uh then I transitioned in the bowing and I realized, you know, you've gotta be a lot quieter, a lot smoother. You you gotta kind of sneak up on things, so it makes a little it makes it a little more challenging for me because of my leg and trying to make sure that I don't overstep or understand or make a sound and whatnot. So it's become very challenging. There's been times where I scared deer and I'm just I beat myself over it. But I come back and I know what I gotta do. And then when you know the six times that I go out and get it done, it's just such a rewarding feeling. And I know that I put all that time and effort and work into it and now I accomplished it. So yeah, in a sense, it does, man, And I honestly, it was just for the longest time, I used to watch your stuff and everybody else you hang out with and and everybody go bull hunting, and I'm like, what are these nerds doing? Like, come on, why are you hunting for you? Like ten days? Get out of here. I got I got stuff to do. And you know, now, I'm like, and we're going on this hunt. We're gonna be gone for three weeks, and we were like, why has it come bull hunting and like why And you know, now I kinda I kind of get it and understand why. So I mean, I don't think you need to be changed anyway, But do you credit hunting? You know, and you had honey throughout I mean obviously, but you cred this new um discovery of archery, hunting or like just just connection to to to post injury, post war healing, new life. Well, that was always there. That was one of the biggest things that helped me get out of of going the route, which is that that dark side that a lot of the guys tend to get into the outdoors did that for me, you know. And it was getting out of the house, sitting in a blind or spotting stock, whatever the case was. But as long as I got out of the house and I was out in nature, even if I didn't get a kill, it just did something to me. It was able to help me reset from whatever was going on back at home and the appointments and the doctor's appointments and the surgeries and the infections, all that all that didn't matter when I got to that camp, and it still doesn't matter, and it's what helps me reset. Man. I think there's just something about hunting and the people that are involved in it, that that are like minded people. And it doesn't it doesn't matter what color, what race, where are you from. When you step into that ranch or out of the open country, wherever you add and whoever you're with, that animal doesn't care what color you are, or who you are, or how much do you make and whatnot. And you're able to connect with all those individuals because you have the same purpose and it's to get that elk or that white tail or whatever it is. So that's always helped me. And just meeting people alike, man, it's just it's an amazing, it is riching thing. Man. I always tell people I don't have and I always bemoan the fact I don't have the experience of brotherhood like you did and do and in the situations that you you had them. But at the same level, if I've hunted with somebody on a weeklong backpack trip, when I see them, the hug is not like just seeing a dude you have lunch with once a week. It's just not the same and it will never and you can't really articulate that to people. No, no, no no, And in the sense that thing it is kind of the same brotherhood. I mean different, different workplaces, different things, but the bonds there, you know, and and it's it's amazing. Man, Like I got mud to everybody's and I got hunting buddies, and they're the same to me, They're the same thing here. Because I always, I always always it's jealous, is not the right world, but always acknowledging what going through something like, I feel like it's the same. It's about the same. And because I, like I said, I have the same feeling that I do for both of them. You know, even though I experienced a hardship with with a group, but I've I've experienced you know, I'm not killing something or bonding with that person or where something else, whether it be growing up around the same neighborhood or the same town, or it's just it's it's hunting, man, and you guys are going to do the same thing. So I think they go hand in hand. Yeah, I'm to see if you if this is something that you would agree with. Like hunting, there's things in life that are flat experiences, like a roller coaster, for example, or any fun ride at the car nival. You do it, you get too high from it, you get your fun and then you come down and it has no effect on your life afterwards, and that at all has no residual effect. There's a two dimensional experience. You go up, you go hunting, and you get the same kind of joy and high that you might get from a roller coaster. But at the end of it, there's all these other benefits in your life. So it makes it just like three dimensional structure in your life, and it has the same type of benefits. Is that what you've experienced? It does, man, because like I get the same feeling when I go hunting that I used to get when I was in a firefight, the same adrenal and this everything's there and it's it's very relatable and it doesn't end that day. You know you used to carry it on the next day you're still excited because you accomplished it, or you hold on too it because you know you didn't get that kill that day, but you're gonna come back in a few weeks and try it again. And it's it is. It holds it holds hand in hand, man. Yeah. A lot of people getting upset or get weirded out about what the description or the comparison just made like firefight hunting. You're not talking about the killing part of it. No, I don't know, And I've always been a little irk by that. It's like, that's not what you're talking about. You're just talking about the experiential height and sensibilities, all the things that you're experiencing. Everything is activated, you're you're super aware, you know, you're hypersensitive to the noise. It's just your where of your surroundings. There's a lot of things that are implemented in a firefight. And and then I'm glad you brought that up because I never mentioned the word killing. But it's just the same feeling. It's just everything. It's just there's a lot of similarities between the both without even having to kill anything. And yeah, it goes and I feel the same same rush that I did that I did on a firefight when I get in a blind or when I'm walking and I come up on something. Do you ever think about you're guys you serve with or guys you you know, you really serve with everybody in the military, but guys you directly serve with or indirector is there any time that you've told somebody, Hey, man, you need go hunting like you're hurting right now in the woods. Yeah. My my buddy, that was the driver that got hit the day that I got hit. He uh got married, everything was doing good and all of a sudden got divorced and he was in a row spot and I said, hey, man, I'm not the richest person in the world, but I was like, I got a little bit of money. I want to buy your plane ticket and we're gonna go hunt in Santangelo. Had a buddy of mine who's got a ranch out there and allow me to come and bring a couple of other guys out. So I brought about two or three window guys and my buddy and we went hunting for axes, and man, he just had a blast and got home to South Carolina and he was like, men, thank you so much. That kind of reset me and and helped me a little bit just to get away and not think about it. And he's like, and I'm in a much better place. And I was like good. So, man, every every time I get a chance, Man, when I get people that call me up and they're like, hey, I got I got two spots, and I got this white tail that, Uh, I want somebody to take. Um. You know, I just start kind of looking through my list and I start looking at people that I know that needed, and I take those guys hunting. And now, I mean I get a kick of watching someone else get to kill. Then if I were to get it, like I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm still I still want to get that as you like, I really like you kill it. But if it happens to walk by here, yeah, man, I'm not gonna. Yeah man, So it's just kind of it's a scrunt into that man. And I'm just I love hunting. I love everything about it. I love what we do, the preservation, everything everything behind hunting. Man. It's just I've never met a hunter that is just a bad person. Yeah. So, I mean I'm sure they're out there. I just haven't met plenty. Yeah. I mean, yeah, champing is fun, but there's people that litter like hunting is fun. There's people that like there. It's just that's part of life. Military is great. People are bad there, Oh yeah, of course. Um and so yeah, I mean it's not worth focusing on. But so life for you today, I mean, how many years since you woke up from that. So you're eleven years eleven years in and life for you today is is what I mean. It seems happy, You seems man, it's awesome. It seems an admirable life that you live it, you know what I mean. I'm very blessed to have the friends that I have and and the things that I'm able to do. And I got a great woman at home that allows me to allows me but I guess we can say that, but mind to mind allows me to be here tonight. Yeah, that kidding. That allows me to do the things that I do, the things that matter, the things about giving back and being involved in my community, and then you know, all my buddies over a black rifle coffee, all the stuff that we get to do and how we give back and how we make people laugh and all the skits that we make, and you know, and then being here and doing events like these and shooting arrows and you know, hanging out with you and Dudley and everybody else is just kinda I mean, I couldn't ask for a better life. Like you know, I was dealt a shitty hand, but you know the next one that came around was a lot better. And you know, here I am today, and I'm gonna make the best of it, man, because I'm not throwing I'm not throwing my second chance that life away. I'm not gonna be locked up in a room feeling sorry for myself because no one's gonna give a ship but me. No one's gonna carry like you know what, at a point, people are gonna get bored of it and then I'll be like, well, you know what he gave up. I'm done. So I refused to do that because it's it would it would be an interestice to my friends that die that day for me to throw my life away feeling sorry for myself, and that just it's never been me like, Man, I'm here for a reason. I'm happy. I love life like there's just so many great things to focus on and and things to do man, Like you know, we all have goals. I want to do a bunch of different things before I'm done. Like I just it's just life such a beautiful gift, man, I'm not going to throw it away. Yeah. Well, I mean, like I said, through your life, even when you're sitting in a burning humby, you're given man, like you're given to people, and your story is a gift like you are a gift in my in my opinion. And one of the things that struck me during um, the hurricane in Houston, how long ago was that Now we're going up in a year now. I was just a year, but I don't want to be wrong. Yeah, thinks that's coming up in the one year. And what struck me about that is that during that you were from here at Archery Country organizing trail to loads of goods, sacrifice in your time and all your energy and bringing people together. John Dudley came down to help some of that, and then and pulling together as much energy of positive energy during that time a crisis as you possibly could and continuing not to just talk about giving or or exemplify, but but put that ship into real action. And um, we got to go to an event and see the people. But I want to end on like tell people you know you went through the worst thing imagine and you said you got a second chance of life. What would you say to somebody that, like, my life's not working out for me life for whatever reason, life is ship right now and I can't get up off mat. I keep trying to get up and I keep getting knocked back down. I keep trying to get up, I keep getting knocked back down. What would you say to that person who just is is is at the end? Man? If I can give an advice, is if you could keep getting knocked down, make sure you lie on your back, and once you get up, look at look at life right in the eyes, and say what else you got, bitch, Because at the end of the day, man, it's part of life. Man, We're gonna get knocked down so many times, but that one time you get up and do something, it's gonna be magical. It's gonna be epic, Like it's just you're You're one shot away from doing something that's going to change the rest of your life. And the minute that you give up, you're done. So just keep keep at it, man. Live. Life's gonna test you, and it's gonna test you very hard, and it's up to you how much you want to keep giving back and how much you really want it. Yeah, and if you ever feel like giving up, just listen to this podcast over again or Christy on on Instagram and wherever you can find him, and then shut the funk up and get wrong. Don't be a bit about Man. Hey, I complain sometimes too, man, but you know it's we're humans. We're gonna do it. Well, of course we are, of course we are. But yeah, I mean I could say so much about your story about it as far as came to this country. You you sacrifice to be here and then we're accepted it and then and then sacrifice for this thing and then and now here you sit. Um. So it's a special thing to sit down and talk to you, and I really appreciate it. Thanks, man, I appreciate it. Thanks for having me on. Yeah, let's go, uh have a drink and enjoy we're at. I didn't. We never really talked about we're at. We're in Tyler Tyler Banderkook owns as an owner arch country, his offices and tatters like I think this, maybe use this, use this um moment to call him out a little bit. It was like, it looks like you might have a problem because there's a tooth words drank bottle of Tito's, like a handle of vodka, and there's like guess some some scribbled on posted notes. It's not looking good and not at all. There's some questionable drinks around here. You got we looked at he's got a right in his desk. He's got a bang. He's got a bang Georgia peach, sweet tea, protein, brain and body fuel. I've never even heard of that, but everybody's ever heard of that. It's a super creative BC double aminos. Anyway, Tyler of Archery Country, we got we have to have an intervention. Yeah, clean your ship up. But we're here. We're here for b h A. We're here for a cool full draw the film night. Yeah, I'm looking forward to that, watching films and celebrating public plans. And I'm glad to be here with you. Man. Yeah. Likewise, brother, thanks for having me on man, it's it's it's an honor. I hope. I hope people enjoy this podcast. I hope they do. I know they will, And hopefully next time we can go hunt. Yeah, I'm in Thanks sir, Thanks man. That's it. That is all. Episode number twenty six is in the books. I don't want to thank Omar Crispy sitting down with me here at Archery Country and allstin Texas, talking about his life and times, his story, what the military means to him, what sacrifice means to him and all those types of things. UM. I'm not really sure what to say about that story other than I'm I'm floored by it, I am inspired by it, and I am forever changed by sitting acrossing this man and listening to what he went through. I think hopefully as you all listen to his story, if not, go back and listen to it again, think about where you were in your life, what you were doing, um, when he was in a burning humby, and when he was going through a hundred surgeries, and when you and he was rehabbing he was fitting his prosthetic leg. Think about where you were and what you had that he didn't have. Mhm um. And hopefully we can all learn from it and we all get better. So I appreciate you for listening. Appreciate Omar for being a part of this. I don't really have much more to say. I think I just want to end this by saying thank you, Omar. Thank you,

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