Lessons Learned

On May 18, 2025, I was nearly killed in a violent accident that left me unconscious and severely injured on a sidewalk in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the aftermath, everything changed. I’ve been forced to confront what it means to live as a different version of myself.This episode is told in two parts. The first is a recording I made shortly after returning home, before undergoing reconstructive facial surgery. I was dealing with a traumatic brain injury, a severe concussion, and multiple facial fractures—but I felt an urgency to capture the perspective that exists in the immediate aftermath of a near-death experience.The second is an interview recorded in March 2026 in Medellín, Colombia, where I went in search of clarity, healing, and a path forward into a new chapter.Both parts explore many of the same themes, separated by months of pain, recovery, and growth.

In the summer of 2009 Dominic Davila deployed to the city of Garmsir in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion 8th Marines as a machine gunner in weapons platoon . On July 23rd his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device that severely wounded him, resulting in his right leg being amputated below the knee. Cpl. Nick Xiarhos and LCPL. Jeremy Lasher were killed in the blast and Corpsman HM2 Trevor Parr was wounded as well.  In this episode Dom shares what happened on that day and how it impacted his life and the lives of many others. 

On this episode, we feature Lieutenant Colonel Tom Schueman, a Marine Corps officer who served as a Rifle Platoon Commander with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines during a harrowing deployment to Sangin, Afghanistan in 2010-2011. There, he forged an unbreakable bond with his platoon’s interpreter, Zainullah “Zack” Zaki—a young Afghan who risked everything to support U.S. forces on the front lines.A decade later, as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August 2021, Tom launched a desperate and determined effort to rescue Zack and his family before they were discovered. What followed was a powerful story of loyalty, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment.Tom and Zack later co-authored the book Always Faithful: A Story of the War in Afghanistan, the Fall of Kabul, and the Unshakable Bond Between a Marine and an Interpreter. Tom also shares insights into his nonprofit, Patrol Base Abbate, which helps veterans find renewed purpose and community after service.

Scott Payne is a retired FBI Special Agent who spent twenty-eight years in law enforcement investigating cases against drug trafficking organizations, human traffickers, outlaw motorcycle clubs, gangs, public corruption, and domestic terrorists. He was also a SWAT team operator and instructor for firearms, tactics, and undercover operations. Scott recently published His first book titled, Code Name: Pale Horse How I Went Undercover to Expose America's Nazis, where he shares the realities of living the life of an undercover FBI agent and how it affected the rest of his life. On this episode he shares what led to his career with the FBI, how he managed the stressors of the job, and how he transitioned into retired life. 

Ten years after serving his country as a U.S. Marine, Captain Frank “Gus” Biggio signed up once again because he missed the brotherhood of the military. Leaving behind his successful law career, his young wife, and newborn son, he was deployed to Helmand Province—the most violent region in war-torn Afghanistan. As a participant in a combined coalition offensive named Operation Khanjar, Biggio and his fellow Marines fought to take back control of the Taliban stronghold city of Nawa. The offensive began with a troop surge designed to thwart the Taliban, and was followed by the restoration of the local government and real-time capacity building among the withdrawn and destitute Afghan people. Years after his return from the mission he decided to turn his experience into a book titled The Wolves of Helmand where he processes through a decade-long self-examination of a warrior’s heart, conscience, and memory. 

Dean Crisp is a leadership influencer and Founder / CEO of Leaders Helping Leaders Network (LHLN) where he is known as a highly energetic and motivational instructor who offers quality, impactful leadership development classes. He is a thirty-year veteran of law enforcement serving his last 17 years as a chief of police. Dean was also the former National Training Director for FBI-LEEDA and was instrumental in creating their Trilogy program. He is a best-selling author of Essential Leadership Lessons from the Thin Blue Line as well as The Leadership Recipe and is about to release his third book, 5 Simple Truths of Leadership: How to Be a Significant Leader in Your Business, Organization, and Life. He is also the host of his own podcast, “Straight Talk on Leadership” and enjoys doing keynotes for a variety of different organizations all over the country. On this episode Dean shares his lessons in leadership and how to implement them in your daily life.   

The Battle of Khe Sanh began on January 21, 1968, when forces from the People’s Army of North Vietnam carried out a massive artillery bombardment and infantry attack on the U.S. Marine combat base at Khe Sanh, located in the northwest of South Vietnam near the Laotian border. For the next 77 days the Marines fought off an intense siege in one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War as the base and the surrounding hill outposts were bombarded with constant artillery and infantry attacks. Dennis Mannion served on Hill 861 as an Artillery Forward Observer during that battle, calling in crucial artillery fire missions to counter the enemy attacks. On this episode Dennis shares his experience in the Vietnam War from more than 50 years ago and how it forever changed him. 

In 2016 Navy veteran turned television and film producer River Hagg left his job with the popular show Wicked Tuna to travel to Syria to document the bloody war between ISIS and the Kurdish militant group called the YPG. When he arrived he was informed that journalist were not allowed to enter the war zone and he was told that his only access would be through a 6 month contract to fight for the YPG. With only basic life saving skills learned from his time in the Navy, River and a small group of volunteers created the first ever front line medic unit to fight alongside the YPG. River documented his experience and it was later released as a two part documentary called “The volunteers” where he shows the world the bloody and disturbing reality of the war against ISIS. In this episode River shares his experiences, how they forever changed him, and how he learned to live with them. 

On a red-eye flight to Connecticut in 2003 David Kniess sat next to a young Marine who introduced himself as Jason Dunham. David immediately sensed something special about Jason and knew that he would inevitably be deploying to the Iraq war in the near future. Six months later David found Jason’s name among a list of those killed in action in Iraq in 2004. It was later learned that on April 14th 2004 during an insurgent attack Jason had used his body and kevlar helmet to shield his fellow Marines from a grenade blast that ultimately took his life. On January 11th 2007 Jason Dunham was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.David’s initial meeting with Jason on a random flight in 2003 would lead to the start of an award-winning documentary 20 years in the making titled “The Gift,” recounting Dunham’s sacrifice in the line of duty and his lasting impact on the lives of those around him. On this episode David shares his experience of taking on the privilege and honor to tell Jason Dunham's story to the word. 

On March 27, 2023, a lone gunman entered the Covenant School located in Nashville Tennessee and tragically took the lives of six individuals. Mike  Collazo, along with four other officers, were among the first responders to arrive at the scene that day. Their small team swiftly entered the school and began searching for the gunman. Ultimately, their unit encountered the shooter, leading to an exchange of gunfire that ended with the shooter dead. By the time their small team had found and taken down the shooter, only 14 minutes had passed since the first 911 call. On this episode Mike shares his experiences from that fateful day and how his life along with many others was forever changed. 

This episode we feature Linda Morrison the author of Dear Heroin: A memoir of goodbyes. The opioid crisis in America has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and in 2012 Linda's son Michael succumbed to his heroin addiction and tragically took his own life. She is now an advocate for those caught in the circle of substance abuse and encourages and supports families in their battles  against it. On this episode Linda shares her son’s story, what she learned through it all, and how she continues to carry on Michael’s memory by helping others. 

Dr. Ben Stone attended Exeter College of Oxford University through the United States Air Force Institute of Technology. At Oxford, Dr. Stone developed a keen interest in cardiovascular physiology. He completed his PhD for his medical doctorate and also coordinated research at the British Olympic Medical Institute, Oxford Nutraceuticals Group, and Cambridge University. In 2017, Dr. Stone co-developed Sigma Tactical Wellness, an organization intent on reducing the prevalence of coronary disease in law enforcement officers throughout the United States. This program has screened more than 7000 police officers and the derived data and methods are being used across the nation to save countless lives. As a well-regarded lecturer, Dr. Stone has presented data at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference, Texas Chiefs Association, The FBI National Academy, and numerous other state, local, and federal law-enforcement agencies. 

Kristen Ziman joined the Aurora Police force in 1991 as a police cadet and became a sworn officer in 1994. She worked in patrol, field training, community policing and investigations as a domestic violence detective before being promoted to sergeant in 2003.  She was promoted to lieutenant in 2008 and to Commander in 2010 and Chief of Police in January of 2016, becoming the first female chief in the departments history. She recently retired after 30 years with the department and launched a professional speaking and consulting business to pursue her passion of helping organizations through leadership challenges. She also led her department through a mass shooting where five people were killed and five of her officers were shot.Kristen is also the author of Reimagining Blue: Thoughts on Life, Leadership, and a New Way Forward in Policing, a passionate and personal memoir of a misunderstood profession through the vantage point of a female police chief. On this episode Kristen shares her journey from an 18 year old intern to the chief of police and what she learned through it all. 

John Davis served in the Army as infantry with the 101st Airborne from 2009-2017. During that time he deployed twice to the eastern region of Afghanistan before medically retiring in 2017. John is also a Harvard graduate and veteran advocate who served as a legislative fellow for the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Student Veterans of America. After John’s medical retirement from the Army he began traveling abroad and realized that he wanted to move full time to the Dominican Republic where he learned that there our other ways to live life beyond the standard idea of the American Dream. John is the author of Combat to College, 365 Days of veteran Affirmations, and the Veterans Guide to Moving Abroad. On this episode John discusses what led to his decision to move abroad and what he learned throughout the journey. 

Rob Ninkovich is a former professional football player who played as a defensive end and outside linebacker in the NFL, primarily with the New England Patriots. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft but found his greatest success after joining the Patriots in 2009. Known for his versatility, relentless work ethic, and leadership on the field, Ninkovich became a key component of the Patriots' defense, helping the team win two Super Bowl championships during his career. During his eight seasons with the Patriots, Ninkovich developed a reputation as one of the most reliable and consistent players on the roster before retiring in 2017. On this episode Rob shares his insights on what it took to get to the NFL, what it took to stay there, and what he learned as he transitioned into retirement after 20 years of football. 

On April 15th 2013 Roseann Sdoia was watching the Boston Marathon on Bolyston Street when a bomb blew up only feet away from her and changed her life forever. Roseanne was gravely wounded and as a result her right leg was amputated above the knee. Roseann’s life was saved by first responders and nearby civilians who took life saving actions in a chaotic and violent scene. One of those first responders was Boston Firefighter Mike Materia, who later became her husband. Listen as Roseann and Mike share their experiences from that day and what they learned through it all. Roseann is also the author of her book, Perfect Strangers, where she details the events of that day and everything that followed. 

Michael Ramos joined the Navy 13 days before the September 11th 2001 attacks on the world trade center. He was assigned the job of Religious Program Specialist where he served as a body guard for unarmed chaplains in combat zones attached to front line infantry units. He deployed with the Marines for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 then went on to spend the next decade attached to Marine units for multiple deployments. Michael is also a writer, teacher, book designer, editor, and the art director for Ecotone magazine. His work focuses on dispelling myths about war, warriors, and veterans, and bringing military and civilian communities together through the power of art. He is the author of The After: A Veteran’s Notes on Coming Home and several other works of writing.

For nearly a decade Kael Weston represented the U.S. Government in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan as a state department official. In Iraq, he was the State Department representative in Fallujah, both during and after the biggest battle in that war. Kael and the Marine leaders were responsible for rebuilding the city’s infrastructure, facilitating the return of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians back into the city, establishing a new city council despite numerous assassinations of local politicians, and working closely with Iraqi governors in Ramadi and central Iraqi government representatives in Baghdad. In Afghanistan Kael served as the U.S. representative in Khost Province, the one-time home of Osama bin Laden, where he partnered with local government leaders to help prioritize over $50 million dollars in U.S. reconstruction funds. In Helmand Province, he worked closely with Marine commanding General Lawrence Nicholson and Together, they oversaw the frontline strategy guiding the deployment of approximately 20,000 U.S. troops in the Taliban-filled area where many American service members were killed-in-action and wounded. Kael is also the author of The Mirror Test: America at War in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he details his wartime experiences through his unique perspective as a State Department Official.

Brockton native Tom Bolinder was 19 years old when he fought in the jungles and hills of Vietnam as rifleman with Echo Company 2nd Battalion 7th Marines from 1967-1968. During that time the war was in one of its most violent periods as the North had launched a massive surprise offensive that was later to be called the TET offensive. Tom and his fellow Marines fought a determined and battle hardened North Vietnamese Army and during that time Tom was wounded twice, earning two purple hearts, and the second time requiring 2 years of rehabilitation. On August 18th 1968 Tom and his fellow Marines were conducting an operation when they came under heavy fire and sustained several casualties. Tom repeatedly ran into enemy fire to assist with retrieving casualties and was later awarded a Bronze Star with valor distinction for his actions. After the war Tom returned home and began a career in law enforcement that spanned 34 years. Tom first served as a police officer with the Holbrook Police Department for 10 years until 1981 when he transferred to the Quincy police Department and served there until 2005 when he retired as a Lieutenant. On this episode Tom shares his experiences during the war, how he overcame them, and what he learned from it all. 

United States Air Force Captain Alan Brudno from Quincy Massachusetts was flying a combat mission over North Vietnam in his F4 Phantom fighter jet when on October 18th, 1965 he was shot down and captured as a prisoner of war. Alan Brudno was held for 7.5 years as a prisoner of war in various north Vietnamese prison camps including the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Alan and his fellow POW’s endured unimaginable tortures as the war raged on in Vietnam while large segments of America condemned the young men sent to fight there. In February of 1973 Alan and his fellow POW’s came home from Vietnam and Alan, being one of the longest held POW’s during the war, was sent home on the first plane. Only 4 months after Alan’s release he succumbed to his invisible wounds and committed suicide, becoming the first POW released to die. Since the day Alan was taken prisoner his brother, Bob Brudno, spent his life advocating for his brother and his release. When Alan died post traumatic stress disorder didn’t even have a name yet and the government refused to recognize his death as combat related. Bob Brudno spent 3 decades fighting for his brother's name to be etched onto the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington DC and on memorial day in 2004 it finally was. Bob Brudno joins us today to share his brother Alan’s story. 

Ron Jansen joined the Marine Corps in 2002 as a reservist in Grand Rapids Michigan and was assigned to 1st battalion 24th Marine regiment as an infantryman. In 2006 Ron deployed to Fallujah, Iraq as a squad leader where he conducted hundreds of foot patrols and fought against a rapidly growing insurgency. In May of 2024 Ron published his book, An Otherwise Healthy Person: A Marine's Story of Going to Fallujah and Fighting to Come Home, where he details his experiences in the Marine Corps and his journey of healing after being discharged. 

Dean Otto is from Charlotte North Carolina and in 2016 Dean was riding his bicycle on a dark road during the early morning hours in Charlotte when a Ford F-150 truck hit him from behind and shattered his spine, leaving him on the side of the road and instantly paralyzed from the waist down. Dean knew in that moment that his life would be changed forever, but he could have never imagined the journey to come. Dean was given a 2% chance to ever walk again by doctors, but he vowed to himself that within a year of the accident he would not only walk, but run a half marathon with the doctor who saved him and the man who had accidentally struck him. Instead of despair Dean chose acceptance, positivity, hope, and forgiveness to start the long and painful journey to recovery. Dean turned his story into a book titled: 2% Chance: A Journey In Resilience, Recovery, And Rebirth, and has been featured on the Ellen Show, the Today Show, and many others. Dean continues to inspire people all over the world as he shares his story through speaking appearances. 

David Nicastro served with the Marine Corps as part of the 2nd Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST) company from 1996-2003. After his honorable discharge he began a career as a civilian contractor employed by various government agencies from 2004-2014. During those years he deployed to Iraq multiple times during the most violent years of the insurgency and to Afghanistan as part of the intelligence efforts to track and kill Osama Bin Laden. In 2015 David became a MA State Trooper and began to realize the toll his years at war had taken on him and decided to seek help, which led to his departure from law enforcement and a new life of healing and helping others that has taken him from the front lines of the Israel-Hamas war, to serving as an advocate for victims of sex trafficking.  

Nick Laidlaw served as an 0311 rifleman in the Marine Corps from 2012-2019. After the Marine Corps he began a career as a Registered Behavior Technician, Teaching children with Autism as a day job. Nick is also the founder of Battles and Beers: War Stories which is found on YouTube and Instagram, where he shares first hand accounts of people who fought in conflicts from all over the world spanning several decades. Nick is also a war journalist and has traveled to the frontlines of the Russo-Ukrainian war and the Israel - Hamas war. He is the author of two books titled, What War Did To Us volumes 1 and 2, and will be returning to Ukraine this October.

Nicholas Rizzo joined the Marine Corps in July of 2008. After completing infantry training as an 0311 rifleman he was assigned to 2nd Bn 8th Marines on Camp Lejeune NC. In May of 2009 he deployed to the city of Garmsir in the Helmand Province as part of Operation Khanjar and conducted combat operations with Echo Company as the southern most element of the battalion effort. After being inserted by helicopter in what was the largest helicopter operation since the Vietnam War, Echo company regularly faced attacks from the Taliban consisting of small arms fire, indirect mortar and rocket fire, and improvised explosive devices. In January 2011 he deployed again with 2/8 Echo Company to the infamous Taliban stronghold city of Sangin in Afghanistan. After being discharged from the Marines as a Cpl he attended Umass Boston and graduated with bachelors degree in political science and went on to work as the advanced representative for Governor Charlie Baker from July 2018- December 2019. Nick became a Boston Fire Fighter in January of 2019 and was promoted to LT in June of 2024. In this episode we discuss the realities of his deployments, his leadership lessons he learned along the way, and how he views the Afghanistan War 15 years later. 

91 year old Max Sarazin was born in 1933 during the height of the Great Depression. He decided to join the Marine Corps in 1951 while the United States was heavily involved in the Korean War. Max deployed to Korea in 1951 and served with 1st Battalion 5th Marines as a forward observer, calling in artillery fire missions on North Korean and Chinese enemy troops. Max shares his experiences in the war, his life time worth of lessons, and what advice he’d like to pass on to the newer generations. 

John Deaton was born in Highland Park Michigan, a subsection of Detroit and one of the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods in the country in 1967. Against all odds John worked his way out of poverty to attend Boston’s New England School of Law in 1992. In 1994 he commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps where he served as a defense attorney and prosecutor. John then went on to start his own law firm in 2006 where he represented victims of asbestos in court. In 2020 John filed a lawsuit with the SCC in the defense of XRP crypto holders around the world where he represented 75,000 individual holders, gaining him international recognition. John is a truly self-made man with an amazing story that he shares in his 2023 memoir titled, Food Stamp Warrior.  

Col. Chris Conner joined the Marine Corps in 1992 as an enlisted reservist and in 2000 he was accepted to Officer Candidate School then commissioned as a 2nd LT assigned to 1st Battalion 8th Marines as an infantry platoon commander. His time with 1/8 brought him to Iraq in 2003 to the city of Mosul in the early stages of the war and again in 2004 as part of the legendary battle of Fallujah, where his unit served as a crucial part of the main effort to clear the city of enemy fighters as they fought their way through one of the largest urban battles since the Vietnam War. In April 2009 he was selected to command Charlie Co of 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and led them through combat in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan as part of operation Khanjar. From 2018-2020 he was selected to go back to 2nd LAR as its battalion commander. Col. Conner currently serves as the Division Chief, Global Force Management Policy, Process, and Technology, for the Joint Forces, J-35 South in Norfolk. Chris Conner was my company commander in Afghanistan and in this episode we reconnect for the first time in 15 years as we discuss our vastly different roles on that deployment. 

LtGen. Lawrence Nicholson served 39 years with the United States Marine Corps and retired in 2018. Over the course of his career he served in numerous leadership roles as he ascended the officer ranks. In 2009 he was selected to command the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade for operation Khanjar in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. During that time he commanded over 10,000 Marines, Sailors, Army, and Afghan National Army, as they battled to take back control of the firmly held Taliban territory. LtGen. Nicholson discusses the realities of command, the loss of Marines, and how he managed those tremendous responsibilities. LtGen. Nicholson led thousands of Marines over the course of his career and left a lasting impact on every single one under his command.   

Sgt. Dan Spaulding deployed with 2nd Battalion 8th Marines to the city of Garmsir in May 2009 as part of a major offensive in the Helmand Province.  Dan was there the day Our friend Nick Xiarhos was killed in action by an improvised explosive device on July 23rd 2009. This was a very personal conversation that neither of us had ever had, despite knowing each other for nearly 15 years. Dan and I discuss the events of that day and much more. 

Jeff Bodell served as a member of a police mentor team during the battle of Marjah Afghanistan in 2010. He conducted hundreds of patrols along side the Afghan Police forces during his 7 month deployment and on July 27th 2010 his team was in a fight for their lives against the Taliban after being ambushed by a significantly larger force. Jeff's friend and teammate, LCPL Abram Howard, was killed during the fighting while Jeff and his teammates continued to repel the attack. Jeff recently published a book documenting that day titled, The Warfighter's Lounge: A Marine's Experience of Combat in Marjah, Afghanistan. It is an amazing tribute to his friend Abe and a glimpse into modern combat at the ground level.  

On January 17, 2008 Denise Amber Lee was at her Florida home with her 2 year old and 6 month old son's when a complete stranger broke into her house and abducted her in broad daylight while her Husband Nathan was at work. Two days later on January 19th Denise's body was found after being murdered and buried in a shallow grave. During Denise's abduction and the massive search that followed there were serious missteps and lapses in communication from the combined search effort that could have led to Denise's life being saved. Nathan holds no contempt toward the first responders involved, but only intends to share the story of Denise's murder in full detail in order to prevent such a horrific act from ever happening again. Nathan has dedicated his life to sharing Denise's story and more information can be found at https://deniseamberlee.org/

Retired USMC Col. Tim Grattan had a 25 year long career in the Marine Corps spanning from 1990-2015. During that time he commanded Marines on combat deployments to Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 2009 he was my battalion commander for 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion during a major offensive operation in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. Tim shares his lessons and insights about his many leadership roles over his 25 year career, how he had to adapt to each new challenge, what he learned along the way, and how he faced the struggles of transitioning to the civilian world. 

Matthew Butler joined the Utah National Guard in 1993 and went active duty in the Army by becoming a Green Beret Special Forces Operator in 1998. He deployed six times during the Global War on Terrorism between 2003-2014 and retired in 2017 as a Lieutenant Colonel. After his retirement he realized the toll the wars had taken on him and decided to seek help through means that many may find unconventional, but ultimately saved his life. This is his story.