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Imagine waking up in a Cambodian Hospital and being told that doctors will probably have to amputate your leg at the hip. My friend, Matty Blazsanyik, was overseas in Asia facing this very real possibility, as the flesh on his leg was being eaten away.
This flesh eating disease is called Necrotising Fasciitis, and it is an infection that results in death of parts of the body's soft tissue........and it's not pretty..........just google some photos to see how full on it actually is.
The thoughts that must of run through his mind whilst confronting images of his own leg are incomprehensible. The emotional struggle, the pain, the acceptance of having your leg cut off! Man, what a journey of the mind. How would YOU handle that? How did HE handle that?
Have a listen to the conversation and find out.
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Dr Arne Rubinstein is the author of a magnificent book titled "The Making of Men', and if you are a parent with a son, or even a grandparent with a grandson, it is one you should be reading.
He is an expert on Rites of Passage and adolescent development with over 30 years experience as a medical doctor, counsellor and workshop facilitator. The seminars and programs he has helped develop have been attended to by over 100,000 people globally and are designed to assist boys and girls to successfully make a safe and healthy transition in to adulthood.
I visited him at his home in the Byron Hinterland out near Mullumbimby. Dropped in the middle of nature, you will hear the sounds of the wildlife in the background of our conversation.
You can check out the amazing work that he and his team do at The Rites of Passage Institute by clicking the link below. Enjoy :)
www.ritesofpassageinstitute.org
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Have I got an interesting guy for you to meet today! I've known him for about 15/16 years or so. And my son even calls him Uncle Matty. A colourful character with an even more colourful past.
He took rugby to the United State some 30 years ago, playing for a start up University team in San Diego. But his love for travelling saw him board a plane for anywhere, and a chance meeting with a man named Carlos took him.... everywhere. He became a gem smuggling gypsy, travelling from India to Thailand to Hong Kong, all around the place, with a backpack full of illegal gems.
Eventually working in real estate, he lost his fortune in the Global Financial Crisis, and so jumped on a plane to Thailand to getaway and de-stress. And as so many tourists do, he hired a motorbike to travel around. But he had one hell of an accident that saw him end up in hospital in intensive care for 3 months with a broken back, fractured skull, punctured lung, broken ribs and a bunch of other broken bits and pieces.
He has released a book called 'Crazy Shit in Asia', all about how stuff can go astray when overseas. He also hosts a breakfast radio slot on Byron Bay's community radio station, Bay FM.
www.matttowner.com
www.bayfm.org
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I really enjoyed this conversation! Articulate, smart, and funny.....my guest was the very first person I met and became friends with when I moved to Byron Bay about 8 years or so ago.
He has a big personality, is very opinionated and brutally honest.... which will either attract you to him, or push you away from him.
Proudly Jewish and a dad to three boys, he's a former junkie and a recovering alcoholic, just getting out of rehab to control his bottle of vodka a day indulgence. He has also been diagnosed with bipolar 2, a condition that sees him experience incredible periods of extreme depressive lows and the hypomanic highs that reside on the other end of the condition.
We were meant to catch up for a walk on the beach, but the persistent rain, forced us onto the deck at my place for a coffee and a chat. He started telling me about how the rehab centre he just visited is divided into three different groups...the sad, the mad, and the bad! I knew this was going to be a great conversation so I stopped him and asked if I could mic him up for the podcast.
And so here we go.......I love this guy. The man with the beautiful mind. Jason Adamek.
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My beautiful guest for this episode is an Australian Aboriginal artist, singer, dancer, cultural ambassador and university lecturer.
He has taken Australian Aboriginal culture to many parts of the world, teaching children and adults alike.
Raising 4 kids of his own, he makes a conscious effort not to force his art and cultural interests down their throat. In fact, he doesn't push it onto anybody. But he does firmly believe that a better understanding of Australian Indigenous culture is what is needed to bring the country together.
As an artist, the theme close to his heart is 'water', and he depicts this on canvas, murals and even surfboards; having painted boards for the likes of the great Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson.
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The man I sit down with today is at a critical point in his life. Married with two kids, he runs a boxing gym, and helps people overcome their fear of combat sports by training them in a 10 week fight camp which culminates in an actual fight inside a professional boxing ring, in front of about 1000 people.
He himself is a professional boxer, having had 8 fights for 6 wins, with 4 wins by way of knockout. But he is the one who has been beaten this time; beaten by a drug that he has battled for over 22 years.
His foray into heroin began at just 13 years of age, thats right....13. He has overdosed 6 times, and is now back in an addiction rehabilitation centre.
He decided to go very public with his relapse by posting a heartfelt confession on social media, thinking that most people knew about it already. The thing is....they didn't. But he understands that part of making his rehab different this time is to fully admit where he is at, own it, and talk about it openly.
So that is why I went to visit him in rehab; to help him share his story, and bring awareness to the reality of the heroin culture.
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My guest on this episode is only 8 years old! He is a lover of animals. He just has this thing where he sees the beauty in all of them - even spiders and snakes. He is sensitive to the fact they are all living creatures, and treats them with respect, curiosity and love. It physically upsets him to see animals in danger or treated cruelly.
He is drawn to ocean life, and in particular - sharks. He wants to protect and look after them. So I had a chat to him about sharks a few months ago. He was actually my first test interview for the podcast, my guinea pig, to check all my microphones and equipment. You see, this kid is my son, Aston.
The funny thing is, we talk about bull sharks being in the waterway where we stand up paddleboard. A week or so after the podcast chat, he was bumped pretty hard from underneath his board. He asked what it was. i told him, matter of factly, that it was quite possibly a bull shark. He asked "What do I do?". I replied, "Don't fall in."
He couldn't stop talking about it after that. It literally excited him that this had happened. It was happiness, and the highlight of his week. He loves sharks!
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Imagine, if you can, waking up every day and living your life with the very real possibility of being raped, shot, mugged or even abducted. Where, every time you stepped outside of your home, you had to be on your guard, looking over your shoulder.
My guest for this episode, Dia Wanderley Vale, is from the North East of Brasil; a beautiful country with beautiful people. She grew up in an upper middle class family, but the city she called home was plagued with such violence. She has seen broken bottles and knives held to her mothers' throat several times, been carjacked at gunpoint, and lived with the constant threat of being raped.
She moved to Australia 3 years ago. Her partner Sasha is one of my Jiu Jitsu training buddies, and we all share a house together. She is definitely a loud and vibrant Latina! I often hassle her for having no volume control on her voice, especially when I am standing right next to her. I love dishing out a bit of sarcastic Aussie humour at her expense, but rest assured, she gives it back - just more loudly. She loves cooking and dishing out the vegan food and telling me how amazing it is - I think her and Sasha are secretly trying to convert me.
Yoga is also a big part of her life. She believes that her practice, along with her spiritual faith, is what has gotten her through the challenging memories of her past trauma, and keeps her in the present moment to enjoy her life and appreciate every day.
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Mat Rogers is a dual code International Representative - having worn the green and gold for Australia in both rugby league and rugby union. He decided to follow in his father's footsteps as a professional football player and relished in the pressure that went along with it.
Although football has been a big part of his life, its not who he is.
As a man who has battled his own depression, he has also had more than one family member commit suicide. And as a dad to four kids, every day he deals with the challenges of raising his son Max who has been diagnosed with autism.
Mat and his wife Chloe feel very lucky that they were able to afford the therapy needed for their child. But many families cannot. So they started the 4ASDkids charity to assist those families to get the much needed support. This is now the driving factor behind what he does.
A tough bloke on the outside. A beautiful man on the inside. I sat down with Mat and had a very raw and revealing chat about depression, suicide and autism.
4ASDkids Instagram
Mat Rogers Instagram
For someone to talk to about crisis support and suicide prevention please contact Lifeline....
www.lifeline.org.au
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Pete Murray is an Australian Singer / Songwriter who took the music industry by storm with the release of his first signed album, Feeler. It went to number 1 in the charts. In fact, he has had three albums go to the top position. But even after the massive success of that first offering, he didn't understand what the fuss was all about, and couldn't bring himself around to listening to that album for 8 years.
I caught up with him for a coffee and a chat, and he talks about the fear that surrounded him when it came time to record the album; the fear of not being ready. It was interesting to listen to how his first big hit wasn't even finished by the time he went into the studio, and that it was basically put together on the spot. He explains the process that it went through to become a song that was literally played everywhere around Australia.
He gives some insights into the music industry, we discuss fatherhood, staying relevant in a changing world, and the benefits of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
www.petemurray.com
Instagram @petemurraymusic
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This conversation is with a lady who has seen a lot, done a lot, and had a lot happen to her. I've known her for nearly 30 years, and she has definitely lived a wild rollercoaster of a life; a life of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll.
She chats to me about her sexual abuse at the hands of her older brother, her days as a Penthouse Magazine centrefold and the rockstars she dated as a result, as well as the time she spent two weeks inside of a crowded Greek jail.
She acknowledges that her life has been a series of one in a million type of events, both good and bad - and we chat about some of them, but these will only give you a glimpse into the extraordinary situations she has found herself in.
A loving mum to a 21 year old son she raised by herself, she is a spiritual lady who has spent a lot of time delving into self awareness. She now lives a life somewhat quieter than that of her youth. However, the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll theme continues as she deals with her staff and clients as madam of a brothel.
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In this episode of The Bald & The Beautiful, I sit down with a young man who is at the top of his game. A professional boxer undefeated in 13 fights, with 10 of those victories coming by way of knockout.
He is a walking canvas, with tattoos covering a good percentage of his body, including his head. He is flamboyant, choosing to enter the ring dancing through the crowd wearing a large pink feather boa, long pink socks, pink gloves, pink on his shorts......and sometimes a pink mullet!
This kid has a big smile, and a great energy about him. He loves what he does, and it has its rewards - the Queensland State Title, Australian National Title and 3 International Titles to his name, and there is more to come no doubt.
I've had the privilege of sitting ringside and watching this guy do his magic. It's beautiful to see. But what is even more beautiful to me is the strong relationship between him and his coach, who happens to be his dad. He tells me his dad is his inspiration and friend, and how at one stage his dad banished him to Thailand to train in order to shake him from some of the bad choices he was making while living on the Gold Coast.
Jacob 'The Flamingo' Ng
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Medicinal Cannabis and its active ingredients of THC and CBD are now widely being recognised as a way to treat a variety of illnesses. But there is still much resistance to the miracle plant that has been shown to bring so much relief to so many people.
Nicholas Morley is at the forefront of providing quality organic cannabis oil to those in need. He has helped the elderly, young children and even animals gain a better quality of life through the use of medicinal cannabis.
He is a former celebrity hairdresser and fashion designer behind the popular Buddhist Punk label that was worn by everyone from Supermodels to Rock Stars. He was also once a heroin addict who clinically died....twice. But he gets his highs these days from having a good surf, and assisting those requiring a product that is not readily available through conventional channels.
He released a documentary last year called Greenlight, which will give you some more insight into the amazing work that he and his partner have been doing with people struggling to get a better result for their sick loved ones.
Check out the doco at www.greenlightmovie.com
Watch a Leaf of Faith to find out more about the Kratom plant
Nick's Book Recommendation - Die Wise by Stephen Jenkinson
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We’ve all seen the movies where elite soldiers are in training and being pushed to their limits to be prepared……for anything. They are tough. But former Australian Special Forces Commando, Rhys Dowden, says its not just about being physically tough.
After tours of Iraq and Afghanistan, this Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt has taken what he has learned and is now helping others improve their physical, mental and emotional toughness.
Husband and dad of two young children, Rhys recently decided to take up marathon running and is soon to tackle his first Ultra Marathon (it's just like a marathon only a hell of a lot longer). He says it's all about mindset.
So Dave Eller caught up with Rhys at his Northern Rivers home to discuss mindset, stress, PTSD, resilience and emotional intelligence.
To get yourself to the next level, get a hold of Rhys....
www.operatoredge.com/contact
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Dave Eller chats to Mariam Nour who is a Psychologist, Intimacy Specialist, and Yoni Mapping Therapist. Yoni is the Sanskrit word for the vagina, the entire female genitalia, reproductive system and pelvic space.
This conversation delves into the topics of relationships, intimacy, masturbation, sex education for children, and sexual trauma. Its for men and women to listen to, but be warned it may take you into some uncomfortable places. It is light hearted, warm and deep all at the same time.
There are some links below should you require assistance in the following areas:
For Yoni Mapping:
www.yonimappingtherapy.com
Mariam Nour's website:
www.thewombtemple.com
For a body based trauma specialist:
www.seaaustralia.com.au
For parents looking for support chatting to their kids about sex:
www.lilyisobella.com.au
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John Wayne Parr is a true legend in the sport of Thai Boxing, or Muay Thai as it is known. At the age of 44, and with 10 World Titles to his credit, he is still not ready to retire, although he has done that twice already!
Dave Eller sat down and had a chat to JWP inside his Boonchu Thai Gym on the Gold Coast.
