Tyler Campbell: If I’m Going to Bet on Anybody, I’m Going to Bet on Myself
Release Date: 04/08/2021
J.R. Martinez: The Power of A Very Special Dog Named Romeo
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In a special solo episode, J.R. shares the story of his treasured dog and soulmate Romeo. Spanning his puppyhood to his recent passing, Romeo made J.R. a better man, a better father, and a better friend by teaching him the power of unconditional love. Examining the deep bond between human and dog, J.R. gives an unfiltered account of all the wonderful moments he and his family shared with Romeo, moments he is grateful to reflect on as he grieves this painful loss. Underscoring all of this is the idea that dogs bring us so much joy, which is why our hearts shatter when they pass on. ...
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Hope Lives Here: Jose Arellano's Unbelievable Story of Redemption
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Jose Arellano grew up in a home filled with generations of gang members. Despite making a promise to never join a gang, he was drawn in the life, and cycled in and out of the prison system. However, Jose was able to turn his life around and is now part of the leadership at Homeboy Industries, where he is the Director of Case Management. Homeboy Industries helps high-risk youth, former gang members, and the recently incarcerated with mental health counseling, legal services, tattoo removal, education, work-readiness, and more. Find more about Jose's journey and the many blessings he’s...
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From Heartbreak to Innovation: Life of Dad's Tommy Riles
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Tommy Riles is a husband, father, and founder of Life of Dad, the largest community of dads and fastest growing parenting social media brand in the world. He is also the long-time audience warm-up comedian for “The Ellen DeGeneres Show." He started the Life of Dad community from a hospital room as his daughter was awaiting open-heart surgery at only three days old. In today’s episode, Tommy shares how he got other dads to be vulnerable and resolve issues between spouses through his series Mom vs. Dad. They also talk about cargo shorts, grocery shopping, and the benefits of being a...
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From NBC to "The Talk" : Natalie Morales Shares Her Story
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J.R. loves empanadas and today's guest, Natalie Morales, has the right recipe for him! Natalie Morales is an American journalist who is a co-host and moderator of the CBS Daytime talk show The Talk. She was born in Taiwan, to a Brazilian mother, and a Puerto Rican father who is a Lieutenant Colonel. Growing up in a military family, Natalie talks to J.R. about how her upbringing made her interested and curious about the world that eventually led her to her career as a journalist. Continue On Your Journey
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Merryl Tengesdal: An Angel Shattering the Sky
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Merryl Tengesdal is a retired Air Force Colonel, veteran, and (Naval/Air Force) aviator. She is also the first and currently only African American woman to fly the U-2 Aircraft and has over 3,400 flight hours in six different aircraft and over 300 combat hours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Today, Merryl is a fitness trainer at a local sports club. In this episode, Merryl talks about finding enjoyment in the small things, how to keep yourself motivated and moving forward, and her extensive career in the military. Continue On Your Journey ...
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Billy Harris: Food, Comedy, and Philanthropy
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Matthew Postlethwaite and Sunny Vachher: From "Peaky Blinders" to Filmmaking With Purpose
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Today’s guests are not only gifted storytellers but also community conscious creatives. Matthew Postlethwaite and Sunny Vachher wrote and produced, The Great Artist, to create awareness around mental health. This multi-nominated and awarded film was produced during the Covid-19 pandemic and enjoyed a successful festival run, which began virtually on December 31, 2020 in that month's edition of the 2020 TopShorts Film Festival. J.R. talks to them about their inspiration to change the narrative around mental health issues and inspire others! Continue On Your Journey
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Dustin Tavella: AGT Champion Shares The True Magic of Life
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Dustin Tavella is a Magician best known for winning the 16th season of America’s Got Talent. Dustin goes beyond just performing tricks. As a big advocate for giving back, Dustin works extensively with the homeless and pregnant women with complicated backgrounds. He shares his story and why he’s so passionate about lifting others up, no matter where they are in life.
info_outlineTyler Campbell was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2007 but would continue to pursue football for two more years before the neurologist permanently sidelined Tyler’s dreams to play in the NFL. His journey into football was not easy, having lost multiple scholarships due to underage drinking, Tyler knew he had an uphill battle to take if he really wanted to make it into football. Today, Tyler shares a bit of his story, his dreams, and his adversities, and the life he’s created after football.
Key Takeaways
- Tyler wanted to tell his story when he was dancing with the stars and watched JR’s ‘game film’ to get ready.
- Who is Tyler and what was it like growing up with a famous football player, Earl Campbell?
- Tyler shares a little bit about his family history and how they come from a long line of people doing impactful and meaningful things.
- Tyler grew up not knowing the football side of his dad. His dad kept all of his trophies out of the house.
- Tyler’s first love was in basketball and then he converted over to football. However, he wasn’t as good as his brother or his dad.
- This had a lot of psychological impacts on Tyler. He felt like he had let his family down. That was just his own internal monologue.
- One thing Tyler overlooked was he and his father put in the work early on. They showed up consistently. When he recognized that, things started to shift for him.
- If you want it bad enough, you will get there. Just keep hanging on.
- Tyler got in trouble for underage drinking and it severely hurt his chances to become a pro athlete. This is something Tyler had to own up to. He lost every single scholarship.
- If I’m going to bet on anybody… Tyler was going to bet on himself.
- After so much struggle and determination, Tyler was living his dream...until he got injured. This was the first time he had depression. Football defined Tyler.
- The words that his father told him, that Campbells don’t quit, Tyler used his adversity as fuel.
- Tyler decided he was going to put more things on his plate that would define him as a person, and not as a ‘football athlete’. This was life-changing. Mentoring others, working on himself, he saw a completely new world.
- Finally, Tyler got into his dream school!!!
- We all hurt differently. Tyler learned in his injury recovery that he had to put his ego aside and show up as a leader and mentor to his teammates.
- Be a teammate, you don’t know what somebody else is going through.
- Tyler talks about the day he found out he couldn’t walk. That’s when he discovered he had MS.
- By this point in Tyler’s life, adversity was just the name of the game. It was nothing he couldn’t handle.
- Tyler had to take all of his finals left-handed.
- Tyler had another MS relapse. And that was it, his potential NFL career had officially ended.
- Tyler found his way through communication and started to become a speaker. When he got up on stage to talk at an MS conference, it changed Tyler’s life.
- You can change the world with your words.
- Tyler opens up about his erectile dysfunction and the stigma black men have talking about their emotions.
- Do not minimize your pain. If it’s painful, you got to get it out.
- What advice would Tyler give to his younger self?
Continue On Your Journey
Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, please head over to iTunes and leave a review. Help others discover the REBIRTH podcast so they, too, can be inspired and motivated by the stories shared in these episodes. This episode is sponsored by Walmart.