The Silvercore Podcast with Travis Bader

In this episode of The Silvercore Podcast, Travis speaks with Silvercore instructor, Darren Maughan, to discuss what it takes to work as a bodyguard for some of the world's most elite. Darren recounts how he got into the world of executive protection, as well as some fantastic stories during his time working with Oprah Winfrey and the Australian National Cricket Team.

 

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What is The Silvercore Podcast with Travis Bader?

The Silvercore Podcast explores the mindset and skills that build capable people. Host Travis Bader speaks with hunters, adventurers, soldiers, athletes, craftsmen, and founders about competence, integrity, and the pursuit of mastery, in the wild and in daily life. Hit follow and step into conversations that sharpen your edge.

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Language: en-GB

I'm Travis Bader
and this is The

Silvercore Podcast.

Join me as I discuss
matters related to

hunting, fishing,
and outdoor pursuits

with the people in
businesses that comprise

of the community.

If you're new to
Silvercore, be sure to

check out our website,
www.Silvercore.ca

Where you can learn
more about courses,

services, and products.

We offer as well as
how you can join The

Silvercore Club, which
includes 10 million

in North America wide
liability insurance,

to make sure you are
properly covered during

your outdoor adventures.

By popular request, I'm
speaking with Silvercore

instructor, Darren
Maughan, to discuss what

it takes to work as a
bodyguard for some of

the world's most elite.

Darren recounts
how he got into the

world of executive
protection, as well as

some fantastic stories
during his time working

with Oprah Winfrey
and the Australian

National Cricket Team.

All right.

Based on feedback that
we received from the

previous podcast we did
with Darren Maughan,

we're sitting down again
to talk about some

of the things that we
kind of alluded to at

the beginning, which
was the executive

protection work and
your time shooting IPSC.

Darren, thank you very
much for coming back to

The Silvercore Podcast,
I'm glad I didn't scare

you away on the last one.

Thanks Travis, it's
always good to be here.

You got very heavy into
executive protection

and close protection
security work and have

been doing that for
quite a number of years.

Run your own company
doing that and working

for other companies.

How did you
get into that?

Oh, good question Travis.

You know, being,
living in Zimbabwe

at the time, there
was a need for that.

And there was a need
for that in South

Africa, which was
a bigger market.

And it was something
that I didn't intend

to do, you know?

I actually went to
agriculture college, so.

Right.

It wasn't something that
I had as my bucket list,

but something that made
this happen was I got

into, first of all, I got
into the sport of IPSC.

Right.

You know what IPSC
is, the practical

pistol shooting.

It was just as the
world was starting to

really take notice of
it and, and the world

shoots were taking off.

We actually had a, a,
a strange phenomenon

when I just started
shooting; that Zimbabwe

at the time wouldn't
attend the world shoot

because South Africa
was still allowed to go.

Ah.

But when that changed
in 1990, 1999, I was

selected to go and
represent Zimbabwe

in Australia.

And again I was, in those
days, you need a single

stack 45, you know.

Yeah.

Manage to squeeze eight
rounds into the magazine

after a little bit of
tinkering and that's

what we shot with.

And it was awesome,
you know, and we met

subs legends, even
in those days as Rob

Leatham and the boys.

Right.

And I loved it and I
just seemed they have

an aptitude to shoot,
it just seemed to come

natural to me, I don't
know why, I didn't come

from a shooting family.

I did my hunting
and that and.

So with that, I decided
like, you know, I'll

carry on doing the sport,
this is pretty good.

And over the next
five years, I actually

attended another, two
world shoots a one

in the Philippines,
one in South Africa.

And in fact, I
think I may have got

that wrong, I think
Philippines were 1999.

Anyway, I'll I'll
correct myself later.

Yeah, no problem.

Anyhow, I went to
three world shoots

and I did really well.

I was Zimbabwe champion
five years for my sins.

Wow.

Made me the captain.

I don't know why,
you know this crazy

guy from the farm.

Good for you.

It was all fun
and enjoyable.

And I always had the
opportunity to help train

other people and, and
start training people

who hadn't really shot
handguns before, had

been in the military but
as most people know in

the military, you shoot,
you don't shoot handguns

that much, right.

Right.

And especially
in our military.

So they would come out
and that's, asked me to

start teaching them how
to shoot and it was fun.

I love teaching, I
love people, I love

imparting knowledge.

It's one of my
passions in life.

You're great at it.

Well, I hope so, I try.

And yeah through that, I
met people who would say,

well, listen, you know,
why don't you do some

close protection work?

In those days it
was still called

body guarding.

I went well, I
don't really know

too much about it.

I, I, I can
handle myself.

I can, you know,
I've been in some

tough situations.

I've been in some very
serious situations

that we've got
ourselves out of.

And they said, well,
listen, we know these

guys, we know these
guys, why aren't you

going to do a course?

And I ended up going to
South Africa and doing

a couple of courses
down there because we

had really nothing in
Zimbabwe to do that.

A bodyguard, in those
days was someone who just

came out of the military
and said, okay, you'll do

and he, he looked mean.

Right.

And I quickly picked up
that to do a professional

body guarding course
you had to take it more

than just knowing how
to defend yourself and

you know, how to shoot
a firearm correctly.

There were many
other things that

were involved in it.

So when I started, I
started picking apart

what would be best
and a lot of it was

client confidentiality.

Right.

Including client
confidentiality, in that

day, they trusted you,
there was trust in you

and also there was a bit,
it was a bit involved in

client, client comfort.

They wanted to know, they
wanted to feel special.

They were paying
a lot of money.

And I think this went
back to my professional

hunters days, right.

I sort of putting the
two and two together

and so one of the
things I started doing

is after I'd done
all these courses and

passed the course I
said, I think I can

integrate this into my
own training course here

and start developing it.

And so that's what
we started doing.

And then we invited
instructors up to

us to impart their
knowledge on us and.

Right.

And integrated that
and what we found

out, now, this is
quite interesting.

You alluded, right at
the beginning of the

first podcast that I'd
done some security work

for, for instance, the
Australian Cricket Team.

Right.

Now, I ended up there
as a security manager

for five years, but
how I originally got

that, they were coming
to South Africa to come

and play the world cup.

Right.

There was a whole
bunch there.

And the South African
company that we're

employing the close
protection for the teams

decided they didn't
want a South African

looking after the biggest
rivals, cause South

Africa thought that we've
got to win that war.

Right.

So they reached out to
me being Zimbabwe and

I'd worked with them
before, they said, would

you come down and do
the Australian team?

I went fine and it ended
up getting, got on so

well with the guys.

We had it, we, this
is, this is a great

little story, sorry.

Is it all little antidote
on the side here.

I love it.

Yeah.

Well, during the world
cup, there were a couple

of matches that were
shared up for the, in

Zimbabwe, but Zimbabwe
were going through

that political turmoil.

Mugabi was when the
news for everyone

and some of the teams
decided not to go.

England for one,
forfeited their

match, that they had
a plan Zimbabwe rather

not go up there.

And it was that made
international headlines.

Yeah.

Well, the Australians
said, well,

we'll do we go?

And they had this big,
I know you're talking

about all the major
executives, this is a,

this is the national
team and they all like

the best, one of the
best teams in the world.

And they had to go up to
my hometown, which was

in the South of Zimbabwe,
we called Bulawayo.

So the manager said,
Darren, I got to

come talk to you.

Now, the managers
for the cricket team

is like God right.

He's the guy that
runs the place.

Yeah.

I said, yes, He
says, listen, we

think we should go,
but we don't know.

I want, would you be
prepared to speak to

the entire Australian
team and tell them

your thoughts?

I went fair enough.

Right.

And I could speak from
the heart because my

wife was still there,
my kids were there,

my wife was still
pregnant at the time.

Right.

In Bulawayo and I said,
because it's not the

security situation we've
got to worry about it.

It's your political
ideas whether you want

to, or don't want to go.

The guy said, well,
we don't want to shake

Mugabi's hand, and
well, I don't know if

he'll even be there.

But I'm just going to
give you the briefing

on the security side.

And it worked out well,
the guys after the

talk it was a good 15
minutes I was standing

in front of this team
that really I just met.

And they went,
you know what?

We'll go, we'll go on
your advise, we got to

hire, we got to, we're
going to, yeah, we got

to get our own airplane
and we're going to go

up there, charter it
so we can fly out and

we're going to stay one
night instead of two.

And then we're coming
back and that'll be all

sort of, and they went
up there and they played

Zimbabwe in Bulawayo,
it was magnificent.

The Zimbabwian's were
just ecstatic that they

had this Australian team.

I'm talking about
the normal man in the

street and that they
had this opportunity

to see Australia
play in, in Zimbabwe.

So that was fantastic.

So that was cool.

First time.

So that sort of just
led me into the idea

that you've got to be
able to relate to the

teams at the time.

In fact, that time,
that night they stayed

there, they all came to
my house for a barbecue,

we called it a Bri.

My poor wife didn't
know what to hit her.

She had the whole
Australian team, the

management and the
Australian embassy and

convergent in our little
house in the suburbs.

You didn't tell
her ahead of time?

Oh I told her, look,
you know, I can't

tell you too much, but
we're going to have a

whole bunch of people.

But I couldn't tell
any of my best friends

except two of them.

And I said, listen, I
want you guys to come

to my house tonight
for a, you know,

we call it a Bri.

They're why?

I can't tell
you, just come.

And when they arrived
there, their eyes

were just like
sources like the

whole Australian team.

Anyway so I, going
back to what I said,

I, I realized that be,
be able to connect to

the people that you're
looking after, the people

that you are protecting,
is an important thing.

And so what I did is
I started training

my guys more in that.

Well, not more as
an extra, there's an

you've better know
your client's comfort.

So for instance, I'll
give you a small example.

The client's going to
get into his vehicle

that morning, you
better make sure that

his newspaper that he
reads is folded up and

on his seat next to him.

The water that he
drinks is in, in the,

in the right place for
him to drink the air

conditioner set at the
right temperature, you

know, the radio station,
if need be, or the music

they listen to you.

And the guys say,
really, and this

worked out so well.

So you talked about
Oprah and I can, I can

talk now because it's
been so long ago, but

that's how I actually
got that job as well.

What actually happened is
another company in South

Africa said, look, we've
got this issue here.

One, we need guys that
can speak good English.

I'm like, what
do you mean?

Well, in South Africa you
have the Afrikaners as

well that don't speak,
you battle sometimes to

understand my accent.

Well, if you're trying
to know for context.

Right.

I mean, I love the guys,
but so they said, well

okay, we want you to come
down there, but there

was also this issue.

And I don't know if I can
mention this, but this is

the truth of the story is
that, we don't have the

right racial breakdown of
our security teams down

there, they're all white.

And I went well, that's
crazy, I've got a whole

bunch of guys here
that work with me and

we trained together.

Can you bring them down?

Said yeah I can
bring them down.

So not only did I go
down, about another five,

six guys or my guys down
to be part of the team.

For my sins, I was
designated as the CPO

one to Stedman Graham.

That was Oprah's
long term partners

liz, a fantastic guy,
absolutely fantastic.

He's a motivational
speaker, I didn't

know that and I love,
I love that, I love

that sort of stuff.

Yeah.

Obviously you can
see that, right?

Yeah, yeah.

And we got on really,
really well and.

We'll do another podcast,
once, I'll tell you a

story about what happened
during our Christmas

kindness when a whole
pink, blue dot on us.

I love it.

Yeah, that was a big one.

So that's really how I
got into close protection

is that, it wasn't
something that I had

inspired to when I,
you know, left college

or anything like that.

It's something that
came to me and, but

it's also, I think the
realization that it's

not only that you have to
protect your principal,

as you call them.

Mhmm.

But you have to look
after him and sometimes

you even have to baby
him, but you have to make

him feel good, but you
know, put them in a, in a

environment that is best
suited for the protection

of, of him, or her.

And make sure that,
you can control that,

and sometimes there
are difficulties.

Sometimes you have
clients that have are

very difficult and
they'll push the envelope

and they won't listen to
you and there's always

that trade off of well
listen, how much, do you

listen to me to, for me
to be able to protect

you that doesn't impinge
on your freedom as such.

Right.

So there's a lot of
difficulties in that and

that still exist today.

That's gotta be
a difficult one

to juggle too.

I mean, they want to be
out there, especially

the celebrities,
the personalities.

And your whole job
is just to tuck them

away, keep them safe.

It's very difficult.

It can be.

I mean, sometimes you
have awesome clients.

They'll listen to you
because they, they know

that there's a threat to
end that they, they want

you to look off them.

But at the same
time, you're giving

them enough space
to be a human being.

You know, they're
not being a prisoner

and the you, you
make those decisions.

But sometimes they don't
and then you just have

to roll with it because
at the end of the day,

they're paying you.

And if you have to walk
away from a well paid job

because it's, the client,
won't listen to you.

That's being
professional.

I'm sorry, you know,
we've talked about

this, you're not
listening to me.

I can't protect you
under the circumstances,

I can't do my job.

Because the last thing
you want to happen as a

close protection officer,
is your client get hurt.

How often does
that happen?

Have you had
to walk away?

Has that happened to you?

It's happened
once or twice.

Not often.

We've, we've
normally been able

to resolve issues.

That's not to say that
there hasn't been a lot

of times where we've had
to resolve that issue.

You have to actually sit
down and talk it through.

Right.

You know, you gotta
understand a lot of the

clients that we have are
either high value, or

have celebrity status.

Here's a favourite
one; celebrity says,

stop that person
taking a picture of me.

I'm like, I can't,
that's totally legal,

and everyone has a cell
phone, so please don't do

anything stupid in public
cause that's really,

what's going to happen.

So you have to talk
to them about those

sort of things.

But by and large, I've
been very fortunate

because I think I
normally want to connect

and that doesn't mean
it always happens.

But you know, it's
something that I think

is, is missing, the large
part in the training

of close protection.

You've got to some of
these close protection

courses, and there's
some really good ones

around the world.

But the emphasis is on
fitness, on firearms

training, on self-defense
training, driving skills,

which are all great.

Sure.

But don't forget that
real personal part.

Well, that's all
the sizzle, right.

And that's, that consists
of a very small portion

of the actual job.

It sounds like the
actual job is basically

good people skills.

Yeah.

Well, look, let's
put it this way.

So you'll spend at the
range and you'll go and

spend a couple hours
every week training,

making sure your skill
set is still the same,

where it's meant to be.

I'm talking about
a country that you

are authorized to
carry a firearm and

you need to carry.

Right.

But let's just say you do
that, well how often are

you actually, during the
time that you work going

to draw your firearm,
nevermind fire it.

Right.

And the possibility
is probably much

less than 1%.

So, you know, concentrate
on everything else,

keep your skill set
up, make sure that

you're ready for that.

Because a lot of the
times you are doing

absolutely nothing.

And that's the
hard part, to keep

your concentration.

I've heard of some of the
courses recently, and I

think it's really good.

You just get there,
four of you in the room,

they, they, they, they
tape of a box around

you, square metre and
they say alright, stand

there and wait until
further instructions.

Three hours later,
they still standing

there because a lot of
the time, as a close

protection officer, that
is all you're doing.

Really?

Is standing.

You know, there's a,
there's a saying in

the close protection
world, holes in walls,

you know, you, you
you're setting in the

hotel in the holes and.

you know, up
against a wall.

It's, it's, it's a lot
of patience, but keeping

your concentration.

Cause that's when
it happens right.

After three hours of
standing, you know,

you start, mind starts
wandering, you start.

Totally.

Yeah.

And, and, and that's
when it happens.

So there's some really
good courses around

and, you know, it's
been good for me.

I haven't just done one
on one, you know, I've

had that opportunity,
the fortunate opportunity

of, of working with, as
I said, the Australian

Cricket Team, I also
work with English Cricket

Team and New Zealand.

And I traveled the world.

I've been all over
with these, with these

various people and look,
there's some really

glamorous parts about
it, don't get me wrong.

Sure.

It's not just the three
hours standing, doing

nothing, but you get
to fly private jets.

You know, you drive
them, the latest

Mercedes, you know,
the Maybeck's you get.

And, and what I found,
for me, was I got to work

with the most interesting
people, because a lot

of clients will come
to an area and they'll

bring their own personal
close protection that

they've had forever
that that's their guy.

But they need three
or four or five guys

on the ground to
work with their team.

Right.

And we've done
that before.

And you meet the most
interesting guys, guys

that have had careers
that I've, I mean, I

can just, in awe of
sometimes, I'm like,

Whoa, you know, did you
guys really do that?

I mean, are you not
telling me the story,

but you meet these, these
incredible individuals.

And that's what I
really love about it.

Well, I guess it's got
to take its toll on your

personal life, it's gotta
take its toll always,

essentially shadowing
somebody, some other

big personality and
their, their big life,

and trying to slice
out time for yourself

in there as well.

It does.

It does.

And I mean, I've been
doing it for a long

time now, you know,
I'm in my fifties.

Mhmm.

Late fifties, almost,
not quite but close.

So I've been doing this
probably for 30 years,

on and off, and it
does take a toll if you

will let it as well.

You know, there's
sometimes you

can mitigate it.

There should
always be downtime.

So, you know, the last
10 years when I actually

ran the teams, instead
of me being on the ground

all the time, I would
make sure that everyone

had the down time okay.

To decompress because
it is a very high stress

job, but as you could
decompress and that

you can, get back to
your job the next day

or your next shift,
you know, clear headed

and, and ready to work.

So there are those
things, but also you

gotta, you gotta look at
your family time as well.

I mean, for a family
man, it's hard because

in the beginning when
I was traveling a

lot, my wife and kids
would stay at home.

That's one of the
reasons I actually

moved to Canada, but
that's another story,

but you know, I'm, I'm
blessed that I have

wife that was very
understanding and very

strong, you know, when
I'm not there, she can

do just about anything.

So, but it does, it
can take a toll on you.

And I think where I'm
now on my waiting side

of the career, I would
say that any close

protection officer
worth his salt just will

know his limitations
and limitations

come with age.

They come with, you know
with anything, with time.

Mhmm.

You've gotta be able to
realize that and then

work in cause you don't
want to weaken the team.

In any way, and you
don't want to put your

principal client in
danger in any way,

just because you want
to work that extra

couple of years.

Right.

It's a, it's a
good thing to know.

Just park the ego.

Exactly.

Well, one of the things,
and I've known you for

many years, and I've
always admired about you,

is your positive outlook.

Now you're talking
about stress and

decompressing, and I know
there's been lots of,

everyone's got stress.

I know you've had many
challenges in your life.

What kind of tips and
tricks would you give?

How do you keep
yourself so positive?

Well, it's nice that you
just say that Travis,

I don't always think
like that, but I am.

I think what it is,
is that you can always

look at the negative
and you can always

look at the positive.

Mhmm.

You're right.

I've gone through some
tremendously challenging

times in my life.

Times that I would
think, well, you

know what happened?

I'll give you the one
challenge; when we

arrived in Canada in
2005, there was myself,

my wife, my two little
girls and a baby.

Between us, we had
nine bags and $15,000.

Wow.

That was it.

And in 2005 and
that $15,000 ran

out really quick.

Yes.

I've just been truly
blessed, number one,

to be in Canada.

I'm so grateful in every
way you can imagine for

being in this wonderful
country and what has

had to offer us and
help us and assist us.

And we thrived, you
know, we've we, we

settled in here, we
assimilated immediately.

Mhmm.

I say simulated three,
three and a half

years in Prince George
coming out of Africa.

We have learned
how to winterize in

Canada real quick.

Yeah.

Understand where propane
is and how to light

a stove to keep warm.

But I always look at
life as an adventure as

well, and adventures are
never always going to

be easy and sometimes
the harder the venture,

the more satisfying
they are right.

So I look at that.

I also, there's an
understanding, and

I tell my girls
this all the time.

I said, you gotta
understand life is not

easy, life is hard.

Life wants to beat you
up, it loves doing that.

But let me tell you,
if you can get up from

that, because it will,
okay, you going to

live a wonderful life.

You learn from it
and you move forward

and it's, it's just
an amazing thing.

If you had to keep that
positive outlook it's

like, well, something's
good going to happen.

You know?

Yes, we got to go
through hard times,

you're going to get.

Right.

Beaten down, but I'm
going to get up again.

And so I have
that attitude.

I mean, it's not
always there, believe

me, I've been through
some very dark days

and like, what's.

Sure.

Going to happen next.

I'm sure everyone
goes through that.

Sure.

But I wasn't looking
at the less fortunate

in the world.

I mean, I come from
a country, you know,

people struggle
everyday just to live.

I understand that, I
also understand that

people with disabilities,
you know, I have a son

that's special needs.

Yes.

And I just look at
him and I'm like why

would I even consider
feeling sorry for

myself or feeling
that I've had it tough

or I've had it hard.

I mean, I don't have an
everyday challenge that

some of these kids have
around the world and

so that also, you know,
gets reality set in.

You know, we live a
really good life here,

we're very, very blessed
to live in, in this

life that we live here.

And you know, I had that
opportunity and you were

with me when we, when
I set out my fire and

there's a big fire going
out on the property in

the middle of nowhere,
I sit and I just,

just feel so blessed.

And I think to be able
to have that feeling

inside you, that, the
gratefulness that you

have for life, for
being here for, for

what you have, doesn't
matter what you have.

You know, you're getting
up every day, that's,

that's an advantage, some
people can't do that.

So, you know, I think
that also helps me stay

positive, being grateful,
you know, being thankful

and, and, and just, just
understanding that, that

life is, can be hard,
but it's a beautiful

thing, you know, it's a
beautiful place to be.

Couldn't agree more.

Yeah, holding that
gratitude in your

heart is definitely
something that, that'll

drive things forward.

Without a doubt,
without a doubt.

We just went
really deep there.

That was.

We did.

So bit of a segue, but
you mentioned a tent

falling down story.

I did.

I did.

So this is way back
when Oprah came to South

Africa, Nelson Mandela
was still alive and she

was very close to him.

She used to stay at his
house, but she decided

to do what they call
a Christmas kindness.

Okay.

Which is a very, very
good thing to do because

besides opening a school,
you know, and building

a school for girls.

She decided that she
would go into these

areas around Nelson
Mandela's area,

basically, and set up a
system where she could

give presence to these
underprivileged kids.

Right.

And now this was a
massive undertaking

because to actually even
do that, do teams had

to come on first and
figure out where they

were going to put these
big, huge circus like

tents because they had
to basically accommodate

the whole school and
all the officials.

Cause in Africa,
there's always a

lot of officials.

Okay.

Right.

So, and also had to then
go out and figure out

what toys they're going
to get and buy different

toys, you know, soccer
balls and dolls and.

They decided to put
all these in backpacks

and the pink ones
would be for the girls

and the blue one for
the boys and then the

different age groups.

And so there was a huge
amount of preparation.

They sent out teams six
months before that and

they asked me to come
down because this is

the time they wanted
me to come and provide

some of my guys as well.

And we spent time with
the advance team doing

these, this, this work
to get the toys and

locations and setting up.

Anyway, when they will
arrived, Oprah arrived.

As I said, I alluded
to it earlier, I was a

Stedman Grahams close
protection officer,

number one, right?

Yeah.

And so I spent a lot
of time with him and he

would break away from
the group quite often to

go out and do his little
motivational speaks

and stuff like that.

So once he had finished
that he then went to

join Oprah and Gayle.

Gayle was Oprah's
very good friend, I

think she still is.

Yeah.

And join them down
there so that he could

help and be part of it.

So the, the process went
like this, a huge tent

was set up, there was
a smaller tent, which

was executive tent where
Oprah could go and wait

and have refreshments.

And in that main tent,
there were a whole bunch

of benches and a main
stage in the front.

And then all these kids
would then be bussed

in with buses and they
would file in, in the

order of age and they
would fill this tent

up from front to back.

And once all the speeches
had been done, then the

procession was Oprah and
whoever entourage was,

in this case included
Stedman, would then

take these backpacks
and walk down the lanes

and hand the backpacks
out to all the kids.

It was great, and as
the kids would then

get them, then they
would then file out.

So the speeches had just
been finished and we

were just starting to
hand the backpacks out.

And as a close
protection team, we

were strategically
placed so we could keep

an eye on a principal.

They only got through
the first row and I just

happened to look up out
to the West and there

was this amazing looking
cloud and it was just

rolling, but it was a
lil far away and I didn't

really think much of it
cause we were in Africa.

We don't get tornado's
really, right?

Yeah.

Not that I've ever seen.

By the time we got
to the third row, the

wind had picked up and
this place was coming.

The, the, the, this, this
rolling cloud was now

really getting close.

I'm like, this
is not that good.

Anyway, by then Oprah
said like, I'm going to

go back to the executive
tent and get a drink

and then, Stedman said
I want to keep going,

you know, cause you
know, which is great,

so let's keep going.

Within the next five
minutes, the storm hit

and it hit hard and it
was out of absolutely

no where that the
storm hit this tent.

Now I'm talking,
circus tent, I'm

talking poles as big
as tree trunks that

holding this tent up.

Right.

So just as, as, as a,
a visual, the tent was

set up in a longitudal
form and along one side

where all the trucks
that had delivered the

backpacks that were
parked along the side

of the tent, that was to
the East, that the wind

came in from the West.

We were halfway
down one of the, the

rows and I realized
this is not good.

So I say, Stedman,
run, just get out of

here now, he said,
what do you mean?

I said get out
of here now.

We had only just made
it out of the tent when

the full brunt of the
storm hit, it hit so

hard that it picked
this tent off those,

off those big poles and
started throwing it over.

By then I wasn't looking
back, but Stedman being

a big guy and he's
a tall guy, he took

off and he was gone.

He was like a
giraffe, he was gone.

I'm like okay, he's
safe, he's safe.

I got my, my
principal safe.

Yeah.

But just before I
got to the, where

the trucks were lined
up, where Stedman was

running towards, Gayle
was standing there

screaming for her kids.

She couldn't
find her kids.

Oh no.

But at that stage it was
a split second decision.

We need to get under
the truck because

we're going to die.

And I felt it on the back
of my head that the hair

standing up, these big
poles coming towards us.

Yeah.

So I just out of
instinct, I grabbed

Gayle and I'd rugby
dived her, I'll call

it, like a tackle,
underneath the truck.

Me and Gayle skidded
underneath the truck and

as we hit the ground, all
I just heard was just,

it was like a war zone.

These poles were just
raining down, but

because of the angle
where the truck was,

they would hit the truck
and not drop on us.

If you envision
what I'm saying.

Yeah, I get it.

It had formed a triangle.

Yeah.

But it was, it was
like war and while this

was happening, Gayle
was screaming and I

was holding her down.

By now I had lost
sight of of Stedman.

So I don't know,
you know, I might

be being a bit of
trouble, but who cares?

This is like, this is
Armageddon and nobody

knows what's going on.

And I look over to my
right and I see this

kid that had crawled
on the other end, I

grabbed him and I pulled
him and it was, it was

Gayle's one kid right.

Okay.

So she's found one,
don't know where

the other one is.

Anyway, this must've
lasted only for about

20 seconds and just
all, everything you

can imagine that
when, when all hell

breaks loose was.

No kidding.

Happening.

And then it went from
that to deathly silent,

deathly silence, not
one word, no screaming,

no nothing, for
about five seconds.

And then the radio
started going

crazy in my ear.

Ahh.

Cause Oprah now is
screaming where,

where is Stedman?

Where's her best friend.

Yeah.

Well, as it turned
out, Stedman ran

round the side of the
truck, caught his hip.

So he was, he was waiting
the other side of the

truck, so he didn't get
hurt, but he was now.

I managed to get Gayle
and her kid out, saw

Stedman, grabbed Stedman,
the radio's going crazy.

And guess who walks
out of this absolute

mayhem with two of the
most important people?

Your's truly!

It was just one of
those times of my life,

where I was like, Whoa!

Right place, right time.

And it just
happened, it was.

And I just remember it
was, it, it, it was one

of the most scariest
things cause I knew I

was going to get hit.

When you know this
pole's going to hit me

on the back of the head.

When we look at the
devastation afterwards,

it was mind blowing.

The whole tent had gone
all the, all the chairs

had been knocked over.

There were people
who had broken arms.

It was people
that had massive

concussions, including
I think the pilot.

There was some
serious injuries.

Geez.

Anyway, segue
to this story.

So from there, Oprah
runs up and she's

very, very happy that
like Stedman's okay.

But Stedman's like agh,
my hips really sore.

So anyway, she said,
Perez go to speak to

Gayle and Stedman says,
I said Stedman I think

we should just get you
checked out, get him

and go to the hospital.

He went, you know what,
you're right and I

had just this little
stick shift, little

van, type thing that we
were driving around in.

Whereas the way
everything else was set

up in close protection
and the convoy, you have

a limousine one that has
the principle and then

you have the lead and
you have the backup cars.

And, and, and that
was all set up

for Oprah right.

But for us, we just
arrived at the latest

so we were in this car.

So I said, well
jump in, I'll push

the seat right back,
cause he's a tall guy.

Make sure you don't
hurt your hip.

In fact, I said,
I'll you know, I'll

put you in the back.

So he said,
okay, let's go.

So we jumped in and
as I'm about to go,

next thing Oprah's
bodyguard jumps right

into the passenger seat.

Said what happened?

He said Oprah's coming.

Why?

She wants to be with
Stedman, I'm like

okay, but I've got
to stick shift right.

And I know what she's
like, she likes things

smooth, which is fine.

Sure.

Sure.

And I went, okay.

Anyway, she gets in
and I'm like, okay,

how do I let this
clutch out smoothly?

And change
gears smoothly.

And we're going to
do it right, okay.

And just look out
from the corner of

my eye and I see all
the other security

guys running, diving
into their vehicles,

trying to form up a,
you know, the convoy.

It was, it was
just one of those

things, you know,
we had to get there.

And anyway, I got
him to the hospital

and they checked him
out and he was fine.

And, after that I
dropped him off at

Nelson Mandela's home
and I actually got

to walk in there so.

Really?

That was another Whoa.

That was a day.

That was the day.

Yeah.

And the final, the
final thing that

happened that day.

So when I get back and
we'll dusty and tired,

and everyone's going
back to the hotel, I'm

the last guy to walk in
there and Oprah's other

body guard, she has two,
and he says, Darren,

Darren, come here.

I'm like ugh, what
have I done now?

What have I done now?

Cause you know,
that's what.

Yeah.

So, I guess he
said, wait here.

And he said, he
goes to Gayle, says

Gayle, there he is.

And Gayle runs, and I'm
in the middle of the

hotel foyer, she runs
up and throws herself

at me and hugs me.

And I'm like,
what'd I do now?

So yeah, you get, you,
you get, sometimes you

get those days where
you will remember, and

it's not just standing,
holes in walls right.

That is fantastic.

Well, Darren.

I really appreciate your
friendship, I really

appreciate you making
the time to come in

and speak to us again.

Thank you.

Oh, you're
welcome Travis.

And it's reciprocal.

I value our friendship.

You've taught me a
lot out here as well.

Believe me, I've learned
a lot from you and

I'll continue doing it.