WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en-GB 00:00:08.210 --> 00:00:10.490 I'm Travis Bader and this is The 00:00:10.490 --> 00:00:11.660 Silvercore Podcast. 00:00:13.280 --> 00:00:15.140 Join me as I discuss matters related to 00:00:15.140 --> 00:00:17.180 hunting, fishing, and outdoor pursuits 00:00:17.450 --> 00:00:19.360 with the people in businesses that comprise 00:00:19.360 --> 00:00:20.009 of the community. 00:00:20.870 --> 00:00:22.760 If you're new to Silvercore, be sure to 00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:26.410 check out our website, www.Silvercore.ca 00:00:26.840 --> 00:00:28.370 Where you can learn more about courses, 00:00:28.430 --> 00:00:29.660 services, and products. 00:00:29.780 --> 00:00:31.790 We offer as well as how you can join The 00:00:31.790 --> 00:00:34.100 Silvercore Club, which includes 10 million 00:00:34.100 --> 00:00:36.260 in North America wide liability insurance, 00:00:36.530 --> 00:00:38.600 to make sure you are properly covered during 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:39.680 your outdoor adventures. 00:00:43.090 --> 00:00:45.809 By popular request, I'm speaking with Silvercore 00:00:45.809 --> 00:00:47.920 instructor, Darren Maughan, to discuss what 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:49.960 it takes to work as a bodyguard for some of 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:50.989 the world's most elite. 00:00:52.800 --> 00:00:54.225 Darren recounts how he got into the 00:00:54.225 --> 00:00:56.505 world of executive protection, as well as 00:00:56.505 --> 00:00:58.875 some fantastic stories during his time working 00:00:58.875 --> 00:01:00.855 with Oprah Winfrey and the Australian 00:01:00.855 --> 00:01:01.745 National Cricket Team. 00:01:02.625 --> 00:01:02.985 All right. 00:01:02.985 --> 00:01:04.845 Based on feedback that we received from the 00:01:04.845 --> 00:01:06.975 previous podcast we did with Darren Maughan, 00:01:07.175 --> 00:01:09.315 we're sitting down again to talk about some 00:01:09.335 --> 00:01:11.075 of the things that we kind of alluded to at 00:01:11.075 --> 00:01:12.935 the beginning, which was the executive 00:01:12.935 --> 00:01:16.575 protection work and your time shooting IPSC. 00:01:17.355 --> 00:01:19.155 Darren, thank you very much for coming back to 00:01:19.155 --> 00:01:21.195 The Silvercore Podcast, I'm glad I didn't scare 00:01:21.195 --> 00:01:22.155 you away on the last one. 00:01:22.725 --> 00:01:24.555 Thanks Travis, it's always good to be here. 00:01:24.975 --> 00:01:27.795 You got very heavy into executive protection 00:01:27.795 --> 00:01:30.375 and close protection security work and have 00:01:30.375 --> 00:01:32.775 been doing that for quite a number of years. 00:01:32.895 --> 00:01:34.695 Run your own company doing that and working 00:01:34.695 --> 00:01:35.625 for other companies. 00:01:36.435 --> 00:01:37.635 How did you get into that? 00:01:38.595 --> 00:01:40.815 Oh, good question Travis. 00:01:42.300 --> 00:01:44.080 You know, being, living in Zimbabwe 00:01:44.100 --> 00:01:46.410 at the time, there was a need for that. 00:01:46.440 --> 00:01:47.985 And there was a need for that in South 00:01:47.985 --> 00:01:49.350 Africa, which was a bigger market. 00:01:49.460 --> 00:01:51.090 And it was something that I didn't intend 00:01:51.090 --> 00:01:52.200 to do, you know? 00:01:52.330 --> 00:01:54.410 I actually went to agriculture college, so. 00:01:54.490 --> 00:01:54.670 Right. 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:57.540 It wasn't something that I had as my bucket list, 00:01:57.570 --> 00:02:02.160 but something that made this happen was I got 00:02:02.160 --> 00:02:04.360 into, first of all, I got into the sport of IPSC. 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:04.870 Right. 00:02:04.870 --> 00:02:07.170 You know what IPSC is, the practical 00:02:07.170 --> 00:02:08.039 pistol shooting. 00:02:08.445 --> 00:02:11.145 It was just as the world was starting to 00:02:11.145 --> 00:02:13.305 really take notice of it and, and the world 00:02:13.305 --> 00:02:14.385 shoots were taking off. 00:02:14.925 --> 00:02:17.055 We actually had a, a, a strange phenomenon 00:02:17.055 --> 00:02:19.815 when I just started shooting; that Zimbabwe 00:02:19.815 --> 00:02:22.390 at the time wouldn't attend the world shoot 00:02:22.410 --> 00:02:24.240 because South Africa was still allowed to go. 00:02:24.359 --> 00:02:24.990 Ah. 00:02:25.070 --> 00:02:30.740 But when that changed in 1990, 1999, I was 00:02:30.740 --> 00:02:33.470 selected to go and represent Zimbabwe 00:02:33.590 --> 00:02:34.250 in Australia. 00:02:35.060 --> 00:02:37.519 And again I was, in those days, you need a single 00:02:37.519 --> 00:02:39.280 stack 45, you know. 00:02:39.310 --> 00:02:39.430 Yeah. 00:02:39.430 --> 00:02:41.930 Manage to squeeze eight rounds into the magazine 00:02:41.930 --> 00:02:43.490 after a little bit of tinkering and that's 00:02:43.490 --> 00:02:44.270 what we shot with. 00:02:44.270 --> 00:02:46.275 And it was awesome, you know, and we met 00:02:46.305 --> 00:02:48.195 subs legends, even in those days as Rob 00:02:48.195 --> 00:02:49.454 Leatham and the boys. 00:02:49.625 --> 00:02:50.045 Right. 00:02:50.305 --> 00:02:51.905 And I loved it and I just seemed they have 00:02:51.905 --> 00:02:54.725 an aptitude to shoot, it just seemed to come 00:02:54.765 --> 00:02:57.245 natural to me, I don't know why, I didn't come 00:02:57.245 --> 00:02:58.115 from a shooting family. 00:02:58.115 --> 00:02:59.815 I did my hunting and that and. 00:03:01.015 --> 00:03:05.115 So with that, I decided like, you know, I'll 00:03:05.115 --> 00:03:06.675 carry on doing the sport, this is pretty good. 00:03:06.675 --> 00:03:08.835 And over the next five years, I actually 00:03:09.075 --> 00:03:11.625 attended another, two world shoots a one 00:03:11.625 --> 00:03:14.865 in the Philippines, one in South Africa. 00:03:15.255 --> 00:03:16.575 And in fact, I think I may have got 00:03:16.575 --> 00:03:20.174 that wrong, I think Philippines were 1999. 00:03:20.445 --> 00:03:22.515 Anyway, I'll I'll correct myself later. 00:03:22.575 --> 00:03:23.174 Yeah, no problem. 00:03:23.174 --> 00:03:24.475 Anyhow, I went to three world shoots 00:03:24.524 --> 00:03:25.605 and I did really well. 00:03:25.635 --> 00:03:28.135 I was Zimbabwe champion five years for my sins. 00:03:28.484 --> 00:03:28.994 Wow. 00:03:29.065 --> 00:03:29.834 Made me the captain. 00:03:29.834 --> 00:03:31.095 I don't know why, you know this crazy 00:03:31.095 --> 00:03:31.964 guy from the farm. 00:03:32.144 --> 00:03:32.744 Good for you. 00:03:32.864 --> 00:03:34.605 It was all fun and enjoyable. 00:03:34.605 --> 00:03:37.095 And I always had the opportunity to help train 00:03:37.095 --> 00:03:39.975 other people and, and start training people 00:03:40.364 --> 00:03:42.084 who hadn't really shot handguns before, had 00:03:42.105 --> 00:03:44.685 been in the military but as most people know in 00:03:44.685 --> 00:03:47.440 the military, you shoot, you don't shoot handguns 00:03:47.440 --> 00:03:48.299 that much, right. 00:03:48.299 --> 00:03:48.820 Right. 00:03:48.820 --> 00:03:50.130 And especially in our military. 00:03:50.130 --> 00:03:52.200 So they would come out and that's, asked me to 00:03:52.200 --> 00:03:54.269 start teaching them how to shoot and it was fun. 00:03:54.269 --> 00:03:56.220 I love teaching, I love people, I love 00:03:56.280 --> 00:03:57.179 imparting knowledge. 00:03:57.179 --> 00:03:59.100 It's one of my passions in life. 00:03:59.160 --> 00:03:59.940 You're great at it. 00:03:59.970 --> 00:04:03.650 Well, I hope so, I try. 00:04:03.780 --> 00:04:06.329 And yeah through that, I met people who would say, 00:04:06.329 --> 00:04:08.339 well, listen, you know, why don't you do some 00:04:08.339 --> 00:04:09.209 close protection work? 00:04:09.480 --> 00:04:10.510 In those days it was still called 00:04:10.510 --> 00:04:10.989 body guarding. 00:04:11.010 --> 00:04:13.440 I went well, I don't really know 00:04:13.440 --> 00:04:14.460 too much about it. 00:04:14.460 --> 00:04:16.410 I, I, I can handle myself. 00:04:16.440 --> 00:04:17.910 I can, you know, I've been in some 00:04:17.910 --> 00:04:18.750 tough situations. 00:04:18.750 --> 00:04:21.360 I've been in some very serious situations 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:22.530 that we've got ourselves out of. 00:04:23.385 --> 00:04:25.215 And they said, well, listen, we know these 00:04:25.215 --> 00:04:26.474 guys, we know these guys, why aren't you 00:04:26.474 --> 00:04:27.375 going to do a course? 00:04:27.525 --> 00:04:29.385 And I ended up going to South Africa and doing 00:04:29.385 --> 00:04:31.484 a couple of courses down there because we 00:04:31.484 --> 00:04:33.495 had really nothing in Zimbabwe to do that. 00:04:33.945 --> 00:04:35.864 A bodyguard, in those days was someone who just 00:04:35.864 --> 00:04:37.315 came out of the military and said, okay, you'll do 00:04:37.315 --> 00:04:38.534 and he, he looked mean. 00:04:38.685 --> 00:04:39.104 Right. 00:04:39.585 --> 00:04:44.145 And I quickly picked up that to do a professional 00:04:44.265 --> 00:04:47.505 body guarding course you had to take it more 00:04:47.505 --> 00:04:50.895 than just knowing how to defend yourself and 00:04:51.095 --> 00:04:53.285 you know, how to shoot a firearm correctly. 00:04:53.735 --> 00:04:54.845 There were many other things that 00:04:54.845 --> 00:04:55.535 were involved in it. 00:04:55.535 --> 00:04:57.365 So when I started, I started picking apart 00:04:57.605 --> 00:05:00.935 what would be best and a lot of it was 00:05:01.145 --> 00:05:02.465 client confidentiality. 00:05:02.915 --> 00:05:03.245 Right. 00:05:03.425 --> 00:05:06.575 Including client confidentiality, in that 00:05:06.575 --> 00:05:09.665 day, they trusted you, there was trust in you 00:05:10.025 --> 00:05:13.305 and also there was a bit, it was a bit involved in 00:05:13.305 --> 00:05:14.385 client, client comfort. 00:05:14.445 --> 00:05:16.065 They wanted to know, they wanted to feel special. 00:05:16.065 --> 00:05:17.055 They were paying a lot of money. 00:05:17.145 --> 00:05:18.915 And I think this went back to my professional 00:05:18.915 --> 00:05:19.785 hunters days, right. 00:05:20.265 --> 00:05:21.525 I sort of putting the two and two together 00:05:22.325 --> 00:05:24.255 and so one of the things I started doing 00:05:24.275 --> 00:05:26.435 is after I'd done all these courses and 00:05:26.435 --> 00:05:28.265 passed the course I said, I think I can 00:05:28.415 --> 00:05:30.815 integrate this into my own training course here 00:05:31.335 --> 00:05:32.555 and start developing it. 00:05:33.065 --> 00:05:34.475 And so that's what we started doing. 00:05:34.775 --> 00:05:36.665 And then we invited instructors up to 00:05:36.665 --> 00:05:39.470 us to impart their knowledge on us and. 00:05:39.470 --> 00:05:39.670 Right. 00:05:39.670 --> 00:05:41.990 And integrated that and what we found 00:05:41.990 --> 00:05:43.550 out, now, this is quite interesting. 00:05:44.119 --> 00:05:45.730 You alluded, right at the beginning of the 00:05:45.730 --> 00:05:47.650 first podcast that I'd done some security work 00:05:47.650 --> 00:05:49.450 for, for instance, the Australian Cricket Team. 00:05:49.510 --> 00:05:49.810 Right. 00:05:50.350 --> 00:05:52.390 Now, I ended up there as a security manager 00:05:52.420 --> 00:05:55.120 for five years, but how I originally got 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:57.790 that, they were coming to South Africa to come 00:05:57.790 --> 00:05:59.470 and play the world cup. 00:05:59.470 --> 00:05:59.560 Right. 00:05:59.900 --> 00:06:01.960 There was a whole bunch there. 00:06:02.020 --> 00:06:05.850 And the South African company that we're 00:06:05.850 --> 00:06:09.240 employing the close protection for the teams 00:06:09.450 --> 00:06:12.150 decided they didn't want a South African 00:06:12.150 --> 00:06:14.430 looking after the biggest rivals, cause South 00:06:14.430 --> 00:06:15.720 Africa thought that we've got to win that war. 00:06:15.780 --> 00:06:16.280 Right. 00:06:16.910 --> 00:06:19.770 So they reached out to me being Zimbabwe and 00:06:19.770 --> 00:06:21.390 I'd worked with them before, they said, would 00:06:21.390 --> 00:06:22.770 you come down and do the Australian team? 00:06:22.770 --> 00:06:26.539 I went fine and it ended up getting, got on so 00:06:26.539 --> 00:06:27.450 well with the guys. 00:06:28.030 --> 00:06:29.620 We had it, we, this is, this is a great 00:06:29.620 --> 00:06:30.310 little story, sorry. 00:06:30.310 --> 00:06:32.140 Is it all little antidote on the side here. 00:06:32.140 --> 00:06:32.469 I love it. 00:06:32.679 --> 00:06:32.919 Yeah. 00:06:32.950 --> 00:06:35.469 Well, during the world cup, there were a couple 00:06:35.469 --> 00:06:37.119 of matches that were shared up for the, in 00:06:37.119 --> 00:06:39.669 Zimbabwe, but Zimbabwe were going through 00:06:39.669 --> 00:06:41.049 that political turmoil. 00:06:41.049 --> 00:06:43.570 Mugabi was when the news for everyone 00:06:44.080 --> 00:06:47.215 and some of the teams decided not to go. 00:06:47.544 --> 00:06:49.044 England for one, forfeited their 00:06:49.044 --> 00:06:52.084 match, that they had a plan Zimbabwe rather 00:06:52.084 --> 00:06:52.885 not go up there. 00:06:53.215 --> 00:06:55.114 And it was that made international headlines. 00:06:55.164 --> 00:06:55.315 Yeah. 00:06:55.744 --> 00:06:56.965 Well, the Australians said, well, 00:06:56.965 --> 00:06:57.775 we'll do we go? 00:06:58.405 --> 00:07:00.195 And they had this big, I know you're talking 00:07:00.195 --> 00:07:01.994 about all the major executives, this is a, 00:07:02.224 --> 00:07:04.484 this is the national team and they all like 00:07:04.484 --> 00:07:06.044 the best, one of the best teams in the world. 00:07:06.825 --> 00:07:09.315 And they had to go up to my hometown, which was 00:07:09.315 --> 00:07:11.115 in the South of Zimbabwe, we called Bulawayo. 00:07:12.105 --> 00:07:13.995 So the manager said, Darren, I got to 00:07:13.995 --> 00:07:14.655 come talk to you. 00:07:14.865 --> 00:07:16.215 Now, the managers for the cricket team 00:07:16.215 --> 00:07:17.005 is like God right. 00:07:17.025 --> 00:07:18.195 He's the guy that runs the place. 00:07:18.195 --> 00:07:18.255 Yeah. 00:07:18.275 --> 00:07:20.925 I said, yes, He says, listen, we 00:07:20.925 --> 00:07:23.505 think we should go, but we don't know. 00:07:23.534 --> 00:07:25.875 I want, would you be prepared to speak to 00:07:25.875 --> 00:07:28.985 the entire Australian team and tell them 00:07:29.055 --> 00:07:29.724 your thoughts? 00:07:30.145 --> 00:07:31.215 I went fair enough. 00:07:31.425 --> 00:07:31.784 Right. 00:07:31.935 --> 00:07:33.935 And I could speak from the heart because my 00:07:33.935 --> 00:07:35.545 wife was still there, my kids were there, 00:07:35.545 --> 00:07:36.885 my wife was still pregnant at the time. 00:07:37.085 --> 00:07:37.224 Right. 00:07:37.224 --> 00:07:39.215 In Bulawayo and I said, because it's not the 00:07:39.215 --> 00:07:41.215 security situation we've got to worry about it. 00:07:41.215 --> 00:07:44.175 It's your political ideas whether you want 00:07:44.175 --> 00:07:45.195 to, or don't want to go. 00:07:45.195 --> 00:07:46.255 The guy said, well, we don't want to shake 00:07:46.255 --> 00:07:48.125 Mugabi's hand, and well, I don't know if 00:07:48.125 --> 00:07:48.825 he'll even be there. 00:07:49.275 --> 00:07:50.445 But I'm just going to give you the briefing 00:07:50.445 --> 00:07:51.405 on the security side. 00:07:51.435 --> 00:07:54.094 And it worked out well, the guys after the 00:07:54.094 --> 00:07:56.385 talk it was a good 15 minutes I was standing 00:07:56.385 --> 00:07:58.505 in front of this team that really I just met. 00:07:59.190 --> 00:08:00.150 And they went, you know what? 00:08:00.150 --> 00:08:02.070 We'll go, we'll go on your advise, we got to 00:08:02.070 --> 00:08:04.020 hire, we got to, we're going to, yeah, we got 00:08:04.020 --> 00:08:06.210 to get our own airplane and we're going to go 00:08:06.210 --> 00:08:09.330 up there, charter it so we can fly out and 00:08:09.330 --> 00:08:10.770 we're going to stay one night instead of two. 00:08:10.770 --> 00:08:12.239 And then we're coming back and that'll be all 00:08:12.239 --> 00:08:14.820 sort of, and they went up there and they played 00:08:14.820 --> 00:08:16.710 Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, it was magnificent. 00:08:17.145 --> 00:08:19.725 The Zimbabwian's were just ecstatic that they 00:08:19.725 --> 00:08:20.905 had this Australian team. 00:08:20.905 --> 00:08:22.635 I'm talking about the normal man in the 00:08:22.635 --> 00:08:24.495 street and that they had this opportunity 00:08:24.495 --> 00:08:27.105 to see Australia play in, in Zimbabwe. 00:08:27.585 --> 00:08:28.545 So that was fantastic. 00:08:28.545 --> 00:08:28.935 So that was cool. 00:08:28.935 --> 00:08:29.365 First time. 00:08:29.825 --> 00:08:32.414 So that sort of just led me into the idea 00:08:32.414 --> 00:08:36.030 that you've got to be able to relate to the 00:08:36.030 --> 00:08:37.020 teams at the time. 00:08:37.289 --> 00:08:39.919 In fact, that time, that night they stayed 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:42.200 there, they all came to my house for a barbecue, 00:08:42.230 --> 00:08:42.860 we called it a Bri. 00:08:43.429 --> 00:08:44.840 My poor wife didn't know what to hit her. 00:08:44.860 --> 00:08:46.430 She had the whole Australian team, the 00:08:46.430 --> 00:08:48.470 management and the Australian embassy and 00:08:48.470 --> 00:08:50.660 convergent in our little house in the suburbs. 00:08:51.020 --> 00:08:51.920 You didn't tell her ahead of time? 00:08:51.980 --> 00:08:53.720 Oh I told her, look, you know, I can't 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:54.830 tell you too much, but we're going to have a 00:08:54.830 --> 00:08:55.670 whole bunch of people. 00:08:56.175 --> 00:08:57.735 But I couldn't tell any of my best friends 00:08:57.735 --> 00:08:58.515 except two of them. 00:08:58.635 --> 00:09:00.225 And I said, listen, I want you guys to come 00:09:00.225 --> 00:09:01.965 to my house tonight for a, you know, 00:09:01.995 --> 00:09:02.775 we call it a Bri. 00:09:02.955 --> 00:09:03.375 They're why? 00:09:03.375 --> 00:09:04.605 I can't tell you, just come. 00:09:05.475 --> 00:09:06.705 And when they arrived there, their eyes 00:09:06.705 --> 00:09:08.055 were just like sources like the 00:09:08.055 --> 00:09:09.195 whole Australian team. 00:09:11.175 --> 00:09:13.395 Anyway so I, going back to what I said, 00:09:13.395 --> 00:09:16.980 I, I realized that be, be able to connect to 00:09:17.250 --> 00:09:19.020 the people that you're looking after, the people 00:09:19.020 --> 00:09:20.940 that you are protecting, is an important thing. 00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:23.850 And so what I did is I started training 00:09:23.850 --> 00:09:25.530 my guys more in that. 00:09:25.770 --> 00:09:27.840 Well, not more as an extra, there's an 00:09:28.050 --> 00:09:29.490 you've better know your client's comfort. 00:09:29.490 --> 00:09:31.620 So for instance, I'll give you a small example. 00:09:32.069 --> 00:09:33.660 The client's going to get into his vehicle 00:09:33.660 --> 00:09:35.189 that morning, you better make sure that 00:09:35.189 --> 00:09:37.260 his newspaper that he reads is folded up and 00:09:37.260 --> 00:09:38.249 on his seat next to him. 00:09:38.249 --> 00:09:40.620 The water that he drinks is in, in the, 00:09:40.620 --> 00:09:42.510 in the right place for him to drink the air 00:09:42.510 --> 00:09:44.459 conditioner set at the right temperature, you 00:09:44.459 --> 00:09:46.620 know, the radio station, if need be, or the music 00:09:46.620 --> 00:09:47.160 they listen to you. 00:09:47.160 --> 00:09:49.220 And the guys say, really, and this 00:09:49.220 --> 00:09:50.120 worked out so well. 00:09:50.120 --> 00:09:52.400 So you talked about Oprah and I can, I can 00:09:52.400 --> 00:09:55.010 talk now because it's been so long ago, but 00:09:55.069 --> 00:09:57.050 that's how I actually got that job as well. 00:09:57.140 --> 00:10:00.329 What actually happened is another company in South 00:10:00.329 --> 00:10:02.265 Africa said, look, we've got this issue here. 00:10:03.135 --> 00:10:07.454 One, we need guys that can speak good English. 00:10:08.084 --> 00:10:08.849 I'm like, what do you mean? 00:10:09.209 --> 00:10:11.160 Well, in South Africa you have the Afrikaners as 00:10:11.160 --> 00:10:14.490 well that don't speak, you battle sometimes to 00:10:14.540 --> 00:10:15.650 understand my accent. 00:10:15.680 --> 00:10:17.040 Well, if you're trying to know for context. 00:10:17.300 --> 00:10:17.540 Right. 00:10:17.900 --> 00:10:19.759 I mean, I love the guys, but so they said, well 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:21.829 okay, we want you to come down there, but there 00:10:21.829 --> 00:10:22.729 was also this issue. 00:10:22.729 --> 00:10:24.709 And I don't know if I can mention this, but this is 00:10:24.709 --> 00:10:28.150 the truth of the story is that, we don't have the 00:10:28.150 --> 00:10:31.690 right racial breakdown of our security teams down 00:10:31.690 --> 00:10:32.860 there, they're all white. 00:10:32.980 --> 00:10:35.020 And I went well, that's crazy, I've got a whole 00:10:35.020 --> 00:10:37.030 bunch of guys here that work with me and 00:10:37.030 --> 00:10:37.750 we trained together. 00:10:38.260 --> 00:10:39.190 Can you bring them down? 00:10:39.570 --> 00:10:40.840 Said yeah I can bring them down. 00:10:41.110 --> 00:10:44.560 So not only did I go down, about another five, 00:10:44.560 --> 00:10:47.230 six guys or my guys down to be part of the team. 00:10:48.930 --> 00:10:52.800 For my sins, I was designated as the CPO 00:10:52.800 --> 00:10:54.060 one to Stedman Graham. 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:56.100 That was Oprah's long term partners 00:10:56.110 --> 00:10:59.250 liz, a fantastic guy, absolutely fantastic. 00:10:59.820 --> 00:11:01.040 He's a motivational speaker, I didn't 00:11:01.040 --> 00:11:02.630 know that and I love, I love that, I love 00:11:02.630 --> 00:11:03.220 that sort of stuff. 00:11:03.220 --> 00:11:03.340 Yeah. 00:11:03.340 --> 00:11:04.350 Obviously you can see that, right? 00:11:04.350 --> 00:11:04.920 Yeah, yeah. 00:11:04.920 --> 00:11:07.370 And we got on really, really well and. 00:11:07.829 --> 00:11:09.540 We'll do another podcast, once, I'll tell you a 00:11:09.540 --> 00:11:12.540 story about what happened during our Christmas 00:11:12.540 --> 00:11:14.400 kindness when a whole pink, blue dot on us. 00:11:16.160 --> 00:11:16.670 I love it. 00:11:16.730 --> 00:11:17.510 Yeah, that was a big one. 00:11:17.660 --> 00:11:20.390 So that's really how I got into close protection 00:11:20.390 --> 00:11:22.490 is that, it wasn't something that I had 00:11:22.490 --> 00:11:24.930 inspired to when I, you know, left college 00:11:24.949 --> 00:11:25.670 or anything like that. 00:11:26.060 --> 00:11:28.520 It's something that came to me and, but 00:11:28.520 --> 00:11:30.530 it's also, I think the realization that it's 00:11:30.530 --> 00:11:34.930 not only that you have to protect your principal, 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:35.520 as you call them. 00:11:35.640 --> 00:11:36.000 Mhmm. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.350 But you have to look after him and sometimes 00:11:38.350 --> 00:11:40.510 you even have to baby him, but you have to make 00:11:40.510 --> 00:11:43.960 him feel good, but you know, put them in a, in a 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:46.900 environment that is best suited for the protection 00:11:46.930 --> 00:11:48.520 of, of him, or her. 00:11:48.940 --> 00:11:52.580 And make sure that, you can control that, 00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:54.030 and sometimes there are difficulties. 00:11:54.040 --> 00:11:55.870 Sometimes you have clients that have are 00:11:55.870 --> 00:11:58.270 very difficult and they'll push the envelope 00:11:58.270 --> 00:12:00.280 and they won't listen to you and there's always 00:12:00.280 --> 00:12:04.620 that trade off of well listen, how much, do you 00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:06.660 listen to me to, for me to be able to protect 00:12:06.660 --> 00:12:10.170 you that doesn't impinge on your freedom as such. 00:12:10.230 --> 00:12:10.680 Right. 00:12:10.740 --> 00:12:13.680 So there's a lot of difficulties in that and 00:12:13.850 --> 00:12:14.790 that still exist today. 00:12:15.380 --> 00:12:16.310 That's gotta be a difficult one 00:12:16.310 --> 00:12:17.030 to juggle too. 00:12:17.090 --> 00:12:18.710 I mean, they want to be out there, especially 00:12:18.710 --> 00:12:21.170 the celebrities, the personalities. 00:12:21.959 --> 00:12:24.750 And your whole job is just to tuck them 00:12:24.750 --> 00:12:25.650 away, keep them safe. 00:12:25.740 --> 00:12:26.699 It's very difficult. 00:12:26.740 --> 00:12:27.420 It can be. 00:12:27.420 --> 00:12:29.010 I mean, sometimes you have awesome clients. 00:12:29.339 --> 00:12:31.020 They'll listen to you because they, they know 00:12:31.020 --> 00:12:33.479 that there's a threat to end that they, they want 00:12:33.479 --> 00:12:34.260 you to look off them. 00:12:34.620 --> 00:12:35.849 But at the same time, you're giving 00:12:35.849 --> 00:12:37.740 them enough space to be a human being. 00:12:38.099 --> 00:12:39.360 You know, they're not being a prisoner 00:12:39.750 --> 00:12:42.360 and the you, you make those decisions. 00:12:42.569 --> 00:12:44.250 But sometimes they don't and then you just have 00:12:44.250 --> 00:12:45.900 to roll with it because at the end of the day, 00:12:45.930 --> 00:12:46.620 they're paying you. 00:12:47.080 --> 00:12:51.110 And if you have to walk away from a well paid job 00:12:51.110 --> 00:12:53.220 because it's, the client, won't listen to you. 00:12:53.220 --> 00:12:54.540 That's being professional. 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:56.640 I'm sorry, you know, we've talked about 00:12:56.640 --> 00:12:58.260 this, you're not listening to me. 00:12:58.260 --> 00:13:00.210 I can't protect you under the circumstances, 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:01.440 I can't do my job. 00:13:01.800 --> 00:13:04.060 Because the last thing you want to happen as a 00:13:04.060 --> 00:13:07.290 close protection officer, is your client get hurt. 00:13:07.620 --> 00:13:08.670 How often does that happen? 00:13:08.700 --> 00:13:10.260 Have you had to walk away? 00:13:10.260 --> 00:13:11.040 Has that happened to you? 00:13:11.250 --> 00:13:12.390 It's happened once or twice. 00:13:12.750 --> 00:13:13.470 Not often. 00:13:13.530 --> 00:13:14.670 We've, we've normally been able 00:13:14.670 --> 00:13:15.510 to resolve issues. 00:13:16.020 --> 00:13:17.970 That's not to say that there hasn't been a lot 00:13:17.970 --> 00:13:20.200 of times where we've had to resolve that issue. 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:22.020 You have to actually sit down and talk it through. 00:13:22.210 --> 00:13:22.390 Right. 00:13:22.390 --> 00:13:25.230 You know, you gotta understand a lot of the 00:13:25.290 --> 00:13:28.620 clients that we have are either high value, or 00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:30.060 have celebrity status. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:33.490 Here's a favourite one; celebrity says, 00:13:33.690 --> 00:13:35.465 stop that person taking a picture of me. 00:13:35.525 --> 00:13:38.075 I'm like, I can't, that's totally legal, 00:13:38.095 --> 00:13:40.375 and everyone has a cell phone, so please don't do 00:13:40.375 --> 00:13:42.475 anything stupid in public cause that's really, 00:13:42.475 --> 00:13:43.435 what's going to happen. 00:13:44.905 --> 00:13:46.945 So you have to talk to them about those 00:13:46.945 --> 00:13:47.545 sort of things. 00:13:47.795 --> 00:13:49.695 But by and large, I've been very fortunate 00:13:49.735 --> 00:13:52.765 because I think I normally want to connect 00:13:52.885 --> 00:13:55.050 and that doesn't mean it always happens. 00:13:55.680 --> 00:13:57.360 But you know, it's something that I think 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:00.600 is, is missing, the large part in the training 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:01.350 of close protection. 00:14:01.350 --> 00:14:02.880 You've got to some of these close protection 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:04.590 courses, and there's some really good ones 00:14:04.590 --> 00:14:05.220 around the world. 00:14:05.985 --> 00:14:09.615 But the emphasis is on fitness, on firearms 00:14:09.615 --> 00:14:12.824 training, on self-defense training, driving skills, 00:14:12.824 --> 00:14:13.755 which are all great. 00:14:13.845 --> 00:14:14.265 Sure. 00:14:14.595 --> 00:14:17.045 But don't forget that real personal part. 00:14:17.285 --> 00:14:18.485 Well, that's all the sizzle, right. 00:14:19.405 --> 00:14:22.535 And that's, that consists of a very small portion 00:14:22.595 --> 00:14:23.645 of the actual job. 00:14:23.675 --> 00:14:25.595 It sounds like the actual job is basically 00:14:26.069 --> 00:14:26.849 good people skills. 00:14:26.880 --> 00:14:27.089 Yeah. 00:14:27.329 --> 00:14:28.589 Well, look, let's put it this way. 00:14:28.589 --> 00:14:31.109 So you'll spend at the range and you'll go and 00:14:31.109 --> 00:14:33.209 spend a couple hours every week training, 00:14:33.209 --> 00:14:35.250 making sure your skill set is still the same, 00:14:35.579 --> 00:14:36.300 where it's meant to be. 00:14:36.680 --> 00:14:38.479 I'm talking about a country that you 00:14:38.629 --> 00:14:40.790 are authorized to carry a firearm and 00:14:40.790 --> 00:14:41.390 you need to carry. 00:14:41.430 --> 00:14:41.599 Right. 00:14:41.630 --> 00:14:45.180 But let's just say you do that, well how often are 00:14:45.180 --> 00:14:48.090 you actually, during the time that you work going 00:14:48.090 --> 00:14:49.740 to draw your firearm, nevermind fire it. 00:14:49.830 --> 00:14:50.220 Right. 00:14:50.460 --> 00:14:52.290 And the possibility is probably much 00:14:52.290 --> 00:14:54.510 less than 1%. 00:14:55.050 --> 00:14:57.480 So, you know, concentrate on everything else, 00:14:57.480 --> 00:14:59.520 keep your skill set up, make sure that 00:14:59.520 --> 00:15:00.210 you're ready for that. 00:15:00.210 --> 00:15:02.069 Because a lot of the times you are doing 00:15:02.100 --> 00:15:03.120 absolutely nothing. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:04.439 And that's the hard part, to keep 00:15:04.439 --> 00:15:05.470 your concentration. 00:15:06.310 --> 00:15:08.485 I've heard of some of the courses recently, and I 00:15:08.485 --> 00:15:09.235 think it's really good. 00:15:09.954 --> 00:15:12.775 You just get there, four of you in the room, 00:15:13.015 --> 00:15:15.505 they, they, they, they tape of a box around 00:15:15.505 --> 00:15:18.195 you, square metre and they say alright, stand 00:15:18.195 --> 00:15:21.415 there and wait until further instructions. 00:15:22.165 --> 00:15:23.635 Three hours later, they still standing 00:15:23.635 --> 00:15:26.425 there because a lot of the time, as a close 00:15:26.444 --> 00:15:28.254 protection officer, that is all you're doing. 00:15:28.514 --> 00:15:28.905 Really? 00:15:28.905 --> 00:15:29.484 Is standing. 00:15:29.935 --> 00:15:31.645 You know, there's a, there's a saying in 00:15:31.645 --> 00:15:33.444 the close protection world, holes in walls, 00:15:33.444 --> 00:15:35.035 you know, you, you you're setting in the 00:15:35.035 --> 00:15:36.385 hotel in the holes and. 00:15:37.075 --> 00:15:38.505 you know, up against a wall. 00:15:38.545 --> 00:15:42.105 It's, it's, it's a lot of patience, but keeping 00:15:42.105 --> 00:15:42.935 your concentration. 00:15:42.935 --> 00:15:44.675 Cause that's when it happens right. 00:15:44.675 --> 00:15:47.235 After three hours of standing, you know, 00:15:47.505 --> 00:15:49.995 you start, mind starts wandering, you start. 00:15:50.635 --> 00:15:51.115 Totally. 00:15:51.155 --> 00:15:51.395 Yeah. 00:15:51.555 --> 00:15:52.795 And, and, and that's when it happens. 00:15:52.815 --> 00:15:55.025 So there's some really good courses around 00:15:55.245 --> 00:15:57.345 and, you know, it's been good for me. 00:15:57.645 --> 00:16:00.825 I haven't just done one on one, you know, I've 00:16:00.915 --> 00:16:03.615 had that opportunity, the fortunate opportunity 00:16:03.615 --> 00:16:05.655 of, of working with, as I said, the Australian 00:16:05.655 --> 00:16:07.455 Cricket Team, I also work with English Cricket 00:16:07.455 --> 00:16:08.505 Team and New Zealand. 00:16:08.505 --> 00:16:10.015 And I traveled the world. 00:16:10.015 --> 00:16:12.325 I've been all over with these, with these 00:16:12.325 --> 00:16:15.865 various people and look, there's some really 00:16:15.865 --> 00:16:17.485 glamorous parts about it, don't get me wrong. 00:16:17.485 --> 00:16:17.605 Sure. 00:16:17.605 --> 00:16:19.775 It's not just the three hours standing, doing 00:16:19.775 --> 00:16:21.975 nothing, but you get to fly private jets. 00:16:22.305 --> 00:16:24.705 You know, you drive them, the latest 00:16:24.705 --> 00:16:27.575 Mercedes, you know, the Maybeck's you get. 00:16:27.845 --> 00:16:31.245 And, and what I found, for me, was I got to work 00:16:31.245 --> 00:16:33.465 with the most interesting people, because a lot 00:16:33.465 --> 00:16:35.325 of clients will come to an area and they'll 00:16:35.325 --> 00:16:37.995 bring their own personal close protection that 00:16:37.995 --> 00:16:39.944 they've had forever that that's their guy. 00:16:40.245 --> 00:16:41.895 But they need three or four or five guys 00:16:41.895 --> 00:16:43.714 on the ground to work with their team. 00:16:43.745 --> 00:16:43.925 Right. 00:16:43.925 --> 00:16:45.194 And we've done that before. 00:16:45.194 --> 00:16:47.235 And you meet the most interesting guys, guys 00:16:47.235 --> 00:16:50.785 that have had careers that I've, I mean, I 00:16:50.785 --> 00:16:52.824 can just, in awe of sometimes, I'm like, 00:16:52.834 --> 00:16:55.055 Whoa, you know, did you guys really do that? 00:16:55.084 --> 00:16:56.405 I mean, are you not telling me the story, 00:16:56.645 --> 00:16:59.704 but you meet these, these incredible individuals. 00:16:59.704 --> 00:17:01.235 And that's what I really love about it. 00:17:01.740 --> 00:17:05.069 Well, I guess it's got to take its toll on your 00:17:05.069 --> 00:17:07.500 personal life, it's gotta take its toll always, 00:17:08.040 --> 00:17:10.230 essentially shadowing somebody, some other 00:17:10.230 --> 00:17:13.170 big personality and their, their big life, 00:17:13.530 --> 00:17:16.560 and trying to slice out time for yourself 00:17:16.560 --> 00:17:17.220 in there as well. 00:17:17.455 --> 00:17:17.935 It does. 00:17:17.935 --> 00:17:18.325 It does. 00:17:18.325 --> 00:17:19.525 And I mean, I've been doing it for a long 00:17:19.525 --> 00:17:21.755 time now, you know, I'm in my fifties. 00:17:22.195 --> 00:17:22.515 Mhmm. 00:17:22.865 --> 00:17:25.275 Late fifties, almost, not quite but close. 00:17:25.835 --> 00:17:28.765 So I've been doing this probably for 30 years, 00:17:28.785 --> 00:17:30.825 on and off, and it does take a toll if you 00:17:30.825 --> 00:17:31.815 will let it as well. 00:17:31.845 --> 00:17:32.895 You know, there's sometimes you 00:17:32.895 --> 00:17:33.615 can mitigate it. 00:17:33.815 --> 00:17:35.475 There should always be downtime. 00:17:36.225 --> 00:17:38.504 So, you know, the last 10 years when I actually 00:17:38.504 --> 00:17:40.875 ran the teams, instead of me being on the ground 00:17:40.875 --> 00:17:43.305 all the time, I would make sure that everyone 00:17:43.605 --> 00:17:45.675 had the down time okay. 00:17:45.705 --> 00:17:48.135 To decompress because it is a very high stress 00:17:48.315 --> 00:17:51.014 job, but as you could decompress and that 00:17:51.014 --> 00:17:54.570 you can, get back to your job the next day 00:17:54.570 --> 00:17:56.820 or your next shift, you know, clear headed 00:17:57.330 --> 00:17:58.950 and, and ready to work. 00:17:59.490 --> 00:18:01.050 So there are those things, but also you 00:18:01.050 --> 00:18:03.090 gotta, you gotta look at your family time as well. 00:18:03.090 --> 00:18:05.820 I mean, for a family man, it's hard because 00:18:06.210 --> 00:18:07.379 in the beginning when I was traveling a 00:18:07.379 --> 00:18:09.720 lot, my wife and kids would stay at home. 00:18:10.379 --> 00:18:11.340 That's one of the reasons I actually 00:18:11.340 --> 00:18:12.820 moved to Canada, but that's another story, 00:18:13.380 --> 00:18:16.635 but you know, I'm, I'm blessed that I have 00:18:16.745 --> 00:18:19.745 wife that was very understanding and very 00:18:19.745 --> 00:18:22.115 strong, you know, when I'm not there, she can 00:18:22.115 --> 00:18:22.945 do just about anything. 00:18:22.945 --> 00:18:25.865 So, but it does, it can take a toll on you. 00:18:25.865 --> 00:18:27.995 And I think where I'm now on my waiting side 00:18:27.995 --> 00:18:31.015 of the career, I would say that any close 00:18:31.035 --> 00:18:33.885 protection officer worth his salt just will 00:18:33.885 --> 00:18:35.835 know his limitations and limitations 00:18:35.835 --> 00:18:37.215 come with age. 00:18:37.575 --> 00:18:40.075 They come with, you know with anything, with time. 00:18:40.255 --> 00:18:40.515 Mhmm. 00:18:40.515 --> 00:18:42.185 You've gotta be able to realize that and then 00:18:42.185 --> 00:18:44.465 work in cause you don't want to weaken the team. 00:18:45.285 --> 00:18:47.835 In any way, and you don't want to put your 00:18:47.885 --> 00:18:49.785 principal client in danger in any way, 00:18:49.785 --> 00:18:51.525 just because you want to work that extra 00:18:51.525 --> 00:18:52.335 couple of years. 00:18:52.685 --> 00:18:53.135 Right. 00:18:53.915 --> 00:18:55.055 It's a, it's a good thing to know. 00:18:55.175 --> 00:18:56.075 Just park the ego. 00:18:56.415 --> 00:18:56.945 Exactly. 00:18:57.785 --> 00:18:59.765 Well, one of the things, and I've known you for 00:18:59.765 --> 00:19:02.825 many years, and I've always admired about you, 00:19:03.065 --> 00:19:04.475 is your positive outlook. 00:19:04.505 --> 00:19:06.335 Now you're talking about stress and 00:19:06.335 --> 00:19:09.715 decompressing, and I know there's been lots of, 00:19:09.755 --> 00:19:10.835 everyone's got stress. 00:19:10.865 --> 00:19:13.535 I know you've had many challenges in your life. 00:19:13.995 --> 00:19:16.365 What kind of tips and tricks would you give? 00:19:16.725 --> 00:19:18.524 How do you keep yourself so positive? 00:19:19.004 --> 00:19:21.014 Well, it's nice that you just say that Travis, 00:19:21.014 --> 00:19:22.845 I don't always think like that, but I am. 00:19:23.745 --> 00:19:25.754 I think what it is, is that you can always 00:19:25.754 --> 00:19:27.794 look at the negative and you can always 00:19:27.794 --> 00:19:28.684 look at the positive. 00:19:28.834 --> 00:19:29.394 Mhmm. 00:19:29.394 --> 00:19:29.754 You're right. 00:19:29.774 --> 00:19:32.715 I've gone through some tremendously challenging 00:19:32.715 --> 00:19:33.504 times in my life. 00:19:33.504 --> 00:19:35.895 Times that I would think, well, you 00:19:35.895 --> 00:19:36.855 know what happened? 00:19:38.225 --> 00:19:39.885 I'll give you the one challenge; when we 00:19:39.885 --> 00:19:43.574 arrived in Canada in 2005, there was myself, 00:19:43.574 --> 00:19:45.915 my wife, my two little girls and a baby. 00:19:46.770 --> 00:19:50.400 Between us, we had nine bags and $15,000. 00:19:50.730 --> 00:19:51.090 Wow. 00:19:51.150 --> 00:19:51.710 That was it. 00:19:52.080 --> 00:19:54.390 And in 2005 and that $15,000 ran 00:19:54.390 --> 00:19:55.140 out really quick. 00:19:55.170 --> 00:19:55.620 Yes. 00:19:55.800 --> 00:19:57.780 I've just been truly blessed, number one, 00:19:57.780 --> 00:19:58.800 to be in Canada. 00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:02.550 I'm so grateful in every way you can imagine for 00:20:02.550 --> 00:20:04.770 being in this wonderful country and what has 00:20:04.770 --> 00:20:07.110 had to offer us and help us and assist us. 00:20:07.110 --> 00:20:10.370 And we thrived, you know, we've we, we 00:20:10.370 --> 00:20:12.690 settled in here, we assimilated immediately. 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:13.379 Mhmm. 00:20:13.850 --> 00:20:16.500 I say simulated three, three and a half 00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:18.510 years in Prince George coming out of Africa. 00:20:18.540 --> 00:20:20.000 We have learned how to winterize in 00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:21.550 Canada real quick. 00:20:21.930 --> 00:20:22.070 Yeah. 00:20:22.420 --> 00:20:24.570 Understand where propane is and how to light 00:20:24.570 --> 00:20:25.610 a stove to keep warm. 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:29.690 But I always look at life as an adventure as 00:20:29.690 --> 00:20:31.910 well, and adventures are never always going to 00:20:31.910 --> 00:20:35.475 be easy and sometimes the harder the venture, 00:20:35.564 --> 00:20:37.485 the more satisfying they are right. 00:20:37.485 --> 00:20:38.495 So I look at that. 00:20:38.774 --> 00:20:41.264 I also, there's an understanding, and 00:20:41.264 --> 00:20:43.064 I tell my girls this all the time. 00:20:43.064 --> 00:20:44.655 I said, you gotta understand life is not 00:20:44.655 --> 00:20:46.064 easy, life is hard. 00:20:46.395 --> 00:20:49.094 Life wants to beat you up, it loves doing that. 00:20:49.425 --> 00:20:51.675 But let me tell you, if you can get up from 00:20:51.675 --> 00:20:54.455 that, because it will, okay, you going to 00:20:54.455 --> 00:20:55.425 live a wonderful life. 00:20:55.785 --> 00:20:57.765 You learn from it and you move forward 00:20:58.125 --> 00:21:00.345 and it's, it's just an amazing thing. 00:21:00.345 --> 00:21:02.105 If you had to keep that positive outlook it's 00:21:02.105 --> 00:21:03.675 like, well, something's good going to happen. 00:21:04.295 --> 00:21:05.235 You know? 00:21:05.235 --> 00:21:06.635 Yes, we got to go through hard times, 00:21:06.815 --> 00:21:07.315 you're going to get. 00:21:07.315 --> 00:21:07.415 Right. 00:21:07.895 --> 00:21:09.635 Beaten down, but I'm going to get up again. 00:21:10.085 --> 00:21:11.435 And so I have that attitude. 00:21:11.435 --> 00:21:13.445 I mean, it's not always there, believe 00:21:13.445 --> 00:21:15.785 me, I've been through some very dark days 00:21:15.785 --> 00:21:16.345 and like, what's. 00:21:16.345 --> 00:21:16.515 Sure. 00:21:16.565 --> 00:21:17.365 Going to happen next. 00:21:17.385 --> 00:21:18.545 I'm sure everyone goes through that. 00:21:18.695 --> 00:21:18.935 Sure. 00:21:19.295 --> 00:21:20.915 But I wasn't looking at the less fortunate 00:21:20.915 --> 00:21:21.305 in the world. 00:21:21.305 --> 00:21:23.875 I mean, I come from a country, you know, 00:21:24.295 --> 00:21:26.185 people struggle everyday just to live. 00:21:26.965 --> 00:21:29.185 I understand that, I also understand that 00:21:29.185 --> 00:21:31.525 people with disabilities, you know, I have a son 00:21:31.525 --> 00:21:32.245 that's special needs. 00:21:32.245 --> 00:21:32.345 Yes. 00:21:32.345 --> 00:21:34.265 And I just look at him and I'm like why 00:21:34.285 --> 00:21:37.105 would I even consider feeling sorry for 00:21:37.105 --> 00:21:39.015 myself or feeling that I've had it tough 00:21:39.015 --> 00:21:39.925 or I've had it hard. 00:21:39.925 --> 00:21:43.365 I mean, I don't have an everyday challenge that 00:21:43.395 --> 00:21:45.465 some of these kids have around the world and 00:21:45.465 --> 00:21:49.215 so that also, you know, gets reality set in. 00:21:49.635 --> 00:21:51.255 You know, we live a really good life here, 00:21:51.405 --> 00:21:53.775 we're very, very blessed to live in, in this 00:21:53.775 --> 00:21:54.705 life that we live here. 00:21:55.215 --> 00:21:58.754 And you know, I had that opportunity and you were 00:21:58.754 --> 00:22:01.064 with me when we, when I set out my fire and 00:22:01.064 --> 00:22:02.774 there's a big fire going out on the property in 00:22:02.774 --> 00:22:04.725 the middle of nowhere, I sit and I just, 00:22:05.304 --> 00:22:06.615 just feel so blessed. 00:22:07.185 --> 00:22:09.735 And I think to be able to have that feeling 00:22:09.735 --> 00:22:12.735 inside you, that, the gratefulness that you 00:22:12.735 --> 00:22:15.814 have for life, for being here for, for 00:22:15.824 --> 00:22:17.415 what you have, doesn't matter what you have. 00:22:18.314 --> 00:22:20.715 You know, you're getting up every day, that's, 00:22:20.745 --> 00:22:22.725 that's an advantage, some people can't do that. 00:22:23.175 --> 00:22:26.565 So, you know, I think that also helps me stay 00:22:26.565 --> 00:22:29.415 positive, being grateful, you know, being thankful 00:22:29.805 --> 00:22:32.315 and, and, and just, just understanding that, that 00:22:32.805 --> 00:22:34.935 life is, can be hard, but it's a beautiful 00:22:34.935 --> 00:22:36.815 thing, you know, it's a beautiful place to be. 00:22:37.485 --> 00:22:38.385 Couldn't agree more. 00:22:39.675 --> 00:22:40.995 Yeah, holding that gratitude in your 00:22:40.995 --> 00:22:43.365 heart is definitely something that, that'll 00:22:43.365 --> 00:22:44.265 drive things forward. 00:22:44.295 --> 00:22:45.725 Without a doubt, without a doubt. 00:22:45.725 --> 00:22:48.965 We just went really deep there. 00:22:48.995 --> 00:22:49.385 That was. 00:22:49.445 --> 00:22:49.835 We did. 00:22:53.010 --> 00:22:57.060 So bit of a segue, but you mentioned a tent 00:22:57.060 --> 00:22:57.899 falling down story. 00:22:58.790 --> 00:22:59.210 I did. 00:22:59.389 --> 00:22:59.840 I did. 00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:04.129 So this is way back when Oprah came to South 00:23:04.129 --> 00:23:06.950 Africa, Nelson Mandela was still alive and she 00:23:06.950 --> 00:23:07.820 was very close to him. 00:23:07.820 --> 00:23:10.250 She used to stay at his house, but she decided 00:23:10.250 --> 00:23:12.110 to do what they call a Christmas kindness. 00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:12.500 Okay. 00:23:12.500 --> 00:23:14.960 Which is a very, very good thing to do because 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:17.120 besides opening a school, you know, and building 00:23:17.120 --> 00:23:18.409 a school for girls. 00:23:18.990 --> 00:23:20.850 She decided that she would go into these 00:23:20.850 --> 00:23:23.880 areas around Nelson Mandela's area, 00:23:23.910 --> 00:23:27.750 basically, and set up a system where she could 00:23:27.750 --> 00:23:30.150 give presence to these underprivileged kids. 00:23:30.270 --> 00:23:30.540 Right. 00:23:30.870 --> 00:23:32.760 And now this was a massive undertaking 00:23:32.760 --> 00:23:35.490 because to actually even do that, do teams had 00:23:35.490 --> 00:23:38.010 to come on first and figure out where they 00:23:38.010 --> 00:23:42.075 were going to put these big, huge circus like 00:23:42.075 --> 00:23:44.895 tents because they had to basically accommodate 00:23:44.895 --> 00:23:47.225 the whole school and all the officials. 00:23:47.225 --> 00:23:48.274 Cause in Africa, there's always a 00:23:48.274 --> 00:23:49.034 lot of officials. 00:23:49.405 --> 00:23:49.624 Okay. 00:23:49.624 --> 00:23:49.915 Right. 00:23:50.354 --> 00:23:53.135 So, and also had to then go out and figure out 00:23:53.135 --> 00:23:55.054 what toys they're going to get and buy different 00:23:55.054 --> 00:23:57.365 toys, you know, soccer balls and dolls and. 00:23:57.825 --> 00:23:59.655 They decided to put all these in backpacks 00:23:59.655 --> 00:24:01.295 and the pink ones would be for the girls 00:24:01.295 --> 00:24:03.634 and the blue one for the boys and then the 00:24:03.635 --> 00:24:04.475 different age groups. 00:24:04.475 --> 00:24:06.545 And so there was a huge amount of preparation. 00:24:06.545 --> 00:24:08.795 They sent out teams six months before that and 00:24:08.795 --> 00:24:10.355 they asked me to come down because this is 00:24:10.355 --> 00:24:12.125 the time they wanted me to come and provide 00:24:12.125 --> 00:24:13.415 some of my guys as well. 00:24:14.135 --> 00:24:17.735 And we spent time with the advance team doing 00:24:17.735 --> 00:24:20.855 these, this, this work to get the toys and 00:24:20.915 --> 00:24:22.775 locations and setting up. 00:24:23.655 --> 00:24:26.745 Anyway, when they will arrived, Oprah arrived. 00:24:27.105 --> 00:24:29.115 As I said, I alluded to it earlier, I was a 00:24:29.115 --> 00:24:31.905 Stedman Grahams close protection officer, 00:24:32.685 --> 00:24:33.645 number one, right? 00:24:33.705 --> 00:24:33.975 Yeah. 00:24:34.185 --> 00:24:35.925 And so I spent a lot of time with him and he 00:24:35.925 --> 00:24:37.905 would break away from the group quite often to 00:24:37.905 --> 00:24:40.335 go out and do his little motivational speaks 00:24:40.335 --> 00:24:41.175 and stuff like that. 00:24:42.120 --> 00:24:45.419 So once he had finished that he then went to 00:24:45.419 --> 00:24:47.460 join Oprah and Gayle. 00:24:47.660 --> 00:24:49.500 Gayle was Oprah's very good friend, I 00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:50.100 think she still is. 00:24:50.190 --> 00:24:50.460 Yeah. 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:53.820 And join them down there so that he could 00:24:53.820 --> 00:24:55.030 help and be part of it. 00:24:55.050 --> 00:24:59.610 So the, the process went like this, a huge tent 00:24:59.610 --> 00:25:02.820 was set up, there was a smaller tent, which 00:25:02.820 --> 00:25:05.410 was executive tent where Oprah could go and wait 00:25:05.410 --> 00:25:06.960 and have refreshments. 00:25:07.485 --> 00:25:09.165 And in that main tent, there were a whole bunch 00:25:09.165 --> 00:25:11.625 of benches and a main stage in the front. 00:25:12.105 --> 00:25:14.394 And then all these kids would then be bussed 00:25:14.394 --> 00:25:17.595 in with buses and they would file in, in the 00:25:17.625 --> 00:25:19.605 order of age and they would fill this tent 00:25:19.605 --> 00:25:20.655 up from front to back. 00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:24.750 And once all the speeches had been done, then the 00:25:24.929 --> 00:25:28.689 procession was Oprah and whoever entourage was, 00:25:28.709 --> 00:25:30.510 in this case included Stedman, would then 00:25:30.510 --> 00:25:33.060 take these backpacks and walk down the lanes 00:25:33.060 --> 00:25:34.970 and hand the backpacks out to all the kids. 00:25:35.280 --> 00:25:37.350 It was great, and as the kids would then 00:25:37.350 --> 00:25:39.000 get them, then they would then file out. 00:25:39.750 --> 00:25:42.169 So the speeches had just been finished and we 00:25:42.169 --> 00:25:44.189 were just starting to hand the backpacks out. 00:25:44.189 --> 00:25:45.929 And as a close protection team, we 00:25:45.929 --> 00:25:47.610 were strategically placed so we could keep 00:25:47.610 --> 00:25:48.500 an eye on a principal. 00:25:49.080 --> 00:25:51.060 They only got through the first row and I just 00:25:51.060 --> 00:25:53.490 happened to look up out to the West and there 00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:57.990 was this amazing looking cloud and it was just 00:25:58.500 --> 00:26:00.810 rolling, but it was a lil far away and I didn't 00:26:00.810 --> 00:26:02.310 really think much of it cause we were in Africa. 00:26:02.310 --> 00:26:03.770 We don't get tornado's really, right? 00:26:03.830 --> 00:26:04.070 Yeah. 00:26:04.190 --> 00:26:05.150 Not that I've ever seen. 00:26:05.835 --> 00:26:07.695 By the time we got to the third row, the 00:26:07.695 --> 00:26:10.245 wind had picked up and this place was coming. 00:26:10.375 --> 00:26:12.765 The, the, the, this, this rolling cloud was now 00:26:12.825 --> 00:26:13.725 really getting close. 00:26:13.725 --> 00:26:15.375 I'm like, this is not that good. 00:26:16.035 --> 00:26:17.895 Anyway, by then Oprah said like, I'm going to 00:26:17.895 --> 00:26:20.115 go back to the executive tent and get a drink 00:26:20.115 --> 00:26:21.585 and then, Stedman said I want to keep going, 00:26:21.585 --> 00:26:22.755 you know, cause you know, which is great, 00:26:22.815 --> 00:26:23.715 so let's keep going. 00:26:25.305 --> 00:26:28.335 Within the next five minutes, the storm hit 00:26:28.605 --> 00:26:31.335 and it hit hard and it was out of absolutely 00:26:31.335 --> 00:26:33.534 no where that the storm hit this tent. 00:26:33.555 --> 00:26:35.905 Now I'm talking, circus tent, I'm 00:26:35.955 --> 00:26:38.805 talking poles as big as tree trunks that 00:26:38.805 --> 00:26:39.855 holding this tent up. 00:26:39.975 --> 00:26:40.305 Right. 00:26:41.415 --> 00:26:45.375 So just as, as, as a, a visual, the tent was 00:26:45.375 --> 00:26:49.455 set up in a longitudal form and along one side 00:26:49.455 --> 00:26:51.465 where all the trucks that had delivered the 00:26:51.465 --> 00:26:53.565 backpacks that were parked along the side 00:26:53.565 --> 00:26:57.315 of the tent, that was to the East, that the wind 00:26:57.315 --> 00:26:58.435 came in from the West. 00:26:58.455 --> 00:27:01.225 We were halfway down one of the, the 00:27:02.035 --> 00:27:04.050 rows and I realized this is not good. 00:27:04.800 --> 00:27:06.600 So I say, Stedman, run, just get out of 00:27:06.600 --> 00:27:07.860 here now, he said, what do you mean? 00:27:07.860 --> 00:27:08.760 I said get out of here now. 00:27:08.790 --> 00:27:11.070 We had only just made it out of the tent when 00:27:11.070 --> 00:27:14.010 the full brunt of the storm hit, it hit so 00:27:14.010 --> 00:27:16.650 hard that it picked this tent off those, 00:27:17.230 --> 00:27:19.680 off those big poles and started throwing it over. 00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:22.260 By then I wasn't looking back, but Stedman being 00:27:22.260 --> 00:27:24.600 a big guy and he's a tall guy, he took 00:27:24.600 --> 00:27:25.880 off and he was gone. 00:27:25.890 --> 00:27:26.980 He was like a giraffe, he was gone. 00:27:26.980 --> 00:27:28.300 I'm like okay, he's safe, he's safe. 00:27:28.935 --> 00:27:30.375 I got my, my principal safe. 00:27:30.544 --> 00:27:30.735 Yeah. 00:27:31.095 --> 00:27:33.625 But just before I got to the, where 00:27:33.645 --> 00:27:35.475 the trucks were lined up, where Stedman was 00:27:35.475 --> 00:27:38.490 running towards, Gayle was standing there 00:27:38.490 --> 00:27:39.930 screaming for her kids. 00:27:39.930 --> 00:27:41.190 She couldn't find her kids. 00:27:41.250 --> 00:27:41.940 Oh no. 00:27:42.210 --> 00:27:45.060 But at that stage it was a split second decision. 00:27:45.690 --> 00:27:47.820 We need to get under the truck because 00:27:47.820 --> 00:27:48.840 we're going to die. 00:27:49.530 --> 00:27:52.290 And I felt it on the back of my head that the hair 00:27:52.290 --> 00:27:55.140 standing up, these big poles coming towards us. 00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:55.440 Yeah. 00:27:55.830 --> 00:27:58.080 So I just out of instinct, I grabbed 00:27:58.080 --> 00:28:00.740 Gayle and I'd rugby dived her, I'll call 00:28:00.740 --> 00:28:02.750 it, like a tackle, underneath the truck. 00:28:02.840 --> 00:28:05.930 Me and Gayle skidded underneath the truck and 00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:08.590 as we hit the ground, all I just heard was just, 00:28:08.740 --> 00:28:10.000 it was like a war zone. 00:28:10.360 --> 00:28:12.730 These poles were just raining down, but 00:28:12.730 --> 00:28:14.590 because of the angle where the truck was, 00:28:14.860 --> 00:28:16.690 they would hit the truck and not drop on us. 00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:18.530 If you envision what I'm saying. 00:28:18.530 --> 00:28:19.070 Yeah, I get it. 00:28:19.070 --> 00:28:19.780 It had formed a triangle. 00:28:19.870 --> 00:28:20.080 Yeah. 00:28:20.260 --> 00:28:23.150 But it was, it was like war and while this 00:28:23.170 --> 00:28:24.880 was happening, Gayle was screaming and I 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:25.900 was holding her down. 00:28:26.190 --> 00:28:28.040 By now I had lost sight of of Stedman. 00:28:28.040 --> 00:28:29.199 So I don't know, you know, I might 00:28:29.199 --> 00:28:30.430 be being a bit of trouble, but who cares? 00:28:30.430 --> 00:28:32.360 This is like, this is Armageddon and nobody 00:28:32.360 --> 00:28:33.070 knows what's going on. 00:28:33.670 --> 00:28:35.590 And I look over to my right and I see this 00:28:35.590 --> 00:28:36.940 kid that had crawled on the other end, I 00:28:36.940 --> 00:28:39.280 grabbed him and I pulled him and it was, it was 00:28:39.280 --> 00:28:40.540 Gayle's one kid right. 00:28:40.690 --> 00:28:41.170 Okay. 00:28:41.290 --> 00:28:42.920 So she's found one, don't know where 00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:43.390 the other one is. 00:28:43.860 --> 00:28:46.000 Anyway, this must've lasted only for about 00:28:46.030 --> 00:28:49.060 20 seconds and just all, everything you 00:28:49.060 --> 00:28:51.550 can imagine that when, when all hell 00:28:51.550 --> 00:28:52.143 breaks loose was. 00:28:52.143 --> 00:28:52.250 No kidding. 00:28:52.250 --> 00:28:52.990 Happening. 00:28:53.730 --> 00:28:57.090 And then it went from that to deathly silent, 00:28:57.870 --> 00:29:00.110 deathly silence, not one word, no screaming, 00:29:00.110 --> 00:29:02.219 no nothing, for about five seconds. 00:29:03.179 --> 00:29:04.709 And then the radio started going 00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:06.610 crazy in my ear. 00:29:06.610 --> 00:29:06.639 Ahh. 00:29:06.810 --> 00:29:08.669 Cause Oprah now is screaming where, 00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:09.899 where is Stedman? 00:29:09.929 --> 00:29:11.100 Where's her best friend. 00:29:11.100 --> 00:29:11.370 Yeah. 00:29:12.090 --> 00:29:13.830 Well, as it turned out, Stedman ran 00:29:13.830 --> 00:29:16.140 round the side of the truck, caught his hip. 00:29:16.410 --> 00:29:18.420 So he was, he was waiting the other side of the 00:29:18.420 --> 00:29:20.220 truck, so he didn't get hurt, but he was now. 00:29:21.390 --> 00:29:24.360 I managed to get Gayle and her kid out, saw 00:29:24.430 --> 00:29:27.480 Stedman, grabbed Stedman, the radio's going crazy. 00:29:27.540 --> 00:29:29.730 And guess who walks out of this absolute 00:29:29.730 --> 00:29:32.380 mayhem with two of the most important people? 00:29:33.080 --> 00:29:33.630 Your's truly! 00:29:33.630 --> 00:29:35.840 It was just one of those times of my life, 00:29:35.840 --> 00:29:36.800 where I was like, Whoa! 00:29:37.910 --> 00:29:39.030 Right place, right time. 00:29:39.030 --> 00:29:40.400 And it just happened, it was. 00:29:40.844 --> 00:29:43.965 And I just remember it was, it, it, it was one 00:29:43.965 --> 00:29:45.365 of the most scariest things cause I knew I 00:29:45.365 --> 00:29:45.965 was going to get hit. 00:29:45.965 --> 00:29:47.885 When you know this pole's going to hit me 00:29:47.885 --> 00:29:48.574 on the back of the head. 00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:51.720 When we look at the devastation afterwards, 00:29:51.900 --> 00:29:53.370 it was mind blowing. 00:29:53.370 --> 00:29:55.740 The whole tent had gone all the, all the chairs 00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:56.580 had been knocked over. 00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:58.440 There were people who had broken arms. 00:29:58.440 --> 00:30:00.060 It was people that had massive 00:30:00.060 --> 00:30:02.129 concussions, including I think the pilot. 00:30:02.820 --> 00:30:04.520 There was some serious injuries. 00:30:04.600 --> 00:30:04.990 Geez. 00:30:06.050 --> 00:30:07.230 Anyway, segue to this story. 00:30:07.560 --> 00:30:10.230 So from there, Oprah runs up and she's 00:30:10.230 --> 00:30:12.470 very, very happy that like Stedman's okay. 00:30:12.470 --> 00:30:15.000 But Stedman's like agh, my hips really sore. 00:30:15.420 --> 00:30:17.070 So anyway, she said, Perez go to speak to 00:30:17.070 --> 00:30:18.990 Gayle and Stedman says, I said Stedman I think 00:30:18.990 --> 00:30:20.980 we should just get you checked out, get him 00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:22.170 and go to the hospital. 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:24.210 He went, you know what, you're right and I 00:30:24.210 --> 00:30:27.014 had just this little stick shift, little 00:30:27.014 --> 00:30:29.205 van, type thing that we were driving around in. 00:30:29.564 --> 00:30:31.605 Whereas the way everything else was set 00:30:31.605 --> 00:30:33.475 up in close protection and the convoy, you have 00:30:33.975 --> 00:30:36.554 a limousine one that has the principle and then 00:30:36.554 --> 00:30:38.634 you have the lead and you have the backup cars. 00:30:38.655 --> 00:30:40.544 And, and, and that was all set up 00:30:40.544 --> 00:30:41.264 for Oprah right. 00:30:41.294 --> 00:30:43.034 But for us, we just arrived at the latest 00:30:43.034 --> 00:30:43.745 so we were in this car. 00:30:43.745 --> 00:30:44.865 So I said, well jump in, I'll push 00:30:44.865 --> 00:30:46.605 the seat right back, cause he's a tall guy. 00:30:46.965 --> 00:30:48.014 Make sure you don't hurt your hip. 00:30:48.570 --> 00:30:49.519 In fact, I said, I'll you know, I'll 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:50.310 put you in the back. 00:30:51.090 --> 00:30:51.959 So he said, okay, let's go. 00:30:51.959 --> 00:30:54.479 So we jumped in and as I'm about to go, 00:30:55.139 --> 00:30:57.810 next thing Oprah's bodyguard jumps right 00:30:57.810 --> 00:30:59.110 into the passenger seat. 00:30:59.110 --> 00:30:59.510 Said what happened? 00:30:59.510 --> 00:31:00.600 He said Oprah's coming. 00:31:01.110 --> 00:31:01.399 Why? 00:31:01.439 --> 00:31:03.320 She wants to be with Stedman, I'm like 00:31:03.600 --> 00:31:06.420 okay, but I've got to stick shift right. 00:31:06.570 --> 00:31:09.450 And I know what she's like, she likes things 00:31:09.450 --> 00:31:10.890 smooth, which is fine. 00:31:10.920 --> 00:31:11.250 Sure. 00:31:11.250 --> 00:31:11.700 Sure. 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:12.870 And I went, okay. 00:31:13.170 --> 00:31:14.640 Anyway, she gets in and I'm like, okay, 00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:16.230 how do I let this clutch out smoothly? 00:31:16.350 --> 00:31:17.700 And change gears smoothly. 00:31:18.190 --> 00:31:20.180 And we're going to do it right, okay. 00:31:20.490 --> 00:31:21.670 And just look out from the corner of 00:31:21.670 --> 00:31:23.400 my eye and I see all the other security 00:31:23.400 --> 00:31:25.040 guys running, diving into their vehicles, 00:31:25.040 --> 00:31:27.190 trying to form up a, you know, the convoy. 00:31:28.020 --> 00:31:29.400 It was, it was just one of those 00:31:29.400 --> 00:31:30.620 things, you know, we had to get there. 00:31:30.620 --> 00:31:32.820 And anyway, I got him to the hospital 00:31:32.820 --> 00:31:34.450 and they checked him out and he was fine. 00:31:35.130 --> 00:31:37.395 And, after that I dropped him off at 00:31:37.395 --> 00:31:38.774 Nelson Mandela's home and I actually got 00:31:38.774 --> 00:31:39.564 to walk in there so. 00:31:39.695 --> 00:31:40.175 Really? 00:31:40.294 --> 00:31:42.334 That was another Whoa. 00:31:42.444 --> 00:31:43.115 That was a day. 00:31:43.895 --> 00:31:44.615 That was the day. 00:31:44.615 --> 00:31:44.735 Yeah. 00:31:45.034 --> 00:31:47.225 And the final, the final thing that 00:31:47.225 --> 00:31:47.845 happened that day. 00:31:47.925 --> 00:31:49.844 So when I get back and we'll dusty and tired, 00:31:49.865 --> 00:31:51.215 and everyone's going back to the hotel, I'm 00:31:51.215 --> 00:31:54.735 the last guy to walk in there and Oprah's other 00:31:54.754 --> 00:31:57.715 body guard, she has two, and he says, Darren, 00:31:57.715 --> 00:31:58.225 Darren, come here. 00:31:58.804 --> 00:31:59.875 I'm like ugh, what have I done now? 00:31:59.905 --> 00:32:00.725 What have I done now? 00:32:00.754 --> 00:32:01.475 Cause you know, that's what. 00:32:01.475 --> 00:32:01.625 Yeah. 00:32:02.385 --> 00:32:03.765 So, I guess he said, wait here. 00:32:04.215 --> 00:32:05.345 And he said, he goes to Gayle, says 00:32:05.345 --> 00:32:06.255 Gayle, there he is. 00:32:06.435 --> 00:32:08.205 And Gayle runs, and I'm in the middle of the 00:32:08.205 --> 00:32:11.415 hotel foyer, she runs up and throws herself 00:32:11.415 --> 00:32:12.315 at me and hugs me. 00:32:12.315 --> 00:32:13.665 And I'm like, what'd I do now? 00:32:13.985 --> 00:32:19.665 So yeah, you get, you, you get, sometimes you 00:32:19.665 --> 00:32:21.765 get those days where you will remember, and 00:32:21.765 --> 00:32:23.695 it's not just standing, holes in walls right. 00:32:24.015 --> 00:32:25.245 That is fantastic. 00:32:25.905 --> 00:32:26.475 Well, Darren. 00:32:27.045 --> 00:32:29.025 I really appreciate your friendship, I really 00:32:29.025 --> 00:32:31.035 appreciate you making the time to come in 00:32:31.035 --> 00:32:32.115 and speak to us again. 00:32:32.445 --> 00:32:32.925 Thank you. 00:32:33.045 --> 00:32:34.065 Oh, you're welcome Travis. 00:32:34.195 --> 00:32:35.625 And it's reciprocal. 00:32:35.625 --> 00:32:36.825 I value our friendship. 00:32:36.855 --> 00:32:38.265 You've taught me a lot out here as well. 00:32:38.265 --> 00:32:39.915 Believe me, I've learned a lot from you and 00:32:40.425 --> 00:32:41.205 I'll continue doing it.