Some people survive the worst day of their life. Colonel Greg Gadson (U.S. Army, Ret.) decided to keep living his. A West Point linebacker turned field artillery officer, Greg served this nation for more than 25 years and was commanding the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery in Baghdad in May 2007 when an IED took both of his legs above the knee and the normal use of his right arm and hand. He took 129 pints of blood. He died on the table six times. And then he went back to work, serving another seven-plus years in uniform, leading the Army Wounded Warrior Program, and retiring as Garrison Commander of Fort Belvoir. Along the way he became the spark behind the 2007 New York Giants’ improbable Super Bowl run (two rings, and Mick still hasn’t forgiven him), starred in a major motion picture, wrote Finding Waypoints, and became one of the most respected voices in the veteran community. In this conversation with Pasha and Mick, Greg gets underneath the highlight reel: the humbling of needing help to eat, the faith that lifted hate off his heart before he even knew he was healing, and why he says he is freer now than he ever was with two legs. This one will sit with you.
What This Episode Will Forge In You:
No Single Moment Defines You; Your Decision Does: Greg is clear that there is no magic in one bad day. Adversity always carries the potential to change you, but the direction is yours to choose. Victim or conqueror, quit or keep going, that’s a decision you own in every circumstance, and it gets easier to make when you’ve done the work and surrounded yourself with the right people.
It Takes Courage to Ask for Help: Going from battalion commander to needing help eating and getting to the bathroom was the most humbling stretch of Greg’s life. His challenge to the rest of us is blunt: if you’d gladly help someone else but refuse the same help yourself, look at why. Asking is the first and most significant step, and the idea that you’ve done any of this alone was never true to begin with.
Resilience Is Built Long Before You Need It: Resilience isn’t a switch you flip on the worst day, it’s character you deposit into daily by challenging yourself and holding yourself accountable. And part of that account is acceptance. Greg credits his faith for lifting hate off his heart, because holding on to “why me” drags an invisible anchor that bleeds the very resilience you’re trying to spend.Quotes That Hit Like A Hammer:
“Sometimes you’re the victim or you’re the conqueror. You quit or you keep going on. Those are all decisions that we own in every circumstance.”
“It takes no courage not to ask for help. It takes courage to ask.”
“Our lives are not about what we accomplish or what we achieve, they’re about what we leave. And that is the definition of legacy.”
Questions This Episode Answers:
Does one moment really define who you become or is it what you decide afterward?
How do you keep an injury, a loss, or a setback from becoming your identity?
What’s the difference between getting up and standing up?
Why is asking for help harder than giving it, and where do you find the courage?
What do most people get wrong about resilience?
How do you let go of “why me” without ever getting an answer?
How does a wounded battalion commander end up sparking a Super Bowl run?
What should service members be doing before the uniform comes off?
What does legacy actually mean if it isn’t your list of accomplishments?
How do you stay present when your mind keeps dragging you backward or forward?Book: Finding Waypoints: A Warrior’s Journey Toward Peace and Purpose
Publisher: schaffnerpress.com/books/finding-waypoints
Speaking: leadingauthorities.com/speakers/greg-gadson
Speaking: apbspeakers.com/speaker/colonel-greg-gadson
Organizations Greg Stands Behind:
These are the five Greg named on the episode organizations he says use every donation the right way.
Robert Irvine Foundation: robertirvinefoundation.org
Hope For The Warriors: hopeforthewarriors.org
Gary Sinise Foundation: garysinisefoundation.org
Vail Veterans Program: vailveteransprogram.org
Semper Fi & America’s Fund: thefund.org
Website: pashapalanker.com
Instagram: @pashapalanker
Website: MickHuntOfficial.com
Instagram: @mickunplugged
If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs it. And do something, a call, an email, a shout-out, a hello. Everything doesn’t have to be a monetary investment. Let’s support humans doing great things.
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