Searching For Heroes With Benjamin Hall

Close to 400,000 children in the United States are in foster care, many are being moved from home to home in need of a bag to hold all their belongings. Cara Finger saw firsthand how many of the children she was fostering were bringing their belongings to her house in a garbage bag, she knew that there needed to be a solution.

Founder of My Bag, My Story Cara Finger joins Ben for an important conversation about the foster care system and why she decided to create her own non-profit to help children in foster care. My Bag, My Story's mission is to improve the lives of children in foster care one bag at a time. With every bag purchased, one bag is donated to a child in foster care...elevating their sense of self-worth and dignity.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On March 11, 2013, Nick Lavery's life was transformed forever when on active duty in Afghanistan his detachment was attacked, and he lost his leg. Miraculously, he recovered and went on to do the unthinkable, becoming the first Special Forces operator to return to combat as an above-the-knee amputee. Since then, Nick has gone on to find power in his pain and dedicated his life to enabling others to recognize their purpose.

Green Beret in U.S. Army Special Forces and CEO of Precision Components LLC, Nick Lavery joins Ben to discuss his journey from serving in Afghanistan to becoming a successful entrepreneur helping others learn and build resilience. He describes how he is implementing resilience in his own kids and why having a team is essential to helping find your inner strength.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Roughly three million Americans live with a stutter, with many suffering in silence -- fearing potential judgement, being told it 'isn't a big deal,' or not knowing where to go for resources. Former NBA Basketball Player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist knows this suffering all too well, especially after being thrown in the limelight of professional sports. So now, he's made it his mission to provide resources, educate, and break the stigma around stutters.

Michael joins Ben to discuss how his stutter has deeply impacted his life and why it led him to create 'Change & Impact,' a non-profit that educates, raises awareness, and provides resources for those with stutters.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Joseph Alderete was one of the first faces Benjamin saw when he landed on American soil after being rescued from Ukraine in 2022. From that moment, Dr. Alderete played an integral role in Benjamin’s recovery, not only rebuilding his strength but spirit.

Benjamin shares his conversation with Head of Orthopedic Oncology at the Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Dr. Joseph Alderete, where they discuss his career and experience treating patients with severe trauma injuries. Later, Dr. Alderete details how he finds the strength and words to encourage patients who have been through the unthinkable.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fifteen years ago, Dr. Lucy Hone set off on an academic journey to study the science behind resilience psychology. Little did she know, her grief would one day become her biggest research subject.

After tragically losing her twelve-year-old daughter Abi in a car accident, Dr. Hone had to take everything she studied about the science of resilience, healing, and the human brain to relearn how to live after her devastating loss. Now, Dr. Hone has shared her secrets with millions of people across the globe -- writing the award-winning book, 'Resilient Grieving,' giving the viral TEDTalk, 'The three secrets of resilient people' that has amassed 2.3 million views, and co-creating 'Coping with Loss,' a collection of programs helping people handle their grief in ways most effective for them. 

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Growing up in Detroit, Khali Sweeney struggled with dyslexia, not truly learning how to read or write until his 20s after his learning disability was written off as a lack of effort from a “problem child.” However, when he began shadowboxing, he discovered an outlet for reaching young people he wished was available to him as a child. As a result, Khali started a boxing gym of his own — one dedicated to giving kids the support that Khali would’ve greatly benefitted from. Seventeen years later, Downtown Boxing Gym has achieved amazing success, serving thousands of boys and girls ages 8-25 from 35 zip codes and 50+ schools in and around Detroit, Michigan.

Khali joins Benjamin to share the importance of uplifting your community and inspiring growth in children by simply listening to them.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shamayim Harris, lovingly known as 'Mama Shu,' watched with sorrow as Highland Park, the neighborhood where she grew up in Detroit, Michigan slowly became blighted with crime, vacant buildings, and trash flooding the streets. It would be in this same neighborhood that Mama Shu tragically lost her two sons, decades part, due to violence in their community.

Mama Shu took her heart wrenching grief and used it to create Avalon Village, a colorful community that now includes a greenhouse, homework house, marketplace for female entrepreneurs, and more. She joins Ben to share her secret behind turning grief into glory, why enriching your community is the first place to start if you want to change the world, and how she plans to keep expanding Avalon Village for years to come.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"If I can't go through the front door, I'm going to go around the back. If the back door's locked, I'm going to go through a window. And if that is locked, let's just go on top of the roof and just remove the roof and go through it. That's how I see life."

Growing up as the youngest of 12 children, becoming pregnancy at 15, and being raped at 17, Dr. Sonja Stribling became a fighter at an incredibly young age. However, following her 21 years of service in Iraq and a painful divorce, Dr. Sonja Stribling felt the strain from years of trauma and fresh PTSD building to an unbearable amount -- regardless of how much fight she had. She had two options: let it consume her or lead her to do good. She chose the latter.

Dr. Sonya Stribling’s book, From The Battlefield to The Boardroom is available now!

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As graduates across the globe receive degrees and celebrate huge accomplishments, they're simultaneously stepping into unchartered waters; a season of life where words of encouragement are never taken for granted. That's why Benjamin was so honored to give a commencement speech for the graduates of The Institute of World Politics -- where they're training the next generation of national security, intelligence, and international affairs employees that will lead in Washington.

In this special episode, Benjamin shares that speech with all of you.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Without Sarah Verardo, Benjamin wouldn't be alive.

Through the relentless and heroic work of Sarah’s organization, Save Our Allies, along with the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Benjamin was successful evacuated from Ukraine in March of 2022. On this Memorial Day, Sarah Verardo joins to discuss how her husband, retired Sgt. Michael Verardo, inspires her every day and the significance of the holiday in the military community and her life.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices