Searching For Heroes With Benjamin Hall

Thursday, March 14th marks two years since Benjamin Hall almost lost his life while on assignment in Ukraine.

On that day, Benjamin lost two of his cherished colleagues and endured hours of unthinkable pain — unsure if he would survive. In the time since, he's not only had to grieve those he lost and learn how to walk again, but how to adjust to life after nearly losing it.

On this anniversary episode, Benjamin reflects on some of the most valuable lessons he's learned since the attack and the new discoveries he’s made about resilience, life and community.

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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Aron Ralston’s story was told to millions in the hit movie '127 Hours,' but where is he now?

After a seemingly harmless hike turned life-threatening when a bolder fell on him, trapping his arm against a rock in a narrow canyon – Aron Ralston was trapped for six days.

The only thing that set him free? Amputating his own arm. Now, 21 years later, Aron Ralston is an author and a motivational speaker who dedicates his life to teaching others how some of the worst things that happen to us can become the best things.

Aron joins Benjamin to discuss the 127 hours he spent trapped in the canyon where, at one point, he was convinced death was inevitable. He also explains how he found the will to survive and the ways in which this experience shifted permanently shifted his perspective on life for the better. 

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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When grief is so unbearable it leaves us speechless, how are we supposed to process it with others?

In 2019, Writer and Director, Colin Campbell was faced with this question after his two children were struck and killed by a drunk driver. In the years following this tragedy, Colin had to find a way to process news no parent should and learn how to handle all-consuming grief while still living his life.

This journey led him to write Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose, which aims to teach readers how they too can survive debilitating loss. Colin joins Ben to discuss how he was able to share his grief with those in his life and rediscover the joy he thought was lost, knowing it's what his beloved children, Ruby and Hart would want.

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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For many, resilience grows with age — building as they endure challenges and learn from experience. However, some people, like MacKale McGuire, have had to embrace it since birth.

Born with Hemophilia, a rare blood disorder, MacKale was used to frequent doctor appointments and hospital visits throughout his childhood. However, at the age of 11, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma — a bone cancer that, after grueling chemotherapy and surgeries, led to the amputation of his left leg. With these obstacles stacked before him, MacKale could have become discouraged. Instead, he became determined.

Now a cancer-free collegiate athlete at Kalamazoo College, MacKale joins Benjamin to discuss how the resilience he gained through handling Hemophilia helped him battle osteosarcoma, why focusing on showing kindness can be a guiding light when in a dark place, and what advice he would give to those facing life-altering challenges.

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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Where does resilience come from? Is it a matter of nurture or nature?

On Benjamin's journey to spotlight stories of perseverance, community and redirection, he's determined to discover the root of resilience.

Benjamin reflects on how his understanding of this idea has evolved and what he hopes to continue uncovering on his search for heroes.

He emphasizes to listeners that often the courage to begin again comes from the decision to keep moving forward.

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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In the face of extreme or unexpected adversity, how would you respond?

After years of research and exploration, author and Columbia University clinical psychology professor George Bonanno says your level of inner resilience would likely leave you shocked.

Since the beginning of time, humanity has responded to unthinkable disasters -- adapting, learning, and continuing to press on. But what is it about humans that makes us inherently flexible, and does this capacity for resilience truly live in all of us?

Benjamin and Professor Bonanno evaluate and answer this timeless question and reflect on the power of human resilience.

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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In 2009 Levi Rodgers, a coveted Special Forces Green Beret, was on deployment in Afghanistan when the car he and the four men on his team were in was struck by an IED.

The vehicle was shattered and everyone in the car died that day, except for Levi.

Levi would go on to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, where he would later meet Benjamin, to undergo an extensive recovery process -- from both severe physical wounds and mental turmoil. Though he faced the darkest of days, Levi clung to resilience, committed to honoring the legacy of his fellow soldiers whose lives were lost that day in Afghanistan. Today, Levi owns a successful real estate business, cherishing the people in his life, and creating a legacy that will last a lifetime.

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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"Amanda, you'll never walk again," was the prognosis the doctors gave to the Founder of Bridging Bionics, Amanda Boxtel after a freak skiing accident in the winter of 1992 shattered four vertebrae and left her paralyzed.

Four words rang in her ear as she realized she was entering her new normal, fueling her determination to stand back up again. Amanda joins Benjamin to detail how the journey to acceptance following unexpected setbacks is not linear, but one that leads you to embrace and take dominion of your new normal.

Bridging bionics empowers people in the middle of neuro-recovery with the opportunity to stand up again and believe in themselves, despite the weight of life's detours.

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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"As soon as I step out of my vehicle, I hear shots fired."

As a decorated soldier, 2nd Lieutenant John Arroyo was no stranger to the close sounds of gunfire, he wasn't accustomed to the enemy behind the weapon being a fellow soldier.

On April 2, 2014, 2nd Lieutenant John Arroyo was shot in the throat and neck by a fellow soldier while stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.

Lt. Arroyo and Benjamin spent substantial time at Brooke Army Medical Center, healing visible and invisible wounds. John's story of resilience, family, and the determination to get back up again encapsulates how often the search for heroes starts within ourselves.

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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Executive Director of Access To Recovery, Jonathan Goyer was given a second chance at life when his roommate injected him with Narcan, reversing his near-fatal overdose.

Eleven years later, Jonathan tells his story of recovery and redemption as a reminder to those struggling with substance abuse that there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

Jonathan's commitment to being a mentor and recovery counselor is proof that your journey can be a catalyst for someone's recovery.

Follow Benjamin on Twitter: @BenjaminHallFNC

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