Two Dates and a Dash Podcast

Where I am now is no coincidence to where I have been, yes, I am a survivor! What have I survived, not war, not physical disabilities, but cycles of life. My story of abuse is no different than many others who have experienced abuse, the same torment, pain, feelings of loneliness and despair.

So, the big question is why did I change?

My journey from nothingness to a fulfilling life was not altered by one specific event, but a series of events over many years, change came one thought at a time. It was not till I was older that I could clearly see the past; they say that hindsight is twenty-twenty, mine was not, it was blurry. The first step to seeing the past clearly was when a kindhearted gift of love was given to me by a stranger.

A stranger that chose to pull me into her household and show me that you can eat and sleep and play without fear, that you can share feeling with others, and that a hug is the best way to express how you feel about someone. This was something new to me, perhaps I was scared not knowing what was ahead as the only cycle of living I knew was ugliness. At the age of nine I tasted hard liquor for the first time. I knew what a broom handle felt like across my back, how my skin would react when hit from an open hand. Age sixteen I was enrolled in my twenty-fifth public school and this is the age where I found myself running away, not just from home, but everything. It is here where my transformation really begins.

This is when I was first shown how a home should be, full of love. It took me a long time to realize that my opportunityfor change had been there, right there, all I had to do was to want it. Perhaps it is best of me to offer an analogy as to how my change occurred. If you think about life cycles, they are round and usually end up at the same point over and over, like a race track. When your cycle of life is good, there is no need to search for an off-ramp, you’re’already going down the “right” path. When on the wrong cycle of life for so long, the exits can become obscured due to hopelessness, you can only find an exit if you really want to change.

I wanted to change and found an exit, I took the “right” turn to something better. Taking the “right” turn was very difficult to do, I realized, with time, that to set a new cycle of life I would have to clear up the past. Emotionally, I set my mind on forgiving the past and those who had hurt me. Standing at my step-father’s grave, I forgave him, it took every ounce of emotional strength that I had to do this, and I was completely drained of all energy. Immediately afterward, I felt something,something anew, the wheels of my life cycles had started to make the turn. As I reflect upon my cycles of life, the cycles of ugliness were clearly evident,the most obvious to me was with my biological father. I did not see him, hear from him, or have anycontact with him at all. I did not know from where I came or who I was, intellectually, emotionally, or physically.

I quickly realized that Iwas doing the same to my daughter, cycles repeating cycles. Continuing forward I was going to do everything in my power to break this cycle, and I did. I re-connected with my daughter, provided financial and emotional support, and broke this cycle. Once this cycle had broken, others fell like dominos. My new cycles of life are extraordinary, a complete reversal of what my past had been.

I ran a successful auto carrier company for twenty plus years. I worked my way up in this industry to become a union steward helping many other drivers find the success that I have had. Throughout this process the cycles of ugliness continued to be broken, so much so I wanted to give to others when I no longer was a truck driver. Knowing that my cycles of ugliness were mostly in my youth, this is where I sought to intervene.

I interviewed for a position as a campus supervisor at a high school in northern California, and got it. Still I, working at a campus where I had only faltered as a young person, seemed to be ironic. So I started, one student at a time, shared my stories, my fears, and my successes. Students began to listen and identify their own cycles of ugliness, perhaps a few had found the “right” turn off that cycle.

As a campus supervisor I saw a need for someone to be an advocate for youth, someone to help them see their own past clearly. I started a public speaking entity knows as Me.Inc. Now®, “me expressing I need change now”. It is my principal goal to help instill self-worth, self-esteem, and self-respect in today’s youth.

Today, after choosing to make a change in my life, I am there for my grandchildren’s needs, I have established positive relationships with long lost family members, I embrace the chance, once again, to be a father to my daughter and a grand father to my grandchildren. I am thankful for the opportunity to share my story with others, I am thankful for what I now have.

Most importantly, I am thankful for learning that “love” is most the powerful tool in my emotional toolbox. I did it, I had changed for the better, no more thought of sorrow and loneliness, no more bruises, no more pain, no more fear.

My passion is being a Global Mastermind Leader. It allows me to work with like-minded people with a good heart and soul. We collaborate on a variety of business ideas and help the group as a whole to solve the current concerns or problems they are facing. I worked for Interim Healthcare for four years. The company was adding home hospice to their already successful home health division and needed someone with compassion, knowledge and a wide variety of contacts in the medical community. I have helped change the perception of home hospice and demonstrated to medical professionals, families and patients the benefits of hospice for those in need. While I worked at Pfizer, I completed many levels of professional training, launched several new products, served as a guest trainer for new hires, mentored many new hires and college students completing an internship, etc. I have won several sales awards, been a team leader at a local and area level and initiated new ideas and concepts at sales meetings. My goal is to look for opportunities in the ever-changing job market. Specialties: I am known amongst fellow sales respresentatives for my creativity.

Aaron Scotti is a Producer at Armory Films, a film finance and production company that creates, develops, produces, and finances high concept and commercially viable content. Scotti teamed with Armory Films Co-Founders Chris Lemole and Tim Zajaros in 2016 and has since produced titles including: Brian Taylor’s Mom and Dad starring Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair; Joe Penna’s Arctic, starring Mads Mikkelsen which made its world premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival where it was acquired by Bleeker Street for North American distribution; and The Peanut Butter Falcon starring Shia LeBeouf, Dakota Johnson, John Hawkes, John Bernthal, Bruce Dern, Thomas Hayden Church, Yelawolf, and introducing Zack Gottsagen. He is currently in production in Los Angeles on Charlie Day’s directorial debut El Tonto starring Day, Kate Beckinsale, Jason Sudeikis, John Malkovich, Edie Falco, Jillian Bell, Ken Jeong, Adrien Brody, Ray Liotta and Travis Fimmel, serving as an Executive Producer, with Armory financing and producing the film. Aaron Scotti grew up in the Philadelphia area and moved to NYC in 2006 to study acting. He currently resides in Los Angeles.

Frank Hickson brings over 30 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Flames' football coaching staff, including 11 years at the NCAA Division I-A level and 16 years as a running backs coach, the same position he oversaw as a part of the Flames' football program.

Since joining the Flames' program, Hickson has continued the running back tradition at Liberty. He aided in the Flames finishing the 2004 season ranked 22nd in the nation in rushing (212.2 yards per game). He helped Dre Barnes finish as the school's all-time leading rushing in 2004 with 4,035 yards.

Hickson was also instrumental in helping guide Liberty's newest "rising star" and current member of the Houston Texans, Samkon Gado, during his senior campaign, and Eugene Goodman of the AFL's Columbus Destroyers. In 2005, Hickson helped running back Zach Terrell become Liberty's first-ever Big South Rookie of the Year.

Hickson instructed one of the best running back tandems in program history. Rashad Jennings became the sixth running back in school history to surpass the 1,000-yard mark, helping Liberty rank 19th nationally in rushing yards (195.0 per game). Jennings and Terrell both reached double figures in rushing touchdowns, becoming the second rushing pair to accomplish the feat since 1973.

Prior to his time at Liberty, Hickson's served a two-year stint at Oklahoma State as the running backs coach during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. During his time at Oklahoma State, he instructed All-Big 12 running backs Reggie White and Tatem Bell, who is now with the Detroit Lions, while also instructing Tim Burrows, who signed a contract with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.

In 1998, Hickson was the head coach at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. During the 1996 and 1997 seasons, he served as the offensive coordinator and running backs coach at North Texas where he helped the Mean Green post victories over Utah State and in-state rival Texas Tech in 1997. He also coached Juqua Wilburn, North Texas' all-time leading rusher.

Hickson had a memorable stay at South Carolina for two years (1994 and 1995). He was part of the first Gamecock program to post a victory in a bowl game when South Carolina defeated West Virginia in the 1994 Blockbuster/National Car Rental Bowl game on New Year's Day. While at South Carolina, Hickson was responsible for the coaching of four NFL running backs in the Arizona Cardinals' Troy Hambrick, Pittsburgh Steelers' Duce Staley and former Cincinnati Bengal Brandon Bennett and former Chicago Bear Stanley Pritchett.

Hickson also served as the running backs coach for four years at the United States Naval Academy (1990-93), one year at Temple (1989), three years at Marshall (1986-88), one year at Mesa State College (1985) and two years as a graduate assistant at Wichita State (1983-84), while earning his master's degree in education.

While at the Naval Academy, Hickson recruited quarterback Chris McCoy, a Heisman Trophy candidate, and defensive back Chris Hart, who are both members of the Hall of Fame at the Naval Academy.

While at Marshall, Hickson helped the Thundering Herd to two NCAA Division I-AA National Championship games in 1987 and 1988. He also assisted Marshall to a third-place national ranking during its 1988 championship-game run. Hickson also coached Ron Darby at Marshall, the Southern Conference's all-time leader with 6,700 all-purpose yards.

Hickson is a 1983 graduate of Tuskegee in Tuskegee, Ala., where he received his bachelor's degree in physical education with an emphasis on recreation. He has been a frequent guest speaker for the Frank Glazer National Coaching Clinic since 1994.

Hickson and his wife, Meesha, have two children, Leidra and Frankie.

Matt used his 50th episode to recap his experience as a podcast host and where he is today in his personal and professional life.

Kermit Cintron is the former IBF Welterweight Champion of the World who, at the height of his boxing career, was considered one of the best pound for pound boxers of this time. He fought some of the biggest names in boxing history, Antonio Margarito, Sergio Martinez, Paul Williams, Canelo Alvarez and Alfredo Angulo and fought for several world titles in both the welterweight and light middle weight weight classes. He was a regular featured boxer on HBO, ESPN and Showtime and fought several times on Pay Per View. He finished his boxing career with an impressive 39 wins, 6 losses and 3 draws. Kermit is married to his wife, Maria and they have 3 amazing children. Kermit resides in the Reading, PA area and helps his wife run their Yoga business.

After the tragic suicide of my son Kristopher, I found out that he was being bullied at school. I have invested $1000’s in self-improvement and development. To honor Kristopher, I has spent countless hours to figure out how I can make an immediate impact in the lives of children to get out of the negative states they are in and release the negative trauma from their past. I have spent a significant amount of my time to incorporating a parenting program to help parents release the traumas in their lives while improving communications with their children at the same time giving them the skills, they need to help their children deal with the issues in their lives. My one-on-one coaching sessions have impacted 1000’s of lives. I have dedicated his life to the betterment of healing of families and children. I have leveraged myself to becoming one of the best neuro-associative conditioning coaches for children and families. I am a practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, I specialize in Erickson Hypnotherapy, I have obtained the knowledge to work in Gestalt Therapy, and Mental Emotional Release. I work with families that are experiencing suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, anger issues, fears and phobia’s, children experiencing emotional traumas.

I am an attorney and mediator with 18 years of family law experience. My personal life transitions as well as my own divorce inspired me to offer guidance and support as a divorce coach to those in the midst of, or contemplating that difficult decision. My combined experiences reinforced my beliefs that divorce, while closing one chapter, is the start of an exciting new story. Divorce, approached from the perspective of a "family transition," can enable you, your ex-spouse, and most importantly, your children, to emerge healthy and optimistic about your future.

Joe DeCamara is a sports talk show host with 16 years of on-air experience in the Philadelphia market. He began in the radio industry in 2001 at 1490-AM WBCB and most recently hosted an evening show on 97.5-FM The Fanatic. DeCamara has also hosted nationally syndicated shows for ESPN Radio and appeared on various TV stations both locally and nationally. Joe is also very active with the Maxwell Football Club and serves as the emcee for their annual awards gala. He’s a 1996 graduate of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School and a 2000 graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut.

Dave Swanson is a graduate of the United States Military Academy (West Point), served honorably in the United States Army and retired as a Captain, is a sought after motivational speaker, the host of the "Goat Wrestling Perseverance Podcast", and the author of best selling book entitled "The Dot on the Left". For more information on Dave and all that he is up to, please visit www.thedotontheleft.com.