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#72 - Beyond the Edge: How One Man Defied Death Multiple Times and Lived to Tell About It w/Jonathan Daige
Manage episode 499503780 series 3553809
When JD answered the call to serve his country after 9/11, he couldn't have imagined the battles that lay ahead, not just in Iraq's dangerous terrain but within his own body. This extraordinary conversation takes us through his journey as an Army soldier driving fuel trucks through the early chaos of the Iraq War, his transition to law enforcement where he dangled off a six-story building to save a suicidal man, and his most personal fight: battling stage 4 cancer that attacked his testicle, lungs, and brain.
The conversation reveals not just survival, but transformation. JD's cancer battle inspired him to create Thin Blue Ride, a nonprofit that is doing the Lord's work for veterans and first responders battling cancer. His achievements defy medical expectations, from competing in grueling physical competitions to trekking to Everest Base Camp with compromised lung function.
Perhaps most powerful are the practical insights JD offers for anyone facing cancer or supporting someone who is. He discusses the importance of early detection, knowing your body, being your own medical advocate, and finding purpose through hardship. His recently published book "Beyond Survival" chronicles this remarkable journey.
JD's story forces us to confront uncomfortable statistics, 5,600 Americans diagnosed with cancer daily and over half a million Global War on Terror veterans now living with cancer, while providing resources that could save lives. For veterans, first responders, cancer patients, or anyone seeking inspiration, this episode demonstrates how our greatest challenges can become our most meaningful contributions to others.
Visit thinblueride.org to learn more about JD's organization, Thin Blue Ride, or to contact him directly if you're battling cancer or know someone who is. As he reminds us, sometimes the most healing thing we can do is share our story. To donate to our veterans and first responders battling cancer, please CLICK HERE!
To follow along on JD's incredible journey visit:
Thin Blue Ride Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinblueride/
Thin Blue Ride Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thinblueride/
To purchase a copy of his incredible book, "Beyond Survival" CLICK HERE
JD's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daige22/
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Chapters
1. Life-Saving Heroics on a Rooftop (00:00:00)
2. Small Town Roots to Military Service (00:10:40)
3. Early Days in Iraq: Dust, Danger and Adaptation (00:24:00)
4. Second Deployment: Different War, Same Country (00:45:10)
5. From Military to Police Work (01:07:15)
6. The Cancer Diagnosis and Multiple Battles (01:22:23)
7. SWAT Team Adventures and Challenges (01:45:18)
8. Creating Thin Blue Ride to Help Others (02:13:22)
9. Conquering Everest with Partial Lungs (02:35:22)
10. Finding Purpose and Sharing the Journey (03:00:57)
74 episodes
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