How Tim Medvetz Turned Pain Into Purpose | The Heroes Project

Summary

Podcast Summary: We're Out of Time – "How Tim Medvetz Turned Pain Into Purpose | The Heroes Project"

Release Date: April 22, 2025
Host: Richard Taite
Guest: Tim Medvets, Founder of the Heroes Project

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of "We're Out of Time", host Richard Taite welcomes Tim Medvets, the founder of the Heroes Project. Tim shares his transformative journey from a troubled youth to becoming a beacon of hope for veterans battling addiction and physical disabilities. The conversation delves deep into themes of addiction, resilience, mental health, and the power of purpose.

Tim Medvets’ Early Life and Struggles

Tim Medvets opens up about his tumultuous adolescence, marked by multiple encounters with the law. Growing up in a small suburban town in New Jersey, Tim's early life was far from stable.

Tim Medvets [02:25]: "When I was 15 years old... I probably grew up in a small town, suburbia, New Jersey. I could see from the highest point in our town, I could see New York City. It always kind of drew me."

By the age of 15, Tim had already faced 12 arrests for various offenses, including theft, drug possession, and more serious charges. This pattern of behavior was fueled by his experimentation with substances:

Tim Medvets [02:42]: "I smoked my first joint at 12 years old. And then that just sent me onto a path of multiple arrests..."

First Encounter with Rehabilitation

At 15, faced with the choice between juvenile detention and rehabilitation, Tim chose the latter. This decision marked his first significant step towards recovery.

Tim Medvets [03:33]: "I took the lockdown facility, rehab. Next thing you know, I got police escorted to Newark Airport, got on a plane to Cleveland, Ohio, checked in..."

Despite completing a two-month lockdown program, Tim admits to slipping back into old habits soon after:

Tim Medvets [04:01]: "...I bought an eighth of weed, I took my Easy Widers, I rolled up a joint and that was it. And I never looked back."

This relapse underscored the challenges of overcoming addiction, highlighting that external interventions alone weren't sufficient for Tim.

Life in New York and California

After moving to New York City at 18, Tim worked as a nightclub bouncer, immersing himself in the fast-paced nightlife. His resilience saw him through various endeavors, including training with the Gracie brothers in Brazil to become a cage fighter. By 28, he relocated to Los Angeles, where his life seemed to be on an upward trajectory. He built motorcycles, some for celebrities, and enjoyed the perks of his success.

Tim Medvets [08:06]: "I'm riding my motorcycle again. I got a turtle shell surroundings. My back was completely shattered..."

The Life-Altering Accident

On September 10, 2001, Tim's life took a dramatic turn. While riding his motorcycle, a pickup truck collided with him at high speed, resulting in severe injuries:

Tim Medvets [07:56]: "Stuffed everything from my L1 to L5. My complete back has been put back together and bolted. Mesh cage, titanium bolts."

The accident left Tim in a state of physical and emotional turmoil. He recalled waking up in the hospital, grappling with the immediate aftermath and the onset of September 11th.

Tim Medvets [10:19]: "I was bleeding everywhere. ... I wake up tomorrow morning, I better have a foot or I'm gonna kill you."

The juxtaposition of his personal crisis with the national tragedy of 9/11 added layers to his trauma.

Struggles with Addiction Post-Accident

In the wake of his accident, Tim found himself battling severe pain and the resulting addiction to prescription medications:

Tim Medvets [14:45]: "I had to numb the pain to pretend that I wasn't hurt... 5 vicodins a day, 10 vicodins a day, the tolerance starts going 15 a day, 20 a day."

His addiction spiraled, leading to deteriorating relationships and loss of status within his motorcycle club and personal life.

The Turning Point: Inspiration from Veterans

A pivotal moment came when Tim attended a Veterans Day ceremony at Balboa Naval Hospital. Witnessing injured veterans express pride and resilience inspired him to channel his own pain into something meaningful.

Tim Medvets [15:44]: "I saw injured vets speaking about how proud of America they were... I was like, I'm gonna do something about this."

This realization led to the formation of the Heroes Project, aimed at helping veterans overcome their struggles through challenging physical endeavors.

Climbing Mountains as Therapy

Tim discovered that mountaineering and extreme sports provided a pathway for him and others to transcend their hardships. His first major endeavor was climbing Mount Elbrus in Russia, followed by Mount Everest. These climbs symbolized overcoming insurmountable odds and served as a metaphor for personal recovery.

Tim Medvets [19:16]: "I wanted to make sure that I showed up and I was a complete, self-sufficient climber and knew everything."

During his Everest attempt in 2006, Tim nearly reached the summit but turned back, a decision influenced by both physical exhaustion and introspection on his journey.

Tim Medvets [24:34]: "I turned around, didn't end up like those frozen bodies up there... so come back home, train, train, train, raise the money again..."

Founding the Heroes Project

Motivated by his experiences, Tim founded the Heroes Project, which focuses on rehabilitating veterans through mountaineering and other extreme activities. The program emphasizes building camaraderie, resilience, and a sense of achievement.

Tim Medvets [35:00]: "That's when the Heroes project was born."

The initiative not only aids in physical recovery but also addresses mental health challenges, providing veterans with a renewed sense of purpose and community.

Overcoming Bureaucratic Hurdles

Establishing the Heroes Project was not without its challenges. Tim navigated years of federal bureaucracy to secure a retreat center in Mount Baldy, California. This facility is designed to be a sanctuary away from the distractions of modern life, fostering an environment conducive to healing and growth.

Tim Medvets [43:53]: "Five years dealing with federal bureaucracy. A year and a half ago, they gave me my permit to build..."

Despite frustrations with governmental processes, Tim remains steadfast in his mission, highlighting the importance of persistence in the face of adversity.

Impact and Legacy

The Heroes Project has already made significant strides in supporting veterans. Tim emphasizes the profound change it brings not only to the participants but also to their families and communities. By enabling veterans to push their limits and achieve what once seemed impossible, the project instills hope and a renewed sense of self-worth.

Tim Medvets [37:08]: "If you can climb Mount Everest with a stump, okay. There's nothing you can't do. That's what it tells them."

Conclusion

Tim Medvets’ story is a testament to the human spirit's capacity to overcome immense challenges. From a troubled youth to a dedicated advocate for veterans, his journey underscores the importance of purpose, resilience, and community in the face of adversity. The Heroes Project stands as a beacon of hope, inspiring countless individuals to turn their pain into purpose.

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Notable Quotes

• Tim Medvets [00:25]: "It's about the 96 commercial disaster on Everest. And I just couldn't put this book down."

• Tim Medvets [05:17]: "The judge literally saved my life. I don't know where I would have went after that."

• Tim Medvets [12:00]: "The minute you start using again, you're going to end up in jail or you're going to die because you have a disease."

• Tim Medvets [19:16]: "I wanted to make sure that I showed up and I was a complete, self-sufficient climber and knew everything."

• Tim Medvets [35:00]: "That's when the Heroes project was born."

• Tim Medvets [37:08]: "If you can climb Mount Everest with a stump, okay. There's nothing you can't do."

How to Get Involved

Listeners inspired by Tim Medvets' story and the mission of the Heroes Project can support or join the initiative by visiting heroesproject.org. The website offers information on fundraising, volunteer opportunities, and purchasing merchandise to aid in the project's development.

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Join Tim Medvets and Richard Taite in their mission to combat the fentanyl crisis and support those affected by addiction and trauma. Every action counts in the fight to turn pain into purpose.

Transcript

[Richard Tate]

Tim Medvets, founder of the Heroes Project, joins the we're out of Time podcast.

[Tim Medvets]

The doc's saying, I don't know if we can save your foot. I'm, like, in shock, obviously. Right? I meant to amputate your foot. I basically shattered everything from my L1 to L5. My complete back has been put back together. I'm sitting in my apartment and I'm doped up. The sun comes through the blinds, and the lights hit the bookcase, and it was Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I just was obsessed with this book.

[Unknown]

What was the book about?

[Tim Medvets]

It's about the 96 commercial disaster on Everest. And I just couldn't put this book down. I wake up, I'm all sweaty. I look down, I see the book. I'm like, that's it. I'm done. I'm going to go climb Everest. I met this kid Keith, stepped on I missing his leg well above the knee. And I was just like, hey, you want to go climb a mountain? He's like, I got no leg, man. I'm like, no, no. We'll figure it out, man. We can do this. And then we started training fast forward, and he just wants to turn around and quit. And I'm like, just give me, like, just 30 more steps and we'll turn around. We'll go home. He's like, that's it. I'm done. And I go, look over your shoulder. He turns around, he looks over and he goes, is that what I think it is? I said, yeah. He got to the summit and he threw his arms up, and he's screaming and he's yelling. I did.

[Richard Tate]

Thank you for listening to the we're out of Time podcast with Richard Tate. If you haven't already, please follow the podcast rate and review. And if you're getting value out of we're out of Time, share it with someone else.

[Unknown]

You know Tim, Med Vets. Yes, that's Med Vets.

[Tim Medvets]

It's weird.

[Unknown]

The veteran.

[Tim Medvets]

I know, it's strange.

[Unknown]

It's. It's meant to be.

[Tim Medvets]

I.

[Unknown]

It's meant to be, so. Man.

[Tim Medvets]

It's not my stage name either, by the way. Really? Well, I'm not. I'm not an actor. I don't have a head shot, and that is my real birth name.

[Unknown]

You talked about hitting rock bottom after your accident. Was addiction ever part of that chapter? And what was your turning point?

[Tim Medvets]

No, addiction was not in the picture, but I guess we got to kind of rewind the tape a little bit. When I was 15 years old, I probably grew up in a small town, suburbia, New Jersey. I could see from the highest point in our town, I could see New York City. It always kind of drew me. And then probably 12 o'clock, 12 years old, smoked my first joint. And then that just sent me onto a path of multiple arrests, simple assaults. Destruction of property, theft, fake identification, possession of drugs, intend to distribute. Probably about 12 arrests by the time I was 15. And then the last one I was caught with, you know, back then it was mescaline, it was acid, it was valium, it was coke, it was hash, it was weed. All of which was in my leather vest.

[Unknown]

How old are you?

[Tim Medvets]

15.

[Unknown]

No, how old are you now?

[Tim Medvets]

Now I'm 52.

[Unknown]

Okay, so you missed the whole Quaalude thing.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, that was before my time.

[Unknown]

Yeah, for sure.

[Tim Medvets]

But, you know, get in front of the judge. Judge basically looks at, you know, I've been arrested 12 times by the time I was 15 years old. You got a problem, kid. Like this is it, I'm putting the brakes, says, you got two choices. You're going two years in juvie or you're going to go to a rehab, a lockdown facility. And so of course I took the lockdown facility, rehab. Next thing you know, I got police escorted to Newark Airport, got on a plane to Cleveland, Ohio, checked in, had a policeman and a rep from the hospital escort me to there. I'll never forget. I walked in there with the clothes on my back, right from jail, clothes on my back and a carton of Newport cigarettes. Walked in, the doors slammed. And that was, was called St. Luke's and it was in Cleveland, Ohio. It was right down the street from the Rock and Roll hall of fame. And after two months, 60 days locked down, I got out. Then I had to go to a six month outpatient program in Summit in New Jersey. I had to go to meetings, I had to get piss tests from the probation officer. I have to get my meeting signed off.

[Unknown]

Did you ever figure out that you could sign off on your own meetings?

[Tim Medvets]

I didn't back then. It was, yeah, we had pagers back then, you know, so things were a little different then. But I. And then after, you know, the whole year of that, 12 months, went to my last meeting, they signed off on it. I walked out of the meeting, called my buddy, picked me up in his Z28 Camaro. Actually, it was an IROC, an Iraq Z, picked me up. We bought an eighth of weed, I took my Easy Widers, I rolled up a joint and that was it. And I never looked back. And for me it was, you know, there's two things going to happen to you the minute you start using again. You're going to end up in jail or you're going to die because you have a disease. Something didn't really, like, click with that. Someone's telling me that for the every single day for a year. And so I never really bought into that. What I did buy into is that I needed a kick in the ass. I needed somebody to pump the brakes, I needed somebody to slow me down. And that's exactly what that did. And so that judge literally saved my life. I don't know where I would have went after that, but I knew that the path I was on, I needed a kick in the ass. And rehab and, and the outpatient halfway house and the meetings, all of that 100% saved my life.

[Unknown]

Okay, but hold on a second. Let's go back. You said that the minute you got out of your court ordered juvenile rehab, that you immediately got in the car.

[Tim Medvets]

And scored, bought an eighth of Skunkweed and a pack of Easy Widers and rolled up a joint in his IROC in New Jersey. Listen to Vanilla Ice. Rolled it up.

[Unknown]

Okay, keep the vanilla. We'll keep the Vanilla Ice between us. What about the. But where did it take you there? When did you got out, you started smoking weed and how did it escalate from there?

[Tim Medvets]

Well, then I, you know, got my driver's license and then, you know, continue getting arrested, but for more fighting, things like that, not drugs.

[Unknown]

Well, you drinking, say, and if you're drinking and doing drugs, you're fighting.

[Tim Medvets]

Correct. You know, anyway, 18, you were winning.

[Unknown]

I was losing.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, I guess I was winning.

[Unknown]

Yes, you is.

[Tim Medvets]

I never crashed my car. Never. Nobody got hurt and I'm going to jail. I didn't get arrested for drugs again. 18, moved into New York City, got a job bouncing at the nightclubs, you know, and then, you know, when you're a bounce around nightclubs, you know, the whole drinking and drugging doesn't really work. You know, you got to be on top of your game in New York City. You're fighting every single night, throwing people out of the clubs, so. And then, 21 years old, moved to Brazil, started training with the Gracie brothers. I wanted to be a big cage fighter. And that kept me down in Rio for two years of my life. And then my life went on to travel in the world. And then when I was 28, I came out to California, packed up the motorcycle, put the old lady on the back Drove out here, pulled into la, didn't know anybody had it. Figured we had enough money to last us about six months. And then we would go back to New York and then six months turned into. I've been out here for like 25 years now.

[Unknown]

How bad did the drug thing get?

[Tim Medvets]

It didn't. It was bad when I was, you know, from basically 13 to 15. Fifteen is when it really like peaked.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Tim Medvets]

And then after that, it never became a problem. It was, you know, get. Get high, drink on a Saturday night, back in the gym, Monday morning, back to work. You know, that was kind of how it's been, you know, for my entire adult life.

[Unknown]

So tell me about the accident.

[Tim Medvets]

So fast forward. I'm living out in Los Angeles and I'm in the Hells Angle motorcycle club. Best times of my life. Life is great. I'm building motorcycles. I'm in Los Angeles.

[Unknown]

I heard you're building them for celebrities.

[Tim Medvets]

Oh, man, you did so many, so many.

[Unknown]

Did you ever build one for Johnny Depp?

[Tim Medvets]

No, actually, never built for one for Johnny.

[Unknown]

Nicholas Cage.

[Tim Medvets]

Nicholas Cage, absolutely.

[Unknown]

Well, that's only because Nicholas Cage. Nicholas Cage will get a dollar in his pocket and it flies right out of the pocket.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, right. Yeah.

[Unknown]

That guy's never seen anything that he didn't want to buy.

[Tim Medvets]

Yes. Yeah, I remember that one. I remember when he actually walked in my shop, which is like, I thought he was the coolest guy. He pulled up in a Lambo. It was like. It was.

[Unknown]

It was like repossessed the next day.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, it was like. It was like a weird like orange yellow or some shit. And he got out and he had purple snake leather pants on and a purple snake leather jacket with his glasses on. He came walking into my shop and it was just like, like everything. The music just stopped and everybody just turned and look. And he actually pulled it off too. He was actually. Didn't look like a tool.

[Unknown]

He's a star. Yeah, I mean, he's a legit and.

[Tim Medvets]

He'S a super nice guy. Super nice guy. So. And I believe he was at that time he was dating Roseanne Bar. Okay. Yeah. In Lazan Bar. No, Arquette. Roseanne Arquette, one of the Arquette sisters he was dating and he bought her a. Had a Buell Blast. Bules were like a single 500 cylinder. It's a little bike. It was made by Harley, bought one of those for her. And then I built them an fxr. Yeah. So anyway, that just started my whole, like, career in the motorcycle world. My entrance to la. I came out here. I wasn't coming out here to get famous. I wasn't even planning on and staying. And so I just got into the motorcycle world and it just, you know, I was doing great, making a couple hundred thousand dollars a year. I'm jeans and T shirts, I'm in la, I got a hot chick, I'm living up off the Sunset Strip. Like, life was good. Joined the motorcycle club. Things are great. I'm traveling all over the world with the club. Like, everything is great. And then, bam. Pickup truck pulls out in front of me, doing about 100 miles an hour, racing through the streets. Bam. Lights out.

[Unknown]

Wow.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. Ended up in Northridge Trauma center. And it was on September 10, 2001. And everybody knows where they were on 9 11. So it was a question. Where were you at 9 11? Well, for me, 911 wasn't that pivotal, pivotable of a day. For me, it was 9:10. Because at 7:30 at night, crashed my bike. I remember laying on the side of the road, my foot was next to my ear, you know, bleeding out of my head, coming down my eyes, like, just couldn't feel my anything from my waist down. Race me to the hospital. We're probably gonna lose. You're probably gonna lose your leg. We don't know what else is going on, blah, blah, blah. And I remember I had like 12 of my brothers came to the emergency room and they're all like, my size. And the docs saying, I don't know if we can save your foot. I don't know if we can save your foot. I'm like, what? What are you talking about? What? I'm like, in shock, obviously, right? I'm bleeding everywhere. He's like, I don't think I could save amputation. I have to amputate your foot. I just turned to him and I says, I wake up tomorrow morning, I.

[Unknown]

Better have a foot or I'm gonna kill you.

[Tim Medvets]

And then, you know, he's got like 12 hells angels around in the same room. Well, he had Doc, you know, try and save the foot, you know, and then the doc was like, okay, okay. And then boom, Lights out, mask goes on, surgery room. And then I open my eyes, and I remember, open my eyes and I'm looking around me, okay, I'm alive. Check. First thing I do is I remember. The last thing I remember is in tongues. And I cut off my foot. I look down, I see my toes in a cast. I'm like, okay, great. Check. Got my foot. I'm alive. I'm in a hospital. Check. And then I start, like, noticing there's all these doctors and nurses in my room and like, what the. What are they doing? And I'm. I'm up, but I got a tube down my throat. Machine's breathing for me, so I can't speak. And I'm up and I'm like, hey, I'm over here. Help. Help. I'm over here. But they can't hear me. And they're all staring up at the ceiling. I'm. What the. Are they watching? What are they doing? I need some attention over here. And as I, like, roll my eyes up, I look up and on the television, everybody's blue to the TV. And it's like 9:30 in the morning, and the Twin Towers are coming down.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Tim Medvets]

And this is terrible to say, but my first reaction was like, turn that off. I got my own problems here. Come on. I'm over here. Not realizing, obviously, the extent of, you know, how many people died, lost their lives and everything happened. I was just more concerned, like, oh, you know, this is all about me right now. Right.

[Unknown]

So as it should have been.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. And boom, next thing you know, four months in a wheelchair, three different hospitals, six months total in a wheelchair. Never going to ride a motorcycle again, never ride a horse again, never going to do this, do that, you know, And I'm at that point, when I got to that wreck, I was 275 pounds, 6 foot 5, hells angel, bouncing, building motorcycles, hot chick, girlfriend, collection of Harley. Like, life was good.

[Unknown]

So let me ask you a question. How the hell do you start scaling Mount Everest five times after this accident?

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. I mean, probably drugs, alcohol, essentially.

[Unknown]

I got to get back on that. What kind of drug? You mean pain medication?

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. So I get out of the hospital. So now I'm like, you know, this big tough guy in accident. I'm being pushed around in a wheelchair, but he's feeling sorry for me. And then I, you know, graduate to the walker, you know, that thing with the little tennis balls and. Right. Nothing cool about that. Then I go, cooler than. It's cool.

[Unknown]

Yeah, it was cooler than the crutches. It doesn't look cooler. No, but it's better because you fall on your ass a couple times with the crutches. How many times you fall with the crutches?

[Tim Medvets]

Oh, man, so many times.

[Unknown]

Yeah. I just hate that.

[Tim Medvets]

So then I never fail with the walker. No, but I graduated from the walker to the crutches.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Tim Medvets]

Then I graduated from the crutches to the cane. And that was cool. Right Now I'm riding my motorcycle again. I got a turtle shell surroundings. My back was completely shattered. I broke almost every bone in my body.

[Unknown]

What do you mean, a turtle shell?

[Tim Medvets]

It was a. When you have. I basically shattered everything from my L1 to L5. My complete back has been put back together and bolted. Mesh cage, titanium bolts. But I had to wear this to keep my back straight. It was this like. It was a shell. Like a ninja turtle shell.

[Unknown]

How long ago is this?

[Tim Medvets]

Well, this was, you know, 25 years ago. This was done, you know, right after 9, 11. Right. And so I had to wear that. I had a knee brace.

[Unknown]

Call you a turtle?

[Tim Medvets]

My girlfriend at the time, but so I went through this whole, you know, six months and then I started walking again. And then it was like, okay, you got to start going to rehab. And I walk into this rehab center and I just remember like all these old people and you know, they give you the little ball thing. You gotta squeeze the ball, right? And I was just looking around going, what the am I doing in here, man?

[Unknown]

Because you're used to lifting big weights.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. And I'm like, this ain't for me. And I walked out and now. But I had some serious injuries. So I had to numb the pain to pretend that I wasn't hurt. I never got hurt. No way. I'm still going to be the tough guy. I was before the accident. So 5 vicodins a day, 10 vicodins a day, the tolerance starts going 15 a day, 20 a day. Whiskey to go to sleep. You know, it was just this self destructive phase for a year. Got on the bike, I went to, you know, all over America on my motorcycle and just anything to numb the pain. And then finally I'm like, back in Hollywood. My chick dumped me, the club had enough of me. I was completely out of control. That's when you know you had. You're in a bad place. When the Hell's Angels had enough of you, you know you're in a bad place.

[Unknown]

Why did they have enough of you?

[Tim Medvets]

Had enough of me because I was out of control. I was, I was drugged up. I was, I just wasn't in the right mire.

[Unknown]

There you go.

[Tim Medvets]

I was in the right mind. I wasn't, you know, life was just took a turn.

[Unknown]

It's because drugs affect your decision making and they make you get out of control.

[Tim Medvets]

I mean, I'm swinging fist. That guy's in a bar with this turtle shell on and a knee brace on. Like, what are you doing? Slow the down right now. It brings Me back to when I was 15, right? And now the judge said, okay son, pump the brakes here. Boom. Sends me away. But now all these years later, I didn't have a judge telling me you're going to rehab. So I'm sitting in my apartment and I'm doped up on the pills, bottle, booze and all of a sudden I like this sun comes through the blinds in my little one bedroom apartment in Hollywood right off of Melrose and the lights hit the bookcase and there's only one book in that case, one book I wasn't a big reader, you know, and it was Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. And my girlfriend got it for me like a couple years prior to that and I just oh thanks, this is great. I think he would like it because I always climb. Boom. I grabbed it, stumbled over the bookcase, grabbed it, started reading as down in the booze. And I just was obsessed with this book. I couldn't put it down.

[Unknown]

What was the book about?

[Tim Medvets]

It's about the 96 commercial disaster on Everest where nine people lost their lives. And I was just completely enthralled with this book. I mean I just like it was about death and mayhem. And I would go through the book and they would talk about, oh, we just arrived at Camp 2 and I would go back to the front of the book where it had the map of the route and where the camps were. And I just couldn't put this book down all night till three, four in the morning. I finally finished it, I closed the book, I pass out, right? I wake up, I'm all sweaty and doped up and it's like. And all of a sudden it was just like, I look down, I see the book, I'm like, that's it, this is it. No more squeezing the ball thing at the rehab. I'm done. I'm gonna go climb Everest.

[Unknown]

That's a bitchin Dylan.

[Tim Medvets]

And I grabbed my Costco sized jug of Vicodins, grabbed every single bottle in the house, went into the bathroom, dumped everything down the toilet, flushed the toilet, walked out, knocked on my neighbor's door, said hey, I'm so bled in my apartment, I'm leaving for Nepal because what are you going to do there? I said I'm go climb Everest. And that's a really funny reaction when you tell a friend that, right? And sure enough, 30 days later I put all my in the garage. So I bled in my apartment, bought a one way ticket to Nepal, flew up there, got all my climbing gear in Kathmandu, flew up to the Everest region. Shackled up, shacked up with this Sherpa family and went on this journey to learn how to climb 8,000meter peaks. And so climbed all the peaks around Everest in this whole one year. No cell phone, no WI fi, completely off the grid. And then three years of training and, you know, selling all the motorcycles, maxing out the car, all the money, and took off to Mount Everest. And how long did it take you.

[Unknown]

In those practice runs to finally make it to climb Everest?

[Tim Medvets]

Well, you know, I didn't want to show up to the mountain not knowing everything. I didn't want anybody to babysit me.

[Unknown]

Absolutely.

[Tim Medvets]

I wanted to make sure that I showed up and I was a complete, self sufficient climber and knew everything. Knew how to rescue people myself. Knew how to everything. Crampons and ice axes and, you know, reading avalanche control, all that, you know, and so that took about three years of intense training. And then I made my first attempt on Everest in 2006. And then I got about 300ft from the summit. Just missed it.

[Unknown]

How do you get a football field away from the peak and not make it?

[Tim Medvets]

Well, I was £275, 6 foot 5. Not the actual, you know, size of your average climber.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Tim Medvets]

And then, you know, the higher you go in altitude, the more your body, there's no oxygen up there. And so the heavier you are, the less oxygen you have. So you don't really want to be that big. So I just got to the point where I was moving so slow and I just was running out of steam. And then finally, you know, you got somebody down at base camp that's watching you and, you know, watching your oxygen levels and you got supplemental oxygen. And then, you know, after fighting a little bit about that, I decided to turn around.

[Unknown]

But, but I want to know the psychology of it. Like, forget what those guys were doing, like in head. You've just. How long did it take you to get to that point?

[Tim Medvets]

Two months.

[Unknown]

No, no, you took two months to get to the top. That's how long it takes.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, it's usually about, anywhere from. From 40 to 60 days.

[Unknown]

Okay, so check this out. So you're two months up there.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

And you're 300ft away from the prize. Forget them. What are you doing internally? You must be going, I gotta get there. And then you must have had to. There was a. There was something in that moment. Tell me about the conflict that you were having in those last moments.

[Tim Medvets]

Well, the big conflict was, you know, the doctor is telling you I'll never walk again. I'll never ride a motorcycle again.

[Unknown]

But that would make you get to the top.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. What's in the back of your head the whole time? So all these voices in your head saying, you can't do this. You can't just not impossible, blah, blah, blah. And then that's just driving you internally.

[Unknown]

Right, Right.

[Tim Medvets]

But then there's the reality of, you know, being a seasoned climber and knowing when it's time to turn around. Like, we have a saying.

[Unknown]

How long would it take? How long would it take to have done those last. Those last 300ft?

[Tim Medvets]

Last 300ft at that altitude, just under 29,000ft. You're moving. Every 30ft is taking you probably about 10 minutes.

[Unknown]

So you're talking about 100 minutes.

[Tim Medvets]

You're talking probably. I still had probably another two, three hours to go.

[Unknown]

An hour and a half, by my math. Okay. Especially at my size, an hour and 40 minutes.

[Tim Medvets]

So at least.

[Unknown]

So you spent two months getting to that point.

[Tim Medvets]

Yep.

[Unknown]

And then now, understand, I know less than anything about this, so. But for the layperson, right. Yeah. We're like, hold on a second. You spent two months and you got another hundred minutes, an hour and 40 minutes. I need to know, dude, I need to know what happened in that moment to use for you to say, yeah, this is my life. I ain't doing it.

[Tim Medvets]

Well, a couple things. First of all, there's an old saying in the climbing world that the summit's only halfway. You still got to get down. Right.

[Unknown]

That is awesome. How do you. Let's back up. How long do you stay at the top before you start going down?

[Tim Medvets]

Depends on the weather, but generally 20, 30 minutes. Get your photos, have a moment, you know, and then you got a high tail ex down. When you're this on the summit ridge in Mount Everest, it's littered with frozen bodies. There's bodies everywhere up there. Dozens of them.

[Unknown]

You saw them?

[Tim Medvets]

Oh, yeah. They're on the. They're on the route. Like, there's tons of them.

[Unknown]

Okay. But if there's there, can't you just toss them down the hill?

[Tim Medvets]

People won't touch them because it's bad juju up there. But if they are close enough to a crevasse or the edge, we'll push them over. But most of them, you know, are, let's say, you know, 20ft off the trail and say, what's the point? You know, you're going to go over. Just leave them alone. Right. But the crazy thing about all those bodies out there is that it's not a bad way to go because you're perfectly. They wanted. Well, you're perfectly preserved for eternity. Like, it's like. Like, you know, like Walt Disney, right. Is in a cryo chamber and. Right. Just go to Everest. There's, like, all kinds of bodies they could bring back to life. Right. That technology ever comes in. But the crazy thing is that the ravens fly up to the summit ridge up there. So all the bodies that are up there that don't have, like, their goggles stolen intact, the ravens peck out their eyeballs. So there's just these frozen bodies down there, like, frozen in time with no eyes. It's the creepiest thing. And 99% of those bodies that are up there, they all made the summit.

[Unknown]

Really?

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. That's why you turned around, because they got summit fever. They didn't realize that the summit's only halfway. You got to get down. And when you're coming down, if you got nothing left in the tank, if you gave up everything to get to that summit, now you're coming down like you're. You can get in trouble real quick at that altitude.

[Unknown]

Got it.

[Tim Medvets]

So that's running through your brain, too. And then finally, it's just like the rock comes out of the head. Of course, you know, you got your expedition leader going. You know what those. Great. You're moving right now. This is how much oxygen you got in your. Your tank. Like, you're.

[Unknown]

You have to have a tank of oxygen.

[Tim Medvets]

Well, because you're on supplemental oxygen. There's only been probably about 200 people in the world that have climbed Everest without supplemental oxygen.

[Unknown]

Well, I don't understand. So you're walking around with that tank like the scuba. Wait, like the guy like this who doesn't get in the ass.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. The old guy with.

[Unknown]

The guy with emphysema pulling the.

[Tim Medvets]

In the physical therapy place was squeezing the ball thing with the oxygen tank, kind of, except it's in your backpack, you know.

[Unknown]

Really? How heavy is it?

[Tim Medvets]

Well, now, I mean, back. Back 50 years ago, it was. You know, those things were like 30, 40 pounds. Now they're weighing in at like 12 pounds, which is still really heavy at that album, really, so. But yeah, it's something that oxygen is definitely a. A big factor in a lot of people's summits up there. But it's still. It's not really a. It's not going to help you run to the summit. Essentially, what Saltman oxygen does, it keeps you warm.

[Unknown]

Really?

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, it keeps you thinking a little bit clearer.

[Unknown]

So how Did. Why does it keep you warm?

[Tim Medvets]

Because what's happening is you only have a third of the oxygen that's at sea level up there. So everything is slow motion. Even just tying your shoes. You have to think about it. Essentially have the brain of an eight year old, essentially because your body's dying. So what happens is when the hippodot is dying. Yeah. The human body is not made to survive at that altitude. If I were to take you right now in a helicopter and drop you off on the summit of Everest, said, hang out here, be back in an hour, you'd be dead by the time I got back.

[Unknown]

Shut up.

[Tim Medvets]

Cerebral edema, your brain would swell. Pulmonary edema, your lungs would fill with water, and then you would just die.

[Unknown]

Why didn't you die?

[Tim Medvets]

Because you tried. The reason why it only takes five days to climb Everest from the base camp to the summit, right?

[Unknown]

Yeah. You said it takes two years, it takes two months.

[Tim Medvets]

Takes two months. But the reason why it takes two months is that you're acclimating to that altitude. So what's happening is when you show up at base camp, 17,700ft, then you go up to 20,000, you bring some loads up, you drop some tents off, some sleeping bags, then you come back down.

[Unknown]

Got it.

[Tim Medvets]

And the next two days later, you rest, and two days later, you go up to 21,000ft, then you come back down. When you go to 23,000ft and you come back down and you're going back and forth, back and forth. And what's happening is, is your body's producing red blood cells. And those red blood cells is what you need to stay at that altitude. And so it's like, like your Lance Armstrongs, your all, your Tour de France guys are all blood doping. Right? Right. And what they're doing is they're taking a drug that increases their red blood cells.

[Unknown]

So. Did you ever do that?

[Tim Medvets]

No. Never did that. Ever. I. I wish, actually. Because it would have made. It would have made it a lot easier. Sure. It's. I mean, it's not. Still. It's the same thing. Like, you know, Lance Armstrong got all this crap about, oh, he's blood doping, they're all blood doping. Right. But it's still. You still gotta train. Like, what he did was absolutely. And probably one of the greatest athletes to ever live eight time. Like, hats off to the guy. Just because you're taking testosterone or you're taking growth hormone, you still got to put the work in.

[Unknown]

And he had the hottest girl at the time, so Cheryl Crowe. How, how cool is she back in the day? Yeah, I mean, you're so cool, by the way, Gone.

[Tim Medvets]

So, you know, so that's what you're essentially doing on, on Everest is you're increasing your red blood cells by staying up there. You're acclimating up and down, up and down. And then finally when the jet stream slows down enough, that's because normally all year round, the winds are blowing between 100 and 200 miles an hour up at 29, 000ft. That's where you like you flying in a commercial jet from LA to New York, Right. And so you're not meant to go up that high, especially the winds. The winds will blow you right off the summit. But when the monsoon season hits, the jet stream slows down to almost nil the winds for about a. About a window of about one to two weeks. And you have to be completely acclimated by the time that window comes, which is generally around somewhere around mid May. Everybody right now is descending on in Nepal right now because all the others.

[Unknown]

Are trusting the out of me. So I'm not even kidding. I'm like sitting here going like I'm the one doing it.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. Definitely not Runyon Canyon. Right.

[Unknown]

I couldn't make it up Running Canyon.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

So gone.

[Tim Medvets]

So back to. Back to where I was going with this whole story. So now I come back, I turned around, didn't end up like those frozen bodies up there.

[Unknown]

Right?

[Tim Medvets]

Because the other thing that we say in the climbing world is the mountain ain't going nowhere. It's going to be there tomorrow, it's going to be there next year, right? So, boom, come back home, train, train, train, raise the money again, not cheap.

[Unknown]

Raise the money for What?

[Tim Medvets]

It's about $75,000 to climb Everest.

[Unknown]

Why?

[Tim Medvets]

Well, you got a permit that you have to pay that much, about $20,000 just to put your foot on the mountain.

[Unknown]

You're kidding.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. Then you have to have all your supplemental oxygen, you have to have your tanks, you have to have porters, you have to have the Sherpas. You have to bring all your loads there. There's the food there. I mean, it's like. And then all your gear, $10,000 in.

[Unknown]

Equipment and gear, was giving you 75.

[Tim Medvets]

Grand to run up. You sell everything you own. Because it all comes down to one thing, right? If you want anything bad enough in life, you figure out a way to do it. Right.

[Unknown]

Exactly right.

[Tim Medvets]

You know, so that's what I did. And hey, whatever. I ended up picking up some sponsors the second year. And so I went back the second year, stood on top, did it big F you to the doctors, I'll show you. Came back to town, got back to la, and then you're just like, okay, you know, you're sitting there with your buddies having a coffee, right? And you're like, so what's next, man? You just climb? Oh, they're Everest, man. What's next? You know, like ballroom dancing. What do you do now? Right? And so I'm like, I don't know. So I just kind of started getting into skydiving again. I was like doing scuba diving. I was doing all this like, you know, adrenaline sports. And then it was. Never forget it. November 11th, Veterans Day. I'm sitting at home going through the channels, all sudden there's some kind of big thing going on. Ceremony at Arlington Cemetery. And all these injured vets are getting up there and they're speaking, you know, and they're talking about how proud of American they were and they're missing legs. And this one guy up there was talking and he was, they, their, their Humvee ran over an IED fire. He was trapped inside the Humvee, burned them. He didn't look like a human survived. And here he is on this podium in Arlington. He's talking about how proud of America, American he was. And he would go back tomorrow and he didn't regret one day. And I love this country, man. And like, and he's sitting there, I'm sitting on my couch like, you know, getting all choked up and I'm like, you know, swallowing and trying to like, you know, I'm wiping the tears and then it was this boom. It was like the light bulb went off. I was like, man, like, maybe I got something to offer these guys, right? So started making some phone calls and then me and a buddy, we went down to Balboa Naval Hospital, which is like the Walter Reed here in California. And I went down there and got a little tour and met some people. And I remember just having a coffee, sitting out in the courtyard. And I remember at that time there was 112 inpatient amputees, all 18, 20 year old kids, missing limbs, going by me and gurney's one after the other after the other. Man, it, it disturbed me. And at that time I remember like the biggest thing on the news was Jay Z and Beyonce going to Cuba. I'm like, why is this not on the. Why are we seeing this on the news? Like, this is like I just watched like three, four dozen 20 year old kids missing Limbs. Like, it was just. It was disturbing. And I got on my fire up the bike, pulled out of the hospital, drove up the road, pulled into a gas station, bought a pack of Marlboro Reds, sat on the curb, and just, like, chain smoked the whole pack. Just couldn't believe what my eyes just seen. And then that was it, man. I was like, I'm gonna do something about this. And so I made some phone calls, and I met this kid, Keith. Stepped on ied, missing his leg, well above the knee, about halfway up his thigh. And I was just like, hey, you want to go climb a mountain? He's like, I got no leg, man. Like, you know, real funny, big, big jokes for you are. I'm like, no, no, we'll figure it out, man. We can do this. And then we started training, and fast. Fast forward. We're in Russia on a mountain called Mount Elbrus. And we're about. In the whole month we're on that mountain, all he wants to do is go back. I want to go back. I want to go home. This is enough. I can't do this. I can't do this. Come on, man. You got this. We can do this. We can do this. And then finally, we're going up. It's summit day, and we're going. And he's just. His stump is blistering and bleeding, and he just wants to turn around and quit. And I'm like, just give me, like, just 30 more steps, and we'll turn around, we'll go home. And then he goes 30 steps. Okay, let's turn around. I'm like, come on, you got 20 more in you. And then another 20 steps, and then another 10 steps and just come on, five more. Just go a little bit there. We'll sit down, we'll take a break, and then we'll go back home. And then finally, we sit down, we come over this little ridge line. We sit down. I'm like, just relax. Relax. He's like, that's it. I'm done. I'm not doing no more steps. We're going home. I'm tired of this. I can't do this. And I go, look over your shoulder. And he turns around, he looks over and he goes, is that what I think it is? I said, yeah, that's the summit. I said, get up, man. He gets up, and he made it to the top, puts the leg back on, and he. I take the rope off him. He said, what are you doing? I'm like, you're okay, man. It's like this is a real nice, easy path. You're not gonna die. And I'm like, this ain't about the war. This ain't about your family. This is all about you. I didn't carry you up here. You got your ass up here. So get up there and go take what's yours. Go get it. And he took those last hundred steps. And I sat there and I watched him dragging that prosthetic leg. And he got to the summit, and he threw his arms up, and he's screaming and he's yelling, I did it, man. I did it. And he's screaming, he's crying. And I'm sitting there, like, watching this, like, all unfold, and I'm like, holy. And I had a buddy of mine, climbing buddy of mine, came and filmed it. And after he's going through this whole thing, I'm like, all right, let's go. We got to get out of here, you know? He's like, I ain't leaving. You better get up here. And it dawned on me. I was like, because at this point, I've summited, you know, all the biggest mountains around the world at this point. And it was the first time in my climbing career, per se, that the last thing on my mind was getting up to the summit and taking that picture and going back home and putting the picture of me on the summit of Elbrus in Russia, on my mantle and telling my boys, you know, oh, yeah, I just climbed on nervous. That was the last thing on my mind. Watching him take those last hundred steps, it, it, it just. It changed my life.

[Unknown]

Okay, you're making me cry like a right now. So we're stopping. Okay, well, I'll.

[Tim Medvets]

So I'll finish it up with this. That was the moment when. Because you gotta understand something. At this point in my life, you know, it was boxing, jiu jitsu, skydiving, motorcycle racing, all these things. I realized that these were all solo sports, solo about Tim, the Mother Tim Show. And that moment on that summit, watching him take those last hundred steps, that was the moment when the Tim show finally died. And that's when the Heroes project was born.

[Unknown]

Dude, you are a hero.

[Tim Medvets]

I ain't the hero. These guys are the hero. Climbing a mountain with no legs, that's hero. And serving this country. And I never served my country. You know, I was in Hell's Angels. Different kind of military.

[Unknown]

You weren't. You weren't in the military?

[Tim Medvets]

Never. My dad was.

[Unknown]

Dad is amazing.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. I, I, I, Is that so is.

[Unknown]

That your dad's dog tag?

[Tim Medvets]

No, it's chrome hearts. Fancy. Oh. Chronic Hollywood guy. You know, I love that. It's part of my look.

[Unknown]

I got it. Everybody needs a look.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. Anyway, so the reason why the whole Heroes project got started, it was just my way of. Of serving the guys who served me because I never served. And it was my way of being a proud American and giving back to these guys because I never signed the dotted line.

[Unknown]

I'm the exact way. I have the exact same feeling about the military. I cannot be of service to them enough because, man, I was so stupid as a child and I was raised by wolves. I had no clue about the military.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Like, I never gave it a thought, you know, and plus, I was so ravaged by drugs, you know, I. You know how that is.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Okay. Do you know what I love most about that is about that story. These people didn't think they could do anything.

[Tim Medvets]

None.

[Unknown]

They thought their life was over.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

They would never be the same. They'd never get another girl.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

They never have kids. They never be able to do what they used to do in life. That has changed their whole outlook on life. If you can climb Mount Everett, Mount Everest with a stump, okay. There's nothing you can't do. That's what it tells them. You have changed their entire lives, their entire. You understand this, right? Does that make you uncomfortable?

[Tim Medvets]

Doesn't make me uncomfortable. I, you know, I had. For me, when I was going through. When I got out of the hospital bed and I got out of the wheelchair, you know, the squeezing the ball thing didn't work for me. You know, the rehab units didn't work for me. I had to take it into my own hands and go climb a mountain, put myself, you know, in harm's way. Right. And that was my vehicle to getting from the summit, from the. From the hospital bed, to being a man again to get my life back. And my vehicle was climbing mountains. So I just figured, well, that worked for me. Maybe I have something to offer these guys because, you know, I broke every bone in my body. A metal everywhere, I said, but no comparison of losing a limb. Ratulin. Some of these guys I've worked with, but so that I can't compare with my injuries. But I could relate with what it's like going from the hospital bed and being pushed around in a wheelchair and people holding the door for you. After, I just would, you know, walk into a bar, you know, and be on top of the world or walk into a restaurant and just being on top of the world and being a bouncer and you know, and riding the Harley, you know, and being all. Doing all the tough guy, right? And next thing you know, I'm in a wheelchair, and people are feeling sorry for me. And so here's this kid who joins the Marine Corps. He gets out, right? And he's got the buzz cut. He's back home for a weekend, you know, home. And he's, you know, used to carrying an M60 around the battlefield. He's got a platoon of guys under his command. He walks into a bar. He comes out with 10 phone numbers from every hot chick in the bar, right? And next thing you know, boom. Steps on ied and now he's in a wheelchair, missing legs, and everybody's feeling sorry for him. And that's the part I could relate with. And so I figured if this is my type of rehabilitation, maybe this might work for them. And a lot of these guys, like, there's a lot of worthy organizations out there. Fly fishing, therapeutic fly fishing, and horse therapy, and, you know, all this, like, adaptive golf and, like, all these things, right? But some of these guys, they just. It doesn't work for them. And the only way to really truly rehab these guys is you have to put them back on the battlefield again to truly heal them and get them back to be the Marine they were.

[Unknown]

That makes sense to me.

[Tim Medvets]

You know, and so ask you a question.

[Unknown]

You know, any. Any of these veterans or military people that were addicted to drugs at the time?

[Tim Medvets]

All of them.

[Unknown]

I know.

[Tim Medvets]

Let me say that. I'm saying that loosely, because when I meet most of these guys, you know, they're coming right out of the hospital. You know, they got them on gabapentin, all these nerve meds, pain pills, and, you know, all these.

[Unknown]

How do they get off of it?

[Tim Medvets]

Well, interesting is that.

[Unknown]

Go up. They can't go up. Everest on. On opioids.

[Tim Medvets]

Exactly. And that's always the first conversation I have when we start training. I'm like, we got to get you off this. Because these types of narcotics, they affect your respiratory system, and that's the last thing you want at 20,000ft.

[Unknown]

That's just that, dude, you think you're doing great, and you think you're hauling ass, and you're moving in slow motion like you're on Thorazine. It's like, there's no. That is. That isn't. It just doesn't make sense to me. So how did these guys. How you get these guys clean before their training to go up to Everest?

[Tim Medvets]

I put them back in harm's way. I put Them on a mountain. And then they realize at, you know, even small mountains here In Southern California, 10,000 Foot Mountain. And then they realize, I don't even have to. Like, I give them the whole speech about the drugs ain't gonna work and the nerve meds and all these pain pills. You get them at 10, 000ft and they're like, you know, on their knees, gasping for air and just falling apart, going, oh, yeah, this ain't working. This doesn't work together. This ain't peanut butter and jelly. Drugs and climbing mountains in the outdoors just doesn't work. And so it's a natural evolution of it. And so the therapy that I give these guys you can't get from the local drug dealer. You can't get from CVS and Walgreens. My therapy that I give these guys is. Is giving them outdoors. Natural endorphins. Right?

[Unknown]

Do you know who it helps the most?

[Tim Medvets]

Who's that?

[Unknown]

Who do you think?

[Tim Medvets]

The man upstairs. No, who's it helped the most? Their friends and family, everybody around them.

[Unknown]

God, man, you are such a hero. You don't even know what the hell I'm talking about, do you?

[Tim Medvets]

Clueless.

[Unknown]

You're the one that benefits the most. Yeah. I mean, no, no, listen to me. You're the one that benefits the most because you can't think about yourself when you're helping others. It's impossible, okay? And that gives you meaning and that gives you joy.

[Tim Medvets]

One of the hardest things I had to do this whole journey is tell people that I can't help them because I can't afford to house them. I can't bring them out to Los Angeles. All my programs are here in the local mountains in California. I need to build a retreat center. So I start reaching out. Come to find out there's not one retreat center in the entire state of California. So I approached the Forest Service. I find this great piece of land up on Mount Baldy, which is literally an hour from this podcast studio. And that's where I train a lot of the guys. I train them. That's the first step before I get them to the big mountains. And I found this great piece of property. No wi fi, no cell phone zone, completely away from all the city, but you can see Hollywood in the distance from the top of the mountain. Went to the Forest Service, gave my idea. I want to do this great thing, bring it back to life. This whole property. They went for it. Five years dealing with federal bureaucracy. A year and a half ago, they gave me my permit to build and Then I went to the county.

[Unknown]

Stop, stop. Five years to get a permit.

[Tim Medvets]

Yes.

[Unknown]

To do God's work.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah. Five years.

[Unknown]

California, you suck.

[Tim Medvets]

Suck. Well, it gets worse. Gets worse. So that's the federal government, huh?

[Unknown]

I just want to move once. I want to move. No, I just hate this place.

[Tim Medvets]

I know, but I hate it. Yeah, I get it. But look out the window. It's 80 degrees in sunshine, dude.

[Unknown]

And I got three 80 degrees in sunshine in Florida.

[Tim Medvets]

I, I ride a motorcycle every single day. I got three 10,000 foot mountains that are an hour from the Sunset Strip. We have the best restaurants. There's a lot of good in California. Right. As long as you put aside all the politics and all the that stuff.

[Unknown]

But back, if you don't ever turn on television. Okay. Or ever speak to anybody, California's great.

[Tim Medvets]

Yes. So after this five and a half year journey of the forest with the federal government, which is the U.S. forest Service, they approved it, said, okay, we're going to let you build it. Now I got to go to the county and get my actual building permit.

[Unknown]

I can't hear it. I'm going to get aggravated. And now here I'm going to, I'm going to snap. I'm going to lose control.

[Tim Medvets]

So. Hey.

[Unknown]

Okay, good news.

[Tim Medvets]

I got good news, though. It ends with a really great story. All right, so after a year and 10 months, almost two years, I just received word last week that I'm getting my building permit. Next week, we're doing a groundbreaking ceremony.

[Unknown]

Seven years?

[Tim Medvets]

Six and a half. Yes.

[Unknown]

Dude, you could have been a doctor.

[Tim Medvets]

Well, here's the good news. The good news is, is that we're going to actually put the hard hats on. Dig the shovels into the ground.

[Unknown]

When's this happen?

[Tim Medvets]

Memorial Day weekend on Friday afternoon, we're going to start it.

[Unknown]

This is Memorial Day.

[Tim Medvets]

Yep. And we start building. But because of this journey that I've been through, I figure I got enough money to last us about six months. So to build this thing ain't gonna be cheap. It's gonna be about $7 million and.

[Unknown]

Oh, that's not a problem, but.

[Tim Medvets]

Well, it is a problem when you're telling people, I'm gonna build this veteran treat center, doesn't exist in California. We're gonna do this, this and that. Like, huh, when are you doing it? Now that we're actually digging now we go into fundraising mode and then building this thing that doesn't exist in this state will be here long before we're gone.

[Unknown]

I'm out.

[Tim Medvets]

And that's Where I'm out, right? That's where I'm at. Right?

[Unknown]

I'm out. So here's where the rubber meets the road. What can. And. And, dude, I'm telling you right now, okay? I've been doing this six and a half months, okay? I can't believe how many people are watching this. I don't even deal with the listening part of it. The Apple and the Spotify, I don't even care, okay? This is the. I watch the YouTube because me, I want to see, I want to connect. I don't even talk to people on the phone. If I can't FaceTime them, I don't even want to speak to them.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, I'm the same way.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Tim Medvets]

Because I want 25.

[Unknown]

I want to connect with you.

[Tim Medvets]

I get pissed off when I FaceTime.

[Unknown]

Dude. I was doing this, like, the minute FaceTime came out. Somebody. I said, mike, you could do this.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

And I've been doing it, and people think I'm a weirdo.

[Tim Medvets]

And I'm saying, yeah. I'm like, look, if your pants are on your ankle, you're sitting on the. Okay, I get it. Okay? But, like, why can't we just talk? I can't see. You're in New York, I'm in la. What's wrong with that? Yeah, there's nothing.

[Unknown]

No, no, no.

[Tim Medvets]

What's wrong?

[Unknown]

We're taking a FaceTime call on.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, I'm not talking. That FaceTime happening.

[Unknown]

Everybody thinks that I'm. I call everybody while I'm on because I every. Dude, I sleep three hours a night as it is. I work 20 hours a day around the clock. It's like, what? I mean, I'm not going to. It's like. Come on. That you do your best thinking in the shower and on the toilet. Yes or no?

[Tim Medvets]

Yes, but there's one thing you're missing here.

[Unknown]

Give it away.

[Tim Medvets]

That's called me time. Not our time. That's me time.

[Unknown]

Oh, I don't have any me time. Yeah, I don't have any me time.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, well, you got to have some me time. It's like when I. When. When I bring these guys up to the mountains, right? It's a complete disconnect. And I have a very strict no cell phone policy with the guys, Right? And they get a little. They always question, well, I'm just going to take my phone, strictly take pictures. I'm like, no, this is how it works. You want to come on the program? There's no cell phones. It'll be there in your truck when we get off the mountain. What the, what's the problem? Because we're going to be up on that mountain, we're sitting in that tent, right? And then all of a sudden you're going to take your phone out. It won't work. There's no cell phone or WI fi. And then you start scrolling through text messages, photos, and just that simple action. You know what that does? That takes you off the mountain and put you down there.

[Unknown]

That's right.

[Tim Medvets]

And I don't want you down there. I need you up here. I need you in the now. I need you to take all this in. And it's been a big factor in rehabilitating these guys is just that disconnect from all the noise down here, you know, lies and, and, and kids and you know, bills and all this comes along with the noise. You need just disconnect.

[Unknown]

What I want to know is how do people support you? Where can they donate? How can they get involved in the Heroes Project?

[Tim Medvets]

Well, it's definitely not a PSA message. It's not the reason why I came on this, this broadcast.

[Unknown]

This is why you're here because. This is why I say you're here because you're doing God's work. And there are people out there that are going to be, dude, I cried twice on this thing, okay? There are going to be people that are moved by this thing and they're going to want to give lot of people listen to this. Like couple hundred thousand people are watching every episode now. So where can people donate? How can they be of service?

[Tim Medvets]

Heroes project.org Go on. There. It tells you everything about what we're building. We're having a groundbreaking ceremony this Memorial day. But yeah, heroesproject.org it's got everything on there. You donate to there. There's all kinds of different things. You can buy a damn hat, you know, every little bit counts, you know.

[Unknown]

You just, you just bought me this hat.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, that's a limited edition right there, brother. It's a limited edition chrome hearts hat right there.

[Unknown]

Do I wear it like this?

[Tim Medvets]

No.

[Unknown]

Like that?

[Tim Medvets]

No. I think you should go backwards with it.

[Unknown]

Backwards?

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

But then you can't. No, I'm not doing.

[Tim Medvets]

No, you're not doing it.

[Unknown]

I like to. I like the Heroes Project. That's what I want. The Heroes Project or the coolness factor.

[Tim Medvets]

Just went up like 10 notches right now.

[Unknown]

Did it? Not really.

[Tim Medvets]

Yeah, did actually.

[Unknown]

Are you kidding? I'm 58. Just a 50. There are no cool 58 year olds. Maybe like, like Brad Pitt and George Clooney, but other than that, they're no cool 58. Oh, Downey, he's the coolest.

[Tim Medvets]

You got a podcast now. That's cool, right? Yeah, that Spreading the word. You got 200,000 followers. That's cool. You're doing something right now.

[Unknown]

The 200,000 viewers. But by the end of the year, I'm pretty sure we're going to have a million viewers.

[Tim Medvets]

That's good, man. It's corny. But what we do in this lifetime, that goes in eternity, right?

[Unknown]

Oh, my God. Do you know it's crazy? I don't even want to get into that. All right, so check it out.

[Tim Medvets]

Check it out. Heroesproduct.org where can people reach?

[Unknown]

Where can people reach you? Because.

[Tim Medvets]

Well, let's go on the website.

[Unknown]

Hey, man.

[Tim Medvets]

There you go.

[Unknown]

We're gonna leave on that winnings.

[Tim Medvets]

Here we go. Done.

[Unknown]

Thank you for coming.

[Tim Medvets]

Thank you having me, brother.

[Unknown]

I appreciate you. Ready to smoke a cigar?

[Tim Medvets]

Let's do it. See you next Tuesday. Ban.

[Unknown]

That's it.

[Richard Tate]

We're out of time. Please subscribe on YouTube. Click the thumbs up and leave a comment. Please subscribe on Apple Podcast and Spotify and leave a rating and a review and share the we're out of time podcast with others you know who will get value out of it. See you next Tuesday.