489 | They Rowed 41 Days Nonstop and Raised $41 Million for Parkinson’s Research
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Patrick Morrissey 00:00
I don't think you can prepare for the vastness of the ocean. There are a couple days we just had some big storm, and then all of a sudden, just very calm. Three or four days, just this dead water. The vastness of that, to me, always comes back, because every day was so similar. You woke up every time for the next shift, and it's like you hadn't even gone anywhere. And you just look for this horizon, and it's the exact same horizon every minute.
Chaz Wolfe 00:30
What's up driven away nation, Chaz Wolf and Jake Isaacs back at you here today, and we've got four guests here on this show. I know it's a little out of the ordinary here, but we've got a team called human powered potential on the show today. I'm going to read these guys names, because they are incredible human beings who have just rode across the Pacific Ocean this past summer. Yes, you heard that right. They rode across the Pacific Ocean from California all the way to Hawaii. We're having Brandon Cusick, Scott, foreman, Pete Dorso and Pat Morrissey here on the show today. While they rode, they were in the process of raising over $41 million for Parkinson's research. In fact, if you're listening to this right now, you can still donate. They have a corporate sponsor that is 3x ing all donations. They've had over 26,000 individual donators come onto the campaign. And so if you are connected to this show afterwards, and their story after, if we dive in and you want to donate, just go to the show notes. All their information is there on the website, and you can donate. Before this end of the year campaign is over, we go deep guys. We ask some incredible questions about some of the darkest moments of their trip across from California to Hawaii in a single rowing boat. Grab your pin. Let's dive in. Okay, well, first off, as I was just telling the other guys, Scott, I was just watching your guys. I was re watching the launch and the arrival video of your trip. And I mean, I was watching it for inspiration, really, because I was like, Man, I'm about to get on the pod with these guys. Like, they've done some incredible things. I need some I need to, like, beat my chest, put some more paint on, you know? And honestly, the the thing that got me the most was, was the emotion of the arrival. And so I want to go through just real quick here, and we'll, we'll get into some of the nitty gritty, but I want to ask each one of you, and So Pat, I'm gonna start with you. What was the emotion of stepping off the boat after 41 days for you?
Patrick Morrissey 02:26
Relief? Um, the emotion was relief, but it was so great to see family and friends at the very end, we were just exhausted and and that last week, just knowing that we're coming closer to them then further away was, was really nice and so just great emotion of having family and being able to hold them was, was biggest thing for me.
Chaz Wolfe 02:56
Yeah, do you think in that, that separation of family, it was deeper appreciation because of the separation. It was, I just missed you. I wanted, I want to hug and kiss you like, what was the, what was the well of like, ah, in that moment for you?
Patrick Morrissey 03:13
Yeah, it was deep appreciation. I think that's a good word, and it's a really good question, because you get out there you really, we didn't really, or I didn't really realize how long it was going to be and how vast that ocean was, and how small you feel out in that ocean. And when you get get out there the four guys, I mean, we did a great job together, but you, you end up really having a lot of time to think and realize how important your your immediate family and friends are to you and and when you get close to a mitt, it just starts becoming real. So yeah, Brendan,
Chaz Wolfe 03:55
what about for you? What was the emotion stepping off, you know, kind of jumping into the water, stepping on land for the first time in 41 days. What was, what was the the overwhelm for you emotionally,
Brendan Cusick 04:05
yeah, I mean, I think power really hit it, you know, there was a sense of relief. I think there was also a sense of satisfaction, you know, that we had completed this journey. It was exceptionally difficult. And certainly, you know, being able to almost literally fall into our family's arms was was, you know, a really rich experience. And, you know, I think that it's, yeah, I mean, that was probably the biggest thing, was just that sense of satisfaction, you know, an overwhelm of relief and to have them there, it made it just even more enriching for that moment, you know, I mean, we were, for lack of a better term, almost of an utter mess at that point, you know, just in terms of, you know, how we were physically and and just, you know, pretty emotionally drained because you are so hyper focused for so long and just being able to. Let go and and let you know that moment just unfold. Was, was, you know, it was a sense of satisfaction for having completed it.
Chaz Wolfe 05:10
Yeah, yeah, that's huge. Pete. I could tell the emotional piece for you was your Hawaiian shirt that you got to wear. But just, just kidding, what do you think on your side? I mean, from what I could tell, you were probably the most stoic of the four, but being fairly stoic myself, you know, it doesn't mean that you weren't feeling things. What were you feeling on the quiet inside?
Peter Durso 05:33
I think in that point, stoicism was a pretty low bar. I mean, we were all we were all blubbering and just at the same time laughing hysterically and just a complete flood of emotions. I think that the word you encapsulated is just, is, is just a release, is just a release of everything. For 41 days, we were really just trying to survive and defining that moment, let let my guard down and just let everything go. That's, that's what it felt
Chaz Wolfe 06:01
like for me. Yeah. Do you feel like you couldn't let the guard down until that moment because the job wasn't done exactly,
Peter Durso 06:07
yeah, until we, until we round on the corner to the bay and saw our family cheering for us. And I couldn't up until that point, and then it all just, they all came flooding out in that moment. Yeah, yeah.
Chaz Wolfe 06:16
I just got chills thinking about rounding the bay and hearing my family cheering for me. That was pretty incredible. That's powerful. Scott, what about you in that moment, jumping off the boat and experiencing your family for the first time in 41
Scott Forman 06:32
days? Yeah, I just got the chills again. Honestly, it was Yeah. Two things for me this massive, and I think the the rest of my brothers captured it. It's this massive decompression, like I didn't understand how profound that was going to be until I was feeling it with every fiber of my being, and it was, and they also captured it like we just, we just poured into our family's arms. I mean, we were, I don't think that I my physical form had changed. I was. I remember holding them and not wanting to let them go. And I remember saying to them what I said to them as I held them before we left Monterey, which was in the tension started building at that point, and then it didn't. So kind of book ending the experience by, you know, the tension started to mount, and then we just and it just continued to build, and then be held for 41 days, and then this cathartic decompression occurred, and I said, this is what I held them. And I said, this is what family feels like,
Unknown Speaker 07:58
and
Scott Forman 08:01
that's what it feels like. It's indescribable. Yeah.
Chaz Wolfe 08:07
What would you say last question here, and I'll pass it to Jake, but what would you say to the listener right now who's maybe never experienced you know, being gone for 41 days, let alone doing something so just aggressive, physically for 41 days to reunite with their family. Maybe they can't quite feel that separation or that that that intensity. What's your message to the listener about family or about what that feels like? And anybody can answer, you
Brendan Cusick 08:34
know, I, I would, I would say that it's really you know about you, really, you don't fully appreciate, and you almost take it for granted each and every day about having that connection and that experience, that it becomes, maybe the richness you know, becomes a little bit diminished. And you know, when you have that opportunity to where you are away, it compounds how important, you know, all of these people are in our lives and and then when you're reconnected, it that, you know, I mean, it, it's ongoing and iterative to the growth of that experience. And, you know, for folks who haven't experienced it, you know, I mean, you know, perhaps it's a little, you hear it a lot, in terms of just take, take each moment, and really, you know, cherish it with them every time you have that opportunity. You know, I mean, it's hard to replicate, you know, this experience and try to convey it, because when you haven't truly had that opportunity, then you don't end up having that full experience. But, you know, I think that it's just a matter of of really cherishing those moments every day. And you know, I mean, when you wake up, it's, it's a new day, and you can almost see it as if, you can almost take it as that moment, like, wow, I have. Seen this person in, you know, a day, or however, whatever the period is, and so having that moment to just really take them in, you know, that's what I would add.
Jake Isaacs 10:14
That's incredible. You know, Hannah Lee Bay is probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever been on Earth, and so I can't imagine just all of that emotion and all that relief as you're turning into the bay and your family's there. Like, like, you guys captured that really well. But Pat, I want to, I want to ask about something that you said in your response is the vastness of the ocean. And how do you physically, I can back into how you prepare for something like this? It's just a lot of grueling hours, but how do you prepare for the mental aspect of the vastness and the aloneness that you experienced on this row?
Patrick Morrissey 11:00
Another great question. I don't think you can prepare for the vastness of the ocean. We did. We were out about 200 hours. I think we we trained out in the ocean prior to that, if it was in the Bay in San Francisco or outside of Ventura, but nothing I ever could have imagined how large that was when we were out in the Great Pacific. And some of these days where i i, we did video logs. And one of my video logs talked about being in a painting, and we talked about this with the guys. There were a couple days we just had some big storm, and then all of a sudden, just very calm for days, three or four days, just this dead water and the the vastness of that, to me, is always comes back, because you could have been every day was so similar. You could what you woke up every time for the next shift, and it's like you hadn't even gone anywhere. And you just look for this, this horizon, and it's the exact same horizon every minute. And I think I just the mental part was all of us together, we were able to hold each other up so many different times relative to the the loneliness that it brings sometimes of that vastness. But you know, the guys we just endured every time when somebody got down, the three of us would jump in and help the other one, and it went around and and continued, continued throughout the row. So it was large, though, so I hope that answered the question,
Chaz Wolfe 13:05
yeah, I can't imagine, like you said, seeing the same thing for days and days and days. I immediately went back to like, you know, Voyager type, years, like, you know, and you go, like, we're not really sure where we're going, but the wind's blowing us this way, you know. Yeah, obviously, I'm sure the listener like me has all kinds of technical questions. I don't want to waste your guys' time with those. I want to know how you navigated all the fun things. But really, what I want to know he just led on to a great one. So Pete, I'm gonna ask you, in those moments, give me one of those moments where a guy was down. Give me the Give me. Give me what happened? What was the, what was the the situation? What was the mantra? What day was it? You know, give us really the the situation of that down moment.
Peter Durso 13:46
I'll tell you about my worst moment. It was about day 20 or 21 we had just spoken to our coach, Angus, who had been giving us updates along the way on how long this, this trip was going to take us, and we were under the impression it was going to take 3435 days, something like that. But based on the latest updates he had on the weather and our pace, he gave us our predictive finish of 42 days, which ended up being pretty spot on. But for us to to try to wrap our heads around being out there for a week longer than we anticipated. It was a down, down day for all of us. And I really just went into a really deep, dark, low place for the next couple of days. And at one point I just, I just, I just broke down. I started crying. I just, I was sitting on the deck. I couldn't roll just, just crying petrol. Lee and Scott just came up and put his arms around me, and then that's, that's all you can do. It's just he was there for me in that moment. And that's what we did for each other over and over again throughout the entire row. It was just, it's a hug, it's, it's a kind word, it's, it's, it's sharing, you know, sharing our chocolate, or, you know, something the statues that a new Scott like just small kindnesses we can do for each. Each other, but mostly just the hug when you need it.
Chaz Wolfe 15:05
Yeah, Scott, I can see that that motion, or that that emotion showing up in your face. Now it was a representation of that moment. What? What are you feeling right now?
Scott Forman 15:17
I'm, I'm feeling it like it was earlier this morning, it's, it's that poignant for me. Um, and it will be for a long time. I knew that I was going to be, that we were going to be unpacking this for a long time. Um, that the physical recovery was the easy part. Sure the emotional recovery was going to take time and but one of the things that I cherish about this process of emotional recovery is being able to recollect with such loose and see so vividly moments that were Powerful, like that, that and some of them were really down, but they were the things that you that you can only describe and experience by being so close to one or two, or in this case, three other guys that no one else on the planet gets it other than the guys you're with, no one understands, and most of the time, we didn't need to say anything to each other, and we knew exactly what everyone what Everybody else was going through. And so even those those long times, those periods that might might happen for hours or sometimes it felt like days that hardly a word was spoken. It's not that I didn't know what these guys were feeling, and I at no point did I ever wonder if they knew what I was feeling.
Jake Isaacs 17:09
Yeah, that's good. Changing gears a little bit. You're rallying around this cause of fundraising for Parkinson's, out of so many amazing, worthwhile causes that you could rally around, why the Michael J Fox Foundation and why Parkinson's?
Patrick Morrissey 17:35
I'm gonna let one of you guys take this one. Well, it really happened before I was on board, and so that's why I want to kind of probably Scott or our Brandon so
Scott Forman 17:51
we had, we had a connection to Parkinson's from the very beginning. Our point person for fundraising, Matt Ackerman has been a long time dear friend of mine for many years, and was introduced to me by another close mutual friend, and at the time that we were looking for partners, strategic partners, those mutual acquaintances, all came together. And it just, it just made sense. And Brendan and I spent some time thinking about, you know, that we, that we wanted a really meaningful, really meaningful purpose in terms of the fundraising and in terms of our sponsorship. And it just, it just aligned naturally. And then, of course, the universe brought us Pat and it, yeah, it just was, it was Celestial Alignment, honestly, that this worked out the way it did. And it really was the I know there's probably more line of questioning along this, along this purpose that we had, but it was the tease Brendan's term. It was in every way the the most emitting and compelling tailwind we could have ever imagined or hoped for. Um, maybe in, maybe in ways that we hadn't hoped for, especially at at the very beginning, when just the conditions were so incredibly tumultuous and unexpected, it was the commitment of our purpose, our alignment with doing this for the community, for the Parkinson's community. Community that that kept us going.
Chaz Wolfe 20:04
Were you guys getting updates along the way, as as the funds were being raised, as you were gone, and how they were just going up and up and up? You were okay, tell me about that. We
Scott Forman 20:14
got, we got, we got one big one message really kind of late in the row. Actually, that was another. There are no coincidences, I'm convinced, especially after this row. But that was the timeliness I remember of that update was exactly what we needed, when we needed it. But what was it was we had exceeded the $12 million goal, and I think that at that point, correct me if I'm wrong guys, but we were, we were at what, 18 million that point, or it
Brendan Cusick 20:51
was higher. We actually hit. We had surpassed 20 million. You know, before we landed in Hawaii. But I think to kind of elaborate a little bit on that continuous, you know, updates, it was more, you know, the fundraising effort has been amazing, and the outpouring of support in that regard, you know, we had 26,000 individual donations to our cause, which is just incredible. And beyond that, you know, just that community that was built and the outpouring of awareness that it, that it brought forth and that support became, you know, a huge part, especially when you're out there, from a mental perspective, you know, just really enhanced, you know, as Scott was mentioning, kind of that tailwind, that of Emotional support that came from off the boat. And so those continuous updates, along with seeing, you know, the financial influences that were happening, you know, where we were completely disassociated, but it's all happening combined, just made, made it really unbelievable. And, you know, as Pat or I'm sorry, as Scott mentioned, you know, it would all we'd get these little updates just at the right time when we're at our lowest point. You know, we'd get some messages of support from our social media manager. He'd send a long comment or whatever, and we'd pass the phone around the boat and read them, and it would just, just bring a sense of energy that it, you know, we didn't have to give, but it was given to us.
Scott Forman 22:50
Yeah, yeah. I think that, you know,
Chaz Wolfe 22:52
if you're, if you're looking back, I mean, you've just as incredible purpose as you said. It was driving you. But during those hard times, it was still a dark place, like Pete was saying, you know, and you still had to work through that. I'm sure you've probably been asked, you know, would you do it again? But I want to put a little spin on it, would you do it again for the first time? Would you know? Not knowing what you know.
Scott Forman 23:19
For me, those would be the that would be the condition. I would do it again. For the first time, I would do it again, knowing how powerful that experience was, how life changing the experience was, was going to be, that we all were gonna survive it and and show up intact in one piece, when maybe one blubbering, you know, kind of liquefied piece that would re solidify Over a period of weeks. And I said this to I've said this to all the guys, but I think I first said it to Pat when we had this conversation a couple of weeks after the row, after we gotten back on Kauai, I would, I would do it again for the first time with more grace, I would take what I've learned about myself and about how I respond under those circumstances, what those stressors bring out in me. They evoke emotion and and how deep I would need to dig for so long, and I would, I would do it I felt the love. I would do it with the grace commensurate with the love that I felt. I.
Peter Durso 25:00
Uh, you know, not withstanding the the awareness raised for the Parkinson's fight and the $42 million he raised to date, which are just phenomenal, the personal gain from this of these three men, my best friends in the world, having been able to go through this journey with them is just more rewarding than I ever could have imagined. So yes, if I wouldn't do it again for the first time, I wouldn't do it again for a second time,
Chaz Wolfe 25:30
that naivete is is going to play to your benefit on that first time, huh?
Jake Isaacs 25:37
Peter, kind of staying along the lines of doing it again for the first time. I'm interested in how you guys crafted this team out of all of the people that you know. Why these four, or these three other gentlemen, did you agree to get to a boat with for
Peter Durso 25:56
four? I'll let Brendan tell the story of this one. He was the nicest for all this. So it's, it's on him to tell the story. Yeah.
Brendan Cusick 26:05
So back in the summer of 2022 I had been following ocean rowing for a while. I found it to be fairly fascinating. And I found out there was a previous event that went from Honolulu to, or, I'm sorry, from San Francisco to Honolulu called the Great Pacific great. And to back up even further, a couple of years earlier, Scott and I, we've known each other for close to 30 years, and we've done some audacious things together and and for his 50th it was actually on his 51st birthday, we ran rim to rim to rim on the Grand Canyon. And I had mentioned, well, this is what we're doing for your 50th then I'll get to pick my 50th birthday. And fast forward. We jumped on an info call. Found out that a boat was available, which is the hardest thing to get, got the boat and then started to formulate the team. And Scott had reached out to Pete straight away. The two of them were went to residency together and other endurance athlete, and Pete doesn't say no to anything, although he may question that in the future with different endeavors. But So Pete jumped on and and slowly through the winter of 2223 we were looking for a fourth, and I had reached out to Pat when I knew that the Michael J Fox Foundation was going to be involved to, at a minimum, kind of support the team, along with our friend Matt Ackerman, in in some fashion, but we didn't know what that looked like, and it only took about a month and a half before Pat actually reached out and said he wanted to row. And for us, that was, it was an easy ask, just knowing his background and Pat and I, we used to work together. We're neighbors. Know each other really well. I knew that he would slide right in with this group very easily. And so that's kind of how we came together, you know, just through, I guess, you know, I was a little bit of the hub. But, you know, we all knew each other in some fashion. And, you know, just brought together the right people and and that, you know, the rest is history, as it were, that's cool.
Chaz Wolfe 28:23
I want to ask you, Pat, you know, I was some of the information that was out there about you guys, you had talked about how physical exercise actually helped the Parkinson's or simmered whatever. How you would say that? So my question, I guess fast forwarding, then you're in the middle of the row, you know, day 20, day day 32 I don't know. Like, was there ever a circumstance where it got really good because of the rowing, or it got really bad, or what the circumstances were in those moments, physically for you?
Patrick Morrissey 28:58
Yeah, so, at the beginning in our training rows and prepping for this endeavor, the rhythmic motion of rowing really helped me and my symptoms, and one of my major symptoms is my tremor. I'm kind of tremor dominant on my Parkinson's and my right side doesn't work real well sometimes. So when we started doing the rowing, it was, it was just incredible, because I'd get in if it was on the, you know, ERG at home, or out on the ocean, the symptoms would literally go away. There were many times we were out on the ocean and we'd get done and the guys would say, Man, I didn't see anything out of you through the whole row. And I would say, do the same thing until we got back on shore, and then all of a sudden, all the symptoms would come back on. Well, fast forward a little bit into. The race. The thing that didn't happen in our training was the first of all, we the first part of the race, we got into a big storm. And the big storm, I got very seasick and and I couldn't keep my meds down. And so at the beginning, it just I got behind a little bit, a lot of bit, I guess. And so my right stock side started not working real well, and I'd lose coordination and and strength on the right side, but we, what we did is these guys took over the orders for a little while. I got the first time about a day's worth of sleep and kind of reset my body. And then I also started taking some some of my medicine at different times and a different dose, and I was able to get back on track, but the exhaustion and the mental stress of the the ocean and continuous mental stress brought my symptoms back and forth throughout the row. And so there were many times where I'd have to just back off, take my time. And what we decided, kind of as a team, we really did, is I had to make sure that I didn't overdo it. And it seemed like when I would overdo it, is when the symptoms would really get bad, or if we got into a real stressful situation. So as both a combination of the physical exhaustion and the mental exhaustion that the ocean brought, those combinations we really didn't train for in in the we thought we were and they were big rows for us at the time, you know, 2448, hour rows, but that's a whole different situation than when you're out in 3040, foot swales with 50 mile an hour winds coming at you and you're trying To survive the day. Lot different mentally and physically. So it was a team, team effort all the way around. I sure everybody had their issues, but my condition was definitely one of the bigger things that we had to overcome throughout the the entire row. So and these guys were incredible, just incredible.
Chaz Wolfe 32:43
It sounds like you guys came around as a team. Pete, I'm curious from the other side. I mean, you just described your low moment and how Scott was able to be there for you. Describe being on the other end of watching Pat have to reset his body and medically and and even sleep wise. Like, describe being on the other end with you three.
Peter Durso 33:02
It was, it was hard to see Pat struggling, because he is so strong and so stubborn and so determined, just and just so everything that to see him get to that point where he was having so much trouble, it was hard to watch, but, but, like he said, We rallied as a team, and we gave him the rest and support that he needed. He showed up for every shift. He never missed a shift, whether he could row for his entire two hours, whether he could row for 10 minutes. He gave everything he had every single shift. And it was just it was amazing to watch and to be a part of. It was, I hate, the word heroic, but it was. It was heroic. It really was.
Jake Isaacs 33:44
I know that this experience not only changed you guys personally, but it it changed your bond. It changed the relationship that you have with the other three men on the team. Um, as we look forward to 2025 How has this experience influenced or changed future goals that you guys have individually or or even as a group?
Patrick Morrissey 34:11
Well, I'll jump in a little bit. And then I saw Scott you about ready to say something. You know this, this was a discussion stopper. You know, when you talk about rowing an ocean, when you get around to other people and they say, what'd you do this summer? And you say, well, I rode an ocean. You know, the looks you get are, you know, I don't even understand. Let's start at the beginning. What do you mean? Row the ocean? So thinking something that big is going to be an interesting thought for for me, and for, I would say, the team, the i. Aspect of exercise for me, continuing is non negotiable, and it's got to be a part of my life. And that's what his one of this, one of the outcomes of this row, and also setting goals to keep moving forward and keep this body moving, is something that is is another item that is came out of the row. And then the bond between these, these three guys, is, you hit it on the head, it's something special. You know, we all have incredible friends that we grew up with and and just have done so much within our life, but this was so intense for such a large event, it's a different type of bond with these three guys that is hard to explain unless you go through it. So there's so many items. Future wise, I think, you know, I'll let one of these guys talk about the next steps and what we're what we are or aren't going to do, but we will be doing something together. I will say that
Peter Durso 36:21
we really caught lightning in a bottle with this campaign. I don't think no matter how hard we would try, we could ever replicate this again. That said, we learned a lot throughout the process, and we would love for our team, human power, potential to continue and to continue to do good, to do good things and raise money and raise awareness for the fight against Parkinson's in some capacity, it's not going to be us rowing oceans. We've all decided that that's not, that's not our thing anymore. That was, that was a one off for sure. Check Yeah. Check mark done. But we will continue to to to adventure together, to journey together and hopefully bring other people in the fold to do some audacious things with our help and our guidance. In the future,
Chaz Wolfe 37:10
I might know a group of Kings as we call ourselves, that kind of like do crazy things. So maybe I can pull together an army for you, of soldiers to go do amazing things. Love it
Unknown Speaker 37:22
awesome.
Scott Forman 37:23
That sounds great.
Chaz Wolfe 37:24
Well, let's talk about the the aspect of giving up. We talked about some low moments. What was your What was your perspective on what giving up going into this? I mean, obviously you didn't anticipate giving up, but what were your thoughts before? Meaning like, yeah, we're not going to give up, but it might get hard, and then at the end, when you actually hadn't given up, did your definition change? Did that? Did that look differently? Scott, I'm gonna ask you first,
Scott Forman 37:57
I remember day three, we were that was the thickest of the thick of it. And things eat and Pat were really sick. And the the the sea was just I, I'd never even had nightmares that were as far as the ocean was Brendan and I had been out on deck for a very long time, and we were, all of us were exhausted, but we were the only two that could even eat at that Point and get any energy. And so we were rowing for long stretches and trying to figure out, like, what business we had being out there. We had deployed the pair anchor for twice, but that was that the time I'm referring to was the longest stretch, and we both just needed to get a couple of hours of rest. And so we crawled into the respective cabins with our teammates and spooned as best we could in a very tight quarters. And we were all freezing. And soaked to the bone and horribly sleep deprived. I don't know that I had slept at all up to that point, so in the first three days, and we said we'll reconvene back out on deck. At 530 in the morning when the sun comes up, and Brendan and I did, and we went back out on deck, and we looked at each other, and I don't know that much was said b, we just said time to row. And we pulled up the pair anchor, and we started moving again. And I knew, like I had referenced before, that we he and I were on the same page, that this was that there was no turning around, that this was full commitment, and it was, and I also knew by the look on his face that this was, this was something that we both had, have had a lot of experience with commitment that has so many repercussions in from our mountain guiding gaze, certainly Pete and I share careers and investments and working in Emergency Medicine, where commitment means life and death and this felt like one of the most profound but compelling decisions I've ever felt. And it was from that point that I knew that we were all in. What Brendan left out from the story, when he talked about how we all came together is, you know, he nudged me with longer going back across the Grand Canyon, and he said, you know, this is what we're doing for your 50th. We're doing whatever I come up with for my 50th. And I was, I said, I'm all in and that's the way I felt that day, and from that point forward, that's what we all gave we were all in,
Brendan Cusick 42:19
yeah, Sure, yeah. I mean, I think, you know, the biggest piece that, that I really, that came away for me was, you know, because we've all done, you know, big audacious things in the past, and it was usually pretty self driven, you know, whether it was climbing a peak or whatever else. And, and this one was so much bigger than the four of us, you know, the community that been developed, the support that was behind us and that, you know, Scott and I, almost without even saying anything, just knew we could just feel it, that it, it was that additional drive that just really helped bring us back to being all in, to just moving forward and and I think that that, you know, really helped cement that support and recognition of what we were doing that made it a little bit easier to make that decision to go forward and and to just commit to whatever came forward was going to happen, and we knew we had it. And so, yeah, that's what I would add about that.
Jake Isaacs 43:38
It's it's hard to think about that. Scott the lowest of the low is is day three into this, you know, multi week journey in day three, it's like we are questioning everything that we've prepared for. Speak to how much being in a group influence your decision to continue to move forward? Because what I'm hearing you say is that if, if it were up to you, and you were by yourself, you would have thrown in the towel, but because there were other men that you were accountable to, that you continued to show up and push through.
Scott Forman 44:28
That is absolutely true. Thank you. You articulated and captured that very well. I have I've gotten to my point in my life where I don't I don't feel like I have a lot to prove to anybody else, that when I show up, I'm i. Uh, doing it because it's something that takes me further out of my comfort zone, or, or it's whatever. But I this was, this was different. This was, this was something I showed up for because of these guys. And this is something that, and I can say this, there's no correct me if I'm wrong here, they showed up for me. They showed up for each other. We all, we all did this for I did this for the three of them, not for me. They did this for me, not for themselves. I know that's true. I don't I didn't question it before we started. I knew it. We all proved it.
Jake Isaacs 46:01
Yeah, so Pat. When I future cast what dealing with your condition and overcoming Parkinson's looks like in the in the weeks and months and years to come in your life, what aspect of community and brotherhood, are you going to take into that challenge that you learned from the boat? Wow,
Patrick Morrissey 46:31
one of the things I say a lot that I got out of this is you put yourself around the right people, and you can do anything, and I put myself around the right guys, and we were able to accomplish An amazing journey, but it's very similar to Parkinson's, and the journey I've got to go ahead over the years to come, like you said, and the trials that come with the Parkinson's, the things that no one really knows that happen, the other symptoms that are you deal with that just show up and you're not ready for, and that's about putting a team together, if it's doctors, if it's the community of family, it's friends, it's these guys that will support you through all of those times. And it really is you put yourself around the right people, and I truly believe that we will find a cure in my lifetime for this, and we just keep moving forward. Keep moving, keep that right leg going, you know, and keep that right arm rowing, you know, there were many times that it just didn't happen, but I just keep at it, and it would come back and just just have to keep moving forward so we'll beat this. So
Chaz Wolfe 48:18
yeah, I mean you have unbelievable confidence now. Brendan, what would you say to the listener right now, they're they're overwhelmed with what you guys have accomplished and how you overcame challenges. What about for themselves, though we're thinking, maybe they're in business, maybe they have, you know, some issues in their family. You know, maybe they're trying to do something physical, like you guys, but what would you What's your message to them on overcoming their challenges? What you bring?
Brendan Cusick 48:45
Yeah, well, I mean, it was something that I said right after we got off the boat, and still holds true. And I think it should hold true for anyone is that you know, when you put your heart and mind into something you know, really anything is possible and and to kind of support, you know what Pat was just saying that, you know, really having that community, the people that you can be honest and authentic and And true with to where you're at, because just opening that, that gate to communication and purity of where you're at can really help support you through anything. But it has to come from, from the heart. It has to be true. And it's something that, you know, we worked on throughout organically, you know, as a team leading up to the row, so that when we did encounter those challenges, and you know, you don't have to go row and ocean to to develop that, you know, bond with others, to open that authenticity and have those true conversations, to true to just open. Up, you know, and and what it ends up doing is just bringing that, that truthfulness for yourself more than anyone else. And so, you know, when we encounter challenges, you know, having those, those honest conversations to just really alleviate the pressure that we feel internally. Can, can only, you know, lessen the load. So, yeah, I would share with anyone that you know have the right people around you and and be authentic and be truthful and just share and and even if, if it's with yourself, you know, journaling or whatever the modality might be for yourself, but get it out there and be honest and be truthful. It can be scary, but you know, at the end of the day, it does look lighten the load and open the gate to what's possible.
Jake Isaacs 51:02
Extend. Extending that a little bit. Peter, what did being vulnerable in that environment, whether that was physically or emotionally, with these men that you're on the boat with, teach you about strength,
Peter Durso 51:15
the deep levels of just everything being laid bare and being completely vulnerable was was very new for me, and I think for these guys to that level as well, to just to fully embrace that and to accept help. I mean, we're, you know, we're men who don't like to be helped. That's just bottom line, and to just lay myself out there and be totally vulnerable and just and allow these guys to help me through my low points, was a lesson learned, and a lesson that I will keep near and dear and hopefully not forget for the rest of my life.
Jake Isaacs 51:54
Is that a lesson you wish you would have learned earlier
Peter Durso 51:56
in life? Absolutely, if my 20 year old self Could, could have experienced this. Yeah, no question about that.
Jake Isaacs 52:07
Yeah, that's great.
Chaz Wolfe 52:10
Well, maybe Brendan, if you want to jump in here, or anyone else. But how can the listener partner with you guys? How can they follow you on your next journeys? How can they partner with you regarding Parkinson's? You know how we're gonna find you guys? Yeah,
Brendan Cusick 52:26
yeah. So our website is human powered potential.org and we're also on Instagram and Facebook. At human power potential is our is our accounts for both those social media platforms can definitely follow along there, and that's probably the best way they can reach out to us, through our website and and then we are still accepting donations for the Michael J Fox Foundation for our campaign. The best way to do that is through our website. There is a big donate button, and 100% of all donations go directly to the foundation. And for those who aren't aware, you know, money that is donated to the foundation is in researchers hands within 30 days of arriving on their doorstep. So it's pretty incredible avenue for supporting Parkinson's research. So that's the best way.
Chaz Wolfe 53:26
Yeah, it's amazing. We'll put all that in the show notes as well. And so if you're listening right now and you want to not only just follow along, but maybe even participate, we can have all those opportunities down below. Gentlemen, I don't know if I'm the same after this conversation, let alone I can't imagine being on the boat. I've done some some incredible things too, but nothing like quite like this. And it's just so cool to be able to even think about some of the experiences that I have and kind of line them up with this and hope that maybe one day I can achieve something as cool as this. But I loved mostly your heart for the cause and for each other. I think that if, if a 20 year old is listening here today, you know older too, but if they can catch it younger, of of really, what you guys went through, and then what you've come out with, that probably America will be different in the next 50, 100 years, if 20 year old men can grab a hold of what you just presented here with us today. And so I'm just deeply grateful for each one of you, not only for doing the thing, but coming here today and spending your time and and and blessing the audience. So just appreciate each one of you. Thank you for being here.
Peter Durso 54:35
We we thank you. Thank you. Thanks for taking the time. Yeah, I really appreciate
Patrick Morrissey 54:40
you taking time is a wonderful, wonderful questions. Dude,
Chaz Wolfe 54:44
Jake, we just got off the call with four incredible humans who rode from California to Hawaii. And I'm gonna, I mean, I said this in the show, but I encourage all the listeners to go. Watch their their arrival video that's on their website that was just like, I mean, they were talking about how they were kind of like physically exhausted, and just, you know, as you can imagine, 41 days on the ocean and arriving, and then they captured this on video, and how they were just kind of like fell into their family's arms. It it didn't. They looked great. They they they looked peppy. They love. They looked excited. I'm sure they fell apart afterwards. But even even there on the beach, it was, it was just really incredible. It wasn't for me. It wasn't necessarily seeing the families, although that was a big part. I know for them, it was like, We freaking did it, you know? And I wasn't even there with them, but I was like, Man, you we freaking did it, yeah,
Jake Isaacs 55:47
no, 100% that that video is, is just really moving. I can't imagine not being in that environment. I can't imagine the emotions, just the relief and the pain and the joy and the the we did it, like we accomplished this, that they were just flooded with in that moment. Yeah, yeah.
Chaz Wolfe 56:16
I think it was Scott at the end of that video, he I think he had a hat on, or maybe he had hair, I can't and so I didn't call him out in the in the podcast, because I wasn't 100% sure, but I think it was Scott at the very end, who, who was just in his wife and his son's arms, and his son older, you know, maybe 20 ish or something, Maybe, maybe an old teenager, but they were just holding him, and it was just such a moving moment of going man like to, to have the vulnerability as a man, particularly, to come off this huge manly thing. You just rode from California to Hawaii, and the first thing that you do, obviously, they, you know, high five and stuff, but the, really, the first thing that he did is literally just fall apart in his wife and son's arms and and they're just holding him for the entire time the video is going. And I just thought it was just an incredible show of strength through vulnerability. You know, yeah, no, I
Jake Isaacs 57:20
agree. And I think that's the thing that I appreciated the most about the conversation. First of all, I personally found this to be just a very emotionally moving conversation with these four men. I think the added element of Pat Morrissey being diagnosed with Parkinson's, and then going through this experience with them, I mean, to sign up for the additional challenges that an already challenging adventure has by allowing a member of the team of Brother to be a part of this with Parkinson's. I mean, it's crazy and it's inspiring and it's beautiful and all of the things. So, yeah,
Chaz Wolfe 58:13
yeah, I agree. I think that, you know, it probably still would have been a successful campaign. But obviously, that is probably the lightning in the bottle of moment that Pete was talking about, just they hit it at the right time with all the right ingredients to be able to raise as many funds as they have. I think that, you know, the the moments, and I kind of hit on it several times. I thought we did a good job of kind of hitting the the down moments from different angles. Because when you when you hear, you know, rowing across the Pacific Ocean, you don't think of the flat, no wind, you know, clear, calm days, although they said they had some, what you think of are, you know, like when I've been on a cruise, or when I've been on a boat and just these huge swells, and you're like, Well, wait a second. First off, what were you rowing? And so then, once I watched the videos, I'm like, still, I mean, it was, it wasn't like a canoe, but for them to to survive, you know, a big storm like that, especially on day three, you want to talk about white flag, and just, let's just head back to California. You know that that's probably what a lot of people potentially would have done, you know, one
Jake Isaacs 59:22
of the things that I thought was fascinating, just on the research I did, dry the boat weighed 1200 pounds with the crew and the supplies, they estimated it at Between 2020 500 pounds. Well, let's just say, on average, those guys weighed a buck 75 right? I mean, they essentially did that with nothing in the boat. If, if you know the the total weight is 2500 pounds. That means they're carrying two. Or 300 pounds worth of, you know, clothing, food, supplies, like all of that type of stuff to, I mean, the logistics of this, I wanted to go so tactical on some of those questions, but I didn't want to miss the heart of these guys.
Chaz Wolfe 1:00:16
So, yeah, yeah, in that arrival video, you know, they're wearing their Hawaiian suits. And the the reporter was like, you know, they said, they said they weren't. They hadn't been so happy to put on clean clothes. And however long, you know, I mean, I can't imagine. They probably just had the same clothes up until that time, you know, also too, I didn't realize until they said it in the show that that they had were projecting, you know, 3234 35 days, and for it to come out at, you know, almost 42 you know, 41 and some change, yeah, like, I mean, there's some some sense to me that's like, Oh, it's just a couple more. You're already going to be out there for over a month. Anyway. What does it matter? But there's an element there of not knowing, like you can project, but based on storms, based on, you know, Parkinson's, based on, you know, sea sickness, all these things that they dealt with that were challenges, their pace was x, and to not know that until basically day 22 to realize that you've only made it halfway, like the big horizon that they just they were describing, guess what? You're only halfway. And they were probably thinking, well, shoot, is day 21 or three quarters of the way through, and for that to just kind of smack them upside the head, of like, you still got another 21 days of this? Yeah, I, you know, that's a lot,
Jake Isaacs 1:01:40
guys, what what was, as you're reflecting back on this conversation, what do you think your biggest takeaway is going to be from meeting these four men?
Chaz Wolfe 1:01:51
Yeah, I think that. I mean, we, we run a community, right? This is what gathering the Kings is a community of high achievers, winners, you know, entrepreneurs, family, guys and gals. But what I took away was that I'm designed to do extraordinary things, particularly with these other incredible humans that I've circled myself around. And so I immediately, obviously think of Derek tossig, who's a member and, you know, he just finished his first 100 mile Ultra. I'm not gonna be running any 100 mile Ultras, but maybe I do a triathlon. Maybe there's a cool rowing thing where 3456, of us, or 10 of us that can do these incredible things together. So that, selfishly, I wanted what they have, you know, not just community. I think community is amazing. That's we're building an incredible community. But, you know, I've been through fairly intense things, but they've been with people. You know that, you know, like you're just early on in life, you don't do life with them anymore, or something like that. You know, it's not like it was wrong. It just those four men are going to be together in some form or fashion for the rest of their lives. And I already feel that way about many of our members, that that we've, you know, kind of divinely come together, and that we're meant to do life together, but but to solidify those relationships with an incredible not just maybe many. Maybe we have our own human power potential, you know, kind of subset of gathering the kings. But I selfishly want what they have to be able to say, these four men, these six men, these eight individuals, maybe, maybe there's women involved, I don't know, but to just go to some of just the highest levels and go, Wow, we did it, and we and we had to pull each other up, and we had to overcome and, and homeboy got sick and had to lay down, and, and, and you, you know, had to be pulled up physically. I, you know, who knows, but that's, that's what I want,
Jake Isaacs 1:03:51
yeah. You know, adversity breeds bonding, yeah. And so, just to your point, those four men will be together for the rest of their lives.
Chaz Wolfe 1:04:04
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think that's pretty special. You know, even you and I have some, some incredible history together, but, but I look forward to the moments where you and I and others can can look, look across the room, not say a word, and we just know that either I got your back or that I'll never leave your side, or that I can we can accomplish anything when we come together like whatever that unspoken moment is. You know, I have experienced that with Julie, of course, right? Like our home births and some of the difficult things we've been together. You know, family wise, I can look across the room and know that that look back to me from her means I'm never gonna leave your side. We can do anything together. We're more powerful together than separate, like all those things that kind of just mentioning. But you know, to have. That that deepness with with other, other men and women, is, is I'm excited about, yeah,
Jake Isaacs 1:05:10
yeah. You know, I think what Peter said there towards the end about how he learned about what true strength is through the experience of being in a situation where he could only be vulnerable. Is such a powerful life lesson. And I hope that if, if people catch on to one topic or one theme through this conversation, that that's it, that you know, we have to lay down this machismo armor that the world tells men that they need to put on in order to be successful. The reality is, if you're not vulnerable and authentic with the people around you, you're never really going to squeeze everything out of life that life has to offer you. Yeah,
Chaz Wolfe 1:06:01
I think that's a good, good way to put it. You know, we've got examples of men in our lives, and this goes for women too. I think it's just, you know, the the shell of what it means to be a man. You know that we're supposed to be strong and not show these emotions and stuff like that. But we've got men in our life that are the example of the opposite, you know, the the one that that doesn't know how to share, or really what, the way I see it at this point now, which is my current understanding of life and how even just the brain works, is that that guy or gal, they're just not willing to go to the place, right? That place where I've got to be different, and maybe it looks like crying, you know, I, I say on, on sales calls sometimes, you know, I don't, I don't leak from here a lot, you know, when talking about some of the work that Julie and I have done, but it didn't have to always show up like that vulnerability is like even how Pete described basically just asking for help, you know, or recognizing that moment when he was sick that he couldn't do anything and that he needed to lay down and let the other guys row, even though the other guys had been rowing for way longer. They were absolutely exhausted. He couldn't do anything. And so what are you going to do? You know, like, to your point, macho man, like you're going to, you're going to come up here on on deck and pretend to row and be sick and not do anything. Actually, you're serving. You're actually harming us now because of your ego. And so I think there's a there's that, that understanding of going, well, what is the ego? And not that I'm ever going to get rid of it. I wouldn't want to get that. That's my that's me, but, but how can I? How can I? How can I build up the inner man in a way, to where it's that I'm able, able to ask for help or share or, you know, to be vulnerable as moments, which then just breeds connectivity, connection to another person, my wife, you know, whoever it is that I'm being vulnerable, right? Yeah,
Jake Isaacs 1:07:50
that's good. Well, like always, buddy, another great conversation. You know, it's just incredible, the cool people that we get to meet through this vehicle of the podcast, and it's, it's fun doing this with you, so I appreciate it.
Chaz Wolfe 1:08:06
Yeah, man, thanks for the listener. You know, you guys little different format here, bringing in some some studs that we didn't talk about business at all, or even family for that matter. But hopefully you were inspired, and even our little chat afterwards here has given you some perspective, but we appreciate you listening and following along, and don't forget to like and share. We appreciate you.
How far would you go for a cause you believe in? In 2023, four extraordinary men, Brendan Cusick, Peter Durso, Scott Forman, and Patrick Morrissey, rowed 2,800 miles across the Pacific Ocean, from California to Hawaii, battling exhaustion, storms, and their own limits, all to raise money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The group, known as Human Powered Potential, initially set a goal of $28 million to reflect the 2,800 miles they planned to row. After surpassing this target, they raised their goal to $41 million to honor the 41 days spent on the Pacific. Remarkably, they exceeded this goal as well, turning their mission into a record-breaking success.
Human Powered Potential:
Human Powered Potential Website: https://humanpoweredpotential.org/ Human Powered
Potential on IG: https://www.instagram.com/humanpoweredpotential/ Human Powered
Potential on FB: https://www.facebook.com/humanpoweredpotential
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