Searching For Heroes With Benjamin Hall

When the militia group known as the "West Side Boys" held former Royal Irish Regiment soldier Ian Getty captive in the African jungles of Sierra Leone, he didn’t know if he'd make it through the night. Twenty-five years later, Ian visited the site where he was held hostage. Ian details the terrifying seventeen days in captivity and the moment the Special Air Service (SAS) came to his rescue.  He reflects on the torture he and his team endured, how he found strength in the aftermath, and why returning to the site of his capture was important for him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Shandra Woworuntu was 24 years old, she left her home country of Indonesia in hopes of finding a job and a better life in the United States. Once she arrived in America, she quickly realized the job she had applied for did not exist and she was thrust into the unimaginable. Shandra joins Benjamin to share her human trafficking survival story and her commitment to protecting and advocating on behalf of survivors. She discusses the advocacy work of her anti-trafficking organization, Mentari and it's mission to heal, restore and empower. To report a potential human trafficking situation, contact 888-373-7888. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Freedom, it's priceless." Eli Sharabi's life changed forever when he was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. After nearly 500 days in captivity, Eli was freed this past February, and he returned home to the heartbreaking reality that his wife and two daughters had been killed.  Almost nine months later, Eli shares his experience being held hostage, how he manages his grief, and what his family and friends have done to uplift him through life's darkest moments.  Eli also reflects on his memoir, Hostage, in which he shares his story of heartbreak, survival and strength. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

'Saved' is really what happens when the tunnel finally widens and a hand reaches through the dark and grabs you.”  With his own life as a reference, Benjamin will explore a new theme: saved. Over the next few episodes, he will sit down with people who were pulled out from captivity and brought home, as well as the people who risk their lives to save people in these circumstances. Benjamin will discuss life after being saved, how to cope with the memories, and create a path forward. He also reflects on his own journey of being saved and offers the encouragement that no matter what someone is experiencing, they will get stronger every day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The scars of what I lost was proof of what I had gained.” In honor of the podcast’s 100th episode Benjamin reflects on impactful conversations and lessons he’s heard along the way. Benjamin’s journey is built on resilience, along with the stories and guests that are highlighted. Stories of accepting, adapting, and embracing moments in life that we couldn’t see coming and those that we did. He also looks ahead to the next 100 episodes with gratitude and a commitment to continue highlighting the best of humanity.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former NFL star and best-selling author Tim Green discusses his battle with progressive neurodegenerative disease (ALS) and how it transformed him not only physically but spiritually.  Despite no longer being able to speak, Tim continues to write, work, and communicate using an AI-generated voice and eye-tracking. He shares how his diagnosis reframed his values and purpose, while strengthening his relationship with his family.  Tim describes his message to the world as encouraging strength through adversity and cultivating faith to overcome obstacles.  Stay connected with Tim on his podcast: Nothing Left Unsaid. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if you woke up and lost 20 years of memories, and had no recollection of your husband and child? In 1991, that nightmare became a reality for Anne Howell. Author of All That I Forget Anne Howell retells the journey of rebuilding her life after being diagnosed with retrograde amnesia at 30 years old and waking up in the hospital with the belief that she was 9 years old again.    Anne details the moments where she had to rely on the stories from her loved ones to help piece together her forgotten life. Metaphorically, she woke up with ingredients to a recipe she couldn't remember and instead of giving up, she discovered a new taste for something just as sweet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host of The Connectors Podcast Quinten Sheriff was raised in a sheltered environment in Zimbabwe. At a young age, he was given parameters for how and who he should be, until one day he decided he was ready to take ownership of his life and run away with his partner to live in his truth as a gay man in Southern Africa. What Quinten believed to be a desire to escape was ultimately a commitment to expand and not be held captive to a life he did not want to live. Quinten's journey of personal liberation has inspired him to encourage people to embrace their authenticity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's no set instruction manual for rebuilding your life, but the first step is simply, just to start. Following several impactful conversations on the topics of rebirth and new beginnings, Benjamin reflects on what it means in his own life. After being severely injured in Ukraine and returning home, Benjamin's outlook on family, purpose, and resilience was reframed. He was allowed to re-experience life.  Although the journey was one of patience, grief, and immense discomfort, there was so much beauty in the reinvention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"If God didn't have a different plan and purpose for my life, I don't think I would be here today." Author, speaker, and former Colombo Family Caporegime Michael Franzese details his experience with the mob and the epiphany that ultimately led him to turn a new chapter and step away from his life of crime. Years later, Michael's life is dedicated to helping young people, who become entranced by the facade of glamour, fame, and power that the mob presents, see the dark reality of the business. He also shares how his faith and family were a guiding light in his rebirth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"It turned into this dark thing where I was using my pain as a party favor." In 2018, Aaron Stark's story of rebirth captivated the nation when his TED Talk entitled "I Was Almost A School Shooter" went viral.  Aaron details how his traumatic childhood introduced him to a life of self-destruction and low self-esteem. He joins Ben to share how the unconditional kindness of a friend ultimately gave him the courage to rebuild his life and become the man he always wanted to be. Now, as a mental health advocate, Aaron emphasizes the importance of extending compassion to those who need it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Although not everyone experiences trauma that drives significant change, many people undergo transformations and choose to redirect their lives for a new purpose. Ben describes the courage it takes to go through a rebirth and how inspiring these stories are to people who desire a new lease on life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Award-winning journalist and the founder of 'The Forgiveness Project,' Marina Cantacuzino, explains the inspiration behind her passion project, 'The Forgiveness Project.'  She shares stories of forgiveness and how her research deepened her understanding of the topic.  Marina examines the nature of forgiveness, providing examples of individuals who have experienced tragedies and how they've navigated their trauma. She also dissects whether religion plays a significant role in forgiveness and whether it helps an individual move forward with their life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On December 14, 2012, Scarlett Lewis experienced a life-altering pain when she, along with the world, discovered that her 6-year-old son Jesse, 19 of his classmates, and 6 educators had been killed in a school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school.  The morning of his murder, Jesse left three words, "Norturing Helinn Love" behind on the kitchen chalkboard, as a permanent reminder of his incredible and pure life. These three words would become the catalyst for Scarlett establishing the Choose Love Movement, a reminder that at the root of forgiveness and understanding is nurturing, healing, and love.  Jesse's life is a profound reminder of how forgiveness goes beyond letting go of pain and anger, but instead choosing to understand, in order to let go.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does our society require us to forgive?  Author of "You Don't Need To Forgive," Amanda Ann Gregory, ponders whether it is a dire necessity.  As a trauma survivor, Amanda understands what it is like to struggle with the idea of forgiveness, and now as a licensed trauma psychotherapist, she helps others conquer the subject. She describes the importance of feeling all the emotions following a trauma, and explores the belief that forgiveness is not always the solution to healing emotional trauma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"There are victims at both ends of the gun," was Azim Khamisa's response when asked how he was able to forgive and build a relationship with his son's killer. After the gang-related murder of his son Tariq in 1995, Azim grappled with the concept of forgiveness, leaning on his faith and family to help him heal. He shares his story of forgiveness and the steps he believes people can follow on their personal journeys of healing. Later, he reflects on the remarkable work of the Tariq Khamisa Foundation to reduce youth violence across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Benjamin closes out the theme of solitude, he introduces the next theme: forgiveness.Does forgiveness benefit society better than the victim? If it doesn't erase pain, does it restore what has been lost? Does forgiveness come from the pressure to be noble?  Over the next few weeks Benjamin will have deep conversations to uncover the answers to these questions, while also exploring his own thoughts and feelings on both the presence and absence of forgiveness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Solitude Chapter 4: Is spending time alone the answer to redirecting our attention? As Benjamin concludes this chapter on solitude he's joined by the author of The Point of Vanishing, Howard Axelrod.After suffering a traumatic eye injury, that left him blind in one eye, Howard felt disconnected from the world around him. His solution for reconnection was to pack his bags and move to the woods of northern Vermont for two years and live in complete isolation.  Howard shares how he discovered the beauty in solitude and discusses what it was like to reconnect with himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Solitude Chapter Three: Ben and Principal Investigator of The Solitude Lab, Dr. Thuy-Vy Nguyen, explores the misconception that solitude is the absence of connection, as opposed to the positive presence of self. Dr. Nguyen provides insight on how intention is a moderator between solitude and loneliness, understanding the difference between choosing to be alone vs. being in a state of isolation. Later, they discuss how our time alone can be the answer to some of life's toughest questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Solitude Chapter 2: Imagine spending 76 days alone in a life raft, facing sharks, raft punctures, starvation, severe dehydration, and relentless sun. After Steven Callahan's boat was struck during a storm in the middle of the ocean, that's exactly the situation he found himself in. Armed with only a short spear gun, a solar still to desalinate seawater, and a safety manual, Steven faced a host of physical challenges while lost at sea. However, the mental and spiritual obstacles he endured while being completely alone with no land in sight were just as daunting. Steven joins Ben to share how he survived roughly two and a half months at sea and explains how he found a complex beauty and meaning in his fight to survive while in the depths of solitude. He also explores the phenomenon of “psychological splitting”—the moment when fear and action collide in life-or-death situations—and shares the emotional moment he realized rescue had finally come. Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices