The Connection with Jay Miralles

The Unstoppable Nate Peitz: Taking the "Dis" Out of Disability

• Jay Miralles • Season 4 • Episode 36

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Ep 36 The Unstoppable Nate Peitz: Taking the "Dis" Out of Disability

What does it mean to truly overcome limitations? In this powerful conversation, Nate Peitz redefines what's possible when you refuse to be defined by circumstances beyond your control.

Born with spina bifida, Nate shares his remarkable journey of growing up as the only wheelchair user among five siblings in a family that never treated him differently. "Take the dis out of disability" isn't just a catchy phrase for Nate—it's his life philosophy. With refreshing candor, he reveals how his parents' refusal to accept "I can't" in his vocabulary shaped his determined approach to challenges.

The conversation takes us through Nate's impressive athletic career in wheelchair basketball, soccer, and sled hockey, where his competitive spirit earned him championships and All-American honors. But what truly shines is his commitment to service. Unable to join the military due to his disability, Nate found other meaningful ways to serve, including his current challenge—completing a grueling 50-mile march in his wheelchair to support veterans.

Perhaps most inspiring is Nate's perspective on obstacles. When faced with steep hills during the march qualifier, his response wasn't frustration but determination: "I'm going to figure it out." This mindset transcends his personal journey, offering profound lessons for anyone facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Whether you're confronting your own limitations or seeking to understand how to better connect with people of all abilities, Nate's insights will transform your perspective. His message is clear—see the person, not the wheelchair; acknowledge the challenge, then find a way forward.

Listen now and discover how reframing your view of limitations might just reveal capabilities you never knew you had. What would be possible in your life if you decided to "figure it out" instead of saying "I can't"?

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Announcer:

connecting the dots, connecting his guests to the world, creating more connections. Welcome to the connection. Meet your host. Author, coach. Air coach, air Force veteran Jay Morales.

Jay:

I'm so grateful to have my next guest on the Connection. So, as you know, the Connection is. I just want to get down to how are they connected, who are they connected to and how do they connect with other people? It's kind of like this I was just talking with Nate offline. I know him, but I don't know him. Oh dang, now I know him. So, nate, in order for us to make a connection, let's start real easy. How and when did you get to Nebraska and how did you get here?

Nate:

Yeah, all right. Well, my name is Nate Peitz and I was living in a small town of Hardington, Nebraska, Went to a college in southwest Minnesota State where I started my college career of wheelchair sports. I also played. What's crazy is I played wheelchair basketball here in Omaha when I was in high school. I played wheelchair basketball at UNO. I didn't have a college team. I obviously played high school, but every Saturday we went for practices, so I never lived in Omaha until 2017. September 2017 is when I came to Omaha and started my job at Lexus of Omaha as one of the finance managers over there.

Jay:

Funny that I've never run into you there. I've I've been into the showroom, but I've never purchased the Lexus. That's probably why.

Nate:

Yeah, you don't. You don't get in my office until you actually buy the vehicle.

Jay:

I can safely say I don't have a Lexus. No, that's funny. So, hardington, you mentioned you know wheelchair sports. I want to go right and unpeel the layer. It says you were born with a disability called spina bifida. Can we educate the public about this? And I want to talk about when people approach you, how you want to be seen and treated right Like. I'm learning this as we go. I've learned a little bit in the past, but, nate, you're a person just like I am.

Nate:

Yes, that's, that's how I like to be seen and talked to as well. I like people to forget about the wheelchair. So what spina bifida is is when you're born with your bottom portion of the back over your spinal cord open at birth, portion of the back over your spinal cord open at birth, and so it damages some of the spinal cords of of the um, um of the spinal cord, and then it's it's hard to um close it up. It takes about three, two or two or three surgeries to close up by the. By the time they're ready to be exposed, the damage is caused Um, when I was born, they didn't know that I had spina bifida until I was born and my mom actually had to have me early because of complications and they think that possibly saved me from it being more severe than it is.

Jay:

But I do have the most severe form, but not that kind of. There are just different severities to this specific type. Absolutely, and you know, again, like you said, I'd rather people forget about the wheelchair, you know. And so here's where I start uncovering the layers or making the connection nate. I've known of you, I've known of your wife, brianna, like I've I've seen you before. I know you're involved in the community and it's just when you, when you network and you go out, you get to know people, or sometimes you look the other way or you don't know what to say. You know, I think when I learned, like I said, I've known you, I've seen you, but I think the last time I got to really witness something pretty magical was when we were doing the 50 mile March. Uh, uh, qualifier together right.

Nate:

Yes, that was. That was the more difficult than I thought it would be. But you know, I was. I was raised, uh, to accept challenges and I was also raised to, uh, never give up mentality just for how my parents were. And I had a physical therapist that you know. You figure. You figure stuff out. Even if there's stairs, you figure out how to get up them I, I agree you figure out how to get them yes.

Jay:

When did you so? When you were growing up as a kid like young, figuring this out and. And you're going through life just as we all do, right, whether what age it is. When do you remember yourself talking to yourself in that positive way you are right now. How young were you when you started saying I just got to figure this out?

Nate:

it was probably when I got introduced to my physical therapist. Um you in or in high school when my parents at a very young age told me to figure it out Do not have I can't in your vocabulary. No matter what you're going to face some challenges. If you fall, you get back up and that's how you do with life and that's how you do it. And then I was the only one in my in my family. Of five siblings I have, I was one in the wheelchair and they didn't treat me any differently. They didn't baby me any differently, they just treated me the same as the rest of my siblings and that gave me the mentality to always be positive and, no matter what challenges that I do have, just keep going.

Jay:

Yeah, you know, know, and I think we all have limitations, right and in our own, in our own minds, some of us put self-limiting beliefs that don't even belong there. But I think the ones of us who do rise know that, hey, we may have a limited scope in this area, but we're going to do it regardless, like I want people to tell me nate, you can't. What do you hear, nate? Or what do you? What goes through your mind? Oh, nate, I, I don't know man, I don't know nate, what do you what? What goes? See, I see your face smiling yeah, so do you see red or what?

Jay:

what happened?

Nate:

no, I don't see your red I. I just kind of chuckle in my mind, like you know, just just like we. We went, I'm part, you know obviously part of the 50 mile march. What happened? No, I don't see it red I I just kind of chuckle in my mind, like you know, just just like we. We went, I'm part of, you know obviously a part of the 50 mile march. And when we got the updated route and and Adam called me and he goes oh, I'm so sorry, nate, that I didn't call you before I put the video out that the that the route changed, I'm like you don't have to. No matter what, I'm going to accept that challenge, I'm going to do it. And you know what? I just kind of laugh in my mind and say I'm going to do it Concrete, sand, mud, gravel, I'm going to figure it out.

Jay:

You know, nate, let's stay right there, because there are people already who are oh no, I can't believe it. There's going to be sand and rocks in our feet. What do you say, or what's your advice, like what's your kind advice and then what's your direct advice, what's your advice to?

Nate:

somebody who says, oh Well, we're doing this for our veterans, right, yeah, and they endured more pain. They endured more challenges than we were enduring on a trail. They were in the heat They've been born more challenges than we were enduring on a on a trail. They were in the heat. They were in the desert, they're in everywhere else, with dust, gravel, dirt, and these were going to be in better conditions than they are. And if they had to endure it, why don't we raise money, like we are doing, and and then endure or try to experience as close as we can to what they faced?

Jay:

I mean, nate, that, just right there, makes me want to work harder. And this is I'm telling you, serious, just your words there. I wish I could just play that over and over again, which I'm going to because this podcast. But it's true, you are saying this is not about us.

Nate:

No.

Jay:

And it is going to be difficult. When did you know that? When did you know in your heart and maybe you didn't know when did you find yourself saying not only can I take care of me, I want to give to others. When did that start? Or do you have any early memories? Or when did you be? Do you have any?

Nate:

early memories or when did you be For the support that I had growing up with my parents, friends, family, physical therapists. It helped me when I was to have that kind of attitude. When I see other people's injuries, such car accidents and many others, I had compassion about helping those that were going through that pain, depression or thought their life was over and all they want to do is help. From then on, when I was growing up and experiencing more and more of those people that had those type of injuries that made them wheelchair bound, and that caught my heart, caught my soul and you know, from there on I wanted to help others. My wife and I started a podcast of just helping people with disabilities and trying to get it out there of resources for those that are wheelchair-bound and anything like that. There was a lot of work that still needs to be done but again, my main focus, that I've always had this mindset, is taking the dis out of disability and living life that way.

Jay:

I love to take the dis out of disability, brother. I think we need shirts and mugs that say that man, I mean, I've heard a lot of things but I haven't heard that. Right, take the dis out of disability, because it is a dis. It is a dis to someone like yourself who says, oh, it's okay, or hey, let's just work around him. That that right there is almost in itself, defeatist language. Just as if I were to tell my son hey, you, you can't do that because of this.

Nate:

You know what I mean. It is just like anytime people say that I can't do it. I'm like, yes, you can. Yes, you can do it. You just got to put your mind to it and it may hurt, may be painful, may do this, but no matter what, you're going to get through it. And part of it is when I had. My whole family is competitive. I grew up in a very competitive family. They were all playing competitive sports. You know three older sisters, one younger sister, one younger brother. Everybody would compete about how fast you can even eat food. How fast can people eat their dinner Playing basketball together? I'm in a wheelchair. My whole family wanted to beat each other and wanted to win. My dad is the one that disciplined as well, and you know what you got to talk it to if you lost in a good way. But you know what he knew you could do better.

Jay:

I've heard the word competitive out of your mouth maybe three to five times already since this few minutes. Let's talk about your family. Real quick, you said seven of you siblings. Is that correct?

Nate:

No, there's six of us together.

Jay:

Six together. Okay, so then with the six of you. Where were you in that lineup?

Nate:

In the middle.

Jay:

In the middle, okay.

Nate:

Three older sisters, one younger sister, one younger brother.

Jay:

Okay, who now I'm not asking for favorites, right, but who challenged you the most?

Nate:

Who made you think outside of the? You know, I have one older sister that's really competitive all the time, okay.

Jay:

Tell me about her.

Nate:

But my brother also, I mean because we're the two boys, yeah. So I mean, no matter what it was, sports, other competition, we had always. Anytime there was an activity, there was always a bet on who could do better.

Jay:

I mean, you know, there's something to be said for that right. I mean there's the rivalry, but there's healthy challenge also, and I think sometimes this world is losing that right. We are almost looking for everyone to not leave people behind or push someone to be average, and I mean this in every sense of the word, because we're trying to include everyone in everything, and I think sometimes it's okay to stand out, it's okay to work harder than others, it's okay for me to lose sometimes, right? Yes, or a lot, or a lot.

Nate:

Yes, I'm good with that when you fail. That's how you get better.

Jay:

Everyone hears that Nate, but what's Nate's version of okay, you fail, you get better? What's your version of that when everyone says, know, uh, mistakes are life lessons? Okay, that's great, I've read that. What does that mean to nate, like, what are some of the things you do to to cope, or to learn, or to?

Nate:

since you know every time that I you know you don't see just going around, going around the lake or or going um doing anything like wheeling. I try to beat my time Going to exercise coach. I try to beat my lifting or my resistance training. I try to beat my other record. It's always beating my other records. I don't have to compete against anybody, it's competing against myself and it's trying to get my personal best personal records and, yes, I'm disappointed when I failed doing that, but it helps me get a better mindset and do better next time and accept it. It's all about accepting your failures first before you can get better.

Jay:

That's true, and you said something very key. I'm not competing against anybody else, you know usually, but to compete against a person you were yesterday, first of all you've got to know where you were yesterday. If it was 37 minutes around the lake, or I'm just making this up, if you hit 36.8, that's a freaking win, right. How do you apply that outside of that? How do you apply that to your professional life? Are there any good examples of where you know where you're competitive, where it helps you? Because the reason I'm asking this, nate, is there someone listening? His name's Bob, or it's some girl named Shelly saying well, how do I make myself better?

Nate:

So it's all about serving your purpose. It's about serving your purpose with life, doing what you want to do, being happy what you want to do and consider yourself successful. And when you feel you're successful, that's all about. You know, continue to be happy in your role and satisfying others. And, like at my job, you know you have a lone goal. You have those goals. Obviously, when you achieve those goals, you're happy. But can you do more? Yes, you can do more. You always want to do more, but in order to help others, you've got to be happy with yourself. And, like I said, you have your own definition of success and you and you got to write that definition down and then reach that success. It's, it's about what your definition is.

Jay:

Again, you said something. You got to want more. You know what's. What's crazy is um. I think about this all the time and I think the people I choose to podcast with right. No one comes up to me and says, can I podcast with you? And you know I mean some people I'd have to say no to right.

Nate:

Yeah, you can't podcast with everybody.

Jay:

But the people I choose to podcast are with people like yourself, as you tell me. Hey, it's all about satisfying others or it's about viewing yourself as successful? 95% of the world does not talk like that, nate. I'll be honest with you. Look at the people you talked to today or yesterday. They're not telling you their ambitions, goals and dreams. They're just trying to cope.

Nate:

They're just trying to get by, and I think people struggle with this as well. They try to satisfy everybody. Yes, they try to satisfy everybody in their circle. They try to satisfy the people around them. You can't satisfy everybody. Again, you can help other people, give them advice and help people around them, but you can't. You have to realize that you cannot satisfy everybody.

Jay:

It's true, and I think, while we want to do good for others and we want others to feel good, there's an addiction to that right and sometimes it's a bad addiction. And you, I just I said this in one of my core goals is having time for me means I have to say no to some people. It's true, right, like Nate, like today, we couldn't have, we might not even schedule this podcast. Maybe you had something going, I had something going and it worked out because we made our time a priority.

Nate:

You know, and if it doesn't work out, it's not. You can't take it personal, it's business, it's something else, something came up, it's it's purely not taking anything personal and not get down and not getting down about it.

Jay:

No, that's, that's incredible. I mean, it gives me more insight about who you are and, again, I want people to connect with what the words that you are saying from your perspective. I want to talk about your college life of sports, and then we're going to transition into your military connections. Okay, so let's let's talk about sports for a bit. I want to drill down, including to your awards or achievements in sports. Name some of those, or some of them, that are meaningful to you.

Nate:

So I ended up getting um winning a wheelchair basketball championship in a D three Um. I ended up being first team all American and second team All-American. When I was in college I also won wheelchair soccer tournament in New York. Sled hockey, played in the finals but didn't quite get there. But again, you know you did your best and you got to know you did your best. And there's also wheelchair softball where I got third place Wheelchair softball. I never got that championship but you just keep on working at it. There's just a bunch of sports that I've also tried, but not competitively. But you know I always try anything, try anything, all the wheelchair sports I can.

Nate:

I ended up getting a small concussion in sled hockey. You know it gets when you see anything on TV, especially wheelchair rugby. You know I'm sure people have seen that that's. That's actually paraplegics only. There is wheelchair wheelchair football as well. I never really did that because there wasn't there wasn't really a team around when I was in Las Vegas. That's when I played for D3. I was there for a little bit In college. I played many of my sports in high school.

Jay:

Do you miss those days or what do you do to stay connected to those days?

Nate:

I do miss those days. But there's sometimes where you've got to take care of your body, Um, and you've got to take some years off because the shoulders will wear on you and tendons and muscles and um, and you don't want to get to the point where you know a lot of people in wheelchairs have their rotator cuff surgery and stuff like that. I just know my boundaries with that. Sometimes my wife would tell me you don't ever listen to your body, you just keep going. But that's hard when you're a competitor, you don't want to listen to it, you just want to get through it. But sometimes you got to listen to your body at some point when things really start going wrong with the shoulders and arms, because that's what I do need in life.

Jay:

Yeah, I would say. And, Nate, when you were at the Elkhorn days, some people struggle just walking up that hill. Let's be honest. I saw you going up. The cops were there behind you, a couple of our walkers were behind you, and here's Nate. I saw that video. Did you see the video of you?

Nate:

yes, I did see the video. And then when I got to the top of that hill, um, there was a guy. When I, when I went around the corner, he goes gosh, I can't, I can hardly go up there with my electric bike.

Jay:

Struggles, you know like it's true, and I want you to know, like I, I I don't think I treat you different. I don't think I view you different. I just I want you to know, though, we do treat you different. We, we talk about you, we, our circle talks about you, right and? And we're saying what's our excuse? You know, or we can work harder, or he's a great example of work. You know what I'm saying? Uh, just the things you've told me today just make me go, man, I can work another 10, 15 hours today. I love it.

Nate:

Yeah, and I can say this too, though is just, I don't. There's there's times where I make excuses. It's not like I never make excuses, Um, and am I disappointed sometimes when I make excuses? Yeah, I am, Um, but I try to take the excuses out.

Jay:

I mean, I make excuses too.

Nate:

We all do.

Jay:

And and the last thing we're trying to do is make you like a Superman. But, um, I do notice. Do notice. If you're not Superman, how do you find all this time, or where do you find it in your soul, to serve all these community? I want to talk about that. Like in community, I mean it says here just recently you've really wanted to focus your efforts on giving back. One of the places I saw you give back is very near and dear organization is Chariots for Hope. Tell me about them and the other things that you did. Like I know you just did a fundraiser for another. I mean, it's incredible to see you everywhere, but, nate, where I see you is you're always giving.

Nate:

Yes, and I and I do my best to to raise awareness where I think it needs to be. Obviously, you want to talk about the military connection. My dad was in the military, a couple of my grandpas, my uncles, were in the military and I wanted to serve in the military but obviously I couldn't Right Went past the physical. I even joked with military. You know, try to submit an application in college and they're on the table. But obviously they find a nice way of saying no, you can't, and they're on the table, but obviously they find a nice way of saying no, you can't. So since I couldn't be in the military and serve, why not find another way to serve for them?

Nate:

Also, for transportation. I know how many people struggle with getting transportation and all the transportation barriers around. So that was another charity that's near and dear to me, raising awareness toward that. And then with my nephew as well that has the Batten disease, what's a 5K to do, even if it's in the dirt and the mud? And on that path he's going through. I just told my sister he's going through so much more than I was. He's happier than I probably was when I was dealing with all my surgeries. He's still smiling, he's still laughing. So for the little things that we have to do to raise awareness and to help them is just a little ants on the ground of what we're doing compared to what they're going through.

Jay:

Perspective. I think you're very wise. I can see, looking through your lens, how you're starting to, how you think, and I can detect your energy. When you speak about certain things. Your energy raises Nate.

Nate:

The passion, yes, the passion, yes, the passion gets to me, yeah.

Jay:

Yeah, but life is so busy and I'm so busy and I've got so many distractions. Take me through. What made you to decide for the 50-mile march, bro? This is 150 hours before you even step on the freaking march.

Nate:

Yeah, and you find a way to. When you do that, you just find ways to divide up your time. You find ways to find that time to prepare, um, and ever since that I saw it last year with my wife um, I was just like, why didn't you tell me that it was 50 mile marks? I wanted to do it last year, especially during, you know, I know it was hot and the heat, um, but, but sometimes that's that endures more of a challenge and I love bigger challenges and I don't know what's wrong with me, but I always like the tough challenges and the stuff with the challenges. I want to do it, um, and it's just finding that time.

Nate:

Um, I'm lucky enough where you know my wife gives me that time and you know my job offers that time and I'm successful. You know, like I say, I'm successful at my job, so I get more lenient of getting the time off when I do need it. Yeah, and making sure I have time for my wife as well. You know you always have, you always need that and especially, you know preparing for this and you want to prepare enough where you don't fail. You probably know about this through my Facebook lives when I was doing the Cherries for Hope when I was anxiety driven and I don't get anxiety, especially when I'm downtown with Clarkson Hospital and I don't know what bus to get out to next because that bus stop was closed and at that point you just figure it out and you find that confidence of doing it.

Jay:

You also didn't call any friends. You did it all on the public transportation, am I correct?

Nate:

The whole channel. So I did. No, I had friends that I did call.

Jay:

Oh, okay.

Nate:

I did the one day of the transportation that took me, I think, an hour and 50 minutes to get to work with three different buses of getting me to work and it was nice to experience that and I'm always wanting to experience what other people are experiencing with no transportation and what they have to go through.

Jay:

I mean the bus driver you were telling me about this, who said he's been driving for a long time. You're his very first wheelchair ride, correct?

Nate:

He didn't really know how to run the Lyft, and that's an issue.

Jay:

Yeah.

Nate:

Because you know how many people are in wheelchairs and if they don't have the transportation, I hope that they're not struggling to find transportation or afraid to be on the route of buses and they're not realizing what experience that is or what they have to go through by being on the buses or scared to do it. That's what I want to put also out. There is because being in a wheelchair and showing that you can go on the bus, you can find that transportation, they'll take good care of you or the best care of you. It still needs a lot of improvement here in Omaha and I also wanted to show like I'm surprised that for the 50-mile march, you haven't had any people in wheelchairs to do the 50-mile march and I wanted to motivate those people that you can also do that. You're just like any other person.

Jay:

Yeah, man, that's so, it's so true. I thought about that in the. You know publicly I've never said it, nate, but you know. Again, there are, you know, warriors who have been injured right and who have been injured right and who have lost mobility Right. And I've just been reminded about that right now because I know a few of them, right, and their lives are a little different, you know. But sometimes we see them so alive and so like connected to something, and then other times I see them distanced, you know you're right. There are other times I see them distance, you know you're right.

Nate:

There are other people, other than Nate in a wheelchair can do this, you know, and yeah, and you know what, if, if, if you really wanted to, even during the March, or go on Facebook lives with some of it, like, if you know some of those people that are struggling with wheelchair bound or or injuries, you know what, I'll name them on the Facebook live and, and you know, kind of help them through and and not challenge them. But, you know, show that we're we're doing it for them, you know we're we're doing it to help them as well, and it's in focus on focusing on those people that are struggling.

Jay:

I will tell you, and just you know, let's just call it right. You know, just being wheelchair bound, we already know that you have to plan, make, you have to find a way, like you said and sometimes it's not easy for some people to just find a way right, and you're right You're reminding me of this right now, nate that we are going to be marching 9, 40 at night, two o'clock in the morning.

Jay:

Um, we'll be rolling, right, we'll be rolling right we'll be rolling but walking, rolling, whatever you want to call it and you know, because even nate, when I've introduced us, you know and I and I'm like, oh, 50 Mile March, you know, does that do anything for you? When you know, does it? How does that make you feel? Does it make you feel included? Does it recognize you? When you know we say the 50 Mile March and when you've told people I'm doing the 50 Mile March, the people you don't know that well, or people you kind of hardly know, what's been the reaction on average, or what reactions have you got?

Nate:

it's, it's a wow, or it's crazy, or or how are you going to do that? Or that's wild, or I mean it's, it's a surprising kind of response.

Jay:

How does that make you feel, though, like it aside, like it just keeps motivating me to do it.

Nate:

It keeps motivating to know that you know, this is what I'm going to do and no matter what it takes, I'm going to do it.

Jay:

There's other people who are not in a wheelchair, Nate, who are thinking how am I going to do this? Right? That's the answer is you've got to find what motivates you, because it is mental and, like you said, I mean, Nate, we're going to be going up and down grades and, like you said, rotator cuff, shoulder tendons, hands. I just remember watching you. I was so tired, Nate, at the end of the qualifier right, because I was running up and down making sure everybody was okay. Then I saw I was there at the end. I'm in those like at the end and we're yelling right and we're like what did you feel in that moment when?

Nate:

you're when it was on. I have to be that that was amazing, the support at that end for me when I was cramp, my hands didn't want to even close on my rims at the point I was forcing my hands to close to get up that hill. Here's, I think, where I mentally failed. Right there I had it in my mind that hill, instead of just approaching it I was saying to myself oh, there are that hills at the end, oh, that hill is at the end and I was kind of thinking in my mind that whole like leading up to it instead of just tackling it when it got there. And that's what I had to learn, because I've never went 10 miles just in my chair before, or not even 20 miles. I've is 20 miles we went, but right, 20, but I did 20 instead of just, instead of just tackling.

Nate:

At that point I was thinking about it and that could have exhausted me more because, like you said, it's it's mental strength. I know I have the strength to do it, but will I be mentally strong when it gets dark or or somewhere where I haven't been, or the trail, or it's staying mental, and and even on the 5k with my, my little nephew, what kept me going is because I kept on thinking of him the whole time.

Announcer:

Yeah.

Nate:

Yeah.

Announcer:

I bet you're worn out there.

Jay:

To keep me going, Nate I want to share this with you, and you know about it because you've seen it the final hill at Nebraska Brewing Company. It's not downhill, nope, there's a name for that hill that we won't see on this podcast. You'll see the sign when you walk up that hill, when we go.

Nate:

But symbolically or real, I mean, how's that sit with you right, because I think about you know how it sits really good with me, cause I know how much, how much this, how much support I have behind me. I and yeah, and the and the strong mindset that I got from that qualifier to say you know what, if you have the strength to do it, you have the mind to do it.

Jay:

It's, it's. It's kind of cool, Nate, because you know you've entered a tribe here of people that you never knew before, right, Some people you never knew and now they swear they all know Nate, right, they're all making friends now right.

Jay:

Like it's so cool because, Nate, I will say that you are, it was, it was symbolic. The picture that I remember vividly and that I have here, that I'd like to frame and get to you, is the black and white photo great photo, oh my god, I've got eric. Francis took that photo. I've got goosebumps. Right now I'm a little emotional. Those people were cheering themselves on. They don't even know it. They think they were cheering you on. They were, but they were inside yelling for themselves to like we belong to something great. This dude, it just happens to be the light at the end of the tunnel, right like, literally, with your. But I'm saying, nate, it was so, first of all, spectacular. Number two is, um, it was very emotional. For a lot of us, it was a magical experience. But that's what the 50 Mile March is about. It's about community getting together to lift each other up.

Nate:

We're not competing.

Nate:

And a lot of look. When I talk to people, a lot of them are like why do you continue to do this march? A lot of look. When I talk to people, a lot of them like why do you continue to do this march? And they always tell me you know, the reason is that when you're obviously for the veterans, the main thing where we're doing this for and support, and they said that finish when you finish, and there's hundreds to thousands of people that they're cheering you on when you get there, oh, she goes, they go. That's the best feeling, yeah.

Jay:

So have you never seen that ending in person, then Not in person.

Nate:

No.

Jay:

Oh, brother, I I don't want to mess this up for you I mean, last year I were expecting three to 5,000 people that this ended.

Nate:

This year, yeah, and I know, you know, 5,000 people this end of this year. Yeah, and I know my wife will be at the end. My wife, I'm sure she's going to get together a bunch of people too.

Jay:

She'll probably bring half of them.

Nate:

Well, let's be honest, she'll probably bring half of them on.

Jay:

I mean, you guys are so good together, your values are aligned, you are two powerhouses, right Like. I know her world too and you know watching you guys get together, grow together, get married, like it's again Nate. I know that guy, but I don't know that guy. Damn, I know that guy.

Nate:

I said I couldn't do it without her. She's a number one supporter.

Jay:

Yeah, and you need those. Let's talk about for her a second. Then let's talk about your family and then we'll wrap up with the last couple of questions. But let's talk about do you ever call her? What do you call your wife? Bree Brianna? What do you call her? Brianna Brianna? Okay, so so you say this is my number one supporter, right, this is. I'm sure she doesn't have to keep you accountable, but she's probably why your, why when it comes to a lot of things, what do you mean in your mind? Like man, I can't do this without her. Like, what does that mean?

Nate:

Well, she doesn't treat me any differently being in a wheelchair. Yeah, if I mess up, she's on me like she'd be with anybody else. She'll forget that I'm in a wheelchair. She won't see me being in a wheelchair. Yeah, you know, it's seeing me as a person, not what I use to get around.

Jay:

And I think that's so important, nate, just outside of your wife, I see it, nate, like everywhere, right, when someone looks different than what we do or is just not what we're used to, we tend to oh, we get all fragile, right, we get. Oh, hi, nate, you know what I mean.

Nate:

And there's no reason for it.

Jay:

There's no reason for it, right, because you don't go. Oh hey you, you know what I mean, right, like it's, it's almost like not discrimination, but it's it's kind of like prejudging of weakness or or withoutness, right.

Nate:

Yeah, that's what. That's one way to think of it, but I never look at it like that. I try, I don't let it bother me. I try, I don't let it bother me. I just, I just join in the conversation and make them more comfortable and realize that I'm the same, I'm a, I'm the person, just like they are.

Jay:

Yes, and I think that's important though, because you have to know people are polite, they're courteous and sometimes are a little too courteous. I want people to get this message from the connection to say listen when you talk to Nate, when you talk to anyone who is unlike yourself, treat them for the human being that they are, see them for the human being they are. I mean, that's something I've always you know, and this is just everyone in the world. I mean, we all are different people. We all have our own challenges or we have our own opportunities. All have our own challenges or we have our own opportunities. But I think the world just needs to relax a little bit and quit being so politically correct and just talk to each other, even if I disagree with you, nate, which I'm sure we may in the future sometime but I want to have a real conversation.

Nate:

Yeah, and just be respectful.

Jay:

I respect your opinion, respect mine and we go forward yeah you don't let, you don't no division yeah, and that's easy to say, though you know what I mean it's, it's it's easier if you're said than done yeah, and, and that's that's why podcasts like that has people love to hear positive stuff, you know. But talk talking about your wife. When you said, hey, babe, I'm doing this truly, her first reaction was she like okay, or what was she like?

Nate:

Are you sure? I'm like yeah.

Jay:

Yeah.

Nate:

And she's fully supportive of it. Obviously, she wants me to listen to my body if my body starts hurting or anything like that, but she's fully supportive of me doing this and fully supportive of any charities that I want to dive into and help and raise awareness for. I mean, there was no like saying you know, don't do it. There was none of that.

Jay:

Right, it's just, are you sure, listen to your? Sure, listen to your. I mean, yeah, that's for everybody. I want to make sure you know people who do take this journey. I mean, hey, you should see which. Thank god you won't have this problem, but you should see some of the feet, brother, okay it'll be, I'll be wearing, I'll be bringing a couple gloves, maybe three pairs of gloves and some anti-chafing for your hands.

Jay:

But yeah you know, um let's talk about your dad. Um, I know your dad uh passed away in 22, correct. You said and um tell us about your dad.

Nate:

So he was the discipline. He always disciplined. You know. He made sure all of us were in check. He had very faithful values, always wanted us to make sure we went to church, and so that led me a long way of who I need to be and a strong, faithful person that I need to be going forward. Um, even when, before he passed away, you know, I I had to get permission. I just asked him for permission as he was in the hospital, to see if this pastor that we, that Brandon and I got married with it was okay to get married by that pastor. After he listened to he listened to his sermon or the message he did prior to that week and he listened to it and he said, yes, that you have my blessings to get married by that pastor.

Nate:

Wow, and when he, before he passed away, you know we were saying that we love him and he goes and he goes. You know we love for everything that you did. He goes no, I didn't do anything, I just disciplined you. And he goes. You know we love for everything that you did. He goes no, I didn't do anything, I just disciplined you and none of my family got in big trouble. We all have good jobs now and all being successful, and he obviously did something right.

Nate:

Discipline that's what I hear. Discipline was key for us and make sure we kept it all in check and we came a very tight knit in in faithful family together.

Jay:

I think that's such a big deal because disciplinarians, or discipline, that's all my dad was. He just disciplined us.

Jay:

You know, some of it was severe, some of it was light, um, but you know, oh, jay, wasn't your dad loving, loving he was, but he showed his love through discipline yeah what I mean and we're losing that today, man, we're serving, we're soothing our kids, we're giving them excuses, we're yelling at their coach, we're yelling at umpires in front of our kids, like then we wonder what happens. And I say we I I'm just talking in general. Right, yeah, I might disagree with the coach or our umpire, but I'm definitely not the one to say kids, screw authority. I've never said that. Right, like I want my kids. If you came over to my house, nate, they would not call you Nate, they'd call you Mr Nate or Mr Pites. Yeah, period, end of story For as long as they're grown, as long as you're my friend.

Nate:

As long as you're in my household, yeah.

Jay:

Yeah. And if you say, hey, I wish that you called me Nate Great, that's up to you. They still would have a hard time calling you that you know. Calling you that you know, um, discipline goes a long way. It does, man, and. And discipline doesn't mean it means clean up after yourself, it means do the things you said you were gonna do. It means just like you have to discipline yourself yeah, yeah, which that's a whole nother three part series podcast yes, it is let's talk about your dad's service um vietnam.

Jay:

What do you know of it, or what so he?

Nate:

so he, um was flying the plane. He flew the planes um, um, and then he also he he was a mechanic with the plane, so if it would break down any kind of things, he was the one in the shop or doing anything like that in fixing the planes. He actually flew one flight with Henry Kissinger what, and just you know, because he just got done fixing his plane. Do you want to fly? And so he knew exactly how all the jets flew and everything ins and outs, how all the jets flew and everything ins and outs, and he was a mechanic for 40, 50 years with vehicles, trucks and cars.

Jay:

So that's what he did in the service as well, you know. Think about that. How old was dad?

Nate:

when he passed he was 70.

Jay:

Okay, think of that generation right now. Think of the 70-year-olds or 75-year-olds, 80-year-olds today. These are people that did it, got their knuckles broken, hard work, family, like that generation right there, right, like I'm not saying our generation is bad. I'm 55. But I'm definitely not busting my knuckles on cars. I'm not helping the people across the street. I want to stop at every car that's on the side of the road. But I bet your dad lived in that era, right where, if somebody was Yep, yep, he lived there.

Nate:

Definitely would help people that were broken down. You could talk to them and if it was making a noise, you'd probably know what noise it was making and how to fix it and what part to bring in. He just honestly wanted to retire and get out of there. Before he worked on electric vehicles. He did not want to work on any electric vehicles. Yeah, worked on electric vehicles.

Announcer:

He did not want to work on any electric vehicles.

Nate:

Yeah, yeah, because all the wiring and the harnesses and and how dangerous it was when you're working with that kinds of that kind of electricity and the amps, and yeah, he, he loved everything mechanical hearing the engine run.

Jay:

As long as you can put oil and exhaust right. He was, he was yeah, exactly. I get it, though there's. There's some nostalgic. You know parts of that. So, vietnam, um, your father, um, did he talk about it at all, did he?

Nate:

no, no was how his yeah and his dad was in world war ii. That's captain yes and he even had a helmet that he ended up getting shot in the helmet one time too, and he was in the tanks and everything else. And he said had a helmet, that he ended up getting shot in the helmet one time too and he was in the tanks and everything else. And he said his dad would really not talk about it either that's a generation, you know what I mean.

Jay:

And vietnam was a generation where they came back and there was no ticker tape, great brother no there was spit on and yelled at and didn't know why we were there.

Jay:

I mean now, if you're in the military and I'm not trying to downplay anybody and you serve a sandwich or two for two years and you come back, you're celebrated like a war hero. You know what I mean. Again, no downplay. But I'm saying what about these young men who left their families? You know I just did a podcast where her father was killed in action. You know we take these things for granted, but uh, tell me about your grandfather. You said um helmet shot.

Nate:

Now that world war he went yeah, he went through the front lines and captaining everything else. I didn't know too much about it. Okay, um, I just know that he served because, again, he didn't know much about it and I know. But he was always well known with the military and being the captain of one of those lines that were that were front facing, so did you get to meet grandpa. Yep, yeah, I was real young when he passed away, um, but yes, I did meet him.

Jay:

Okay, tell me about mom, though we haven't talked about mom much.

Nate:

So she ran a daycare. She watched how many different kids and now the kids that she watched is now growing up and had their own kids and she still has them on social media and all this stuff. But now she works at the school as a cook in Hardington, hardington.

Jay:

My God, do you think mom will come join you at the end and watch you?

Nate:

She may, she may.

Jay:

It would be so cool to see mom, but it's crazy how life happens. One day we're going to be your parents' age, right. One day we're going to be grandpa's age, and it's the things that I think we're doing now. I was reading in your bio here. It says here this past year, I wanted to focus my efforts on giving back and serving. To focus my efforts on giving back and serving. But really I'm asking is that accurate? Because it sounds like you've been doing a lot of this informally anyway. What is it about this past year? And I don't know when this was written.

Nate:

So no, yeah, we just wrote this up today or last night, Last night Awesome.

Nate:

So, yes, what got me into it is just give back more, raise awareness more. And I know some of our podcasts we haven't done one in a while, ben and I and I just wanted another way of raising awareness. I wanted another way to contribute where I haven't contributed ever before. And these two charities my wife really knew very well and I was like I'm going to do it and when I put the mind something, when I put my mind to it, I just I want to fulfill that and I don't, I don't know really what got to me, but and I don't, I don't know really what got to me, but you know, I think the challenges and you know the forerunners of the chariots for hope that they haven't done before.

Jay:

Yeah, yeah, that was a big deal.

Nate:

I really just wanted to accept that challenge and I got in late and I called Michelle and saying I'm going to do it and she would you know how she is. She's so excited that I was so excited I going to do it and she would you know how she is. She's so excited that I was so excited I wanted to do it, um, and plug me into a date and I didn't want to be any different.

Jay:

Yeah, you know, um, a couple of things before we leave. Uh, I'm going to ask you to speak to two audiences before. Number one is um, what do you want your platoon, the people who are going to walk with you, right? What platoon? Are you in White? Oh, you're in mine. Yes, that's right, yeah.

Jay:

That's so awesome. So the other part is I want to ask you and I want to ask you here on the podcast to be real and raw. Would it help I'm just asking because I know me would it help to always keep you in the front of formation? And here's why, because the back always accordions like this.

Nate:

I'm just asking, it doesn't really matter to me. Okay, I know when we were going on that final stretch, or that final last 10 miles, I was in the front, yes, but before we even got to that hill, you know, when I slowed down and I slowed down a little to get up that steep hill, yeah, I said you guys can pass me. And our leader, our pace leader, says no, none of us are passing you, you lead us to the finish. Oh my God.

Jay:

That gives me goosebumps, Nate. I never intended for this to be this impressionable on anybody, and the 50-mile march was just supposed to be one time yeah, and it grew to.

Nate:

It grew to changing the route because so many marchers which is crazy.

Jay:

And then, and then here's a guy named nate, who I kind of know, but I don't know, but now I don't, now you know me the last, the last audience or the last people I want you to speak to is I'm going to put your fundraising link on this podcast and I hope someone in Japan hears it and goes oh my gosh, how do I convert into US dollars?

Jay:

We'll take crypto. We'll take crypto. We'll take crypto. Um? How do we um? What do you want to say to the people who are supporting you, supporting this mission, when it comes to supporting you?

Nate:

I just want to continue to thank them and appreciate them so much for for contributing to this mission. It's obviously greatly impacted this community and look how far it's gone. There's nothing better than people contributing and knowing that the money is going to such a great mission of continuing. I'm not sure what everybody knows what you have done with this, jay, and what everybody knows what you have done with this Jay, and what everybody has done to this of doing this community of hope. What a great thing to support when you went to this huge milestone and huge step of making these many houses with the headquarters there and supportive communities and in offices there. I mean why, once you want to support it and but again can't, can't thank people enough for supporting my mission for the 15 mile march. I mean there's no, there's no thank you big enough, say to appreciate people supporting this for me.

Jay:

I mean that's incredible, Like you know all the things that run through my head when they say hey, Jay, you need to be a better listener. But as you speak, Nate, I'm always like if you could just hear the thoughts in my head as you say that, again, of all the things that happened because of the 50, it's it's getting to people like you that have made this journey. For me, one number one worth it and number two is worthwhile carrying forward you know, and it keeps on climbing and climbing.

Nate:

So, just like, why wouldn't you want to just continue on? You know what, maybe I'll try to get somebody else in a wheelchair to join me next year.

Jay:

I freaking love it, man. I always do this final thoughts for you and I want you to take your time right, because sometimes you forget things in a podcast. You're like gosh. I wish I would have said that. Nate, this is your time, your time.

Nate:

I just want to, you know, know people as me and know people Respectful, friendly. You know you can go up to me at any point to ask me any kind of questions. I don't want to be, if you call it, standoffish. At any point, I'm always willing to have a conversation so you can learn more about the disability and what it's like being in a wheelchair. I also want you to know of how to, if you ever approach somebody with a disability, approach them in the same way that you would approach anybody else. Then if you go say hi or be or timid, that's going to make them more timid toward you of and have the thought process of how are they looking at me? And I don't want anybody. If they approach anybody with a disability or or being in a wheelchair, I don't want them to think that way. I want them to be comfortable and, like I said so when they went up, I think that way, I want them to be comfortable and, like I said so when they went up, I don't want people to be timid. I just want them to talk to them like a normal person and then you'll be more well-perceived and well-talked to.

Nate:

At that point, I think, when I went up to you as soon as I met you for the first time after I decided to join the 50 Mile March. I want to tell you right away this has nothing to do with me being in a wheelchair. This is all about the 50-mile march. This is all about our veterans. That's it. I didn't want it to be drawn toward me. I don't want anything to be, oh, nate's in a wheelchair. No, it's not about me, it's not about this.

Jay:

This is about the mission that you and your crew have created for the 50-mile march and getting to the point of doing whatever we can for our veterans. Brother, talk about a soul fulfilling day right now. Um, I you know, nate, you meet a lot of people and meet a lot of people because of business or networking or the cool kids, right? I remember seeing you at Carol Sprunk's event at Edge. We were very cordial there, we were just cordial. Hi, hi, hi, hi hi, yeah.

Jay:

And then maybe on social media commenting here and there, but I've listened to your podcast with your wife. I know you started that almost two years ago. Was that right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, cause I remember your first episode when you guys were like, hey, this is what we're doing.

Nate:

We really need to start off again. We can talk about so much more you know, and it just takes time.

Jay:

And then the second it does. The time that I really connected with you was at the mission briefing. That's where I was like blown away by your humility. The things you said, and you really said, they're like don't treat me any different, because, honestly, at that point I don't want to say that I was that guy, but I was like okay, it's Nate.

Nate:

But you want to, you want to do that.

Jay:

Right, right and. But I'm glad I know now how your perspective is on life and I know what your perspective is and it makes me feel comfortable with myself. Is what I'm saying? Right, it makes me more educated and it pours over into so many lessons, but I'm just grateful that we got the time today, brother, that's for sure.

Nate:

Appreciate the invitation.

Jay:

Dude, we're going to get to know each other. I'm sorry that I missed you right here outside during our 5 am ruck.

Nate:

Yeah, I need to possibly go to more of those, but I I'd end up going when you were gone perfect timing, right I'm like where, where is jay? I said even, I even messaged him on on facebook saying I'm on my way that's hilarious, I know.

Jay:

I think I was in arkansas or something but yeah, that's what they told me.

Jay:

Yeah you're the real deal, nate. We're better because of you. We have so much to make an impact with together. I look forward to getting to know you better. I look forward to sharing your story. So now, when we share this with the 50 Mile March folks, they'll be like but I know Nate, because he said that, like that's what podcasting is for, that's so you don't have to tell your story over and over, and I want someone to listen to this who might be in despair or might be in a, in a in a season of challenge, and I want them to go shoot, shoot. I can do this, I'm competitive, but, nate, you're a bright light.

Nate:

I appreciate it. And, like I said, when I hear anybody struggling, I wish I could talk to everybody. All those people that are struggling, that's my first thing. I wish I could talk to them. I wish I could talk to them. I want to talk to them. But you know what you can't help everybody, but you can always do what you can.

Jay:

All right, I'm going to put this out to the world. This is going to be recorded. Right now, you and I are doing an event together and whoever else we're going to pour into some people, I don't know, maybe it's 45 days from now, maybe it's three weeks before the 50 mile march, I don't care and we we're gonna have me and you and maybe whoever else wants to join in right and just talk about perspective of life and, um, it's gonna be with maybe 90 to 150 people. It's gonna be a good networking event. All righty, are you up for it?

Jay:

yeah, let's do it bro, don't make me do it because, like you said, you can't talk to everybody, but if we can broadcast our message to a large audience, brother, I think this would be cool. Brother, you're awesome. Thank you, I hope this met your expectations, but I know that you made an impact with ours. Thank you, I appreciate you Again.

Nate:

Thank you for inviting me to this. An impact with ours. Thank you, I appreciate you Again. Thank you for inviting me to this and it was a pleasure talking to you. Awesome, All right.

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