A Sergeant Major Unveils His Jaw-Dropping Life's Journey

Join us for an inspiring episode of the Unarmored Talk Podcast featuring Sergeant Major (Ret.) Timothy 'T.O.' Clay. Hear about his jaw-dropping and inspirational journey chronicled in his book, 'From Here to There: The Prodigal and Back.'

Through Timothy's heartfelt reflections, we explore the invaluable lessons learned from every experience and the transformative power of helping others. Discover how shared human connections have shaped Timothy's path and contributed to his recent sold-out event. This event serves as a testament to the collective growth found in our connections.

Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired and ignited by Timothy's story. Tune in now to gain insights that will stay with you long after the episode ends!

Get his book HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/Here-There-Prodigal-Back-ebook/dp/B0CVLZMVDV

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome back to Unarmored Talk Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and watching each episode and continue, please, to share with your friends and family members and colleagues, and don't forget to leave a rating or review if you feel this is an awesome show. And you can connect to all of my social media on the Parade Deck Just look in the show notes. Media on the parade deck just look in the show notes. Or you can put in the search engine Mario P Fields parade deck and get all access to my social media. Well, let's get ready to interview another guest who is willing to remove their armor to help other people. Everybody. Welcome back to the the Unarmored Talk podcast, where I have another amazing guest on this show today.

Speaker 1: 0:49

He is a retired sergeant major I think. He did 6.5 thousand years on active duty United States Marine Corps. He is a producer and host of his own podcast and that's on his YouTube channel. He's on Instagram, your momogram social media. If you guys have not subscribed, shame on you All. Right, before I give you his name, I'm going to tell you where to go TO Clay light bulb lessons on there. Subscribe, maybe I'll give you a dollar. He's also a author. He's an author recently authored this amazing book, which I've been reading some of the notes. I've been watching on social media. I've actually talked to him in person, but I cannot wait to get my own copy. It's on its way and it is from here to there. Was just released on multiple sites Amazon, you name it, on March 7th of 2024. And in quotes, the prodigo and back. Prodigo, not the prodigo and back Everyone, timothy TO Clay, my brother, marine, you name it. What's up, man, what's up?

Speaker 2: 2:13

what's up? What's up, what's up, mario? What's happening? Brother, man, dog, thank you for that amazing, amazing introduction, bro. You're way better than me, bro. I'm still studying, I'm. I'm over here, still trying to take notes right now, as as I'm on here with you.

Speaker 1: 2:30

So, man, it's a blessing to be here, brother let me tell you, let me tell you from my heart. I mean I've interviewed a lot of people but I practiced on your. I said this is my little brother man yes yes, if I'm going to mess anything up, I'm not going to mess it up for my little brother.

Speaker 2: 2:48

I appreciate you, bro. I mean you really are man, my big brother, and for the audience, all the faithful listeners and viewers of Unarmored Talk, man, this is my big brother To many of us. I can name a thousand people that I know and love dearly that looks at this man, mario Bills. Man, I got to give you an applause, bro, and I mean that from the dust of my heart. Bro, I love you sincerely. Usually I'm not nervous doing this, but because it's you brother, I'm a little slightly nervous right now because I've never wanted to let you down. I've always wanted to follow in your footsteps. You was always that one that I was looking at saying, man, I got to, I got to step up my game, to even somewhere Be close in the vicinity of how Sergeant Major, First Sergeant Gunnery, sergeantant sergeant is when I first met you operates. So again, brother, I love you, man. Thank you for allowing me to be in your presence today.

Speaker 1: 3:50

Well, I love you more. You know I'm not as light-skinned as you are, so I'm blushing, but you can't see it, I'm going to blush.

Speaker 2: 3:58

You still looking good bro.

Speaker 1: 4:00

I'm going to blush with my eyes. I'm going to blush with my eyes but say I mean I, even on active duty. You know, no matter how hot it was, no matter how challenging the environment was, I see I would see you and I would light up like a Christmas tree. I mean just your passion, your care for people you know, and just being authentic, which let's, let's just get into your before we get into your book again, again. Thank you for the kind words. Can you share a little bit about TO Clay to our listeners and our viewers, my friend?

Speaker 2: 4:34

yes, absolutely TO Clay, that's Timothy O'Neill. A lot of people like, man. Where's this whole TO thing coming from? My name, god-given birth certificate, timothy O'Neill, n-e-i-l. Clay, and that runs in my family. I have a couple of uncles the same middle name, but Timothy O'Neill Clay TO. My mama calls me Nell, my Grammy, grammy as we call her grandmother. She called me, me, me Clay, she called me little, little little Clay.

Speaker 2: 5:07

So that's me, bro, live in the flesh to your clay, from Kentucky and in the Lexington Louisville area. And man, it's been a journey from from top to bottom man. When I look back at my family, bro, just, I come from a great family, great stock. And man, I've looked at things through this book and I know, like you said, we get into it very closely here. But just looking at certain things and still looking at it from that standpoint, who am I? You know, where do I come from? Why do I have some of these tendencies that I have? Where's this influence really coming from? So, live in the flesh, bro.

Speaker 2: 5:56

To Clay, man, I'm a man of God, bro. I love the Lord. We've talked about it so many times, mario. I truly love the Lord. We've talked about it so many times, mario, I truly love the Lord man and every day that I wake up, man, that's my 100% goal is to keep God first in all things, no matter what it is. Man, stand humble, amen, just praying, bro, like I'm fired up for the Lord man. And at one time and I'll say this, bro, at one time I was kind of shy about being that. Yeah, I was. I mean, I was kind of embarrassed about being that. I kind of wanted to stray from that because I come from such a god-loving family man you know from, from the generations of generations as far back as I know they serve the Lord brother. So again, if anything, anyone out there looking at me today, april the 1st, this is not April Fool's when I tell you, man, I love the Lord and I'm a man of God just trying to put my best foot forward, brother.

Speaker 1: 7:01

Amen. So you guys you know you hear from Kentucky. Amen. So you guys you know you hear from kentucky, which I don't know is. Uh, to's got a 2.7 trillion dollar car. He's got voice activated house. I mean I can't wait to go visit you don't put some humor, I can't.

Speaker 1: 7:19

I can feel my last breath. I'm going to crack a joke on the way out. But from Kentucky to now, an author, to make the decision to write and to really remove your armor to give people an insight into this journey, no-transcript uh, mario, starts with with my father.

Speaker 2: 7:57

You know, shout out to joe clay, man, I know he's gonna see this. And uh, as soon as he he sees your face, he's gonna say, yeah, I know that guy. My son talked about him for years. Uh, that's the honest god truth. Man, it starts with my dad, man, dad, you know, pastor Kenneth Joe Clay. You know he started preaching, I think, when he was about 20, 21 years old and he wrestled with it, he ran from it. You know, he made that emphatically clear to all of us as his children that I did not want to preach.

Speaker 2: 8:32

I was out drinking Thunderbird and shooting dice and doing my thing and chasing women, but God kept calling me and when God really put it in my spirit, it's time, he said, he went to my grandmother, told my grandmother that I'm going to preach and my grandmother told him, of course, I mean, we've seen it on you your entire life. It was just a matter of time of you listening to what God has in store for you. So he gave us the foundation. Brother, I'm the youngest of three. My older brother, kenny, is also a pastor, bishop, you know. I don't want to, you know, dilute his title, but Bishop Kenneth Clay Jr, then my sister and then me. I'm the youngest, like I said, and my mother and my father gave us the foundation, mario, and that was no matter where you go in life, no matter how much you achieve in life, no matter the falls and all the myriad of things that's out there that this world is going to bring to you, keep God first in all thy ways and seek his understanding, and thy days will be long. So I say that, just based on it, was my dad, bro.

Speaker 2: 9:46

My dad's been telling me for years tell your story. You need to tell your story. God put it in my spirit. It's words out of his mouth. The Lord put it in my spirit is words out of his mouth. You know. The Lord put it in my spirit through dreams and just overall, just in my spirit. To tell you, tell your story. It's not about money, it's not about accolades, it's not about being a celebrity, none of that. That's all fallacy, bro. It's about spreading the good news and the gospel of the Lord man.

Speaker 2: 10:16

And he told me that a long, long time ago, first, couple of years after I got in the Marine Corps. You need to tell your story. He was eager. He was eager you need to write a book, boy, you need to write a book. I'm like, yeah, man, I'm just trying to figure out how to be a Marine man. I'm a Lance Corpsman, I'm a Lance Corp, I'm a boot. I'm out here, you know, getting blasted every day. But yeah, it comes from dad man, that's the start of that book. Is my dad looking at me in the face saying, hey, boy, you need to write that book?

Speaker 1: 10:45

Well, dad, when you see this again, I'm going to salute you. Dad. Yes, with the power, thank you for getting this stubborn. I mean your son. Getting this stubborn, I mean your son. You know that. I know you were in the family. That's real, and and the power of you know the power of of God, you know the power of your belief system. You know and God, and and so. So, now that that you, you finally come, I'm thinking to you. You're 28 now, so it took you 28 years.

Speaker 2: 11:16

I wish I'm thinking to you you're, you're 28 now, so it took you 28 years. I wish I'm 47 brother, 47 to date.

Speaker 1: 11:24

Yes, okay, we won't hold that against you. That that's a roughly a couple of decades of stubbornness, but but you're better than me. I mean, I'm just that you inspire me to finally start stop being stubborn and tell your story. And before I get to the next kind of discussion point, you remind me of one time doctor. His name is Dr Jerry Washington. He said, mario, what separates human beings from other living beings? And I said I don't know. He said their ability to choose to share their story and archive it right, get it into content, some kind of format where it will outlive you. So thank you Dad, thank you TO. And so now you're on this journey and oh, by the way, from here to there you're making new memories writing. At any point during this journey of becoming an author did you go? What the hell am I doing?

Speaker 2: 12:23

mario, mario phil's man, I, I, I can't lie to you, bro, it's um please don't.

Speaker 1: 12:29

This is unarmored, yeah it's.

Speaker 2: 12:31

It's unarmed. This is real talk man shout out, shout out to Unarmored man. I love it, man. I can't stop grinning, bro, I can't stop smiling. I'm just so happy, dog, when I'm in your presence, bro, I'm literally happy man. This is real therapy, like true real therapy. Right here, man, I have a therapist, you have a therapist, we have meds, we have spouses looking out for us. This is therapy, bro so it is pinpoint.

Speaker 2: 13:04

Exactly, bro, it's the hardest thing I ever done in my life was was telling this story. It was harder than the the crucible. It was harder than the hikes up sheep shit on Camp Horno and you know Recon and Mount MF out on you know Mateo, you know this was my life, bro, this is my life, this is my story and here to there there is still there, right, I guess that makes sense. There is still there, right, I guess that makes sense. There is still out there somewhere, but I know it's going to be with the Lord, it will definitely be with the Lord.

Speaker 2: 13:48

And so, yeah, of course there were times I'd sit in this very studio this is my lab and man, I would be balled up over in the corner, man in a knot. I'm balled up just reliving those stories of the addiction, the chemical imbalance. How bad I hurt my dad, how bad I hurt my mother, how bad I embarrassed my dad as sergeant's major. We, we know on base, when the sergeant major's kid gets in trouble, mario fields and it hits the bladder the next morning. We all know.

Speaker 2: 14:25

Imagine my dad, yeah, my dad is true, as as the pastor bro, a tight pastor my dad a big shout out to joe clay. Man, uh, I would see my dad, you know, doing revival, get that envelope with that money in it and turn right back around and hand it right back saying you all need it more than I do. I got a job, you know I work. I work for bell south phone company. I have a job. Uh, we're just grateful to be in your presence. So, yeah, man, mario, it's still right now. You know those saboteurs, the saboteur thinking that some of you watching us right now you have them too. So don't sit here and try to judge me like, ah, play man. No, you got those same saboteur thinking things going through your mind as well. For, whatever it may be, and and even right now, how, how are people going to look at me to know? Right, he was a sergeant major, but once upon a time he was smoking crack cocaine, right?

Speaker 1: 15:34

and in that in that and that's until that's first of all. That's courageous. You know, I've seen so many people that refuse to even go to get individual counseling for various reasons reasons. Maybe they don't want to relive, like you said, some of those not so fun events, or maybe they feel like, hey, I've arrived. But I loved how you mentioned all of that, where you said, Mario, yeah, there were some times I wanted to quit because I had to relive some of these things that reminded me of various things. Then I love the title of your book again, various things. Then I love the title of your book again, From here to there, and what that means to you and you helped me gain a better understanding is there's continuous. Yeah, it's continuous.

Speaker 2: 16:26

Just like chop Chop's continuous baby.

Speaker 1: 16:31

I would tell you this, and for the listeners and viewers who are not in the military, that's food, I would tell you all. That's eating a good meal, if you will. I guess that Mr Mark on his five foot two and a half guy, but but you know, again, I can, I can interview you all day, but I want to get this produced and get this out and allow you to continue to make a positive impact on folks. So, kind of my last discussion point is looking back. Now that March 7th has come, you sold out in Philly. You're going to sell out in more places. What did you learn? I've learned one thing like if one thing out of all things, what's one thing in?

Speaker 2: 17:23

life. I, I love your questions, by the way, man, because they're truly, they're, heartfelt.

Speaker 1: 17:30

Mario, it's real you know I don't make these up. You know me, I listen, they just come, they just come to my heart, because I'm learning too, you know. So it's not like I'm interviewing you All right, ladies and gentlemen, no, I'm like, I'm natural. Yeah, what did?

Speaker 2: 17:49

you learn.

Speaker 1: 17:49

I got to go through this journey, you know, so I'm learning from you.

Speaker 2: 17:53

And I'm going to help you, brother. I promise you that April the 1st is not April Fool's. Once again, I'm going to help you. I want to help you because, as much as you know, help that you've given me, brother, just over the years, even when you wasn't present, the help that you gave me, the help that you gave me to continue to persevere, to understand how to move, you know, in spaces that is not always conducive and popular, of what you love or how you feel. You know, I watched you, brother, and I watched you walk up to me in foreign lands, bro, foreign lands. We're on American soil right now. Foreign, now foreign lands. Bro, you walked up to me and robbed my chevron.

Speaker 1: 18:48

You robbed it, dog you did patty to, if you don't mind, because I want to capture this for listeners and viewers. Did you have you guys looked at the, the trend of to clay? He is so. He is so a humanitarian thank you, man he spends before he even gets in any of his discussion points and that's why I just I love you man. He is such a humanitarian that is in his bones to uplift other people I can't help it, mario, I know I'm sorry, cause I know time, I know you're right.

Speaker 1: 19:23

Oh no, I want people to understand the concept because they might miss it and that's in your bones, like that, that's not tied to time. I just want I want the listeners and viewers to get it is that you listen to before he even discusses anything 's. He's talking about his dad and and and what people have done for him, and that you can't go to college to get taught that. So I just wanted to highlight the remarkable humanitarian oh man approach to life. That's in in your belief system. That's, yeah, that's emotional.

Speaker 2: 20:06

That's emotional moment, man, and I think that's it. What have I learned through this experience of sitting and signing these books and being being in in, in the presence of people? We need each other, man, you know you've given me guidance in the last week about things I need to fix internally, things I need to do, the assignment I have to do, and you know what I'm talking about. That's real stuff, man. So it's just again, man, thank you for pointing that out, man, because I think the more I chase God, the more I want to help other people, man, and highlight those light bulb lessons of other people, because I know what he did for me, bro.

Speaker 2: 21:08

I know what he did for me and that glow, that same glow that you have, mario, when you walk in the room, shout out to Nicole. When Nicole walks up to the room, akuma, you speaking, with that beautiful backdrop of that water behind you, bro, and and, and. We're still here. We're still here, that journey's still here. So, man, I'm excited about, about, about you, bro, and I'm just grateful I could be, I could be somewhere, uh, within the vicinity. Once again, man, to to help you as you start that journey, because it's needed. It's needed, brother.

Speaker 1: 21:46

Yeah, well, everyone, you guys heard it again. And lots of light bulb lessons were given. I'm going to pay you because that was a trillion dollar of lessons that TO gave us for free, but you guys heard it. You know the power of self-awareness, the power of making a choice to capture your unique journey for other people and you. And not only just taking care of other people, but taking care of yourself in the process. And not only just taking care of other people, but taking care of yourself in the process. It's a big one. And not quitting.

Speaker 1: 22:25

If you don't have the book by the end of the week, there's nothing I can do, but I can pray that you get the book. And there it is Again. You can see it on the screen. The links will be in the show notes. From here to there, you can go on Amazon, you can email me at host at unarmortalkcom, you can whatever. Don't make any excuses on why you could not get a copy. Get a copy. Share on social media. Timothy O'Clay TO Clay TO Clay. Coach TO Clay has just blessed the Unarmored Talk podcast show.

Speaker 2: 23:09

Yes, Shout out to Ross Blaine man. Shout out to Robbie Lytle, my dudes man. Thank you all for your support as well. Thank you, mario. Thank you Nicole. Love you. Marine Corps family, all veterans out there, every branch of service. We love you. Keep shedding your light, blood and blessings. Thank you, brother.

Speaker 1: 23:30

Yes, yes. So everybody you guys know how I sign off. See you guys in a couple of weeks or whenever we produce another special episode. Sometimes I will produce one within a couple of weeks, but until then, I will continue to pray for everyone to have blessed and peace, and that's for you, your family members, your friends and all of the above. Until next time I'll see you guys later. Love you, man. Thank you for listening to this most recent episode and remember you can listen and watch all of the previous episodes on my YouTube channel. The best way to connect to me and all of my social media is follow me on the parade deck that is wwwparadecom, or you can click on the link in the show notes. I'll see you guys soon.