Bones Unfiltered Podcast - Special Needs Edition #7, featuring Bryce Clayton

Come and join us on this journey through the life of Bryce Clayton.  He is a resilient and inspiring individual with special needs who works proudly as a manager at UPS.  We get into his engagement to Dusty Elder.  He is also a dedicated athlete, having achieved so much through his participation in the Special Olympics.  

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Transcript

SPEAKER_08 0:00

Oh dumpes and gentlemen, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_03 0:21

My name is Bones, and today I've got a very special guest, which is he's kind of grayed out right now. I wonder why. But I got Bryce Clayton with me today. He's a good friend of mine, not on my special Olympics team, sadly, because the he is outstanding. Bryce, can you hear me? Or we seem to have lost you. All right, I can't see ya. See what I wonder why I can't see ya. Can you see me, Bryce? There you go. All right. There you go. Can you see can you hear me now? Alright, perfect. Alright, well, we we had a little bit of a snafu there, but which is the story of my life. Oh, and now I've seem to have lost Bryce altogether. Alright, well, we're gonna find out. I'm not sure what's what's going on with that, but uh Bryce is gonna come back in. And um once he's back in, I'll re-add him to the stage. Anyway, this young man, he is um I've known him through the Special Olympics now for quite a while. An outstanding young man. And he's got a really interesting story. Once I get him in here, we're gonna definitely you know set him up to tell this. Um this young man's had a whole lot go on through his life, but yet it through his all his adversities, he just keeps pushing and pushing. And he is he's done remarkably well for himself. Um, once I get him back in here, I can't wait. I you know there's always problems, there's always some sort of a snafu or an issue. It's just the way that it is. This would be the perfect episode to try to edit since uh he did get dropped. And Bryce, if you can hear me, just click the same link. Same link I sent you before in there, and it'll it should bring you right back. Let me see if I can I'll just send him another little prompt and maybe he'll realize it. Oh, there he is. Alright, now, do we have you now?

SPEAKER_06 2:56

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_03 2:57

Yes. Alright. Well, all right, once again, everybody. Um, welcome to the show. My name is Bones. That was uh the story of my life, man. That's what's glorious about this podcast is there's always some kind of tomfoolery that happens when we're trying to go live. But I am blessed today to have a really good friend of mine. Again, his name is Bryce Clayton, and this young man's got an incredible story we're gonna get into. Uh, definitely does a lot with Special Olympics. Sadly, not on my team. He can't he uh he puts it to us quite a bit because he's very talented at what he does. But we're gonna get into all of the Special Olympics stuff as well, along with uh all sorts of uh cool little interesting facts about Bryce. But uh as for now, Bryce, what I want you to do is kind of introduce yourself to everybody and let's start back as far as far as you can remember, start to explain to everybody exactly what your disabilities are and how they've come about. And as you're talking, I'll kind of add questions to it.

SPEAKER_07 4:04

All right, yes, sir. So um my name is Bryce Clayton, I'm uh 35 years old. Um and um from the very beginning, starting back at the very beginning, uh I was premature. Uh when I was born, I was premature. Um then uh they uh diagnosed me with uh kabuki syndrome, which is uh a rare genetic uh syndrome. Um not very popular at all, but it um affects um hearing loss, uh which I am deaf in my right ear and partially deaf in my left. So I wear hearing aid in my left. Uh, due to that, I have had uh several heart procedures done, two open heart surgeries done, and um one procedure done where it just put a stint in instead of doing the whole open heart surgery. But um also with the Kabuki syndrome, I deal with a lot of um dental issues, so that just kind of runs along with it all. But um when I was born, um they told my mom uh I was not gonna be taller than four foot five.

SPEAKER_03 5:41

Um how how tall are you now?

SPEAKER_07 5:44

Five eight. Oh man, you smoked that and um they told my mom I would not be able to hold down a steady job. Um which I am now a full-time supervisor at UPS.

SPEAKER_03 6:05

That's fantastic. That's how long did it take you to get to that point?

SPEAKER_07 6:10

Um nine years.

SPEAKER_03 6:13

Nine years. Now, are you full-time yet? Because I know with UPS, they do um uh it's to my understanding, it takes a lot longer now to go from a you you almost have to start as a part-time status and then eventually work to get to full-time, and it takes a while. Is that still true?

SPEAKER_07 6:30

Uh yes, sir. Um, but um it takes a lot longer to get full-time if you're full-time union. But um I uh when uh I was two years in at UPS, I got promoted to a part-time supervisor. And I did um seven years part-time soup. Um then I got promoted from a part-time soup to a full-time soup, which I've been doing for two years now. And um I am also kind of getting lined up a little bit and making another promotion run in the net in the very near future.

SPEAKER_03 7:22

Nice. Now it's to my understanding too, when you get promoted, then you you can't be in the union anymore. Is that still correct? Or do or do they allow some to stay in the union? It just depends on how high you go up the food.

SPEAKER_07 7:36

Um it depends if you're management or not. If you're a union, you you stay union even full-time. But once you slip into management, you are not union.

SPEAKER_03 7:47

You're not unionized. I I didn't think so. My cousin, he works he works in your all's um, I guess your all's department that does the engineering that side of things with the in regards to the maintenance of all of your different conveyors and different stuff like that. I think it's what Justin does. Now, what what exactly do you do for UPS? Besides management, uh, I obviously you're into that, which we can get it, we can add to it, but what did you start out doing? What what do you like to do the best so far in your career with UPS?

SPEAKER_07 8:21

I am actually very outstanding in um the unloading section. Like it's very fast paced. Uh I spent um two years union doing that, and seven years part-time soup doing that, and um a lot of that is just engagement with your people, and a lot of it is almost being like the cheerleader for your people. If they see that you are fully engaged and fully energized and what is going on, they completely feed off of your energy and your intensity level.

SPEAKER_03 9:06

That's awesome, and that's probably why you're you're a soup, because you are you are incredibly energetic. Um, you're incredibly talented at everything you've done that I've seen so far. So it's no surprise that you're not management. Thank you. And I gotta tip my hat to UPS, ladies and gentlemen, because UPS, there's a lot of my special needs friends, um, either on my team or sp or Special Olympics kids that I have met, you know, uh I call him kids, but he's a grown man like like Bryce here. You know, his team that he plays for is the Grizzlies are probably they're probably one of my favorite teams that we play. Um, because we even though we're against them, but we've done so many scrimmages with them over the years that they are very much like almost like a second team. It's like it's our secondary team, and we just love we love playing them so much. It was to my understanding, we we get no games uh other than what we have set up so far, which you and I didn't get to go to the one Sunday because uh you weren't in town, I'm assuming, by your comment, and I wasn't either. So I don't know how it went. But but scheduled games, it's sadly we get no games with them, at least not until maybe I guess we we go to regionals or state or something of that aspect.

SPEAKER_06 10:28

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_03 10:29

So uh but anyhow, the the the uh I was trying to show some images, and we started off too. We're having some issues because his brother sent me quite a few, especially early on, which is what I wanted to pick. But Apple, not to get off on a side tangent rant, but Apple, the way they do the setups of the of the pictures and stuff, I I don't like. It's it's all over the place. You you can't find like I can take a screenshot and be like, where the heck is it? I can't find it. And it's because it don't put it in your reel, it adds it to a screenshot page. I just I don't like that. But anyway, his brother sent me a lot of pictures of Bryce that I wanted to use, and sadly, they're grayed out. So the way I bring them up, I cannot touch them. And I have spent an hour trying to figure out why. And I've tried reloading it. I don't know. Everything I took from Bryce, which we have some photos we're gonna get into. Um, mine'll come up, but for whatever reason, his brothers will not. So, but that being said, um, you know, one photo I did want to show in in regards to the if it'll let me get to it. Um it was a UPS photo since we're talking about how he's you know got into UPS. How many years total now again, Bryce? Have you worked for them?

SPEAKER_07 11:50

Uh 11 years.

SPEAKER_03 11:52

Now, this is him with his uh uh fiance right now. Her name is Dusty, and we're gonna obviously we're gonna get into a little bit of uh Miss Dusty as well. Uh did she does she work at UPS too, Bryce?

SPEAKER_06 12:05

Uh yes, sir.

SPEAKER_03 12:06

Is that how you all met?

SPEAKER_07 12:09

We have met through Special Olympics through the years.

SPEAKER_03 12:13

Okay. So she has does she have disabilities as well?

SPEAKER_07 12:17

Uh yes, sir.

SPEAKER_03 12:18

Does she? Oh, okay. Well that's nice. And how long have you known Dusty?

SPEAKER_07 12:24

Um, I have known of Dusty for probably um at least 16, 17 years.

SPEAKER_03 12:36

Oh, nice. So quite a while. And has she worked at UPS about the same amount of time you have, or did she start after you or before you? How'd that turn about?

SPEAKER_07 12:47

We started the same years, the same year, but I um started like four months earlier.

SPEAKER_03 12:56

Did you? Now is she supervisor as well?

SPEAKER_07 12:59

Uh no. She is uh an unloader. Uh she does the unload department, and she is really good at uh doing that. She's probably one of the top workers in her area.

SPEAKER_03 13:15

Well, that's cool. I I tell you what, they have an impressive setup at UPS for those who have not ever seen it. It is it is quite impressive here in Louisville. Matter of fact, our our international airport is pretty much it's it is what it is because of UPS, because UPS is the obviously it's the biggest deal in Louisville. So they've they've been around a long time and we're very blessed to have them call their home headquarters here in Louisville. And they they definitely uh definitely hire and and put out a lot of jobs and they've got good benefits. I've never really heard anything negative much about it. Um Logan was getting into UPS and he's and he may even eventually look to try to go back, but he had a lot of good times with it. But he was a tug driver. Have you ever drove a tug?

SPEAKER_07 14:05

I have not, but I've ridden in them.

SPEAKER_03 14:08

Have you? I yep. Now have you have you worked that uh what is it called? This the little sky lift that that lifts you up that uh to the planes where you're putting the big tugs in or whatever those big boxes, what do they call them? The containers. The big containers when they push them in on all the stuff. Now, I've made a lot of runs when I was working EMS before I retired. I did make a lot of runs where we'd go out onto the tarmac where the planes were, and they would they'd we'd have to go get somebody because they had these big rollers, like the whole floor is nothing but wheels, like little roller wheels. And when they put these giant cans in here, I mean they're huge. And they that allows them to be able to push them, and of course, you you know, you got to load planes where you gotta you gotta set them up for weight distribution and everything, where everything's balanced, like everything is very um methodical, isn't it? They've got they've got everything down to a science at UPS. Yeah, and um, but it's really neat. A lot of people though, we do a lot of ankle injuries on that where that can be they so heavy they'd get away from you and they'd tend to roll people's ankles quite a bit.

SPEAKER_07 15:16

Yep. Now, have you ever been hurt at UPS on site or um I uh I pulled um a lot of it was when I was union, but uh I actually deal with a lot of lower back problems. But um some of those have just been um just my uh prior history before UPS with my back problems, but uh other than that, not really.

SPEAKER_03 15:47

Now that rare disease you have, uh what's it called? Say that again, because I had not heard of it. This is this is very interesting. Kabuki Kabuki. That is so kabuki. It is so uh I have not heard of that. Now, now was your open heart surgeries were was the heart uh issues related to that, or was that also another genetic thing that you had to hurdle you had to kind of work through?

SPEAKER_07 16:13

Yeah, I uh I believe it was um it came with the kabuki syndrome.

SPEAKER_03 16:20

Yeah. That's just that's just unbelievable, you know.

SPEAKER_07 16:24

Yep. Yep, yep. Uh and uh when I was seven, I had my first open heart surgery. They um they had to put in an uh a new valve, a new heart valve. Um when I was um 15, I had my second open heart surgery because I outgrew the valve that they put in. And um when I was twenty three um in 2013, um technology these days have really uh gone up. So uh they were able to do a procedure where in the past it was done by straight up open heart surgeries, but they were able to put a stink through my leg to ride up to my heart. Uh and um they put in a new valve that way, uh, because I outgrew the one that uh they put in uh in 05.

SPEAKER_03 17:43

Right. Well, it sounds to me too, this by the way you talked about even your growth as in your actual external body height was uh obviously that that's a huge difference in comparison to what they said you were gonna do. So that's a big just that's a very big disparity. Well, one of the pictures I had that I couldn't show, and he he's very he's very big into it now. Um you there was a picture of him early on, young, where he's where he's kind of flexing and showing his muscles. Well, he he's got a lot of photos of that because Bryce takes great pride now. Um, and because of his the uh genetic disposition that he's he's gone through since birth, he's obviously trying to safeguard himself very well. So Bryce is very active. He's very he's very he goes to the gym. He is um he's very active in his health. Um and um so you know the one photo I wanted to show because you know obviously it was you as a kid uh with your pose, but then some of the additional poses. And of course, sadly, that's just one of them that it just will not seem to let me it won't let me access for some reason. But um, but anyhow, you know, like here's a picture, here's one of Bryce Flexing. And you're I mean you're a you're a stout lad, man. You know, thank you so much.

SPEAKER_06 19:11

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_03 19:12

Now, where do you where do you go when you uh when you work out at the gym? Do you do like I do and just kind of just have free weights and just have some little sh piddly shit at home and just kind of do it from home? Or do you actually um go go to an actual like crunch fitness or or planet fitness and and do your work?

SPEAKER_07 19:30

I uh I do both. Um basement and my basement uh actually have a uh bench press machine machine that uh not really a bench press machine, but uh bench and I do a variety of workouts with my bowflex weights. I have bow flex weights that I can turn. W the weight can go up from seven pounds to 52 just on a turn of a dial. And um when uh I don't have time for the gym, I just uh do either my resistance spams that I have at home or my or I head to the basement and um work out from there, but I do have a membership at uh Crunch Fitness in Middletown.

SPEAKER_03 20:23

Oh nice. Now is that is that where you're living in the Middletown area?

SPEAKER_07 20:28

Um I am like um ten minutes out. About 10 minutes out from Middletown. Yep, I'm on uh Westport Road.

SPEAKER_03 20:36

Oh, okay. Yeah. I used to run, yeah. I used to ride when I was EMS, I rode Middletown for a decade. Yeah, I rode for uh for well I rode until they they took away the time slot. They trained changed it up and they made it some silly ass time slot that I was like, I okay, I was like, man, I can't do that. So that's when I ended up going to Highview. And um, I you know it kind of sucked that they did that because that was my longest running uh uh district was riding Middletown for all of I did that for at least at least a decade, if not a little a shade longer. So but um and you know that's I I pretty much well EMS is where I met your brother. Now his brother, I know his brother because his brother's in the fire department. So um, and his brothers are a really well your whole dang family's just a bunch of great people. I mean that you you've got a you were really blessed with you've got good quality people in your life. And I'm very and I'm very glad for that. Now, you you know, as as for his his girlfriend and his fiancee, now I don't I haven't had a I've seen her, I think we've met once or twice, maybe. I haven't really got a chance to actually talk to her. Um But we are gonna we're gonna get into some pictures of her and kind of let him tell that story too and uh go from there. But uh, you know, obviously early. Early on, there's I've got a picture of him here. This was you, uh you definitely a lot younger there.

SPEAKER_06 22:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 22:08

And uh almost looked like Bam Margera there, man. Almost got a little got a little Bam Margera going on. Now who's that young man standing next to you?

SPEAKER_07 22:18

Um that is actually one of my uh really close friends. I've known for uh uh over 20 years. We pretty much started um Special Olympics together. Uh came in pretty much together. Um that was my early days before I um uh I played for pit and uh all my sports, but um early on I played for the Louisville Wizards uh in basketball.

SPEAKER_03 22:58

Was that their uniform here? Was that them? See, yeah, I've never see I've never seen those. Yeah, that was that was before my time, though that uniform.

SPEAKER_07 23:07

Um yeah, oh yeah, those uniforms were like twenty years old. Uh now they are. Um but um but yes, I used to play for them. Uh and uh until um until uh they had to move me up because uh I started out playing the B division in basketball for a couple of years.

SPEAKER_04 23:37

Right.

SPEAKER_07 23:38

And um I just got too good, so they m uh I already played softball for Pitt at that time, so I just um transferred completely over to playing for Pitt and everything I did.

SPEAKER_03 23:54

Do you like do you like Pitt? I think your co I can't I think Jeff, uh your coach Jeff is uh he's just absolutely outstanding. Yeah, he's a great guy. He's a hell of a dude. I mean he's well, his whole family, his wife's so sweet. Um his daughter, matter of fact, his daughter, his his coach, um, his daughter uh Katie actually also works at UPS, oddly enough. So so again, UPS does they do a whole lot for hiring in Louisville, like you know, job-wise, obviously, job creations, but they are not um they are not the strangers of having people with disabilities work for their establishment. And I really like businesses that that like to bring on people uh and give them a chance. Because I mean, look, look at look at Clayton right here. He's a prime example of somebody who's been through a lot of adversity, but he doesn't let that adversity get him down, and he is pushed to the point where he got hired on at UPS, and now he is management at UPS. And that's out that's outstanding. I mean, that is you should be so incredibly proud of yourself, Bryce, because I know I am. It's it's awesome. Um, we were kind of talking about his team. Now, here's here's the people that we were kind of talking about. And of course, there's coach Jeff is the uh the guy that's kind of standing there on the left of uh of the screen if you're looking at it. But I tell you what, these are just not even all of the young men and women that are on this team with the Grizzlies, but I tell you what, they are they're one of my favorite teams. I love them to death. They're like family, and uh they're in they've got incredibly good. Bryce, you all have done a great job. This last season, even last year, was unbelievable the difference um with how well they've played. It's just absolutely y'all's growth is outstanding. So for those that haven't seen that are local, if you want to, you know, again, I well, and I say it again, I'll I'll say it again, even in even though I'm being redundant, it's not even just local to Kentucky. I if you have if you're in any state, look and see what their Special Olympics community is doing and go check them out because I'm telling you right now, man, you're talking about some good games and some good camaraderie and uh sportsmanship, you you're not gonna find any better than at the Special Olympics. And Bryce is definitely one of them that when you're there to watch, I mean, he puts on a he puts on a heck of a good show because man, he's got some talent. Now, Bryce, you do obviously you did basketball, you do softball. Uh, is there any other events that you've done over your your uh Special Olympics career, even starting way back when you were the you know the younger years? What all have you actually participated in in the state of Kentucky?

SPEAKER_07 26:47

I have done tracked for one year.

SPEAKER_03 26:51

Tracking Bill, where do they do that at? I have never seen where they do that.

SPEAKER_07 26:55

Yeah, um it uh the uh mobile reason is at uh St. X.

SPEAKER_02 27:04

Oh, is it?

SPEAKER_07 27:06

Okay uh so uh the Louisville Regional Tournament for Track is at St. X. But um I did it I think uh um 17 years ago or something, and it was uh at Ballard when um when I did that.

SPEAKER_03 27:24

At Ballard? Yep. And then so you've done track and field, then what else have you done? Soccer. Oh nice, they've done soccer too. Now where do they do soccer at? That's yeah, that's another one that uh did they don't do that at Southeast Christian Church, do they?

SPEAKER_07 27:42

Um they used to.

SPEAKER_03 27:44

Did they?

SPEAKER_07 27:45

They yep, they used to. Um we used to play them quite often, actually. No doubt.

SPEAKER_05 27:51

Huh.

SPEAKER_07 27:52

Yeah, um, but uh I think um they um I think uh when they stopped doing it, a lot of them went to the Wizards. Uh uh because the Wizards uh had a team. So um the ones that wanted to continue to play South in Southeast didn't uh have it anymore. I think they went over to the Wizards yes for soccer.

SPEAKER_03 28:21

Yeah, and the Wizards, that's uh that's a team he's talking about there. They are a uh they're a stellar team and they're stellar every year. They are definitely a force to be wrecking with them. And uh what's the other one? The Louisville um uh I almost said sluggers, but but it's it's Louisville uh shoot. Uh we play them all the time. Rumble, the rumble, Louis Rumble. Yes. They're they're another team that's uh that's they're pretty stellar uh pretty much every year. Like they've they're they are a stacked team. No, very stacked. Well, I was trying to show a picture, which your brother sent me, which again, it's another one that's hated that's grayed out and it won't let me get to for some reason. Um, but it was it was Bryce, you know, kind of doing his flex pose again, but it had he had his Trinity shirt on, so it's kind of ironic. He just talked about how one of the events was at the rival school, which was St. X. And then Louisville, you have two, uh you have two Catholic schools that are um St. X and Trinity, and they're both um obviously private schools, and both are incredibly good with all the variety of different sporting events that they host, uh, which obviously football being probably the biggest rival out of all of them uh that you hear the most about. Uh, because hell there'll be times where if if St. X and Trinity play each other, there's been times where they they they'll play them actually like at the Louisville um football or you know, actual stadium, because the even their fields is as large and the capacity they have at their schools is just not enough for that kind of rivalry. Yeah. So now did now your brother your brother went to Trinity, correct?

SPEAKER_07 30:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 30:10

Yes. Now did you ever did you ever go? Because I know you went to high school, you graduated Wagner. Yeah, is that correct?

SPEAKER_07 30:16

Yes. Um yes. Um the program that um I needed at the time was brand new in Trinity. Like completely brand new. And uh I could have gone there, but um my mom thought it was best for me to do a more established program at the time. So I went to Wagner.

SPEAKER_03 30:41

Mm-hmm. Did you like Wagner?

SPEAKER_07 30:44

Uh I did. Did you? I did. But um if uh I had to pick and choose that program now at Trinity is um pretty good now. They got it up and running and um I would definitely um have gone to Trinity like it now, like if we could have redone it and the program was more set than um yes, because that was my uh dream high school. But that's where I initially really wanted to go.

SPEAKER_03 31:19

Nice.

SPEAKER_07 31:19

And uh my nephew is a uh to be sophomore at Trinity now.

SPEAKER_03 31:26

Oh, nice. Now, the the program that you were referring to that they had started at Trinity, um, and obviously it was still in its infancy stage, so your mom's like, hey, you know, Wagner's theirs is already established. Now, what was what was that program in regards to what it did for you and um what all did they cover in that program that made it kind of unique for for someone in your situation?

SPEAKER_07 31:54

Um, well, um we had uh a variety of um of uh students in our classroom and um and uh some that um uh were really good at math, some that really needed some help. And um and I remember uh every um my freshman year it was almost like a pop quiz, like a math pop quiz. They wanted to see where we were at. And um they uh started me on uh addition and I um and uh I still remember this to the day. Um they uh I was done with that in like a minute and I think it was like 35 questions and you're really good at math. Yes. I'm not uh and uh then uh they did uh multiplication and uh I whizzed through that. Um I am really good at math until I hit long division. Long division is kind of where I've stalled.

SPEAKER_03 33:27

Yeah. Well, long division is kind of rough. I mean, you know, I can see that's a that's probably one of the harder ones, so I can get I can understand that. Now, is there anything that you did in school um that you did struggle with that was that was very hard where these kind of programs kind of help elevate you to uh to that uh better level?

SPEAKER_07 33:49

Yes. Um I um started taking classes outside of my classroom. Um starting my sophomore year, I did one class um science uh and where I had one period away from uh my original classroom.

SPEAKER_03 34:12

Right.

SPEAKER_07 34:13

And um and we had a uh a peer teacher come with uh come with me just to make sure I was staying on task and kind of helped me with that. And uh after my freshman year, I pretty much uh had um one class each year um outside of my uh normal classroom. And um that just um that helped me uh with gaining confidence, not just in school, but um I met a lot of people through high school that I got really close with um from outside of my classroom.

SPEAKER_04 35:03

Right.

SPEAKER_07 35:03

Because I knew I knew everybody in my classroom, but um when I started taking these classes outside of my classroom, I started really getting to know everybody else. Well, that's and that really that really helped me.

SPEAKER_03 35:17

Now it sounds to me like you you're you know, with your disability, obviously yours is is uh definitely a little bit more on the physicality, I I would assume, aspects and of course genetics. But um now when you went through school, did you actually graduate once you once you became a senior and you got through your senior year at Wagner, or did you have to do like my son Brandon did where they let him walk at DuPont Manual? But after he was done at 18, he actually had to transfer and go to Aaron's, which was a kind of a trade school of for those of you all that are in Louisville that don't know, Aaron's has a program where they take you know handicapped individuals um with with dip various different uh ailments, um, but they help them get jobs and they teach them how to how to get into the workforce and whatnot. Did you have to do that, Bryce, or or did you actually graduate from Wagner?

SPEAKER_07 36:17

I graduated from Wagner. Did you I did yes, I did try and get on at U of L PAT program and at Aram's. Um I really wanted U of L because um I'm actually a seasoned ticket holder for football.

SPEAKER_04 36:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 36:39

Uh for U of L. So me and my cousin always do do that. But I've been a big U of L fan for most of my life. So I was uh hoping to get on at that, but um it um I don't know how it is now, but uh back then it um was difficult to uh really uh get on at U of L. They only picked a select few. Oh really? Yes, yes, and um I did that for two years. Uh I applied for both Aaron's and U of L for two years and um I did not uh get accepted. So uh once uh the second time it happened, I uh there was a program that um I could stay till I was twenty one and graduate from Wagner.

SPEAKER_03 37:43

Oh, so Wagner even had kind of an extended thing. I did not know that. Yeah, I thought you had to go to somewhere like Aaron's to do that. That's interesting.

SPEAKER_07 37:52

No, uh I I don't know how it is now, but they had it back then. That's cool. So that's really cool. Uh because I actually entered high school when I was 16.

SPEAKER_04 38:04

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_07 38:05

Uh I entered high school when I was sixteen, and um once I turned 18 I started uh applying for the UVL PAC program and errands. And uh once uh I got uh de denied two years in a row, uh I just signed up uh to be at Wagner till I was twenty-one.

SPEAKER_03 38:33

So you ended up staying at Wagner till you were twenty one.

SPEAKER_07 38:37

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 38:38

That's cool, man. That is really cool.

SPEAKER_07 38:40

And uh they uh had job coaches with me and uh I shadowed a lot of jobs uh and um my uh first job fresh out of high school was um like a uh plumbing uh handling place. Uh parking.

SPEAKER_03 39:06

Oh kind of like a plumbing supply store kind of thing, like master supply or whatever, plumber supply, whatever it's called.

SPEAKER_07 39:12

Yep. Uh but uh it was a big building called uh Parker Hannipin.

SPEAKER_02 39:18

Hmm. I don't know if I've heard of that.

SPEAKER_03 39:20

So it's I guess it they they did did they house a bunch of uh all the different uh fittings and supplies for plumbing necessities?

SPEAKER_07 39:28

Yep. And um and they uh they had an area for people with special needs. And I uh got hired on pretty quickly over there.

SPEAKER_03 39:40

Um what'd they have you do while you were there?

SPEAKER_07 39:44

Um I basically uh it was like a number sort, like that they let me know like um like some um parts you had to have like maybe twenty five. Some and he kind of helped piece them together. Uh I was trained like how to uh piece certain pieces together. And um once uh that is done you lay them all across the board and we had a little bell, a little bell that we rung. Um once you were done, you just rang that bell. They came over to see if all was good, and once it was all good, you packaged it up and you were on to the next.

SPEAKER_03 40:35

No doubt. So you did that, and then after that job, did you do something else before you got into UPS?

SPEAKER_07 40:42

Uh no.

SPEAKER_03 40:43

So so so you haven't really jobbed, you haven't had to need a job hop. You had one and you got a better job, you switched to UPS, and and it's been history ever since. And now you're in management and you're uh rolling right along with the UPS train, which is a good train to be on, I would say. Yes, I would say so. Well, and uh we're gonna take a quick second just to uh give a shout out to some peeps that are in the room. I want to say uh quick shout out to Valerie because Val is always in watching everything that I do, so her support is paramount. And she is just so it's just so unbelievable how much this young lady watches, but she's in here watching you currently right now. Um, also a buddy of mine, Chris Wells, who works for um Echo TV, which uh I interviewed him just the other day. He dropped in to kind of check on your stuff, and he's the one that uh made my intro. And then, of course, Wolf from Wolf Fair Records is in, as well as a buddy of mine, Scott Braille, which he he drops in and always drops in and says hi on pretty much everything, too. Such a great guy out of Maine. He's actually a music promoter. That's awesome. He's a hell of a nice dude, but he dropped in here to uh kind of check on your show too. So I just wanted to take a quick second to give a shout-out to all those individuals. I don't think I left anybody out, but thank you all for for coming in and showing support for uh Bryce. Uh, we really appreciate it. But now we've got to get back to another youthful shot of Bryce was uh, and this was uh kind of a uh an old school uniform too, was the Bearcats. And uh that uniform, I haven't seen that one in a very long time either.

SPEAKER_07 42:29

So uh yes, sir. I actually play for them in softball because uh I'm on uh 2A uh for softball. So that is actually my softball. Yep, that is my softball team. Um but um we um are now kind of like uh Padres uh City Connect uh uniforms, how they were like pink, white, and green. We are black, green, and uh yellow. So we resemble a lot of the San Diego Padres uh uniforms and yes, and um uh I'll be able to show you that uh in a few weeks when we uh play our games.

SPEAKER_03 43:22

Now, where do you do you all play at the Linden uh recreational center thing there off Whipsmill Road too, or do you all play at a different location at 2A? I don't think I've ever got a chance to catch a 2A game.

SPEAKER_07 43:33

Yeah, um we play um at London, same nights. Same uh one A. Yep. Yep. Nights.

SPEAKER_03 43:42

Yeah, because the two A, boy, I can't I can only imagine two A would be off the chain and three A would be even more military.

SPEAKER_07 43:50

Um yes, we don't have three A anymore. But uh well. It only goes to two. Yeah, we haven't had three A for softball. in two years. But I've uh competed uh in three A, four, two A, one A, um, and B. So I've competed in all the levels.

SPEAKER_03 44:16

Nice. And then you've done the same thing like for basketball, except except you're at the 1A 1A for basketball, right? Or have you ever hit the 2A level of basketball?

SPEAKER_07 44:27

I have hit the 2A level of basketball. This is actually my first year um being 1A. I've been 1A before but it was years ago. Um but um I uh I've dealt with some rough ankle injuries uh in the past few years and um and uh 2A is such a fast pace.

SPEAKER_03 44:56

Yeah yeah you're afraid you're afraid you might hurt your hurt your ankle even more and we don't want to add yeah we don't want to keep compounding problems. No I get I totally get it. And I tell you what he's hell on wheels folks on basketball. You would never know he's got ankle issues because I tell you what he he is unreal in basketball too. So you're unreal to everything I've seen you do the thus far I'm like golly man I mean he just oozes talent. Now I do got a question about this uh this obviously this doesn't have a whole lot to do with the Special Olympics but what what exactly was going on here?

SPEAKER_07 45:34

Well we had well I'm a Diehard Neaville fan but we had a um Halloween costume contest at work and did you yes at EPS a few years ago and well actually this is probably like seven years ago now um but um I had like one day to like come up with something and I'm like hold on a minute so I started game planning and this is after the same year or like right after you all got hit with all those recruiting violations. Uh-huh uh um with Patino Zurich and Andre McGee all them um right so uh the the pay to play what they say from Adidas we were getting uh illegal benefits from Adidas so I came up with this costume I dressed up as an Adidas uh consultant with my U of L hat and um I taped on Monopoly money and uh I wore that sign pay to play with money and I actually came in with uh a hundred grand candy bars that day and uh I almost won it but I came in second that is hilarious oh oh yeah but uh I did win most creative costume by far.

SPEAKER_03 47:10

Now it is weird that you're you're a U of L fan because I also found some pictures it you almost seem like you're kind of like we are in this household. As you can see behind we're Kentucky fans. However we support the blue unless it if they're not playing U of L then we support Louvre. We want to see Louvre do well too so we pull for both. So some people say well you're not really a true fan because you you you fence hop but yeah and if that's the case then I guess I guess we don't so you do that as well you're a fence hopper too I kind of thought so because I saw like one or two pitchers and it and you had some blue UV uh UK on it but I was like well I thought he was a U of L fan so it I thought it was interesting that we end up being both.

SPEAKER_07 47:56

Yeah when I was in middle school I actually did go two years as more of a UK fan than a U of L fan. And oh really I've actually been to a couple games at Rupp um when they had Keith Bogan's uh in 03 um and um I went to a couple games there with my uncle and um I kid you not uh I got painted up for that game I looked like a blue smurf I wish I could have found that photo I would have pulled that up in a New York second oh yeah yep yep uh but uh I remember that game very very well um they actually had a uh Dick Batow uh sound alike contest at that game oh really yeah oh yeah one of the students ended up winning it that's but he sounded exactly like Dick Battoo now I tell you one thing that um one thing that Bryce also does that I think is it's kind of like I got into it too so he seems uh very passionate about his grill so tell us that you sent I mean you were you were you were using yours just what this weekend too when you sent me a message and I was doing the same thing uh tell me about your your little setup here you got a nice setup it's really nice uh thank you so much um my old grill um kind of one out and we do a lot of uh family get togethers uh at our house so um we were looking for a new grill and we were at Costco and we saw this Traeger grill that can um it's uh a pellet grill but it can um smoke it can barbecue pretty much almost do anything you want it to um I've actually cooked uh Thanksgiving turkeys on it before no doubt no doubt and um it can do just about anything um you need it to um again um pretty pricey but at the end of the day um my uncles pitched in with us and um we ended up buying this one because uh we needed something really good because we have a lot of family get togethers here and we were like hey if we're gonna go all in we're gonna go all in on something so um we ended up getting this and it's probably been um my best investment I've ever done honestly oh I think yeah I would agree I would agree and you know he's I tell you what what um what prompted you to get into the kind of cooking like what what what ended up because I know when I s early on when I was working EMS I hated to cook like I would not cook for nothing and now that I'm retired I started doing it and I'm like damn it's actually kind of fun um yeah and it's it's really neat trying to create new stuff and uh just seeing how you can elevate various dishes so what got you into it? Um just um me um I uh when I was younger I always helped my dad cook so I was around it um from a young age and um that just kind of really um got me really going into it because I would help him around the grill with anything he needed when I was like seven. And you were protecting when I was young uh I um I wouldn't help him around the grill but I would like uh give him like when the grill was uh getting too hot I would give him the water to take out the fire uh I would bring it uh out the plates for him to put the food on just anything I can do to help out when I was that young but um I've always been around the grill.

SPEAKER_03 52:24

What's your favorite thing to cook on the grill that you your absolute favorite?

SPEAKER_07 52:29

Yeah um I uh do a lot of burgers but um I think one of the best things I've ever done has been uh pork tenderloin. Oh nice yeah yep um but uh by the end of the summer I'm uh starting to um test out uh a brisket because I've been wanting those I've been wanting to um try that so yeah um that'll be uh that'll probably be my first real big test.

SPEAKER_03 53:01

Oh that'll be well and you need to try a smoke a pork butt this year too. Yeah you'll I think you would love that. I mean it takes about about well it depends on the size but about eight hours or so. Yeah but uh oh man I'll tell you what I wouldn't mind trying to do but I guess you got to get a whole new machine to do it.

SPEAKER_05 53:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 53:20

I'd like to learn how to uh what is what is that thing machine I think it's a dehydrator or you can actually make jerky. And I would love to learn how to make some beef jerky because beef jerky is expensive as all hell. Yeah yes it is so it would be nice to get be able to learn how to make that because you they say you can make it out of anything too you can make it you know all sorts of different types of meats you can use and now the other day I did something different which was kind of interesting just in case you ever want to try it yourself it was um I bought the regular uh bratwurst at like Kroger yeah but um but then what I would what I did is I butterfly them in the middle enough to where I could peel the skin off the the bratwurst yeah and then with by doing that it allowed you to open it up because you you know butterfly it allowed you to open it up and you technically could even eat it you you slathered it with like stone ground mustard on one side dance seasoning and then you flipped it and did the same thing.

SPEAKER_06 54:22

And then that was actually really good.

SPEAKER_03 54:24

It actually tasted pretty good and like I say it by flay it filleting it it actually allowed it to where you you didn't even have to if you didn't have hamburger bones you could put it on regular bread you could do you could have done you could have put it on hot dog buns still or you could do hamburger buns and cut it in half and made like a double stack. I mean it was it it turned out pretty good. Turned out pretty good. Now I got a black stone so I like that because I've done different stuff on there like um you know oriental food you know like you know with the fried rice and and the veggies or the Mongolian kind of stuff I like doing that. And I've even tried breakfast once which was interesting.

SPEAKER_07 55:03

Yep so um I actually did look at the black stones.

SPEAKER_03 55:08

Did you before yes before I pulled the trigger on uh the Traeger that I got right now we did look at um the black stones as well and I almost ended up uh buying that honestly yeah the only thing I don't like about a black stone is when you're doing like hot dogs because you know they're around so yeah you know it's nice when you got the great because then you can slowly rotate them a little bit at a time you know and get that nice that nice sear on all the way around it. I I just you know that's the only thing now here's a picture you can tell me who you're who you're standing here with because it's almost like you're kind of passing some of your chef knowledge on to the younger crowd.

SPEAKER_07 55:51

Who is this young man will you rotate um that is um my nephew Nolan who um the this picture is probably like um five years uh four and a half five years old now he was in middle school or hunting right into middle school uh right before this picture and um he is now uh taller than I am and he is a sophomore at uh Trinity and uh oh he's the one you were talking about earlier yep yep yeah and uh he runs cross country and track for Trinity oh nice yep so your family yeah a lot of your family uh members had uh are very active in sporting events yes uh yes um very active uh my nephew was actually one of the top freshmen uh at Trinity for cross country last year.

SPEAKER_03 56:58

Nice uh yeah yes so yeah now are you the are you the only one in your family that that uh has that the disability with the uh the very rare I can't even remember the dang name of it again it's so it was so kabuki yeah that's that's so interesting um yeah I I don't know much about that like that's very intriguing but are you the only one in your family that that has that or is or as others also got had the same genetic disability? No just me just you yeah yes sir how many siblings do you have total I have three three my brother as the oldest my sister Bruna is the middle and I am the youngest. So you're the you're the one that brings up the you're the youthful baby one of the group and you're not even you're not even that anymore you're in your 30s now so it's hard to believe yes sir now here was a uh here was a dapper shot of him uh look like I don't know it looked like you were off for off for an interview or something but uh it's a nice looking shirt look you look pretty dapper there buddy I have to say so much I was actually um going to the Good Friday service at Southeast oh really yep uh yeah um I go to Southeast um every uh Thursdays every Thursday for the service um I would be going on Sundays but I work on Sundays right now.

SPEAKER_07 58:36

Oh yep so um I usually uh hit up the Thursday night services uh at six thirty and uh I usually actually go to uh the sign class oh yeah Thursday um at six thirty so I usually do that every Thursday.

SPEAKER_03 58:59

Now who's this who's this uh character here who is that oh that's uh that is my partner in crime uh his name is Louie Louie yep he is uh actually twelve years old uh but he's a silver lab silver lab I was gonna say I could tell by his face that he he definitely is uh appears to be you know an older an older uh companion but he kind of like my my dog Riley has gotten very uh you can tell it is the age in the face because but yeah I think he's 13 or 14. So yes but a silver lab I've never heard of a silver lab that's very um I tell you when he was younger he was hell on wheels I bet he was oh he was he was wild he's a he he's a good looking dog down quite a bit has he I guess that I guess that happens in the when as we get a little bit older I've noticed I've started to calm down a little bit too oh yeah now there was one photo of him which I I bet it's not gonna let it's probably one that's grayed out that I wanted to ask a question about.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:15

Oh no here it is now tell me what what exactly happened here oh he is uh the trash can bandit oh he he will get into the trash can any chance he can and uh but little did he know that um we had a lid that um he could always poke his head through but his head got stuck and it's happened a couple times and um we walked through the door one time and he greeted us like this and we were like what in the world and um he couldn't get it off um we ended up getting it off of him but he tried and tried to get that off of him and it just was not working for him so he had to wait until we got home in order to fix that.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:21

That is hilarious. I saw that photo and I was like wow I was like yep yeah and what's funny is he can't hide it because it he it was around his neck so he oh yeah he couldn't get around that no you know everybody knew he was guilty yep but I definitely wanted to ask that but obviously the most very most important person that we should talk about is this pretty young lady right here. Yes ma'am yes sir yes sir now tell me a little bit about Miss Dusty and uh how you met her and where you all are at this current moment.

SPEAKER_07 1:02:07

Yeah um we uh met um probably like sixteen seventeen years ago doing special olympics um she uh has uh when she has played she has played for Southeast I have played her m quite a few times before um she um doesn't really play much right now but um I think I'm talking her into playing basketball this year.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:42

Now are you trying to get her on your team at with the Grizzlies?

SPEAKER_07 1:02:45

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:46

Oh really nice that'd be cool. Do you think you're gonna succeed or do you think she's gonna give a little bit of resistance?

SPEAKER_07 1:02:53

Uh I think she'll uh I think um she'll play honestly because I th I actually think she wanted to play last year when it was my first year going down to 1A um once um the season actually started she started really contemplating uh so I've been talking to her about it and um yeah that's a great photo of you too right here man thank you so much now where where were you looks like you were in the parkland somewhere um got the trees in the background there yep yep I forget where we were at um we go out quite a bit on dates yeah we go out quite a bit on dates um just to see each other um we uh have been together for seven years um oh wow so you've been together a long time yep congratulations that's awesome we've been engaged for two years and um we are planning uh a wedding hopefully next year sometime yeah here's the uh here's a nice picture of the after he proposed ladies and gentlemen yes she's showing the ring off that's a good photo of you too as well thank you thank you um but uh yes I've gotten really close with her and her family and her family and my family just kind of really as Joe so it's just a really good match.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:41

Now let me ask you a this is good it's a very personal question and if you don't want to answer it I can understand that but due to your disability are you are you allowed to live on your own or do you have to live with your folks um I can actually live on my own.

SPEAKER_07 1:05:00

Um I now I do live with my mom right now to kind of um help with my mom and my sister at home and I kind of um help with a lot of um a lot of bills to ease uh pressure off of my mom and uh so I help with a lot of that because with my current job uh I can have the flexibility money wise to help out and pitch in where I need to right and um I uh actually have my driver's permit. Oh nice now is that a new development uh no I've had it for two years but um I'm really keying in on now getting my license I uh am uh actually looking at um maybe uh a used uh Ford Explorer for now because I've got a connection within uh my brother's uh my sister-in-law, her dad owns um uh owns a home building site, so they do a lot of construction work. And he's got a vehicle that uh he's looking at um 2017 Ford Explorer still runs really good, still looks good. Um it's a new development. I heard about it a few days ago, but uh I've got money put down for a truck. But I may actually yeah, I may actually use some of that money to pay possible to buy this uh Ford Explorer off of them and to keep building saving on uh for building a truck while also having uh this vehicle when we need it.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:03

Oh, that'll be nice. Well, and that'll be good. That'll be good for you to be able to get back and forth to practices and everything else. You'll be able to do it on your all on your own.

SPEAKER_06 1:07:12

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:13

Now does uh does Dusty does she drive?

SPEAKER_06 1:07:16

Uh no, sir.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:17

No, so she doesn't yet either.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:20

No.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:20

So that'll be good too. You'll be able to go out on some dates and actually, you know, you can go chaperone free. Uh you can't beat that.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:30

Yep, yep. Um that we've actually talked about that quite a bit, honestly. Um, she keeps telling me she uh can't wait till I actually really start driving. Because um because I'm gonna be taking her. Um the biggest thing for her, I think, is she does not like riding tart to work.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:54

Oh, is that what she currently has to do to for work?

SPEAKER_07 1:07:58

Yep. And um we work at uh we both work at EPS, but um if I uh get a good vehicle, I can actually pick her up, but she'd have to get up earlier because I have to be there earlier. Um I don't really have a set time for work, but um I treat it pretty much as almost a nine to five.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:24

Right. I don't blame you. Hell, that's a good way to treat it.

SPEAKER_07 1:08:28

Uh yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:29

Now, where whereabouts does Dusty live? I mean, don't tell me your address, but I mean, you know, but like whereabouts does Dusty live in comparison. You're you're kind of off Westport Road area.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:39

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:39

So uh that's the kind of the east end for those that don't know Louisville. That's kind of an east end ish kind of an area. Uh what about her? We are like eight minutes out. Oh, that's very close. Oh, you're very close then. Oh, that's good.

SPEAKER_07 1:08:53

Yeah, that's really good.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:54

Now she's she's staying currently with her folks right now, too.

SPEAKER_07 1:08:58

Uh no. Um, she's got her own condo.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:02

Oh, so she has her own condo. Nice.

SPEAKER_07 1:09:05

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:06

Absolutely nice. Yes, sir. That's really good. Well, I tell you, I tried to get your video of you proposing uh because I found it. And I can I can sit here and look at the damn thing on my computer. I see it, but it's grayed out, so it will not it I don't know why it's not letting me play. It's just not letting me do it. And I've tried to put it on here several times, so I was trying to check that out. But if anybody would be interested, obviously, if you find if you find Bryce Clayton, you may be able to come across that video where you he actually uh, you know, when he asked Dusty to marry him, he got down on one knee. Matter of fact, since I can't show the video, why don't you? I mean, this goes to audio anyway. Once I upload it, it goes to so many other platforms, but it's mainly audio based. Kind of explain where were you? What prompted you to to uh want to ask her to marry you and kind of tell us a little bit of the process of of what you went through to do that, like how did you who did you use to help you pick out the perfect ring and all that good stuff?

SPEAKER_07 1:10:16

Oh, yes, sir. Um, well, um she doesn't know this, but um it was um I um we got engaged two years ago, but I really started really contemplating it like a year and a half before.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:36

Oh nice beforehand.

SPEAKER_07 1:10:38

And um her um aunt uh had a diamond. Uh had a diamond of her own that um she uh that she surprising that she wanted to surprise Dusty with uh that we were gonna use that diamond and insert it to the ring that we ended up buying. So we bought um we uh she didn't really catch on, we were just kind of looking at rings. It was me, her mom, and her. We were just kind of looking at rings, nothing really came about on her end, but again, on my end, I was definitely uh everybody knew except her. Um we were just really looking at that and um once she found the ring she kind of really liked. Um she didn't know this, but um I had uh money already ready and um then I saved up for it. Um and I I secretly bought that ring. We had the diamond inserted to it.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:08

Dang, so you went all out, buddy. That's impressive. I mean, that's well thought out, too. I mean you even pre-planned, even saved. Oh, we got we got tons of people in this world that can't seem to do that even. So that's pretty impressive that you you had all the forethought to set money aside for stuff like a vehicle and a ring, and um you you seem to really have your stuff together, like you're very you're very intelligent.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:33

Yeah, thanks so much.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:34

So when so once you got that ring in hand and you decided in that video, you all obviously were somewhere, and then you decided to pop the question. Take us through how you went through that process. Like yeah.

SPEAKER_07 1:12:47

Well, before I went through that process, after I got the ring, I t I have her brother's number. So I messaged him, I was like, hey, let's link up. And so we had lunch together, and um I actually went and asked him. I said, uh, cuz um because uh her dad already passed. So I asked her brother, I said, What do you think about this? Like, I want to ask her to marry me. And um he uh was definitely like I would love that. Like, is that what you are wanting to do? And I was like, Yes, 100%, without a doubt. And um, so I um I'm very uh I wanted to go about the right way. So I definitely got the family permission because I already had her mom's, but um I wanted more than that. Uh, because I'm always about I've always prided myself with respect and not only respect, but um with this scenario, I definitely wanted uh her brother's uh approval of it before I officially uh asked her to marry me.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:15

That was really nice. That shows the the stand-up qualities that you have as a human that you you took into other people's you know considerations as well. A lot of people don't do that. That's that's kind of an old school way of doing things, is the whole asking, you know, the for the you know the permission to ask someone to marry him and stuff. That was kind of some old school days, but that's cool that you still do that. It shows a lot of respect on your part.

SPEAKER_07 1:14:41

Yes. So um we actually uh um went out to uh Gustavo's that night.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:54

I think that's the shirt I'm wearing.

SPEAKER_06 1:14:58

Gustavo's that's kind of ironic.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:01

Yeah, it's good.

SPEAKER_07 1:15:02

It's a cool place. And um I wanted her whole family to be involved with this. Her nephew was working that night at Gustavo's. So I um told them, I said, let's do Gustavo's. I said, I want him to be able to see this. Because he was already working that night. He was there and uh we set everything up and um in the back of my mind, um, I wanted all of her family to be there and to be able to witness it. So I set uh so we set up that exact spot and um she uh did not know anything until this very moment.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:55

I love how you got on one knee too. This is the video that I can I don't know why. It'll it'll let me show the one picture, but it sure the heck won't it will not play, which I've tried my dangest to get it to play, because this goes through the whole process where he asked her and gets down on one knee. It was it was very it was a very moving, very nice video. Thank you. And she definitely was ecstatic, which was awesome. Yes, sir. That's so cool, you know. That's that's just so cool. Thank you. I just love it. And let's see, I'm trying to see if there's any other photos of her. I wish, man, I wish I could have got well, there is one other photo, which this is kind of a weird now. This is obviously going in in a different direction than the marriage thing, however, so what was going on here, man? Because I tell you what, yeah, we I love it.

SPEAKER_07 1:16:54

We usually we usually have a Halloween party each and every year. And um, me and Dusty actually usually win the couple costume because we actually really start game planning months in advance. And um she um I was Elvis and she was uh Elvis' wife? I forget her name at the very moment.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:26

Oh, Priscilla?

SPEAKER_07 1:17:27

Yes, she was Priscilla and I was Elvis. It was the year the Elvis movie came out.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:34

Oh, really? So same year.

SPEAKER_07 1:17:36

Yep. So I was Elvis and she was Priscilla.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:41

I love it. Yeah, I thought it was a great photo. I was like, heck yeah. I was like, I definitely gotta take that. I love I'll tell you what though, I love Halloween parties.

SPEAKER_03 1:17:51

I love them. They're so much fun. You can just have an absolute ball.

SPEAKER_06 1:17:57

Yep, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:01

I'm trying to see if I maybe if this thing, I'm trying to see about your your promotion or the uh engagement thing. If I if I got it, if it'll play on the video side of things, but it's not even yeah. I don't think it's uh yeah, I don't know. I don't know why. It's weird. Yeah, everything your brother sent me, I don't know why it won't play it. Because uh, you know, he tried to help, he tried to hook me up. I think it played, it let me put in a couple, so it's just this weird. Uh Chris Wells says, so heartwarming. Thank you, Chris. We appreciate it. And uh great story, very sweet. Thank you, Wolf. Um, my buddy Jonathan uh Outlaw Drummer. He's uh he's a good dude. He came in here to say hi as well. So thanks for everybody who has dropped in and uh that are tuning in and kind of checking this out. We're having a really good time with Bryce, and I I tell you what, he is such a talented young man, and he is his story's awesome, but but just the way that he's evolved into in through life is just absolutely outstanding. And um, for you to be engaged and be in the management at UPS, I mean there there's really nothing you can't do, is there? You do not let your disability hold you back at all.

SPEAKER_07 1:19:24

Nope, not at all.

SPEAKER_03 1:19:25

Once I reached I love that about you, buddy. I love that about you.

SPEAKER_07 1:19:29

Thank you. Once I reach a certain goal, um my mom always tells me uh that I need to really um settle down with goals. Like once I reach something, be happy. Like uh be happy and just be confident you've reached that, but I've always been the one that once I set a certain goal, I'm setting another one just as high or higher.

SPEAKER_03 1:19:59

Right. Yeah, you're always pushing yourself.

SPEAKER_07 1:20:01

I've always been that way.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:04

And I love that about the special needs people in general, is they've all they all have to learn how to do different things. Man, Bryce is no exception. Same with with my son Brandon. You know, he loves to play Xbox, but he only has one hand that works. So it's like, well, you're gonna have to learn to do a two-handed controller with one hand and do the best you can. And he does. So it just shows how the integrity and and just the I guess tenacity that these men and women have with these disabilities. They don't let them, they don't sit there and dwell over the woe is me kind of crap. They get out there and say, All right, how do what do I got to do to make this work? And you're no exception. I mean, look at you becoming management. I mean, you're engaged, um, you're you're you do you do a lot of cooking. I mean, you there's not much you you look at your Facebook, there's not a whole lot that Bryce doesn't try to do. So it's it's very impressive. Now, you're um what what pushed you to go more towards UPS than say like in uh in other directions like what your brother does, like fire department or whatnot?

SPEAKER_07 1:21:14

I um I just really um look at a business level and I wanted to get into um a big corporation. Uh one that I could um really move up in. And um EPS is uh one of the biggest corporations, not just uh not just locally, but like overall, like so uh we um I knew EPS uh they um started hiring a lot of people with disabilities, and um I started looking at that and um I went all in on that and um and um I've loved it ever since.

SPEAKER_03 1:22:05

That's so awesome. Now, due to with what you've got going on in your life with your disabilities, are do they put in is there any kind of limitations that they want to put on you in regards to how long you can work, how long, you know, you know, this, that, and the other? Because like with Brandon, there's there's stipulations, like because he technically was not supposed to work, and we pushed to get him to do something because you gotta have that sense of purpose, but he's very limited on what he's allowed to work. Uh, do they do the same to you or are you in a different boat where you could pretty much do whatever you want to do?

SPEAKER_07 1:22:40

Um, well, um, when I first started, I was on SSI. And um when I was union, uh, I never um I was able to get about five, six hours. Uh, or work as long as needed. Uh, because um me uh me and my mom uh met up and we were like, hey, like, um uh what she said, what do you want to do? Like, um, I said, I want to make as much as I can. She said, Okay, now with that, there's probably gonna be a time down the road where they're gonna see this and um and take away your SSI. And I was like, Well, um, we'll get down that road when we need to get down that road. Uh and um my whole uh time as union at UPS, uh, I was able to keep it no problem. Uh but still work um the hours I wanted to work. Um and uh but uh two months into uh my promotion to part-time, they pulled my SSI, which I'm kind of shocked. It took that long because I thought it was gonna be a pretty quick thing. But it took them a couple months and they were like, hey, you're making too much. And I was like, I knew that was gonna happen. But no problem at all. Like but um after that I actually just started uh a really nice 401k and uh I started a retire uh retirement um plan at UPS, which um I have quite a bit of money already into that. And um my goal is probably another twenty-four, twenty-nine years at UPS, then calling it a day. I started when I was twenty-five. Um my plan is to look at retirement when I'm sixty, which is um twenty five uh twenty-four and a half years out. So that's um the number I'm shooting at right now is either sixty or sixty-five.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:07

That's awesome. And I love how you're thinking of the future. You know, you're doing you know, 401ks or 403bs or whatever the heck UPS offers, you know. You're you're you're investing in stuff. So I love how you're you're you're thinking of all of these things that especially in the future. And that's really that's really uh that's something to behold. Because with what you're wanting to do, especially get married, I mean you're you're getting it, you're it seems like you're aligning your ducks in a row pretty good. So you're trying to trying to think of all these different angles, and that's impressive.

SPEAKER_07 1:25:43

Um I do live in the now moment. I do live in the now movement, but I do uh think in advance a lot of um of okay that I can do this and set myself up better this way down the road if I do it this way now.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:04

Right. And you don't have to deal you don't have to deal with trust or anything like that, do you?

SPEAKER_07 1:26:10

No.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:10

Yeah, that's nice. You know, because Brandon's very limited on what he can do, and you have to have you know trust set up and stuff, and you know, that's a whole different headache. But um now, let's see. Um one thing, what was I gonna I was getting into I was gonna get into something. Oh, I wanted to know. I I I don't know if you know much about it. I don't know much about it yet either. Um it's you probably don't base now just kind of on what we just discussed here, but have you ever heard of what was in the news on TV the other day that Lee's specialty clinic? Have you ever heard of Lee Specialty Clinic?

SPEAKER_07 1:26:51

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:52

Now, have you ever been a part of Lee Specialty Clinic?

SPEAKER_07 1:26:55

No, but I know a lot of people depend on it.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:58

Yeah, they really do. And Brandon, he's never been a part of it either. Um that being said, you know, I had some friends reach out to me. I've got quite a few people that I used to work with that actually now have since they obviously had since retired or quit EMS, they had obviously upgraded their skill sets. They've end up taking jobs working at, you know, at the Lee Specialty Clinic. So when I had some people reach out, it was like, you know, you go into Frankfurt. I didn't even know, I didn't know anything about them because Brandon hasn't used them. And now I know they're adult-based, so they they spend more for like you, you know, you or Brandon's age versus, you know, they don't really take on, I don't think they take on young children. Um I think they just focus on the butt, but I love that how the fact that this program apparently also it incorporates a lot of their medical and dental and everything. Like it it's almost like they're a one stop shop. Yeah, they can take these uh these handicapped adults and they can they can help. them through all sorts of various issues, which I think is very wonderful. And it sucked to hear that they were on the chopping block due to you know the financial budget cuts that they were going to get eliminated. Well fortunately uh they were bailed out for the next fiscal year. So that means they're good and through up until at least July of next year. But that means come January of next year. It's still going to be an issue. They're still going to be an issue. Yeah. And I was curious if you happen to use them or or because if you did I was going to ask you know I because I don't know anybody yet but uh I thought I'd ask you because I figured you'd at least had heard of it.

SPEAKER_07 1:28:41

Yeah I've heard of it and I think I know one or two people that really depend on it honestly.

SPEAKER_03 1:28:48

Because eventually there's a few ladies one lady reached out we talked and well we talked as long as we could until we lost phone service because she apparently lives out in the sticks but um Vanessa is her name she's uh she's the lady I'm going to talk to more about because she's got a a loved one that actually is part of the program. But uh but also you know they got stuff going on like budgetary cuts that are go even as far as Medicaid and stuff like that. So uh it's definitely a big deal. I wanted to bring the Lee Specialty clinic to light um and eventually we're gonna find and have somebody on the show that knows more about that. But but again that's that's yet another program that is very important for people like Bryce or my son Brandon etc um there's so many there's so many good programs and I understand that they want to try to touch a little bit on everything. I get that but it's sometimes I feel like that they they go to cut some of the things that we need and but they don't want to cut the idiotic things that we spend money on. So without getting too political that's that's as far as I want to go right now with it. But but in other words you know the government I think sometimes we need to look at our priorities of what's more important and helping the handicapped community they they've got to have these kind of places in that they can go to whether it be Special Olympics whether it be the Lee Specialty clinic whether it be Kozair charities um there's so many good uh crusade for children like your brother um Ryan you know that they collect for crusade for children every year there are so many wonderful organizations in Louisville and um so I guess with my incoherent rambling on that is the part of the reason I mentioned Lee's clinic is is you know if if you're somebody out there listening that actually has the financial ability to donate money for charities and um you can actually afford to do so I obviously wouldn't want anybody putting themselves into a financial situation and making a hardship because that's not good for anybody. But for those that are out there listening and stuff if you do if you do want to donate donate to charities like Special Olympics or like Lee's Specialty Clinic. Donate to organizations like that to help them keep the lights on and keep staffed and keep doing the good work that they're doing because our handicapped community needs these um it's just like I mentioned on my last podcast you know saving money for cancer research is awesome. And everybody hates cancer. We can all agree on that. But it is such a it's such a money making machine that it's like I don't know to me in my opinion if if I if I ever became famous where I had millions and millions of dollars and I was donating to charity no offense to the cancer research but I don't I don't feel that my need to I'll allocate monies toward that with beings that they make billions I would rather give it to I'd rather donate money and say hey what maybe this will help keep the lights on at least specialty clinic or or you know maybe this will help um a team my donation will help a team get better uniforms or a better facility I mean I would love to make so much money to where Special Olympics you know you could donate money to have them have their own facilities that are paid for. Because what irritates me the most about Special Olympics is the fact that that you you men and women have to get we have to take time slots that are are available. And the people that aren't disabled get the better time slots because there's more of them and it's I guess it's you know the norm. Well I you know it's just like you all you know you you I'm sure you do it on your two a level but you know I mean here we are we're in the middle of softball season right now well it's you know softball season goes through the hottest part of the year and you got the most vulnerable people our handicapped community are the ones that have to be out in that heat during that time because that's the only time slot. So it would be so awesome if somebody donated and you know the special needs community got their own uh their own like complex to where nothing going on but special Olympic stuff. 100% I would love that you know and who knows you never never know what'll happen down the road you know and you know like Chris Wells we need places like Lee Specialty Clinic here where I live and see he lives out in the sticks out he lives more out by like Moorhead and stuff. He lives out in the sticks and they they don't have they don't have stuff like that around Chris. Now Chris uh he's a guy that I interviewed the other day he's got a son with autism and um and he works for a uh Echo TV which is a uh religious based uh uh community or it's like a television show they they put on different they put on all sorts of different stuff um they've got a lot of um really good programming um that is put at put out and uh he's a part of that that uh business he's uh he does various different things he does a lot with ai and whatnot but does some acting in some of the TV shows and movies and stuff so uh but yeah I would love to for we need the these specialty things and I hate when I hear things like the Lee specialty clinic being on the chopping block.

SPEAKER_07 1:34:32

It really 100% 100% because I do not need it now but who knows maybe later down the road absolutely and I already know people who already depend on it.

SPEAKER_03 1:34:48

Yeah and I wanted to be there for them but also like you said down the road who knows I mean who knows Brandon you know Brandon may uh we may end up getting him try to get him in that you know it's it's a I mean it's a possibility now are you on the Michelle P.

SPEAKER_07 1:35:04

waiver I um I was uh that's another thing that uh got taken uh after my uh promotions yeah um but uh it was great when I had it great standing when I had it but um for my career I had to kind of pick and choose right what what I wanted and um I definitely went with um with uh my head and uh shows uh definitely what the plan was all along that I wanted to do.

SPEAKER_03 1:35:49

Hayden's in here Hayden Redmond you know Hayden Hayden what's up brother and Hayden I would love I'd love to have you on sometime too bud anytime I love I love having you all on like I've said before this podcast this one means the most to me because of you all um I love this I just love the special needs podcasting and I love the fact that I don't care if there's three people in this room or 300 people it doesn't make any difference to me as long as people can hear your story whoever's sitting in that hot seat I want them to hear your all story and hear about all these like wonderful accomplishments we've heard from Bryce you know Hayden I would love to have you on and we'll do the same thing. So um we'll definitely get together because um I am going to be trying in the over the next several weeks to try to get a couple podcasts done to where I have some extras because I am going to be knock on wood if that all holds true I'm gonna be the set medic on a TV show from start to finish in August. So um I'm gonna uh it's it I don't know what it's gonna be called yet I don't even think they know but um but it's definitely one of these TV shows that um I think it's a actually I think it's like a Christmassy Hallmarky TV show.

SPEAKER_06 1:37:05

So my mom loves those movies.

SPEAKER_03 1:37:07

Oh yeah my wife does too she was so happy when she goes you have to do it it may be one of my peeps that I that she watches because she watches all of and I had you know I have to sit through them too sometimes but oh yeah you know yeah Hallmark's not necessarily my bag but if I'm getting paid to be there then I'll do it but anyhow but uh I just thought I would drop a quick thing about Lee Specialty Clinic as well because uh I did put something on my podcast and if anybody is interested that is allowed to talk uh make sure you get clear channels from the Lee specialty people if anyone wants to talk about it unless you're just uh family and you talk about past experiences um I would love to have anybody on there that actually works for Lee however um I do know there's a lot of red tape when you're working for a place a lot of times those people are even if they would want to talk are not allowed to talk so I understand that uh we definitely don't want to do anything that would cause any any kind of negativity towards the cause uh but I think bringing it up for people to understand because just like I said a second ago I didn't even know anything about it and I've got a handicapped son I didn't even know it existed so for me to be finding out that if I didn't know that means there's a lot of people out there that have no clue about such these good programs.

SPEAKER_07 1:38:31

Now now are there any other programs besides the Special Olympics that you actually uh still do on on your free time Bryce not really but um I will say um I definitely thought about coaching when um when I'm actually done playing yeah I think you'd be stellar at it I think you'd be really good at it um I um I already kind of really have a game plan mindset of this is how we're gonna run this this is what I'm seeing and this is how we're gonna attack this heck yeah and um yep I've uh uh I don't know when I'm gonna uh step into that role but probably um I'm gonna ease my way into it within the next couple years maybe nice yeah heck yeah and Hayden says he's uh oh he was there on s on the Lee Clinic save the day well Hayden when I have you on the show we're we'll also talk about that too exp you can uh kind of tell everybody of how that went uh because if if they were doing it once it is quite possible that we're gonna have to go through that again in in this fall or winter uh to to be prepared for what's gonna happen for the next fiscal year.

SPEAKER_03 1:40:00

So I'm praying that um everyone figures this out and keeps this wonderful program funded because I'm sure its budget is a whole I'm sure it ain't it ain't small but it's in the grand scheme of things I would imagine it's probably a smaller budgetary piece of the pie than some other programs. So why why don't we look into that you know and there's plenty of things I think we could do without getting too political I think there's plenty of things that we could do also to help to help with that. And there's I think there's some things that are kind of have been in the news for a while about that that maybe come beneficial who knows but I hope they do put some definitely put a lot of effort and energy into it because uh taking away a lease the lease specialty clinic ex you know can definitely hurt some of our elder or uh at least adult uh handicapped community people and we don't want to see that happen we uh we want to see all of our special needs community people being taken care of because look at just like this young man sitting right next to me here you know Bryce is uh look at what he does I mean look at what he's accomplished and he's accomplished it because of all of these various programs not to mention a wonderful caring family that he that he's got that back him but there's a lot of programs going all the way through his schooling like he said he stayed at Wagner until he was 21 that they kind of help with job placements and helped him learn how to navigate that and then and look at the end result he's a manager at UPS so that is so something to be so incredibly proud of and he couldn't have done that without people good people in his life and these programs. So we need to always think about these programs because they work and they help young men like him succeed. And now look what he's doing. Now he's he's in management making sure that all of us people that sit at home and get our you know ordering online that we get our stuff and he's he's one of the guys that makes sure that that wheel stays greased and that cog is going around and around and doing it's what it's supposed to be doing. So so for that I thank you. But um I guess well I unless there's anything else I guess we can get ready to wrap this up I'm I don't know how long have we been on here we've been on for an hour and 45 minutes so that's a pretty good pretty good amount of show and I could keep talking to you forever bud because uh you're you think you're you're you're very impressive you're a very impressive person and I'm really honored that I get a chance to know you so that's really cool. Now I have to say Jeff's lucky because uh Jeff I know if you're listening you're lucky because he's he's a hell of a talented player I'd love to have him I'd love to steal him from my team too but that's not gonna happen so we know I love y'all too much but other than that uh now have you ever real quick before we end this too uh now have you ever uh gone out and when your when your brother's doing uh collections for like uh crusade have you ever been part of the fire truck riding around or collecting walking around with the boots have you ever done that uh no but my nephew has oh Nolan yes he he has grown up doing that um and um and they uh have a younger daughter now Danny my niece um just the other night um uh day before the 4th of July they were at the firehouse uh my brother was working and um they pay uh his wife and Danny paid him a visit and they ate uh dinner with the fire crew oh that's cool yeah that was one nice thing man that's one thing I miss about EMS I don't I don't know if I can say I necessarily miss doing the job because boy it it was grueling at times but on the same token the camaraderie that you had not only with your own people but you know like like for myself you know I was real tight with all the EMS people but we were super tight with all the firemen and police and you know a lot of military people there we and we did a lot with nurses and doctors too I mean it's uh it's amazing how that community is how large it really is and you don't really know it until you're working it and uh there's a there's a lot of people and that's what I miss I miss the seeing the people the familiar faces yeah I'm I kind of do miss that Chris well said it was great meeting you Bryce uh thank you Chris for tuning in yeah Chris is a he's a good dude he's a good dude I've met a lot of good people I tell you what this podcast has also helped you know um meeting a lot of good quality people too and uh and I'm just glad that I uh that I thought of it from my side of my side anyway about having you all on having the special needs because I think that this is very very good and very important for those who want to listen and watch and if you don't I don't really care because having him on today was is what made the world to me so I'm very honored that you took time out of your day and you got up you know to be on the show with me and I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_07 1:45:40

Well thank you so much.

SPEAKER_03 1:45:42

But I guess D we can go ahead and uh is there anything else you want you want to uh say before we go absolutely not I've got a great show going I love your podcast well I love I and I love having people on the reason it's good is not because of me it's because of people like you that's why that's why this show's good it has nothing to do with me I'm just some shmo that decided to try podcasting but I've got awesome people in my corner like you that actually are what make the podcast great so thank you so much for taking time to be on the show Bryce sorry I didn't get all the photos in but Ryan if you're out there listening i i i don't know why I had trouble but I did but some of the photos you sent I didn't ignore them so don't think that I just couldn't get the dang things to play but anyway but this is Bones saying uh thanks thanks for tuning in for the show again real quick uh I guess uh likes and follows man uh this is for podcasting this is for all the future shows this is for uh even people that may not not podcasts like my my guy James Lucre that's that's uh been recording a new album and trying to get his music career up and going please go to these pages James Lucre Music on Facebook like and follow because it helps them so much but I need help as well in regards to that so I'm not looking to move mountains on this but you know likes and follows will help get people to see me um if you're interested in merch and you like bones and you like the podcast and you're interested in supporting that way I do have a website it's www.bonesunfiltered podcast dot com. If you go to that you will see not only once I upload it you'll see Bryce's um his uh podcast will be uploaded to that also Bryce just to let you know once I upload your stuff today in probably about 24 to 48 hours you're gonna be on all the major platforms so you'll currently you are on Facebook mine uh uh bones enterprises LLC period Facebook page then you're also you're also streaming live on YouTube currently and YouTube is where the video and audio of yours will always remain now some of the other podcasts once it's uploaded um those podcasts actually uh a lot of them are going to be audio only because it's so much more expensive to be able to put both on all these platforms it costs a lot more so until I start making a little bit of money to help pay for these expenses I I'm trying to do things methodically so you will always be able to find this video on my face on my YouTube which is at bones42323 is how you find that on Facebook or on YouTube excuse me and then you today you were on uh twitch as well now once I upload this you're gonna be on Amazon Prime you're gonna be on Spotify you're gonna be on Apple Podcast uh those are the other three really big ones and then there is a an entire list of podcasts Bryce that I had never even heard of and your podcast you're so you're gonna be on all sorts of different platforms and podcasting platforms so uh everybody's gonna be able to listen to your story and hear and I appreciate you taking time out of your day to talk about something so private in nature but I appreciate you sharing your story of of the trials and tribulations you've gone through with your disability because uh you know I want people to be aware that of these stories and to learn from it because a lot of us have not had to go through the adversities that you all have and for you to just go through it and just take it in stride and just keep showing up and and look at what it's done for you. You're engaged you you're a boss at UPS I mean you have made such incredible strides so you be incredibly proud of all your achievements and I'm very proud to know you brother very proud thank you so much all right guys and gals I we're gonna go ahead and wrap this episode up this is the Bones Unfiltered podcast um this one is one of the special needs edition this was episode number seven I believe yes number seven so uh I like I say in about 24 48 hours this will be uploaded to all the major platforms uh Hayden if you're still in the room I definitely am going to get with you at some point in time we'll do a podcast I've got another one scheduled um for this Thursday so definitely um take the time to uh tune in this Thursday it's gonna be at 10 o'clock Eastern Standard Time as well and the young man's name is Zach Reth. I think it's Reith or Reth Ref maybe R-E-T-H. I'm not sure how you pronounces that so uh don't want to butcher it. But anyway that young man is um he's kind of got an interesting story to tell and he was kind of accused of doing some things and he wants to to kind of clear the air from his perspective. So we're gonna have him on the show but I'm gonna again I'm gonna do quite a few I'm gonna have someone reserve because in August when I do do the TV show it is going to be a two-week time period so for that episode that I'm gonna be shooting so during that um I gotta I want to have some content to where I can schedule to drop so I'm definitely looking for some podcasts. So if anyone out there is listening I've got three different podcasts you see the one that I'm on with Bryce here is the special needs podcast I've got one that's for up and coming musicians. That's the regular Bones Unfiltered podcast and then the third installment is Off the Beaten Path is called Off the Beaten Path and it is that's was called that because it's just kind of a hodgepodge of whatever the hell somebody comes in and wants to talk about so um so his his will actually be Thursday will actually be uh we'll actually be having that one on the Off the Beaten Path podcast whereas today's episode obviously was on the special needs. So thanks again Bryce for coming out thanks again for everybody who did tune in. Oh I see Uncle D got in here uh thank you uncle D for dropping in sorry we missed you and we're wrapping up but this is Bones saying thanks again for tuning in be good or be good at it and we'll catch you all on the next episode but until then Bryce love you brother peace out have a good rest of your day thanks again for being on the show