♪ ♪
>> Announcer: THE FOLLOWING IS A
PRESENTATION OF HBO SPORTS.
♪ ♪
>> Bryant: TONIGHT, ON "REAL
SPORTS"...
FORMER NBA STAR JAYSON
WILLIAMS HAS A PAST THAT SEEMS
ILL SUITED TO HEALING OTHERS.
HE'S HAD DRUG AND ALCOHOL
PROBLEMS, BEEN IMPRISONED, AND
EVEN KILLED A MAN.
YET TODAY HE'S OPERATING A
REHABILITATION FACILITY FOR
ADDICTS LIKE HIMSELF, AND
USING SPORTS AS A FORM OF
THERAPY.
>> Jayson: WHEN YOU SAY, "JAY,
I'M LEAVIN' YOU MY HUSBAND,"
"I'M LEAVIN' YOU MY WIFE," "I'M
LEAVIN' YOU MY SON," GET THEM
BETTER."
IT'S LIKE, "LET'S GO.
GAME ON."
>> Bryant: OKSANA MASTERS IS
AMONG THE MOST DECORATED
PARALYMPIANS IN HISTORY.
A MEDAL WINNER IN SEVERAL
DIFFERENT SPORTS.
NOT BAD FOR A SEVERELY
DISFIGURED GIRL WHO WAS
ABANDONED AND ABUSED IN A SOVIET
ORPHANAGE UNTIL SHE WAS GIVEN A
NEW LIFE BY A STRANGER FROM
ANOTHER LAND.
>> Oksana: IT'S JUST WILD TO
THINK BACK OF WHERE I STARTED
WITH MY LIFE, A LITTLE GIRL WHO
HAD NO VOICE TO NOW, LIKE,
LITERALLY LIVING MY DREAMS.
>> Bryant: EVERY MARCH, WHEN
SPORTS FANS TURN THEIR ATTENTION
TO COLLEGE BASKETBALL, CRITICS
RENEW THEIR CALLS FOR AN END TO
NCAA RESTRICTIONS.
WELL, NOW AS THOSE CALLS ARE
BEING ECHOED IN
STATEHOUSES, COURTROOMS AND EVEN
THE U.S. SENATE, RADICAL REFORM
FINALLY SEEMS IMMINENT.
>> I THINK THAT THE NCAA IS
FACING A COMEUPPANCE WHERE
THEY'RE NOT
GONNA BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE
STATUS QUO.
>> WE'RE AT AN INFLECTION POINT
AND A MOMENT IN HISTORY WHERE
THE RULES HAVE TO CHANGE.
THEY MUST.
AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT
HAPPEN.
>> Bryant: A SCIENTIST NAMED
HUGH HERR IS CHALLENGING THE
LIMITS OF WHAT ATHLETES CAN DO.
IN HIS LAB AT MIT, HERR IS
DESIGNING TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN
HELP HUMANS BECOME SUPERHUMANS.
AND USING HIMSELF AS A CASE
STUDY.
>> Hugh: WE'RE AT A POINT IN
HUMAN HISTORY WHERE WE CAN
FUNDAMENTALLY ARCHITECT OUR OWN
BODIES.
BIONICS IS A CRITICAL PATHWAY
THAT WE'LL WALK DOWN IN THIS
CENTURY TO IMPROVE OURSELVES.
♪ ♪
>> Announcer: AND NOW, YOUR
HOST, BRYANT GUMBEL,
>> Bryant: GOOD EVENING.
AND WELCOME TO "REAL SPORTS,"
WHERE OUR LINEUP TONIGHT
INCLUDES A NOD TO MARCH MADNESS
THAT THE NCAA WOULD SOONER
IGNORE, AS WELL AS A STORY
INVOLVING THE SCIENCE OF SPORTS
AND A TALE OF SURVIVAL.
BUT WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A
STORY OF REDEMPTION, INVOLVING A
FORMER ATHLETE WHO FOR A TIME
LOST HIS WAY, AND NOW SPENDS HIS
TIME HELPING OTHERS FIND
THEMSELVES.
HIS NAME IS JAYSON WILLIAMS, AND
IF THE NAME SOUNDS FAMILIAR, IT
SHOULD.
IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT
WILLIAMS MADE NATIONAL HEADLINES
FOR BOTH HIS BASKETBALL PROWESS
ON THE COURT, AND FOR TAKING A
MAN'S LIFE WITH A SHOTGUN.
THEY ARE THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF A
TROUBLED LIFE THAT HE'S NOW
REDIRECTING TO HELPING OTHERS,
AND USING SPORTS TO GET IT DONE.
OUR MARY CARILLO EXPLAINS.
>> FOR 53 YEAR-OLD JAYSON
WILLIAMS, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER
DAY AT THE OFFICE.
AND IF HE'S NOT HURLING HIMSELF
OUT OF A PLANE, HE'S CLIMBING
INTO ONE, TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO
FLY IT.
OR SPEEDING ACROSS THE OCEAN AT
BREAKNECK SPEED.
HIS "OFFICE", YOU SEE, IS
ACTUALLY A REHABILITATION
PROGRAM HE RUNS IN SOUTH
FLORIDA, WHICH USES ADVENTURE
SPORTS TO JOLT ADDICTS OUT OF
THEIR BAD HABITS.
>> Jayson: WE DO ANYTHING THAT
WE CAN RIGHT HERE TO TAKE YOU
OUT YOUR COMFORT ZONE SO WE CAN
GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM.
AND DO IT WHILE WE'RE LOVING
THEM, WITH ACCOUNTABILITY AND
EMPATHY, AND JUST HAVE SOME GOOD
BELLY LAUGHS.
>> NO SPORT IS OFF LIMITS, FROM
RACING ACROSS THE EVERGLADES, TO
SCUBA DIVING WITH CLIENTS.
>> Mary: WHAT ARE YOU TWO ABOUT
TO SEE OUT THERE?
>> Jayson: WELL, IF WE ARE LUCKY
WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME SEAHORSES.
>> Mary: NICE.
>> Jayson: THEY'RE ONLY ABOUT
THIS BIG.
WE'RE GONNA SEE A COUPLE OF
OCTOPUSES.
AND THEY GOT SOME GREAT
PARROTFISH IN HERE.
>> IT'S ALL ABOUT EXPERIENCING
NEW, PROMISING AND INSPIRING
WORLDS.
>> Jayson: HERE WE GO, ZERO,
ZERO, TWO.
>> THERE ARE MORE CONVENTIONAL
SPORTS HERE TOO, LIKE
PICKLEBALL, AND A DAILY GAME OF
HOOPS.
ONLY FITTING SINCE BEFORE HE WAS
A REHAB COUNSELOR, WILLIAMS WAS
AN NBA ALL STAR.
HE RUNS HIS FACILITY, APTLY
NAMED "REBOUND," LIKE AN NBA
TEAM.
HIS STAFF ARE "COACHES".
HIS PATIENTS, "TEAMMATES".
>> Jayson: I KNOW FOR THE LAST
FIVE YEARS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON
IT.
>> "TEAMMATES" SINCE HE, TOO, IS
AN ADDICT IN RECOVERY.
>> Jayson: IT'S A PLACE WHERE I
AM SAFE, BECAUSE I'M AROUND
PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME DISEASE
THAT I HAVE.
IT'S A PLACE THAT PEOPLE HAVE
MESSED UP IN NOT ASKING FOR A
SECOND CHANCE BECAUSE WE'VE ALL
BEEN THROUGH OUR SECOND CHANCES,
MARY.
WE'RE ASKING FOR ANOTHER CHANCE.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH
TODAY, AND NOT WORRYING SO MUCH
ABOUT TOMORROW.
>> WHICH IS WHY WILLIAMS SPENDS
EVERY WAKING HOUR KEEPING BUSY,
FROM HIS DAILY WORKOUTS AT 4:30
AM, THROUGH A SIXTEEN HOUR
WORKDAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
>> Jayson: I HAVE TO REALLY,
REALLY KEEP MYSELF BUSY.
BECAUSE IF I'M NOT DOING THIS,
WHEN I GET HOME, MY MIND, IF I
DON'T GO RIGHT TO SLEEP, CAN GO
SOME PLACES WHERE...
I HAVE CAUSED SO MUCH PAIN TO...
TO SO MANY PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD
LOOK FOR A RELEASE.
>> Mary: IT'S NOT A HEALTHY
RELEASE.
>> Jayson: NO.
SO IF I STAY BUSY, I GET A
CHANCE TO DEFLECT.
SO MY MIND DOESN'T HAVE TIME FOR
ME TO PROCESS NOTHING BUT
SERVICE TO OTHERS.
>> BEFORE HE CAUSED SO MUCH PAIN
TO SO MANY PEOPLE, JAYSON
WILLIAMS' STORY WAS ONE OF
INSPIRATION.
A KID FROM NEW YORK CITY WHO
BECAME A BIG TIME PRO AFTER
UNIMAGINABLE TRAGEDY AS A CHILD
THAT BEGAN, HE SAYS, WHEN HE WAS
MOLESTED BY HIS UNCLE.
>> Jayson: HE DID SOMETHING TO
ME AND MY COUSIN.
GAVE US SOME ALCOHOL.
AND IT HURT PHYSICALLY.
IT HURT.
>> Mary: HOW OLD WERE YOU?
>> Jayson: SEVEN.
AND I REMEMBER ME SCREAMING FROM
PAIN.
AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, "BOY,
SHUT UP.
YOU'RE GONNA GET US THROWN OUTTA
THIS HOTEL."
>> BUT WILLIAMS' SUFFERING HAD
ONLY JUST BEGUN.
IN 1983, HIS OLDER SISTER LINDA
SUDDENLY FELL ILL.
>> Jayson: MY SISTER'S ONE OF
THE FIRST LADIES TO CATCH THE
AIDS VIRUS IN NEW YORK CITY.
AND SHE DIED IN SIX MONTHS.
AND THEN MY SECOND SISTER,
LAURA, STARTED USING DRUGS AND
SHE CAUGHT THE AIDS VIRUS ALSO.
SO I LOST TWO SISTERS TO AN
ADDICTION.
>> DESPITE ALL THAT, WILLIAMS
BECAME A STAR ON THE BASKETBALL
COURT, FIRST AT ST JOHN'S.
THEN IN THE NBA.
>> JAYSON FOR THE 2 HANDED DUNK!
>> WHERE THE 6'10 POWER FORWARD
WAS ONE OF THE BEST REBOUNDERS
IN THE LEAGUE.
>> FROM YOUR NEW JERSEY NETS,
HERE'S JAYSON WILLIAMS!
>> OFF THE COURT HE WAS A HIT
TOO.
>> Jayson: BOTH OF US ARE
OVERPAID, ME AND YOU, DAVE!
>> WELL, SPEAK FOR YOUR
YOURSELF.
>> Jayson: [LAUGHS]
>> BUT HE ALSO EARNED ANOTHER
REPUTATION.
>> Jayson: I WAS NEVER AN ANGRY
DRUNK.
I WAS A, "COME OVER TO MY TABLE,
THERE'S DRINKS AND MORE.
LET'S TELL SOME STORIES.
LET'S LAUGH," KINDA GUY.
>> Mary: WHAT KINDA DRUGS DID
YOU DO?
>> Jayson: COCAINE.
BUT THAT WASN'T WHAT GOT ME.
ALCOHOL IS WHAT GOT ME, WHAT
KEPT ME, WHAT LIED TO ME, WHAT
WAS GOOD TO ME.
IT WAS WHATEVER I WANTED IT TO
BE, THAT'S WHAT ALCOHOL WAS.
>> IN SPITE OF HIS DRINKING AND
DRUGGING, WILLIAMS SIGNED A
NINETY MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT
WITH THE NETS IN 1999.
LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT HIS
CAREER WOULD END JUST A FEW
MONTHS LATER.
>> BOTH MARBURY AND WILLIAMS IN
OBVIOUS PAIN, OH AND JAYSON THE
WAY HE IS REACTING WITH HIS LEG.
OH.
>> WILLIAMS SUFFERED A COMPOUND
FRACTURE OF HIS RIGHT LEG.
>> Jayson: I KNEW I WAS IN
TROUBLE, WHEN THEY WERE SAYING,
"GET HIM SOME ICE."
AND I'M LOOKIN' DOWN GOING,
"ICE?
THAT'S MY BONE POPPING OUT NOW.
LIKE, OH MY GOD."
AND THEN FROM THERE ON, I
STARTED CRYING IN MY BEER.
"OH, POOR ME.
OH, POOR ME."
>> BUT WILLIAMS'S LIFE WOULD
ONLY GET WORSE FROM THERE.
FIRST, AFTER LOSING TWO SISTERS
AS A TEENAGER, HE SUDDENLY LOST
A THIRD.
>> Jayson: MY THIRD SISTER,
ROSEANNE.
HER HUSBAND CAME HOME, HAD SOME
DRINKS, AND SHOT HER IN THE FACE
AND KILLED HER.
>> FOR WILLIAMS, IT MIGHT'VE
BEEN A PAINFUL BUT IMPORTANT
LESSON, ABOUT THE DANGEROUS MIX
OF ALCOHOL AND FIREARMS.
INSTEAD, HE CONTINUED TO DRINK,
AND INDULGE IN ANOTHER ONE OF
HIS HOBBIES: GUNS.
UNTIL ONE NIGHT IN 2002, WHEN
WILLIAMS AND SOME FRIENDS
RETURNED TO HIS MANSION IN NEW
JERSEY AFTER A NIGHT OF
PARTYING.
>> Jayson: I WENT STRAIGHT TO MY
INSECURITIES.
I WENT AND SHOWED THEM MY GUNS.
>> WILLIAMS WAS PLAYING WITH A
SHOTGUN IN FRONT OF HIS FRIENDS
AND THEIR LIMO DRIVER, GUS
CHRISTOFI, WHEN HE SAYS THE GUN
ACCIDENTALLY WENT OFF, STRIKING
CHRISTOFI IN THE CHEST AND
KILLING HIM.
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, WILLIAMS
TRIED TO COVER UP THE CRIME BY
WIPING HIS FINGERPRINTS OFF THE
GUN, HIDING HIS BLOODY CLOTHES,
AND EVEN JUMPING IN HIS POOL TO
WASH CHRISTOFI'S BLOOD OFF HIS
BODY.
>> Jayson: I PANICKED.
I DON'T REMEMBER TO THIS DAY
WHAT I DID, I JUST RAN AND
JUMPED INTO THE POOL.
>> Mary: YOU JUMPED IN THE POOL
TO GET THE BLOOD OFF?
>> Jayson: I DON'T KNOW WHY I
JUMPED IN THE POOL.
PROBABLY BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA
GET IN TROUBLE, BECAUSE I WAS A
SUPERSTAR, RIGHT?
I WANTED SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO BE
IN TROUBLE.
BE HONEST, WHEN YOU GET SOBER,
YOU WONDER, "WHY IN THE F DID I
DO THAT?
WHY WOULD I DO THAT?
WHY WOULD I ACT THIS WAY?"
>> Mary: JAYSON, DO YOU THINK
ABOUT MR. CHRISTOFI EVERY SINGLE
DAY OF YOUR LIFE?
>> Jayson: EVERY SINGLE DAY OF
MY LIFE.
EVERY SINGLE DAY I THINK OF MR.
CHRISTOFI.
I SEE SOMEBODY GET SHOT ON
TELEVISION, OR I GO TO MOVIES,
I'M HAVING TOO MUCH FUN.
I'M HAVING TOO MUCH FUN, I THINK
ABOUT HIM.
>> THE COUNTS WILL ALL RUN
CONCURRENT TO EACH OTHER SO IT
WOULD BE A FIVE YEAR TERM IN
STATE PRISON.
>> WILLIAMS WAS CONVICTED ON
FOUR COUNTS OF COVERING UP THE
CRIME.
HE ALSO PLED GUILTY TO
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT.
>> Mary: YOU WERE SENTENCED TO
FIVE YEARS IN PRISON.
>> Jayson: YEAH.
>> Mary: DID YOU GET OFF
LIGHTLY?
>> Jayson: YES.
YEAH, I ACCIDENTALLY TOOK A
MAN'S LIFE.
HE'S NO LONGER HERE.
AND BEING HONEST, PROBABLY
SHOULD STILL BE IN THERE.
>> WILLIAMS SERVED JUST 18
MONTHS IN PRISON, BUT HIS LIFE
WAS A MESS.
HE WAS NOW DIVORCED, ESTRANGED
FROM HIS TWO DAUGHTERS, AND
TOXIC TO MANY OF HIS FRIENDS IN
THE NBA.
SO HE GAVE INTO HIS DEMONS
AGAIN.
>> Mary: AFTER EVERYTHING YOU
WENT THROUGH, WHY DID YOU START
DRINKING AGAIN?
>> Jayson: I STARTED DRINKIN'
AGAIN 'CAUSE I THOUGHT I GOT IT.
I SAID, "I CAN BE ONE OF THOSE
PEOPLE ON TELEVISION THAT CAN
HAVE ONE MARTINI."
BUT MY MARTINI GLASS WAS THAT
BIG.
AND I CONSIDERED THAT ONE GLASS.
>> Mary: HOW BAD DID IT GET?
>> Jayson: I DRANK MOONSHINE
WHISKEY AND DANDELION WINE.
AND I WOULD JUST DRINK THAT ALL
DAY LONG.
AND I WAS ABSOLUTELY OUT OF MY
DAMN MIND.
CRAZY.
>> FINALLY, AFTER WILLIAMS MADE
HEADLINES FOR YET ANOTHER
ARREST, THIS TIME FOR A DRUNK
DRIVING ACCIDENT, HE WAS
CONFRONTED BY TWO FELLOW NEW
YORK SPORTS LEGENDS.
FORMER JETS STAR CURTIS MARTIN,
AND FORMER KNICKS GREAT CHARLES
OAKLEY, BOTH CLOSE FRIENDS OF
WILLIAMS, SHOWED UP AT HIS DOOR
FOR AN INTERVENTION.
>> Jayson: I KNEW I NEEDED
TREATMENT.
I KNEW I NEEDED IT.
BUT AS AN ATHLETE, DO YOU
SURRENDER?
WE DON'T SURRENDER BECAUSE WE
ALWAYS SAY WE DON'T HAVE A
PROBLEM.
>> BUT OAKLEY AND MARTIN
EVENTUALLY GOT THROUGH TO
WILLIAMS AND GOT HIM HELP IN
FLORIDA.
WHERE HIS PATH TO SOBRIETY
BEGAN, HE SAYS, WHEN HE FINALLY
STARTED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR ALL OF THE DAMAGE HE DID TO
HIMSELF AND SO MANY OTHERS.
>> Jayson: LOVE, EMPATHY, AND
ACCOUNTABILITY.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT HELP
YOU GET BETTER, 'CAUSE THERE IS
NO CURE.
THERE IS NO CURE.
THERE'S JUST ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND YOU BETTER BE AROUND PEOPLE
WHO ARE LIKE MINDED LIKE YOU.
>> WILLIAMS SAYS THAT WHILE HE
WAS DETERMINED TO GET BETTER
THERE WAS ONE VERY IMPORTANT
ELEMENT MISSING FROM THE
PROCESS.
>> Jayson: WHEN I WENT TO
TREATMENT, I SAW PEOPLE WALKING
AROUND LIKE ZOMBIES WITH NO
ENERGY AND NO HOPE.
NO SPORTS.
PEOPLE SITTING UNDER THIS TENT,
SMOKING CIGARETTES, TALKING
ABOUT HOW MANY BAGS THEY DID OR
HOW MUCH ALCOHOL THEY DRANK.
AND I WAS JUST LIKE, "COME ON,
MAN."
SO I ASKED SOMEONE ELSE,
"THERE'S THE OLD VOLLEYBALL NET
OVER THERE."
I SAID, "IS THERE A BALL?"
AND THEY WENT AND BOUGHT ONE.
AND THEN WE STARTED PLAYING
VOLLEYBALL, JUST AS SIMPLE AS
THAT, MARY.
AND IT BECAME COMPETITIVE.
>> BEING AN ATHLETE AGAIN MADE
WILLIAMS HAPPY, GAVE HIM A SENSE
OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
SO AFTER GETTING OUT OF REHAB HE
DECIDED TO OPEN UP HIS OWN
FACILITY.
WHERE BEING ACTIVE IS JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS TALKING WITH YOUR
THERAPIST
IT'S CALLED "ADVENTURE THERAPY".
EVERY DAY HE SPENDS HOURS DOING
SOMETHING FUN AND EXCITING RIGHT
ALONGSIDE HIS PATIENTS.
EVERYONE FROM REGULAR FOLKS LIKE
TEACHERS AND DOCTORS, TO FORMER
NBA PLAYERS WHO HAVE FALLEN ON
HARD TIMES.
PLAYERS LIKE DELONTE WEST, WHO
IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROGRAM
AFTER LIVING ON THE STREETS FOR
THE LAST FEW YEARS.
OR FORMER SIXER MIKE GMINKSI.
GMINKSI USED TO MENTOR WILLIAMS
WHEN THE TWO PLAYED TOGETHER IN
PHILADELPHIA, BUT LAST YEAR IT
WAS WILLIAMS' TURN TO HELP
GMINSKI, WHOSE LIFE WAS
SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL.
>> Mike: THE ONE MOMENT THAT
REALLY BLEW ME OUTTA THE WATER
WAS THE DEATH OF MY FIANCE.
AND THEN THE THING THAT PUT IT
OVER THE TOP WAS COVID.
AND ALL I WAS DOING, MARY, I WAS
DRINKING AND PASSING OUT.
AND I'D GET UP IN THE MORNING
AND I'D START DRINKING AGAIN AND
I'D PASS OUT AT NIGHT.
AND THAT WAS MY LIFE.
>> Mary: WHAT KIND OF SHAPE WAS
MIKE GMINSKI IN WHEN HE GOT
HERE?
>> Jayson: HIS SON NOAH DROVE
HIM HERE.
AND MIKE PROBABLY WENT THROUGH A
HALF A GALLON OF LIQUOR ON THE
TRIP HERE WHEN THEY WERE DRIVING
FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
SO WHEN HE GOT OUT, WE COULD NOT
PICK HIM UP.
LITERALLY, HE'S SEVEN FOOT OF A
MAN WHO'S NOT WELL.
I DIDN'T THINK HE WOULD MAKE IT
OUTTA DETOX.
>> GMINSKI SAYS HE DESPERATELY
WANTED TO GET WELL, BUT WASN'T
READY FOR THE KIND OF THERAPY
WILLIAMS HAD IN MIND.
>> Mike: I IMMEDIATELY SAID,
"THERE IS NO F-IN' WAY I AM
JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE EVER."
>> Jayson: HE SAID, "JAY, I'M
NOT JUMPIN' OUTTA NO FREAKIN'
AIRPLANE."
[LAUGHS]
THE DAY WE WENT TO JUMP, NO LIE,
IT WAS LIKE, "WHAT IN THE HELL
DID YOU TALK ME INTO, MAN?"
>> Mike: WE GOT OVER TO THE
OPENING OF THE PLANE.
I LOOKED DOWN AND THE WIND WAS
JUST HOWLING.
AND WE GOT OVER AND JUMPED OUT.
DID A SOMERSAULT, AND THEN ONCE
WE STARTED TO FLOAT, I WAS,
LIKE, "MAN, THIS IS COOL,"
>> Jayson: YEAH!
>> Mike: WE KINDA COME IN HOT
AND, YOU KNOW, HIT THE LANDING.
AND I WAS LIKE, "CAN I GO
AGAIN?"
I MADE IT.
>> Mike: THAT ONE SINGULAR
MOMENT JUST MADE EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE FOR ME.
IT JUST GIVES YOU THE SENSE THAT
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.
AT LEAST IT GAVE ME THAT SENSE.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN FACING A
LIFE OF SOBRIETY, YOU KNOW, THAT
WAS AN INCREDIBLE HELP TO ME.
>> Mary: SO ADVENTURE THERAPY
WORKS?
>> Mike: YEAH.
I'M A HUGE, HUGE FAN.
>> GMINSKI LEFT REBOUND LAST
SEPTEMBER AND HAS BEEN SOBER
SINCE, IN PART HE SAYS, BECAUSE
HE TALKS TO WILLIAMS AND HIS
STAFF EVERY DAY.
>> THIS TEAM HAS YET TO WIN ON
THE ROAD.
>> HE ALSO RETURNED TO WORK AS A
COLLEGE BASKETBALL BROADCASTER.
>> Mary: MIKE GMINSKI SAYS THAT
CONSIDERING WHERE HE WAS A YEAR
AGO, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM
BECAUSE OF REBOUND, BECAUSE OF
YOU, IS A MIRACLE.
>> Jayson: HE TOLD ME WHEN HE
LEFT, HE SAID, "THANK YOU FOR
SAVIN' MY LIFE."
THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING THAN
THAT.
AND IT MAKES YOU CRY.
>> BUT THE HARSH REALITY IS THAT
MANY PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM
ADDICTION END UP RELAPSING, AND
SOME DIE.
LIKE FORMER NBA PLAYER LEWIS
LLOYD WHO OVERDOSED ON DRUGS
AFTER LEAVING REBOUND.
>> Mary: WHEN YOU LOSE SOMEBODY
LIKE LEWIS LLOYD --
>> Jayson: RIGHT.
>> Mary: DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU
FAILED?
>> Jayson: ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.
I TAKE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY,
SO IT'S A LOT OF ME SPENDING A
LOT OF TIME WITH OUR LIFE
COACHES AFTER THAT, AND THEM
SAYING, "JAY, WE GOTTA MOVE ON.
WE GOT OTHER PEOPLE."
>> THE "OTHER PEOPLE", HE SAYS,
ARE WHAT DRIVE HIM THESE DAYS,
NOT ONLY TO TRY AND SAVE THEIR
LIVES, BUT HIS OWN.
FINALLY, AT 53, SOMEONE PEOPLE
CAN TRUST.
>> Jayson: WHEN SOMEBODY CAN
COUNT ON YOU, MARY, IT'S THE
BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD.
THAT'S WHERE MY PEACE COMES.
WHEN YOU SAY, "JAY, I'M LEAVING
YOU MY HUSBAND," "I'M LEAVING
YOU MY WIFE," "I'M LEAVING YOU
MY SON," GET THEM BETTER.
IT'S LIKE, "LET'S GO.
GAME ON."
>> Bryant: MARY CARILLO IS
JOINING US FROM THE OTHER COAST
OF FLORIDA.
HEY MARY, HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> Mary: I'M VERY WELL, BRYANT,
THANKS.
>> Bryant: MARY, WHAT DO MEDICAL
PEOPLE, SCIENTIFIC PEOPLE, THINK
ABOUT ADVENTURE THERAPY?
>> Mary: IT SEEMS TO BE ACCEPTED
AS A VERY HEALTHY WAY TO GO
ABOUT TREATMENT, BRYANT.
THESE GUYS, THESE MEN AND WOMEN,
AREN'T HANGING AROUND IN A SMOKE
FILLED ROOM, SITTING ON A COUCH,
BEMOANING THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS.
I THINK IT IS VERY WELL
ACCEPTED.
>> Bryant: BUT DOES IT JUST MASK
THE PROBLEMS?
I MEAN, HE SAID HE'S SCARED OF
FREE TIME.
>> Mary: YEAH, HE DOES SAY THAT,
AND HE'S VERY HONEST ABOUT THE
FACT THAT...
I SAID TO HIM, "ARE YOU STILL--"
HE'S BEEN CLEAN FOR 5 YEARS, I
SAID "ARE YOU STILL LIVING DAY
BY DAY?"
AND HE SAYS, "I LIVE BREATH BY
BREATH."
I THINK HE UNDERSTANDS THAT IF
HE STAYS HEALTHY, IF HE EXHAUSTS
HIMSELF PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY,
EMOTIONALLY, THEN IT'S A GOOD
WAY TO STAY CLEAN.
AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE WHOLE
DEAL ABOUT REBOUND.
>> Bryant: MARY, HE AGREED THAT
HE GOT OFF LIGHT FOR KILLING A
MAN.
HOW, AND WHY, DID HE MANAGE TO
SERVE ONLY 18 MONTHS?
>> Mary: HE TOLD ME HE SPENT 13
MILLION DOLLARS IN LAWYERS.
SO, I THINK IT TOOK AN AWFUL LOT
OF LEGAL FEES FOR HIM TO SERVE
THE AMOUNT OF TIME HE DID.
BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU, ALL HE
SEEMS TO BE IS REPENTANT, THIS
GUY.
HE KNOWS HE'S MADE A LOT OF
MISTAKES, AND HE'S NOW TRYING TO
PAY FOR THEM.
>> Bryant: YEAH.
SPEAKING OF MONEY REAL QUICK,
WHO'S PAYING THE TAB FOR
REBOUND?
>> Mary: IT'S AN EXPENSIVE PLACE
TO REHAB, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO
MANY ACTIVITIES.
IT COULD BE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS A MONTH.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO CANNOT
PAY THAT.
HE'S LUCKY, JASON, THAT HE'S GOT
SOME VERY WEALTHY BENEFACTORS
WHO HAVE EITHER SENT THEIR
HUSBANDS OR THEIR WIVES OR THEIR
CHILDREN THERE.
>> Bryant: YEAH.
NICE STORY.
ALRIGHT MARY, THANKS SO VERY
MUCH.
STAY SAFE, WILL YOU?
>> Mary: I WILL.
>> Bryant: LET'S CHANGE GEARS
AND TURN TO A STORY THAT SEEMS
STRAIGHT OUT OF HOLLYWOOD.
IT'S THE TALE OF A SEVERELY
DISABLED GIRL WHO WAS ABANDONED
AND ABUSED IN AN ORPHANAGE,
STRUGGLING TO SIMPLY SURVIVE,
WHEN SHE WAS RESCUED BY A
STRANGER HALF A WORLD AWAY.
ALTHOUGH THAT'S THE STUFF OF
DREAMS, OKSANA MASTERS' STORY IS
ALL TOO REAL, AS IS HER
INCREDIBLE SUCCESS AS A
PARALYMPION ATHLETE IN FOUR
DIFFERENT SPORTS.
OUR SOLEDAD O'BRIEN HAS A
PROFILE.
>> Oksana: GO!
GO!
>> SHE IS PERHAPS THE GREATEST
ATHLETE YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF.
HER NAME IS OKSANA MASTERS, AND
SHE'S A JOCK OF ALL TRADES, ONE
OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT
SEEMINGLY EVERY SPORT SHE TRIES,
WHETHER ON LAND...
OR OVER WATER.
WHETHER RACING ACROSS ICE...
OR OPENING FIRE.
AND SHE DOES IT ALL WHILE
MISSING HALF HER LIMBS.
>> Soledad: IS THERE ANYTHING
YOU CAN'T DO PHYSICALLY?
>> Oksana: DANCE.
>> Soledad: BECAUSE OF YOUR
KNEES?
>> Oksana: BECAUSE OF MY KNEES,
AND I JUST HAVE NO RHYTHM TOO.
>> Soledad: WHETHER YOU HAD
KNEES OR NO KNEES, YOU JUST
CAN'T DANCE.
[LAUGHS]
>> Oksana: YEAH.
[LAUGHS]
I'M JUST A BAD DANCER.
>> ANYWAY, HER DANCE CARD IS
ALREADY FULL.
MASTERS SPENDS HER DAYS TRAINING
IN ONE SPORT AFTER THE NEXT.
FROM CYCLING, TO CROSS COUNTRY
SKIING, TO TARGET SHOOTING.
>> Oksana: YES!
>> Soledad: SO HOW HARD IS THAT
ON YOUR BODY?
>> Oksana: I'M NOT GONNA
SUGARCOAT IT, IT'S NOT FUN AND
IT'S HARD.
IT'S KIND OF, LIKE, "WHY AM I
DOING THIS AGAIN?"
BUT THEN WHEN I'M IN THE MOMENT
OF DOING IT, I'M, LIKE, "I LOVE
IT."
>> REPRESENTING THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA...
>> OKSANA MASTERS!
>> HER HARD WORK HAS TURNED HER
INTO A DECORATED PARALYMPIAN, A
WINNER OF EIGHT MEDALS IN THREE
DIFFERENT SPORTS.
BUT WHAT MAKES HER TRULY
REMARKABLE ISN'T HER STORYBOOK
SUCCESS, IT'S WHERE HER STORY
BEGAN, AND HOW SHE MANAGED TO
SURVIVE.
>> THE SOVIET UNION HAS SUFFERED
ONE OF THE WORST DISASTERS IN
THE HISTORY OF NUCLEAR POWER.
>> MASTERS WAS BORN IN UKRAINE
DURING A TIME OF TRAGEDY AS THE
COUNTRY, THEN A PART OF THE
SOVIET UNION, WAS TRYING TO
RECOVER FROM THE MOST
DEVASTATING NUCLEAR ACCIDENT IN
HISTORY.
THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER, WHICH
PUMPED RADIATION ACROSS THE
REGION, BELIEVED TO HAVE CAUSED
COUNTLESS BIRTH DEFECTS IN THE
YEARS THAT FOLLOWED.
WHEN MASTERS WAS BORN, SHE WAS
MISSING A KIDNEY, AND PART OF
HER STOMACH.
SHE HAD NO THUMBS, BUT EXTRA
TOES.
AND SHE HAD RADICALLY DEFORMED
LEGS, WITH NO BONES INSIDE THEM
TO PROPERLY SUPPORT HER WEIGHT.
SO BLEAK WAS HER FUTURE THAT HER
PARENTS SIMPLY LEFT HER AT AN
ORPHANAGE, LEAVING HER TO GROW
UP ALONE.
>> Oksana: YOU WANT A FAMILY,
YOU WANT, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
LOVE WAS, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WAS
WANTING.
>> FOR YEARS, OKSANA WATCHED AS
PROSPECTIVE PARENTS VISITED THE
ORPHANAGE, LOOKING FOR A CHILD
TO ADOPT.
NONE OF THEM WANTED THE DISABLED
GIRL.
>> Oksana: YOU'D TRY TO BE ON
YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR, 'CAUSE YOU
KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW THAT, "PICK ME, PICK
ME, PLEASE PICK ME."
>> Soledad: WERE THERE OTHER
KIDS WHO WERE GETTING ADOPTED?
>> Oksana: YEAH.
AT FIRST IT WAS HARD.
AND IT MAKES YOU THINK, "WHAT'S
WRONG WITH ME?"
YOU AUTOMATICALLY THINK IT'S
YOUR FAULT.
YOU DIDN'T DO SOMETHING RIGHT.
YOU WEREN'T CUTE ENOUGH.
AND THEN YOU BECOME IMMUNE TO
IT.
THEN IT JUST BECOMES NORMAL.
>> IT WASN'T JUST THAT SHE
WANTED A FAMILY.
MASTERS SAYS SHE NEEDED TO GET
OUT OF THE ORPHANAGE.
LIFE INSIDE WAS GRIM.
>> Oksana: WE WERE SO HUNGRY.
WE HADN'T EATEN FOR, LIKE, I
DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG.
IT WAS SO MANY DAYS, BUT THE
PAIN IN YOUR STOMACH WHEN YOU'RE
REALLY, REALLY HUNGRY...
THERE'S A LOT OF PAIN YOU CAN
IGNORE.
BUT THIS KIND OF A PAIN, YOU, IS
JUST SO IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE.
>> MASTERS SAYS THAT ONE NIGHT
SHE WAS SO DESPERATE FOR FOOD,
SHE SNUCK INTO THE KITCHEN WITH
HER BEST FRIEND, LANEY, LOOKING
FOR SCRAPS.
THEY WERE SPOTTED.
>> Oksana: I HID UNDER THE
TABLE.
THEY SAW LANEY AND THEY GRABBED
HER.
I CLOSED MY EARS BUT WATCHED
THEM HIT HER SO HARD AND SHE WAS
NOT MOVING AT ALL AFTERWARDS.
THEY PICKED HER UP, AND THAT WAS
THE LAST TIME THAT I...
[CRYING]
YEAH, THE LAST TIME THAT I SAW
HER, AND MY LAST, LIKE, THAT,
SHE WAS THE ONLY VERSION OF
FAMILY THAT I KNEW.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT
PROTECTED ME ON THOSE REALLY BAD
NIGHTS.
>> NOT ONLY DID MASTERS WATCH AS
HER BEST FRIEND WAS EVIDENTLY
BEATEN TO DEATH, BUT WITHOUT
LANEY, HER LIFE AT THE ORPHANAGE
ONLY GOT WORSE.
MASTERS SAYS THE ORPHANAGE WAS
CONNECTED TO A BROTHEL, AND MALE
STRANGERS WOULD ENTER HER ROOM
AT NIGHT, AND ASSAULT HER.
ONE NIGHT WHEN SHE WAS SIX, SHE
TRIED TO FIGHT BACK.
>> Oksana: SOMEBODY WAS ON TOP
OF ME.
AND THEY GOT OUT A FLIP KNIFE.
I THINK THEY WERE TRYING TO
CONTROL ME.
I WAS FIGHTING AND IT CUT ME.
>> MASTERS WAS SLASHED ACROSS
THE STOMACH, AND STILL BEARS THE
SCAR.
>> Oksana: IT'S A PERMANENT SCAR
TO REMIND YOU OF THE ONE TIME IN
YOUR LIFE THAT SOMEONE HAD
CONTROL OVER YOUR BODY MORE THAN
YOU HAD OF YOURS, OF YOUR OWN
BODY.
>> Soledad: I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE
THE STRENGTH OF A LITTLE CHILD
TO GET THROUGH THAT.
>> Oksana: IT'S YOUR EVERY DAY.
>> WHAT OKSANA DIDN'T KNOW AT
THE TIME WAS THAT HER PHOTO HAD
MADE ITS WAY?INTO AN ADOPTION
NEWSLETTER IN AMERICA, AND HAD
CAUGHT THE EYE OF ONE
PROSPECTIVE MOTHER.
>> Gay: IT WAS PRETTY CRAZY
'CAUSE I ONLY WANTED AN INFANT.
BUT I SAW A PICTURE OF HER AND
HER EYES WERE JUST ENTICING.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE
SEES WHAT I SAW IN THOSE EYES.
>> Soledad: WHAT DID YOU SEE IN
THE EYES?
>> Gay: I JUST SAW MY DAUGHTER.
>> GAY MASTERS, THEN A SINGLE
COLLEGE PROFESSOR, SAYS SHE
BECAME DETERMINED TO ADOPT THE
LITTLE GIRL IN THE PHOTO.
THIS IS THE ONE WHERE SHE'S JUST
LIKE "COME AND GET ME".
>> AND ALL HER PHYSICAL
CHALLENGES.
>> Soledad: WHY WERE YOU NOT
AFRAID?
>> Gay: BECAUSE I GUESS I FELT
THAT CONNECTION.
AND I WAS THINKING, "WELL,
THERE'S DEFINITELY WORSE THINGS
THAN PROSTHETICS OR A
WHEELCHAIR."
>> BACK AT THE ORPHANAGE, OKSANA
WAS TOLD SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE A
MOTHER, AND NOW IT WAS HER TURN
TO FALL IN LOVE WITH A PHOTO,
THE PHOTO OF GAY MASTERS
ATTACHED TO HER ADOPTION
PAPERWORK.
>> Oksana: I WOULD ASK TO LOOK
AT HER PICTURE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IT WAS SOMETHING WITH HER SMILE.
IT WAS AN HONEST SMILE FOR ME.
>> Soledad: THAT PHOTO IS THIS
BIG.
IT'S A PASSPORT PHOTO.
AND YOU COULD TELL FROM THE
SMILE IN THAT PHOTO THAT YOU
WERE LOOKING AT THAT SHE HAD AN
HONEST SMILE?
>> Oksana: YEAH.
NO MATTER WHAT BAD THING WAS
HAPPENING, WHAT CRUEL THINGS
THEY WERE DOING TO YOU I LOOKED
AT MY MOM'S PICTURE AND JUST
CREATED THIS LIFE WITH HER.
THANK GOSH FOR PHOTOGRAPHY,
'CAUSE THAT KEPT ME I THINK
ALIVE AND SO AND KEPT GOING IN
SO MANY WAYS.
>> AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS OF
ENDLESS PAPERWORK AND PATIENCE,
THE ADOPTION WENT THROUGH.
GAY WENT TO UKRAINE, AND OKSANA
FINALLY MET HER NEW MOTHER.
>> Oksana: THE FIRST THING
WAKING UP WAS SEEING HER FACE,
BEING WOKEN UP, AND LIKE, "WE
HAVE SOMEONE HERE TO MEET YOU,"
AND SHE KNEELED DOWN BESIDE ME,
AND IT WAS, IT WAS HER, IT WAS
REAL.
>> Oksana: MY MOM BEING GOOFY.
>> THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER PAIR
RETURNED TO THE STATES, AND
OKSANA BEGAN TO LIVE OUT HER
AMERICAN DREAM.
>> OH MY GOD, FAT, BIG CANDY
CANE.
>> SHE LEARNED ENGLISH.
>> YES!
>> AND FOR THE FIRST TIME HAD
HER OWN TOYS, AND HER OWN
FAMILY.
BUT IN OTHER WAYS, OKSANA
STRUGGLED TO BREAK FREE OF HER
PAST.
FOR ONE THING, SHE WAS
FRIGHTENINGLY SMALL, AFTER YEARS
OF MALNUTRITION.
>> Gay: SHE WAS TINY.
>> Soledad: SEVEN YEARS OLD?
THIRTY-FIVE POUNDS?
>> Gay: SHE WAS THE SIZE OF MY
NEIGHBOR'S THREE-YEAR-OLD.
>> OKSANA WAS ALSO HAUNTED BY
HER DARK PAST, THE DETAILS OF
WHICH SHE KEPT SECRET FROM HER
NEW MOTHER, WHO COULD ONLY TRY
TO PIECE TOGETHER CLUES.
>> Gay: SHE DIDN'T LIKE TO TALK
A LOT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
SO THESE LITTLE PIECES WOULD
COME OUT.
WE GOT SOME UKRAINIAN DOLLS,
THEY WERE ALWAYS CALLED LANEY.
I WONDERED, SORT OF, IF
SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED.
>> Soledad: SHE HAD A SCAR ON
HER BELLY?
>> Gay: YEAH.
IT WAS A VERY LARGE SCAR ON A
VERY SMALL CHILD.
>> AND, OF COURSE, OKSANA WAS
STILL SEVERELY DEFORMED.
WITH WEBBED FINGERS, AND NO
THUMBS, SHE STRUGGLED AT EVEN
SIMPLE TASKS.
HER LEGS WERE IN EVEN WORSE
CONDITION, SO BAD THAT DOCTORS
EVENTUALLY DETERMINED THEY'D
NEED TO BE REMOVED.
FOR OKSANA, WHO'D HOPED TO
FINALLY HAVE A NORMAL LIFE IN
AMERICA, THE AMPUTATIONS LEFT
HER DEVASTATED.
>> Oksana: I HATED MYSELF.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SEE POWER
IN MYSELF AND TO LOVE MYSELF AND
TO THINK I AM STRONG.
>> GAY KNEW HER DAUGHTER NEEDED
HELP, SO SHE CAME TO OKSANA'S
RESCUE AGAIN, SHOWING HER THAT
SHE DIDN'T NEED LEGS TO BE
COMPLETE.
GAY ENROLLED OKSANA IN A ROWING
CLASS, A CLASS THAT WOULD CHANGE
HER LIFE.
>> Oksana: I'VE NEVER FELT LIKE
I'VE BELONGED SOMEWHERE IN MY
LIFE MORE THAN IN THAT MOMENT IN
THAT BOAT.
AND I JUST FELT LIKE A WHOLE NEW
PERSON WHEN I GOT OFF THE DOCK.
>> MASTERS SAYS SHE COULDN'T
WAIT TO GET BACK INTO THE BOAT.
AND THE MORE SHE ROWED, THE MORE
SHE HEALED.
>> Oksana: IT STARTED OUT AS AN
OUTLET.
IT STARTED OUT AS A RELEASE.
IT STARTED OUT AS A VOICE, WHEN
I DID NOT WANT TO VERBALIZE OR
SPEAK THINGS AND DIDN'T KNOW HOW
TO EXPRESS THEM EXCEPT THROUGH
JUST PULLING ON THE OARS AS HARD
AS I COULD.
AFTER A FEW YEARS OF TRAINING,
MASTERS WAS COMPETING AT THE
HIGHEST LEVEL OF THE SPORT.
>> UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
>> AND IN 2012 SHE WAS TAPPED TO
REPRESENT HER ADOPTIVE COUNTRY
AT THE PARALYMPIC GAMES IN
LONDON.
>> Soledad: YOU WALK INTO THE
PARALYMPICS.
WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD?
>> Oksana: DON'T FALL.
DON'T BE THAT ONE TO FALL IN THE
OPENING CEREMONY.
>> NOT ONLY DID MASTERS NOT
FALL, SHE AND HER PARTNER IN THE
PAIRS COMPETITION ENDED UP ON
THE PODIUM, WITH A BRONZE MEDAL.
IT WAS HER FIRST TASTE OF GLORY,
AND MASTERS LIKED IT.
SO SHE BEGAN LOOKING FOR NEW
SPORTS THAT SHE COULD TRY, NEW
WAYS OF PROVING WHAT SHE COULD
DO.
>> Oksana: I'M SO COMPETITIVE
THAT EVERY TIME I GET A SPORT,
I'M, LIKE, "I'M HONESTLY
THINKING ABOUT THE PARALYMPIC
LEVEL.
WHEN'S THE NEXT GAMES?
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET
THERE?"
>> SHE FOLLOWED HER PLAN.
TWO YEARS LATER, IN A NEW
SEASON, AND A NEW SPORT, NORDIC
SKIING, MASTERS WON TWO MORE
PARALYMPIC MEDALS.
>> AND OKSANA MASTERS CROSSES
THE LINE!
>> BUT HER CROWNING MOMENT CAME
AT THE 2018?GAMES?IN SOUTH
KOREA.
MASTERS EARNED?FIVE MEDALS IN
ALL, INCLUDING TWO IN YET
ANOTHER DISCIPLINE, BIATHLON.
>> AND NOW OKSANA MASTERS
CHARGING TO THE FINISH LINE.
>> AND FINALLY CAPTURED HER
FIRST GOLD.
>> Oksana: LITERALLY FIVE METERS
FROM THE FINISH LINE.
I'M, LIKE, "OH MY GOD," I'M,
LIKE, IN MY MIND HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION, FREAKING OUT!
LIKE, "THIS IS HAPPENING, THIS
IS GONNA HAPPEN.
OH MY GOD, I'M GONNA BE A GOLD
MEDALIST!"
>> AND SHE'S A FIRST TIME GOLD
MEDAL WINNER AT THE PARALYMPIC
GAMES!
>> Oksana: YEAH!
>> MASTERS KNOWS SHE WILL NEVER
OUTRACE HER PAST.
BUT SHE SAYS SHE USES HER TRAUMA
AS FUEL.
PARTICULARLY THE MEMORY OF HER
ONLY CHILDHOOD FRIEND, LANEY.
>> Oksana: WHEN I AM IN A RACE I
LITERALLY SOMETIMES GO TO SOME
PRETTY DARK MEMORIES, AND THEN
THERE'S SOMETIMES ALL OF A
SUDDEN, I FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY
JUST PUSHED ME FORWARD.
IN MY MIND, THAT'S LANEY.
AND SHE IS 100% THERE ALWAYS AND
WILL BE ALWAYS THERE.
AND I JUST WISH SHE GOT TO MAKE
IT OUT OF THERE AS WELL.
>> THESE DAYS, MASTERS IS
TRAINING IN PURSUIT OF WINNING A
MEDAL IN HER FOURTH SPORT, HAND
CYCLING.
SHE HOPES THAT HER TRAINING
PARTNER, FELLOW PARALYMPIAN
AARON PIKE, WILL HELP HER GET ON
THE PODIUM, AND MAKE HISTORY.
>> Aaron: SHE'S JUST RELENTLESS.
I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE SAY, LIKE,
SOMEBODY WANTS IT BADDER THAN
SOMEONE ELSE.
LIKE, WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING A
COMMENTATOR SAY THAT.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS AN ATHLETE,
YOU'RE LIKE THEY BOTH OBVIOUSLY
WANT IT JUST AS BAD.
BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU,
LIKE, THINK THAT'S TRUE WITH
OKSANA.
>> Oksana: I AM SO LUCKY TO HAVE
A REALLY GOOD-LOOKING TRAINING
PARTNER.
HE'S ALSO MY BOYFRIEND, MY BEST
FRIEND.
BESIDES MY PROSTHETICS, HE'S MY
BETTER HALF, BECAUSE MY
PROSTHETICS ARE MY BETTER HALF
TOO.
CAN'T GET FAR WITHOUT THEM.
>> FOR SEVEN YEARS THE TWO HAVE
BEEN INSEPARABLE.
LIKE MASTERS, PIKE ALSO
UNDERSTANDS TRAGEDY.
AS A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD HE WAS
INVOLVED IN A HUNTING ACCIDENT
THAT LEFT HIM WITH A BULLET IN
HIS SPINE AND LIMITED MOBILITY
IN HIS LEGS.
THEY SAY THEY BRING OUT THE BEST
IN EACH OTHER.
>> Oksana: OH GOD!
>> WHEN THE PAIR ISN'T TRAINING
OR COMPETING, THEY ENJOY
SPENDING TIME AT HOME, IN
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS, WHERE
FAMILY MEALS ARE ROUTINE,
BECAUSE GAY JUST MOVED DOWN THE
ROAD.
>> Soledad: THE NUMBER OF THINGS
THAT SHE'S HAD TO OVERCOME TO
JUST GET THROUGH, FORGET ABOUT
BEING A CHAMPION.
>> Gay: RIGHT.
>> Soledad: BUT JUST TO SURVIVE.
>> Gay: YEAH, I DON'T KNOW HOW
SHE'S DONE IT.
>> Soledad: SHE GIVES YOU A LOT
OF CREDIT.
SHE SAYS YOU SAVED HER LIFE.
>> Gay: WELL, SHE SAVED MY LIFE
TOO BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF HER, I
GOT TO BE A MOM.
>> Oksana: SHE SAVED ME WHEN SHE
ADOPTED ME, AND SHE SAVED ME
AGAIN WHEN SHE PUSHED ME INTO
ROWING AND SPORTS.
IT'S WILD TO THINK BACK OF WHERE
I STARTED WITH MY LIFE, A LITTLE
GIRL WHO HAD NO VOICE.
TO NOW, LIKE, LITERALLY LIVING
MY DREAMS.
SICKLE MUSICAL
>> Bryant: PLEASED TO WELCOME
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN.
HEY SOLEDAD, HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> Soledad: HI, BRYANT.
I'M GREAT, HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> Bryant: I'M ALRIGHT.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT OKSANA IN A
SECOND, LET'S TALK ABOUT GAY FOR
A MOMENT.
SHE'S A HERO TOO IN THIS, YEAH?
>> Soledad: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
IMAGINE WAITING TWO YEARS IN
ORDER TO BE ABLE TO RESCUE A
PARTICULAR CHILD FROM THAT
PARTICULAR ORPHANAGE.
SO, YEAH, I'D DEFINITELY SAY A
HERO.
>> Bryant: AND THIS PARTICULAR
CHILD TURNED OUT TO BE SO
AMAZING.
DOES SHE HAVE SPONSORS BACKING
HER EFFORTS?
>> Soledad: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND SOME BIG ONES, LIKE NIKE I
THINK, AND TOYOTA, AND VISA.
LIKE REALLY, REALLY GOOD ONES.
>> Bryant: YEAH.
AND WHAT KIND OF PRIMARY
INTERESTS DOES SHE HAVE BEYOND
ATHLETICS?
>> Soledad: YOU KNOW, SHE IS I
THINK RIGHT NOW JUST LOVING LIFE
WITH HER BOYFRIEND.
AND SO, I THINK SHE WOULD SAY
SHE'S NOT A GREAT COOK, THERE'S
A LOT THAT SHE DOESN'T DO
PARTICULARLY WELL.
SHE'S GOT A GREAT SENSE OF
HUMOR, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
WHAT THEY DO IS JUST HANG OUT
WHEN THEY'RE NOT WORKING OUT
LIKE CRAZY.
BECAUSE OF COURSE, THE
TURNAROUND TO BE ABLE TO GET
THROUGH THE NEXT THINGS THAT
THEY HAVE TO GET THROUGH IS VERY
TIGHT.
>> Bryant: YEAH, I GUESS I'M
ASKING BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU
CAN'T DO WHAT SHE DOES FOREVER.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CHEERING
STOPS?
>> Soledad: YEAH, THAT'S, YOU
KNOW, I THINK SHE'S VERY
INSPIRATIONAL.
AND ONCE THE WORK AND
COMPETITION IS OVER AND RIGHT
NOW, BY THE WAY, SHE JUST WON 6
GOLD MEDALS IN THE WORLD CUP, SO
SHE'S DOING GREAT.
I JUST THINK SHE'S SO
INSPIRATIONAL, AND I THINK THIS
IS A NEW VEIN FOR HER IN HER
LIFE STORY, AND WHAT YOU CAN
ACCOMPLISH IN SPITE OF THINGS
BEING SO DARK, AND SO
CHALLENGING, AND SO DIFFICULT.
I WOULD GUESS THAT IS THE
DIRECTION SHE'S GOING TO GO.
>> Bryant: IT'S REALLY INSPIRING
STUFF.
ALRIGHT, SOLEDAD, THANKS SO VERY
MUCH.
STAY SAFE.
>> Soledad: YOU BET.
THANKS, YOU TOO.
>> Bryant: WE MOVE ON.
THIS MONTH, AS SPORTS FANS TURN
THEIR ATTENTION TO THE
BASKETBALL COURTS OF MARCH
MADNESS, THOSE WITH A BROADER
INTEREST IN THE FATE OF THE
ATHLETES ARE LOOKING TO A
DIFFERENT KIND OF COURT BATTLE.
A SUPREME COURT MATCHUP, THE
FIRST IN ALMOST 4 DECADES
INVOLVING THE NCAA.
ON THE DOCKET IT'S OFFICIALLY
LISTED AS NCAA VS. ALSTON AND
THE STAKES ARE ENORMOUS.
>> HANDOFF.
ONCE AGAIN, IT'S ALSTON KEEPING
IT ALIVE.
SECOND EFFORT.
TOUCHDOWN.
>> SHAWNE ALSTON IS A FORMER
RUNNING BACK AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF WEST VIRGINIA.
HE'S ONE OF MANY PLAINTIFFS WHO
HAVE GONE TO COURT OVER THE
NCAA'S POWER TO CAP THOSE
BENEFITS ATHLETES MIGHT DERIVE
FROM THEIR TALENTS.
THOSE REPRESENTING ALSTON AND
OTHERS HAVE ARGUED THAT BY
CAPPING BENEFITS THE NCAA IS
OPERATING IN A MONOPOLISTIC
FASHION AND IS THEREFORE IN
VIOLATION OF FEDERAL ANTITRUST
LAWS, A CONTENTION THAT HAS
ALREADY BEEN UPHELD BY A FEDERAL
CIRCUIT COURT IN CALIFORNIA.
>> Bryant: TIM NEVIUS IS A
COLLEGE ATHLETE ADVOCATE WHO HAS
LONG PLAYED A CENTRAL ROLE IN
THE ALSTON SUIT.
HE'S IN NEW YORK.
MR. NEVIUS, THANK YOU FOR BEING
WITH US.
>> Tim: THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> Bryant: YOU WON A JUDGMENT IN
THIS CASE IN A CALIFORNIA
CIRCUIT COURT ALREADY.
ARE YOU EITHER SURPRISED,
DISAPPOINTED, ANGRY THAT THE
COURT, HIGH COURT, HAS AGREED TO
HEAR IT?
>> Tim: TO BE CLEAR, I HELPED
INITIATE AND LEAD THE CASE FOR A
COUPLE YEARS, BUT THE ATTORNEYS
LED BY JEFF KESLER AND OTHERS
HAVE TOOK THAT TO TRIAL AND WON
A DECISION AND THEN WON
AFFIRMATION AT THE NINTH CIRCUIT
LEVEL.
AND I THINK THAT IT SIGNALS THAT
THE NCAA NO LONGER HAS THE
ABILITY TO SET THESE
IMPERMISSIBLE REGULATIONS OVER
WHAT COLLEGE ATHLETES CAN
RECEIVE.
THE FACT THAT THE SUPREME COURT
DECIDED TO HEAR THIS CASE IS
IMPORTANT AND HOPEFULLY IT'S
SOMETHING THAT SHIFTS AND TURNS
THE TIDE IN FAVOR OF THE
ATHLETES BECAUSE HOPEFULLY THEY
COME DOWN TO SAY THAT THESE
RESTRICTIONS ARE AN ANTITRUST
VIOLATION AND CANNOT STAND.
>> Bryant: THE COURT CURRENTLY,
AS WE ALL KNOW, HAS A
CONSERVATIVE BENT.
DOES THAT NECESSARILY FAVOR THE
NCAA?
>> Tim: WELL, YOU SEE THE
CONSERVATIVE JUSTICES ARE LESS
IN FAVOR OF LABOR EFFORTS, WHICH
MAY INCLUDE, FOR INSTANCE, THE
COLLEGE PLAYERS IN THIS
SITUATION, BUT NOT NECESSARILY.
BECAUSE YOU WOULD THINK THAT
THEY'RE ALSO IN FAVOR OF FREE
MARKET ENTERPRISE, WHICH IS WHAT
IS BEING DISCUSSED, IN PART, IN
THIS CASE.
>> Bryant: THE SUPREME COURT IS
ONLY THE LATEST BATTLE FRONT IN
THE ONGOING WAR OVER THE NCAA'S
BRAND OF AMATEURISM.
ANOTHER FRONT HAS BEEN OPENED ON
CAPITOL HILL, WHERE SENATOR CORY
BOOKER IS CO-SPONSORING A BILL
AIMED AT HELPING COLLEGE
ATHLETES GET COMPENSATED FAIRLY
FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
HE'S IN WASHINGTON D.C.
SENATOR, WELCOME.
>> Senator Booker: THANK YOU.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE ON.
>> Bryant: SO MUCH OF THIS IS
GOING ON NOW IN HAPHAZARD
FASHION, IN GREAT PART BECAUSE
THE NCAA HAS NOT SET ANY
NATIONAL STANDARDS AND FRANKLY
THERE HAS BEEN AN ABSENCE OF
FEDERAL LEGISLATION TOO UNTIL
NOW.
WHY?
WHY HASN'T THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ACTED BEFORE NOW?
>> Senator Booker: CONGRESS
SHOULD HAVE ACTED.
I CAME HERE ABOUT SEVEN YEARS
AGO AND ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO I
STILL REMEMBER HAVING A HEARING
WHERE THE HEAD OF THE NCAA SAT
BEFORE THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
AND I ASKED A LOT OF TOUGH
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE BASIC
ISSUES OF FAIRNESS AND SAFETY.
AND THE NCAA GAVE A LOT OF LIP
SERVICE TO WANTING TO ADDRESS
THOSE ISSUES.
AND THEY HAVE NOT SUBSTANTIVELY
DONE SO.
SO I'M ONE OF THESE FOLKS IN
CONGRESS SAYING, "WE SHOULD ACT.
AND WE SHOULD START WITH AN
ATHLETES' BILL OF RIGHTS, BASIC
PROTECTIONS.
FOR THEIR HEALTH, SAFETY,
WELL-BEING, AND A FAIR SHARE OF
SOME OF THE PROFITS THAT ARE
BEING MADE IN THIS WORLD."
>> Bryant: YOUR COLLEGE
ATHLETES' BILL OF RIGHTS, THE
ONE YOU'RE PROPOSING IS
AMBITIOUS.
IT CALLS FOR, AMONG OTHER
THINGS, REVENUE SHARING,
UNRESTRICTED FREEDOM TO
TRANSFER, LIFETIME SCHOLARSHIPS,
A MEDICAL FUND, SOME OTHER
ELEMENTS AS WELL.
DO YOU WANT THIS REPLACING THE
NCAA OR BEING IMPLEMENTED BY AND
COEXISTING WITH THE NCAA?
>> Senator Booker: █I THINK THE
NCAA HAS A ROLE.
I THINK THEY'VE LOST THEIR WAY A
BIT.
THEY'VE GIVEN LIP SERVICE TO
MOST OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN
THAT COLLEGE BILL OF RIGHTS.
SIX YEARS AGO DURING THAT
HEARING, THE HEAD OF THE NCAA
SAID, "WE SHOULD HAVE LIFETIME
SCHOLARSHIPS."
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW AS A GUY, AND
I KNOW THIS WAS THE CASE OF MY
DAYS PLAYING, YOU'RE DOING A
FULL-TIME JOB AND TRYING TO GO
TO SCHOOL AND KEEP YOUR CREDITS.
SO I THINK THAT THIS COLLEGE
BILL OF RIGHTS IS A BASIC FLOOR
THAT EVERY COLLEGE ATHLETE
SHOULD HAVE RIGHTS TO.
AND WE, WHO ARE FANS, WHO SO
LOVE THIS PART OF AMERICAN
CULTURE, SHOULD NOT -- BE
CONTINUING TO LOOK AT AND
SUPPORT AN INSTITUTION THAT
DENIES CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL
BENEFITS, THEIR HEALTH AND
SAFETY, AND FRANKLY THE ABILITY
TO CONTROL THEIR NAME, IMAGE,
AND LIKENESS.
>> ALL OF WHAT'S GOING ON IS
MOVING AT A RAPID PACE BECAUSE
MANY, IF NOT MOST, STATES HAVE
ALREADY PASSED OR ARE PURSUING
NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS
LEGISLATION THAT'S FRIENDLY TO
ATHLETES.
THOSE THREE LETTERS, N-I-L, ARE
CENTRAL TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
HAVING WON THE RIGHT TO MONETIZE
THEIR NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS,
COLLEGE ATHLETES, FOR THE FIRST
TIME, ARE POISED TO CHOOSE FROM
A VARIETY OF STATE OFFERS
BECAUSE THERE ARE NO EXISTING
NATIONAL RULES OR LIMITS ON WHAT
THEY CAN BE OFFERED BY VARIOUS
STATES.
IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEIR STATE UNIVERSITIES DON'T
GET OUT-RECRUITED BY SCHOOLS IN
STATES OFFERING GREATER
MONEY-MAKING OPPORTUNITIES TO
THE BEST OF ATHLETES, THESE
SO-CALLED NIL BILLS ARE SAILING
THROUGH STATE HOUSES AND WILL
SOON GO INTO EFFECT.
AND WHILE THOSE BILLS VARY IN
SCOPE AND DETAILS, ALL OF THEM
BASICALLY HOLD THAT AN ATHLETE'S
NIL RIGHTS CANNOT BE RESTRICTED
BY SCHOOLS OR CONFERENCES, A
BASIC TENET THAT'S COUNTER TO
WHAT THE NCAA ALLOWS.
>> Bryant: SO WE'VE GOT THE NIL
BILLS BEING PASSED IN VARIOUS
STATES.
WE'VE GOT LEGISLATION IN
CONGRESS.
AND WE'VE GOT A CASE BEFORE THE
SUPREME COURT.
TIM, LET ME BRING YOU BACK INTO
THIS.
DOES -- DO ANY OF THE THREE TAKE
PRECEDENCE OVER THE OTHER TWO IN
YOUR MIND?
>> Tim: I THINK WHAT'S CRITICAL
HERE IS TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT
THERE ARE OVER 30 STATES THAT
HAVE PROPOSED OR PASSED
LEGISLATION ON THIS TOPIC.
THERE'S NOW AT LEAST SIX FEDERAL
BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED
AND WE'RE WAITING FOR A SUPREME
COURT HEARING.
THE ISSUE OF NAME, IMAGE, AND
LIKENESS HAS IGNITED THE
DISCUSSION.
BUT I THINK THE DISCUSSION, AS
SENATOR BOOKER MENTIONED, GOES
FAR BEYOND JUST WHETHER THE
PLAYERS SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY
TO ENGAGE IN MARKETING RIGHTS OR
ENDORSEMENT DEALS.
IT INCLUDES HEALTH AND SAFETY.
IT INCLUDES EDUCATION.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS THE
OPPORTUNITY IN THIS INFLECTION
POINT IN COLLEGE SPORTS, TO
ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.
>> Bryant: LET ME GIVE VOICE TO
THOSE WHO MIGHT SUPPORT WHAT THE
NCAA IS ABOUT.
AND LOOKING AT THESE NIL BILLS
SAY THAT UNLESS THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT STEPS IN AND WE COME
UP WITH SOME NATIONAL
REGULATIONS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A
SITUATION THAT IS TOTALLY OUT OF
CONTROL WHERE ANY AND ALL
ATHLETES WILL SIMPLY BE GOING TO
THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
VALID POINT, SENATOR?
>> Senator Booker: YEAH, I THINK
IT IS A VALID POINT THAT IF WE
CHERISH THE CONFERENCES AND THE
GENERAL, AT LEAST, IDEAL OF A
LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
IF WE DO NOT HAVE A NATIONAL
STANDARD THERE'S VERY MUCH GOING
TO BE DIFFERENT STATES THAT GIVE
ADVANTAGE TO THEIR STATE SCHOOLS
OVER OTHER STATES.
SO I DO THINK THERE -- AGAIN,
THERE'S A FORCING MECHANISM THAT
REALLY DEMANDS -- CONGRESS TO
STEP UP AND PUT A BILL ON THE
PRESIDENT'S DESK.
WHAT I'M HOPING THAT COMES
QUICKLY THOUGH IS PERHAPS NCAA
LEADERS GIVING A NEW VISION FOR
COLLEGE ATHLETICS.
STEPPING UP TO REALLY CENTER THE
ATHLETE, THEIR WELL-BEING, THEIR
EDUCATION, THEIR HEALTH AND
SAFETY.
>> Bryant: WHEN THEY'VE NEVER,
WHEN THEY'VE NEVER DONE THAT
BEFORE, WHAT MAKES YOU
OPTIMISTIC THAT THAT'S ABOUT TO
HAPPEN NOW?
>> Senator Booker: BECAUSE THIS
15 BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY COULD
BE UPENDED IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY
IF THEY DON'T SETTLE.
SO THE MONEY NOW IS BEING
THREATENED.
THE SYSTEM, AS THEY KNOW IT,
THIS INCREDIBLE GOOSE THAT'S
LAYING GOLDEN EGGS, EVERY MARCH
MADNESS THAT PRODUCES HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, EVERY
COLLEGE BOWL SERIES THAT
PRODUCES HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS, THAT SYSTEM IS BEING
THREATENED RIGHT NOW BY THIS
PATCHWORK OF DIFFERENT STATES.
>> Bryant: BUT REAL QUICKLY,
BETWEEN THE COURT DECISION,
FEDERAL LEGISLATION, AND THE
BILLS COMING OUT OF STATEHOUSES
IS IT CLEAR TO YOU THAT THE
NCAA'S DAYS OF REIGNING OVER
ATHLETICS IS AT AN END?
>> Tim: I THINK IT'S ABOUT THE
RULE SYSTEM ITSELF RATHER THAN
THE ORGANIZATION.
AND YES, WE'RE AT A PRESSURE
POINT.
WE'RE AT AN INFLECTION POINT AND
A MOMENT IN HISTORY WHERE THE
RULES HAVE TO CHANGE.
THEY MUST.
AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT
HAPPEN.
>> Senator Booker: I THINK THAT
THE NCAA IS FACING A COMEUPPANCE
WHERE THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE
TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO
ESPECIALLY AS IT'S SO UNFAIRLY
SLANTED AGAINST ATHLETES.
>> Bryant: I'LL LET THAT BE THE
LAST WORD.
SENATOR CORY BOOKER IN
WASHINGTON, TIM NEVIUS IN NEW
YORK.
GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU BOTH VERY
MUCH.
STAY SAFE.
>> Senator Booker: THANK YOU.
>> Tim: THANK YOU.
>> Bryant: A QUICK POSTSCRIPT.
WITH TOURNAMENT GAMES UNDERWAY,
A NUMBER OF PLAYERS IN THE
TOURNAMENT HAVE JOINED THE
GROWING CHORUS CALLING FOR
REFORM, STARTING A MOVEMENT ON
SOCIAL MEDIA UNDER THE HASHTAG
#NotNCAAProperty.
THEY'RE NOT ONLY CALLING FOR THE
NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS MONEY
TO WHICH THEY'RE ENTITLED,
THEY'RE
ALSO SEEKING MEETINGS WITH THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO DISCUSS
A REMAKING OF THE COLLEGIATE
SPORTS MODEL.
OUR LAST STORY THIS EVENING IS
THE UPDATED TALE OF A REAL-LIFE
BIONIC MAN WHO HAS DEVOTED HIS
LIFE TO REDEFINING THE
CAPABILITIES OF HIGH TECH
PROSTHETICS.
BETTER YET, THIS BIONIC MAN,
HUGH HERR IS USING HIS
SCIENTIFIC SKILLS TO HELP
SEVERELY INJURED ATHLETES WHO
THOUGHT THEY'D NEVER COMPETE
AGAIN.
ONCE AGAIN, HERE'S SOLEDAD
O'BRIEN.
>> AT A TIME WHEN HUMAN BEINGS
ARE RUNNING FASTER, JUMPING
HIGHER, AND LIFTING MORE THAN
EVER BEFORE, SOME BELIEVE THAT
HUMAN ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE IS
APPROACHING ITS CEILING, THAT
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH FASTER,
HIGHER, AND FARTHER WE CAN GO.
BUT THERE IS ONE PLACE WHERE THE
POTENTIAL OF THE HUMAN BODY IS
CONSIDERED TO BE UNLIMITED.
>> Hugh: WE'RE AT A POINT IN
HUMAN HISTORY WHERE WE CAN
FUNDAMENTALLY ARCHITECT OUR OWN
BODIES.
>> SCIENTIST HUGH HERR RUNS A
PLACE CALLED THE BIOMECHATRONICS
GROUP, A FUTURISTIC LABORATORY
AT MIT, WHERE?HE AND HIS TEAM
USE BIOLOGY, MECHANICS AND
ELECTRONICS TO PICK UP WHERE
EVOLUTION HAS LEFT OFF.
>> Hugh: HUMANS JUST WANT TO
IMPROVE THEMSELVES.
BIONICS IS A CRITICAL PATHWAY
THAT WE'LL WALK DOWN IN THIS
CENTURY TO IMPROVE OURSELVES.
HERE'S MY LAB.
>> TAKE A WALK WITH HUGH HERR
THROUGH HIS LAB AND IT'S EASY TO
IMAGINE HOW MAN WILL ONE DAY
BLEND WITH MACHINE.
>> Hugh: WE HAVE BIONIC
FOOT-ANKLE DEVICES FOR WALKING.
HERE'S A BIONIC LEG FOR RUNNING.
>> IT'S ALSO HARD NOT TO NOTICE
THAT HERR HIMSELF SEEMS A BIT,
WELL ROBOTIC.
>> Hugh: WITH THE MOTOR HERE WE
CAN APPLY TORQUES AND
STIFFNESSES ON A HUMAN.
>> Soledad: PEOPLE DESCRIBE YOU
AS ANALYTICAL, UNEMOTIONAL.
>> Hugh: WHOEVER SAID THAT
DOESN'T KNOW ME WELL.
TO DISCOVER A NEW TECHNOLOGY
REQUIRES PASSIONATE AND DEEP,
DEEP EMOTIONS.
I THINK EMOTIONS ARE ACTUALLY
CRITICAL FOR HUMAN CREATIVITY.
>> IN FACT, HERR WAS DRAWN TO
HIS LIFE'S WORK BY A DEEPLY
PERSONAL PAIN.
AFTER A TRAGIC ACCIDENT TOOK
BOTH HIS LEGS, HERR VOWED TO
REINVENT HIMSELF, AS A BIONIC
MAN.
>> Hugh: I IMAGINED A FUTURE
WITHOUT DISABILITY.
AND BEGAN STRIVING TOWARDS IT.
>> Soledad: IF YOU HADN'T LOST
YOUR LEGS WOULD YOU BE HERE
TODAY AT MIT IN YOUR LAB?
>> Hugh: ABSOLUTELY NOT.
BUT LIFE IS FILLED WITH
SURPRISE.
>> BEFORE HE LOST HIS LEGS, HERR
HAD LITTLE REGARD FOR TECHNOLOGY
OR ACADEMIA.
HE GREW UP ON A FARM IN RURAL
PENNSYLVANIA, AND PAID NO
ATTENTION TO SCHOOL.
>> Hugh: I WAS A TERRIBLE
STUDENT.
I GOT, YOU KNOW, Ds, AND
OCCASIONAL Fs, AND, 'CAUSE MY
FOCUS WAS EXTREME ATHLETICS AT
THE TIME.
>> HIS SPORT OF CHOICE?
ROCK CLIMBING.
BY AGE EIGHT HE WAS CLIMBING
MOUNTAINS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,
AND SOON AFTER THAT, CONQUERING
ROCK FACES NO ONE HAD SCALED
BEFORE, CLIMBERS AROUND THE
COUNTRY STARTED TAKING NOTE OF
HERR'S ASCENTS, LIKE JIM EWING,
ANOTHER UP-AND-COMING YOUNG
CLIMBER FROM MAINE.
>> Jim: IF SOMEBODY WAS A
STANDOUT CLIMBER, YOU WOULD HEAR
ABOUT IT EITHER JUST WORD OF
MOUTH, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE
VARIOUS MAGAZINES, PUBLICATIONS
ABOUT CLIMBING, AND --
>> Soledad: WAS HE A STANDOUT
CLIMBER?
>> Jim: HE ABSOLUTELY WAS.
HE WAS CONSIDERED A CHILD
PRODIGY.
>> WITH THIS NEWFOUND FAME, HERR
WAS EMBOLDENED TO TEST HIS
LIMITS MORE AND MORE.
LIKE IN JANUARY 1982, WHEN A
17-YEAR-OLD HERR AND A FRIEND
DECIDED TO HEAD UP TO NEW
HAMPSHIRE TO ICE CLIMB ON MOUNT
WASHINGTON, KNOWN FOR SOME OF
THE WORLD'S WORST AND MOST
ERRATIC WEATHER.
>> Hugh: WE MADE THE MISTAKE OF
NOT HAVING A COMPASS AND A MAP.
AND ONLY TOOK US GOING JUST A
FEW MINUTES TO BECOME
DISORIENTED.
>> WINDS PICKED UP, AND
TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO 27 BELOW
ZERO.
HERR SAYS HE DIDN'T THINK THEY'D
LAST THE NIGHT.
MIRACULOUSLY, THEY SURVIVED
THREE.
>> Hugh: AT THAT POINT WE HAD
EXTREME HYPOTHERMIA AND
FROSTBITE.
WE COULDN'T WALK EVEN THREE
PACES WITHOUT FALLING OVER.
>> Soledad: AND THEN YOU STARTED
HALLUCINATING.
>> Hugh: WE DID.
WE SAW MANY HUMAN BEINGS THAT
WEREN'T THERE.
BUT AT ONE POINT WE LOOKED UP
AND THERE WAS A LIVING,
BREATHING HUMAN STANDING BEFORE
US.
>> THE PERSON WHO DISCOVERED
THEM QUICKLY GOT A HELICOPTER TO
AIRLIFT THEM TO A HOSPITAL.
BUT JUST AS RELIEF WAS SETTING
IN THAT HE HAD SURVIVED, HERR
LEARNED THAT HIS LEGS, WHICH
ALLOWED HIM TO DO WHAT HE LOVED
MORE ANYTHING, CLIMB, HAD BEEN
SO DAMAGED FROM FROSTBITE, THEY
WERE STARTING TO DETERIORATE.
>> Hugh: I REALIZED MY LIMBS HAD
TO BE AMPUTATED.
>> Soledad: WHAT DID DOCTORS
TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT WOULD COME
NEXT?
>> Hugh: I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT
BE ABLE TO RETURN TO MOUNTAIN
CLIMBING.
>> Soledad: WHEN SOMEONE SAYS,
"THAT'S IT, YOU'RE DONE."
>> Hugh: YEAH, IT WAS
DEVASTATING.
I CRIED FOR NEARLY 24 HOURS.
AND THEN I REALIZED, IT WAS
NONSENSE.
>> AFTER HIS SURGERY, HERR WAS
DETERMINED TO CLIMB AGAIN.
ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS FIND SOME
PROSTHETIC LEGS.
>> Soledad: IN 1982, WHAT KIND
OF PROSTHETICS WERE AVAILABLE?
>> Hugh: THE TECHNOLOGY WAS JUST
DESPICABLE.
WHEN I GOT THE LIMBS I WAS LIKE,
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
THIS IS IT?"
SO IT'S AT THAT POINT THAT I
REALIZED THAT I HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY, THAT FROM THE KNEE
DOWN I WAS SYNTHETIC.
AND I COULD BE UPGRADEABLE
THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.
>> IT WAS CLEAR THAT HERR WOULD
HAVE TO DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGY
HIMSELF.
ONLY PROBLEM WAS, HE HAD NO IDEA
HOW TO DO THAT.
SO HE TREATED THIS NEW CHALLENGE
LIKE HE WOULD A ROCK FACE ON A
MOUNTAIN, HE WOULD FIGURE OUT
HOW TO OVERCOME IT ON HIS OWN.
>> Hugh: I STARTED OPTIMIZING
ALL THE ANGLES OF THE
PROSTHESES, AND I COULD BE ANY
HEIGHT I WANTED TO BE.
I COULD BE SIX FEET, SEVEN FEET,
EIGHT FEET.
WHATEVER I WANTED TO BE.
AND MY LEGS QUICKLY BECAME AS
LIGHT AS TENNIS RACKETS.
MUCH, MUCH LIGHTER THAN FLESH
AND BONE.
BUT I HAD THE SAME UPPER BODY,
SO ONLY 12 MONTHS AFTER MY LIMBS
WERE AMPUTATED, I WAS CLIMBING
WITH
BETTER THAN I HAD ACHIEVED
BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
>> Jim: IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING,
REALLY.
>> JIM EWING SAYS WITHIN THE
CLIMBING COMMUNITY, HERR BECAME
AN EVEN BIGGER CELEBRITY THAN
BEFORE HIS ACCIDENT.
>> Jim: HE WOULD DO THINGS LIKE,
MAKE ONE LEG LONGER THAN THE
OTHER, OR MAKE DIFFERENT SHAPED
FEET FOR CRACKS, OR EDGES, OR
WHATEVER THE CLIMB HAD.
>> BEFORE LONG, EWING GOT THE
CHANCE TO MEET HERR, AND CLIMB
WITH HIM, AND SOON THE TWO
BECAME CLIMBING PARTNERS AND
CLOSE FRIENDS.
FOR EWING, THE EXPERIENCE WAS
TRANSFORMATIVE, IN MORE WAYS
THAN ONE.
>> Jim: I WAS SOMEWHAT OF A
PESSIMIST I HAD WRITTEN A SLOGAN
ON MY CLIMBING SHOES.
LIKE, ON ONE SHOE IT SAID, "LIFE
SUCKS," AND ON THE OTHER ONE,
"THEN YOU DIE."
AND HUGH ACTUALLY SAW MY SHOES,
AND HE SAID, "JIM, DOES LIFE
REALLY SUCK?"
AND HE'S SITTING THERE WITH HIS
LEGS OFF, AND LIKE, ONE LEG IS
OVER THERE, ANOTHER LEG'S ON THE
COUCH.
AND LIKE, GOD, HOW CAN I SAY,
LIFE SUCKS, WHEN THIS GUY'S
SITTING HERE MISSING BOTH OF HIS
LEGS?
THAT WAS KIND OF A BIG LIFE
CHANGING MOMENT FOR ME.
>> Soledad: TURNING POINT?
>> Jim: YEAH, IT STUCK WITH ME
FOR, WELL, FOREVER.
>> BY NOW, HERR'S CURIOSITY AND
DRIVE WERE IRREPRESSIBLE.
BUT HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE
TOOLS HE NEEDED TO TRULY PUSH
THE BOUNDARIES OF MODERN
PROSTHETICS.
HE DECIDED THAT HE'D HAVE TO
LEAVE HIS FRIEND JIM EWING AND
GO BACK TO SCHOOL, THERE WAS
JUST ONE PROBLEM.
>> Soledad: YOU WERE NOT A GOOD
STUDENT.
>> Hugh: NO, BUT I WAS A GREAT
CLIMBER.
AND THOSE SKILLS OF ABSOLUTE
FOCUS I BELIEVED COULD BE
APPLIED ANYWHERE.
I WENT FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO
TAKE 10% OF 100 TO STUDYING
QUANTUM MECHANICS IN TWO YEARS.
>> HIS ACADEMIC TRIUMPHS SOON
BECAME ALMOST AS IMPRESSIVE AS
HIS PHYSICAL COMEBACK TO
CLIMBING.
HE GOT ADVANCED DEGREES FROM MIT
AND HARVARD, AND EVENTUALLY
FOUNDED HIS AMBITIOUS
BIOMECHATRONICS GROUP, WHERE HE
WORKED TO DEVELOP HIGH-TECH
PROSTHETICS FOR AMPUTEES, LIKE
HIM.
HE DESIGNED THE LEGS HE WEARS
TODAY, WHICH ARE POWERED NOT BY
MUSCLES AND TENDONS, BUT BY
COMPUTERS AND BATTERIES.
>> Soledad: YOU LITERALLY HAVE
AN ON/OFF SWITCH.
>> Hugh: MOST PEOPLE WHEN YOU
PUSH THEIR BUTTONS, THEY GET
ANGRY, WITH ME I GET ENERGIZED.
>> BUT WHEN IT COMES TO
CLIMBING, HERR STILL RETURNS TO
THE LEGS OF HIS PAST, USING THE
SAME PROSTHETICS HE BUILT
SHORTLY AFTER HIS ACCIDENT.
>> Hugh: I'VE CLIMBED MY HARDEST
ASCENTS WITH THESE BACK, LATE
TEENS, EARLY 20S.
>> Soledad: HOW MANY SETS OF
LEGS DO YOU HAVE?
>> Hugh: I HAVE MANY PAIRS OF
LEGS.
PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, "OH, HUGH,
IT'S SO HORRIBLE THAT YOU LOST
YOUR LEGS."
AND I SAY, "NO.
I GAINED LEGS."
>> BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE KNOW HE
IS AN ELITE ATHLETE, HERR SAYS
HE HEARS FROM OTHER ATHLETES ALL
THE TIME, WHO ARE AMPUTEES
LOOKING FOR ADVICE, AND HE HELPS
AS MANY AS HE CAN.
BUT THE ATHLETE WHO CALLED HIM A
FEW YEARS AGO SEEKING HELP WAS
ONE HE NEVER SAW COMING.
>> Jim: I WAS UP NEAR THE TOP OF
THE CLIMB, SHIFTED MY FEET
SLIGHTLY TO GET A BETTER REST.
AND I SLIPPED OFF A LEDGE.
AND THEN I FELL ABOUT 50 FEET TO
THE GROUND.
>> JIM EWING, HERR'S OLD
CLIMBING BUDDY, HAD SUSTAINED
MULTIPLE INJURIES, INCLUDING AN
ANKLE SHATTERED SO BADLY THAT IT
WOULD NEVER PROPERLY HEAL.
>> Hugh: HE HAD SO MUCH PAIN AND
THERE WAS SO MUCH DISABILITY
THAT HE BEGAN THINKING ABOUT
AMPUTATION.
>> Soledad: AND HE CALLED YOU TO
FEEL YOU OUT ON THAT.
>> Hugh: EXACTLY.
AND HE CALLED AT SUCH AN
OPPORTUNE MOMENT, 'CAUSE WE WERE
IN THE PROCESS OF INVENTING A
NEW WAY OF AMPUTATING LIMBS.
>> FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS, HERR'S
GROUP AT MIT HAD BEEN
COLLABORATING WITH A SURGICAL
TEAM IN BOSTON TO DEVELOP A
FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND PROCEDURE FOR
AMPUTATION.
ONE IN WHICH THE MUSCLES AND
NERVES OF THE ORIGINAL LIMB
COULD BE PRESERVED, TO INTERACT
WITH AN ELECTRONIC LIMB LIKE
THIS.
BUT TO TRY OUT THE RADICAL IDEA,
THEY NEEDED A PATIENT WILLING TO
BE THE SUBJECT OF THE
EXPERIMENT.
ENTER JIM EWING.
>> BYE HONEY, LOVE YOU.
>> Jim: LOVE YOU TOO.
>> SURGEONS REMOVED EWING'S LEFT
LEG IN A BRAND-NEW WAY, FUSING
TOGETHER MUSCLES AND TENDONS SO
THAT AFTERWARDS, HE
STILL FELT AS IF HIS LEG WERE
ATTACHED, THEN HE WAS OUTFITTED
WITH THIS ROBOTIC LEG, WHICH HAS
THE ABILITY NOT ONLY TO RECEIVE
MESSAGES FROM HIS BRAIN, BUT TO
SEND SIGNALS BACK.
IT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE WITH A
HUMAN BEFORE.
>> Jim: IT INSTANTLY BECAME PART
OF ME.
AS SOON AS I WAS FEELING ITS
PRESENCE, MY BRAIN INTERPRETED
THAT AS, "OH, MY GOD, YOUR FOOT
IS BACK."
>> Soledad: BECAUSE YOUR BRAIN
LOOKS AT THAT TECHNOLOGY AS YOUR
OWN.
>> Jim: RIGHT.
IT'S NOT A SEPARATE DEVICE.
IT'S NOT A TOOL.
IT'S NOW PART OF MY BODY.
>> Hugh: HE SAID, YOU KNOW,
"IT'S MY LEG.
I HAVE MY LEG BACK."
>> Soledad: AND AT THAT MOMENT,
WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND?
>> Hugh: WE WERE LIKE, "OH MY
GOSH, IT WORKED."
>> HERR SAYS HE BEGAN TO
UNDERSTAND HOW TRULY
REVOLUTIONARY THIS NEW DEVICE
WAS IN THE FIRST HOURS EWING WAS
CONNECTED TO IT, DURING MUNDANE
MOMENTS EWING HIMSELF WASN'T
EVEN AWARE OF.
>> Jim: I STEPPED ON A ROLL OF
TAPE AND IT WAS STUCK TO THE
BOTTOM OF MY SHOE.
>> Hugh: WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN
SOMETHING'S STUCK TO YOUR FOOT?
YOU DON'T REACH DOWN AWKWARDLY,
YOU SHAKE IT OFF.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.
>> Jim: OR JUST SITTING AND
TALKING WITH PEOPLE WITH MY FOOT
FIDGETING.
>> Hugh: THOSE ARE SIGNS THAT
HE'S TRULY EMBODIED IN THE
TECHNOLOGY.
>> Soledad: WHICH IS A HUGE
DEAL.
>> Hugh: A HUGE DEAL.
>> THERE WAS ONLY ONE THING
ABOUT HIS NEW LEG THAT EWING
DIDN'T LOVE: IT WASN'T BUILT TO
CLIMB.
BUT OF COURSE, THERE'S NOTHING
HUGH HERR LIKES MORE THAN A
CHALLENGE.
>> Hugh: I DECIDED TO BUILD JIM
A VERY HIGH-TECH BIONIC LIMB FOR
THE VERTICAL WORLD.
>> Soledad: WHAT DOES IT DO?
>> Hugh: HE CAN EXACTLY POSITION
THE FOOT FOR THE FOOTHOLD, AND
THEN APPLY HIS WHOLE WEIGHT ON
THE HOLD AND ACTUALLY FEEL ITS
MOVEMENTS WITHIN HIS NERVOUS
SYSTEM.
>> ALRIGHTY.
>> AND SO, THE TWO OLD FRIENDS
CAN FINALLY CLIMB TOGETHER
AGAIN, JUST LIKE THEY FIRST DID
MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS AGO.
DESPITE ALL THEIR SHARED
HISTORY, WHAT HERR SEES WHEN HE
LOOKS AT HIS FRIEND NOW, IS THE
FUTURE.
>> Soledad: HIS LEGS CAN DO MORE
THAN YOURS CAN.
>> Hugh: ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S VERY ANNOYING.
>> Soledad: IS IT ANNOYING?
ARE YOU COMPETITIVE IN LEG
TECHNOLOGY?
>> Hugh: YEAH.
I'VE ALWAYS HAD THE MOST
HIGH-TECH UNTIL NOW.
I'M SO YESTERDAY.
>> Bryant: ONE FINAL NOTE: IN
THE YEARS SINCE THE
GROUNDBREAKING OPERATION THAT HE
PERFORMED ON JIM EWING, HUGH
HERR'S MISSION TO TRANSFORM
AMPUTEES INTO BIONIC MEN AND
WOMEN HAS GAINED SIGNIFICANT
MOMENTUM.
HIS PROCEDURE HAS NOW BEEN
SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ON ABOUT
TWO DOZEN MORE PATIENTS.
AND THAT'LL DO IT FOR THIS
EVENING.
FOR ALL THE FOLKS AT "REAL
SPORTS", I'M BRYANT GUMBEL,
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR BEING
WITH US.
PLEASE STAY SAFE.
AND GOOD NIGHT.
♪ ♪