Service Dogs, Discipline & Hope with John Carter

Wendy & Rich 0:00
Hey everyone it's Rich Bennett. Can you believe it? The show is turning 10 this year. I am so grateful for each and every one of you who've tuned in, shared an episode, or even joined the conversation over the years. You're the reason that this podcast has grown into what it is today. Together we've shared laughs, tears, tears, and moments that truly matter. So I want to thank you for being part of this journey. Let's make the next 10 years even better. Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios Hartford County living presents Conversations with Rich Bennett. 

No, no, no, no, no, it's who it is. 

Rich Bennett 1:00
Today's guest is living proof that even the most turbulent lives can be turned around. Not by look, by grit, grace, and a whole lot of hard work. John Carter's story reads like a movie. A teenage gangster collecting depths for the Warchester mafia, gunned down and left for dead, trapped in a wheelchair and spiraling into addiction. But that's not where it ends. In today's episode you'll hear how John fought his way back from a coma, prison, and total hopelessness to become a personal trainer, a business owner, TEDx speaker, and passionate advocate for others battling adversity. His journey is raw, emotional, and inspiring, and it's all captured in his book, "Trigured to Change, Overcoming a Life Full of Turbions." We're talking redemption, resilience, and the power of second chances with a little help from a great dean named Jagger. How's it going, John? Oh, my pleasure. And those of you before we even get into it, those of you listening. I'm going to tell you where to go already. Go to turbulencebook.com, purchase John's book. And after you read it, make sure you leave a full review whether it be on Amazon, Goodreads, but wherever you can leave reviews, make sure you leave a full review. I know you're going to love it. And then purchase copies for other people that you think would like it, which I'm sure that's probably everybody that you know. I guess the website turbulencebook.com, right, John? 

Okay, how many different websites you have? 

Well, let's get the websites out of the way. What's that? 

John Carter 3:05
My website is www. titaneumhealthfitness.com 

Rich Bennett 3:16
Any other websites I need to know about? 

John Carter 3:18
That's it, my friend. 

Rich Bennett 3:19
You sure? Okay, all right. So I want to start with the title of the book, "Trigger to Change." What does that phrase mean to you personally? 

John Carter 3:30
Well, "Trigger to Change" no punishments, which I was having a back in the head. And so that's where I came up with... Now, if you see my... I have my book behind me, it's even pushing the bow off the hill. 

Rich Bennett 3:46
Yeah. 

John Carter 3:46
That was pushing the bow over the hill because which is that's what I want, help. So I pushed the bow off and made it off for 

Rich Bennett 3:57
you. Nice. Go ahead, I'm sorry. 

John Carter 4:00
So I was just going to give you a little rundown of my life prior to the aftertaste I'm going to talk about. 

Rich Bennett 4:07
Sure. 

John Carter 4:08
I grew up in a very unconventional way for 

Rich Bennett 4:12
me. 

John Carter 4:12
My father was in the mafia, the bar. And I loved my dad because he was the best father. I mean, he never missed the ballgame. He was right there for me. And 

Rich Bennett 4:26
you're 

John Carter 4:26
so 

Rich Bennett 4:27
talking the Italian mafia, 

John Carter 4:29
right? Sure. 

Rich Bennett 4:30
Okay. 

John Carter 4:31
And so when you die, I want to win his favor. 

Rich Bennett 4:36
Mm-hmm. 

John Carter 4:37
But it was not his time. So I found myself immediately. I found myself in a world of problems. 

Rich Bennett 4:46
Oh, God. 

John Carter 4:47
This man, instead of paying me again when dad decided to try to attempt to murder me to keep him in the back of the head and lead me to die. 

Rich Bennett 4:59
Jesus. 

John Carter 4:59
But Richard, being shot in the back of his head, was easy part of my story as a filed article troll with gambling drugs, alcohol, for all kinds of equipment. Right 

Rich Bennett 5:22
so you went to prison after you were 

John Carter 5:26
shot? Correct! 

Rich Bennett 5:29
Wow! 

John Carter 5:29
Correct. So after I was a shot, I mean I'm sorry, yeah, after I was shot, 

I got out of the hospital after 911. 

30 days of that, I mean I'm sorry, 'man's days of that was out of coma' 

Rich Bennett 5:49
Wow! 

John Carter 5:50
Now Richard, this coma was one of the long dreams, but it wasn't a hatred dream of it, it's very vivid. This dream happened back in 1992, 

Rich Bennett 6:04
Richard? Mhm, 

John Carter 6:04
And I remember it like it was yesterday, that's 

Rich Bennett 6:08
really? 

John Carter 6:08
all the trouble, so the world of this dream was real, and the hospital changed our beds and I had no idea why I was there, I didn't know the people were there. And every day we had a swimming race. Because it's a swimming pool, we had a swimming race. The winter of that race went home. Richard, it was hurt, like, home. Theóyeah, he saw it. For the other bed. It was all a dream, but hurt like hell. And this was the first time in my life, I said that. I said, 'I quit, I give up, I'm not doing the snowing walk, I kept losing and losing and losing'. I said, 

Rich Bennett 6:53
Right? 

John Carter 6:53
'I'm not doing the snowing walk, that night, all the men selling my bed, or I had no idea where I was'. And he said, 'You're not going to quit. I'm here, you're not alone, I'll train you and I'll coach you'. And he would take me downstairs for a food, they were in the training in the groceries, so now it's the day of the big race. It gets me out of bed, it gets me out of the pool, it gets me into the straight path, it gets me going. I remember swimming with a bare health, I touched the wall, and woke up, so... 

Rich Bennett 7:37
You actually woke up from the coma? 

John Carter 7:38
I woke up from the coma. The dream was over, now I'm in my life. 

Rich Bennett 7:44
So, that dream actually helps shape your recovery then. 

John Carter 7:48
Oh my goodness, I'll never fail it. Never. So now, now I get out of hospital with you. I spent another 6 months in the hospital, I had a pre-school, so I'm more total of 9 months. 

Rich Bennett 8:01
Right. 

John Carter 8:02
I get out, I loaded my apartment, my mom had an apartment set from there, based on my apartment. I thought I was going to get this reception, a lot of friends, nobody. 

Rich Bennett 8:15
What? 

John Carter 8:15
I waited the depression quickly so bad I was in my wheelchair, entered an apartment, and I thought my luck was over. And then I started eating, eating, eating. Before I knew it, I was stoking cocaine, my life was out of control. I was now 3 in the pound, sitting in the wheelchair, snorted cocaine, drinking daily. But I couldn't afford my habit in the water, so I came up with this big wide idea to become a drug dealer. I just kept chopping the head, and my best idea is to become a drug dealer. Well, this went on for a few months, but the police didn't find me still using. So, Boom! Time cops come barreling through my door. At first, I thought I was being robbed. 

Rich Bennett 9:13
Right. 

John Carter 9:14
But then I heard the walkie talkie, and Richard, literally where it changed. 

Now, my child is here. I was so happy. I said to myself, this is over. I remember smiling, and the cop actually, looking at me, saying, "What the hell is so funny here?" 

Rich Bennett 9:35
Right. 

John Carter 9:36
I said, "Sir, you don't understand how badly it is right now. This is probably a good thing." 

Rich Bennett 9:42
Wow! 

John Carter 9:43
So, they find drugs and cash in my house, and they arrest me. I go, I immediately get built out of jail. So, I was watching, and I was with my brother, and he said to me, "You have to get sober." Richard, I had no money, no drugs, no one else. I had no orchestration. I said, "Sir, take me." So, that started from the talk. I had to be interviewed to get into a half way. So, I go to the half way, and I'm ready to meet the executive director. So, I willing, sending me off to waiting for her, Richard, the school mom. And he comes just walking the way that she's walking, but she's wobbling, if he's just a mom. Then she sits down and proceeds to tell me how she had a cocaine induced coma 20 years prior to this this is back in 1994 so she was already told for 20 years She explains to me how she's on the side she was in a wheelchair and I remember looking at her Which is the wheelchair with health? Health? 

Rich Bennett 11:02
Yeah, 

John Carter 11:03
I said I could believe it This was the first time I've seen somebody get over something like that She was watching. I couldn't I couldn't believe she gave that wheelchair up. I said I want this She was glowing she was happy. I said I want this Well, which is became my best friend. I listen to everywhere. She said She actually is the person who wrote the full word and my notebook. I'm I'm very close to what she said She talked me how to live 

Rich Bennett 11:40
Is that Deb 

John Carter 11:41
That's Deb Okay 

Rich Bennett 11:43
Yes 

John Carter 11:44
Excellent so 

But I still have this court case hanging over my head Now I've been this half way else for eight months now. I'm so I have a different support system I'm gonna wheelchair I should just gotta have To be honest my first offense never better access. I said there's no way you gotta give me time. You gotta be lenient Well This this judge used about 90 He looked down at me. I'll remember well. She was looking up at us again. I was gonna give me some ways Mr. Cara, he said We don't discriminate in this court room You will get the same sentence any drug dealer and my city jats And Richard he give me ten years 

I was 

Rich Bennett 12:34
nothing reduced 

John Carter 12:36
solid Ten 

Rich Bennett 12:36
ten-year 

John Carter 12:36
years Wow And I was so upset I was so so so mad at the beginning but that all changed and I'll get into that. But that all changed right So now he gave me a stay of extra future meaning I had to show up a jail a week later So I got to go home with that that night. And I remember she pulled the car over She looked right out and she said John Many people would run 

She said 

face your fears You're getting this and I'm here for you and I don't. Yeah So what's I gonna do really? After push I went cream. I didn't beat a word from what she said She was like God to me After push I went Hmm What would you do when person? Richard? I'm a big talk guy. I thought I was rich it I cried like I was in self no feeling in the battle and I And I cried look up baby. I said this is my wife for the next 10 years the next morning Three guys after myself And I said oh god I'm trouble there or My dad had was in the mafia I tell the good name in the legal world Right So they said We're friends to get bad And we're here to help you 

And we're gonna stop by you getting out of that wheelchair We said we don't care if we have to carry you. We're not using that wheelchair and miscarried Rich from lunch they took me down to prison gym, they trained me I was getting stronger and stronger using that chair less and less Nice 

Rich Bennett 14:33
Unbelievable 

John Carter 14:36
And who what a thought three cons that you jr. We're talking to that's watching So now In prison I see no this is getting up to my star in prison 

I see a lot of citizen a lot of people coming in getting out come back in Right And I remember a lesson my dad taught me as a kid fail to plan 

To fail I said this is not me. I'm gonna make a plan. I'm not doing this So immediately I called that back after Boston And she says oh I've been waiting for this cause she said of course we're gonna help you Course you to enrich you. Thank god Cause I was 32 I got out of prison with whatever dollars and a bus ticket What was my kid's if I went back to Worcester and hung out with my little friend 

Rich Bennett 15:37
Exactly 

John Carter 15:38
Zero zero 

Rich Bennett 15:39
Yeah, 

John Carter 15:39
so I I stuck on my plane and I took the last I got on the bus I was the bus and i was petrified 

Because now I'm an owner of my own gym teaching others to be how they can inspire and more quick themselves. Widget. It's unbelievable. 

Rich Bennett 16:05
Wow. That, you know what, that they're alone because you hear stories all the time how people are in wheelchair and they think they'll never walk again. And if you, I believe, if you try hard enough, and keep thinking that you're going to eventually, you, I don't want to say you will, but eventually you may. 

John Carter 16:33
correct, 

Rich Bennett 16:33
I think of, I don't know if you ever heard of Diamond Dallas page. 

John Carter 16:37
Oh yes. 

Rich Bennett 16:38
OK. You've seen what he's done with people, yeah. People that were never even able to walk again or even get out of wheelchair and now just from yoga and training. Here they are running marathons and everything. That's amazing. And imagine if you would have never met Deb. Where do you think you'd be right now? 

John Carter 17:04
Which is, I was never made up to jail. 

Rich Bennett 17:07
Yeah. 

John Carter 17:08
No, I would, I would have never, never have made it, but when I got to jail with a hundred dollars, that's 32. I wanted to write facts upon the mix of things that night. I would be out. And I would be lucky with it. Lucky if I made a fact to detox again. Lucky, no matter where I am now. I'd be lucky if I made 

Rich Bennett 17:34
a fact to detox. 

John Carter 17:34
Because 

Rich Bennett 17:34
Wow. 

John Carter 17:35
many don't, Richard, let me tell you this. At the halfway house, we were sitting in a circle and Deb says, 

everybody here don't want to see silver of a razor hand. Everybody move, obviously raised again. 

Rich Bennett 17:52
And 

John Carter 17:52
she's not fat. The fact is one of you, one, are 32 stays silver. So one of you are going to say silver. Richard, I go back to halfway house. Now we are pictures of, by the class, where I was back in 1994. Then, then, then, 

Rich Bennett 18:15
Oh. 

John Carter 18:15
jail, which is, Richard, I was your own one to about 32 

Rich Bennett 18:21
people. Wow. 

John Carter 18:23
I mean, I believe, I believe. And so 

when you have sobriety, do not give out. Because yet, you know, and I just want to say this about sobriety. And I want to talk about we left it for real quick, 

when people, and this is why shows like you as a so important person to give people like me a chance to speak and tell my story. When you forget how bad that day when you text because I don't want anywhere, my life was after a picture where I was reading detox. 

Rich Bennett 19:05
So 

John Carter 19:06
I want to remember how bad that was. So let me get easy to go back there. I always remember how bad it was. Because I'm always talking. Now when you talking, you start talking and you're, oh. That day was too bad. I could do that. Yeah. And it wasn't that bad today, forget. And before they know it, they're back up there. Yeah, I'm sorry. Are you ready for any drug? 

Rich Bennett 19:30
Mm hmm. It's people don't realize that whether it's alcohol, drugs, or whatever, anybody can relapse it anytime. It's very dangerous. But the other thing too, and I'm sure you've what you, you have noticed is with, especially you with dead. Um, those people you were hanging around when you were doing the drugs and the drinking. They wouldn't, they wouldn't really have your back. 

John Carter 20:02
No, 

Rich Bennett 20:02
However, people in recovery, I call that recovery circle, that recovery family, 

John Carter 20:07
there you 

Rich Bennett 20:08
they 

John Carter 20:08
other. 

Rich Bennett 20:08
always have 

John Carter 20:09
Oh, my goodness. It's unbelievable. 

Rich Bennett 20:13
Unbelievable. It's a big difference. 

John Carter 20:14
The support they give. 

Rich Bennett 20:16
Yeah. It's, it's amazing. I want to talk about the gym in a minute. You said it's titanium health and fitness. 

John Carter 20:24
Correct. 

Rich Bennett 20:25
Okay. So what actually makes your gym different from other gyms? 

John Carter 20:34
Well, first of all, Richard, my gym is complete in private. 

Rich Bennett 20:38
Okay. 

John Carter 20:38
But I want to tell you how I got it in place. 

Rich Bennett 20:41
Okay. 

John Carter 20:41
When I, I told you the concept, you're putting it on top of the health. 

Rich Bennett 20:45
Right. 

John Carter 20:46
And I was feeling great. The athletes are being the reasons. I was feeling awesome about myself. I was in jail in a six foot cell, now weighing 260, feeling great about myself. Love it. So what I did out, I know I want to continue with this fitness stuff. 

Rich Bennett 21:07
Right. 

John Carter 21:09
So I interviewed all the local gyms in Boston and none of them would give me that time of day. I would walk a straight line. I'm disabled. I'd splur in my speech. You know, what can you do for us? Well, one day I just was going to walk out and I was going to Boston sports club. And I was in my gym stuff instead of my interview. So my body fat. So, 

Rich Bennett 21:38
right. 

John Carter 21:39
My, my walking gate and my squared speech, that kind of things are back to you because you can see I'm fed something working out. And I spent the manager. He's a big muscular guy, very intimidating and they're looking to be smiling, giving people towels, winning people. I said, I'm going to talk to this man. I'm going to take a chance here. So I went, I went into a few of you with long. And I hit him up. He said, I did a few minutes because I sent my office to the park. He said, well, that few minutes ended up between an hour conversation. He said, he said, can you start tomorrow? I said, sure. And he said, OK, just don't stop occasion. And I still haven't told you about prison yet. 

Rich Bennett 22:29
Right. 

John Carter 22:29
And that's what I'm doing. There we go. What am I going to do here? I said, you know what? I'm going to go far. I'm going to be truthful. I'm going to be truthful and honest. So I tell him the store. He don't bet and I last. He says, he stopped tomorrow. And I sat back and I looked at I said, I just told you the next family. I've been out of jail week. He said, hey, he said, thank you for being honest. Thank you. He said, and I just wish he says that I just wish my mom was here. His mom passed away with alcoholism a couple of years. 

Rich Bennett 23:13
Oh, wow. 

John Carter 23:14
And he said, she heard you speak. She might not have had an other drug. She said, so now I go home. And my phone. I get the phone call. He says, my morning guy just called out. Could you fill in? I'm not away. I can't get there. And I said sure. 

Rich Bennett 23:35
Yeah. 

John Carter 23:36
He became the combination tourist. I'm working. I said, this guy just came to the combination to an ex family to go to his gym. I couldn't believe this. So I go there, five-finally, I look it up. Right away, the chairman comes in now. When you join Boston's foot cover Boston. You get what's called a P-F-D. A private free workout. 

Rich Bennett 24:03
Okay. 

John Carter 24:03
So if you join the gym, you get a train for a session. So this man was came in and he was looking for the guy I was throwing in for social. I got the time. I could take care of you. Let's go in the office and have a chat before I take a look for a workout. 

Rich Bennett 24:21
Right. 

John Carter 24:23
He started to hold his diet beating. He has a lot of bad disc problems. Right. But I was so overwhelmed. I'm trying to keep a straight face. I was so overwhelmed. So I said, let's go ahead with what workout? I took a couple of walks, talked with him. We had a lot of workout. But it was kind of empty. So I was able to speak water. 

Rich Bennett 24:48
Yeah. 

John Carter 24:48
Now we'll go back to the office and it's my time to sell him our package. This is where I need to make it my client now. 

Rich Bennett 24:58
Right. 

John Carter 24:58
That's by job. So I handed him a menu of the packages for prices. I'll take one 50 packages for you know $6, 000. 

Rich Bennett 25:11
Good Lord. 

John Carter 25:12
I officer back. But I'm trying to keep a straight face. I couldn't know what exactly to me. I was about $6, 000. I see my manager walking. He said, sir, can you excuse me? How's my manager? I said, David this guy wants a bite of it. He said Timmy in playing with me. I said seriously, he says follow me. He we walked into the office. He closed the deal look and my giche was awesome. The other guy leaves and David turns to me and he says, you know, we've been selling 50 packages to attend this game And the other first person in boxes for so. How's 

Rich Bennett 25:57
now. 

John Carter 25:58
that my first day? 

Rich Bennett 25:59
Nice. 

John Carter 26:00
So now about $6, 000. Come by and this guy David was leaving the company to open his own gym. And it was real for her, I let the Procure them asking me to come join them. So I said obviously I said yes. So I came to a gym as a I came from Boston's Book of a big, a big gym. Now this is a 1500 square foot private small gym. I have to get my own clients. I have to do my 

Rich Bennett 26:32
mind. 

John Carter 26:34
And it was going well. I was working for them. It's going very well. But then he wants to leave. He wants to make it even make the gym more public, more training, more clients. And I already have my clientele. I have openly clients, I clients with disabilities. Clients just want to work out and combine them. 

Rich Bennett 26:56
Yeah. 

John Carter 26:57
So I said to myself, you know what I have to I borrowed. I bought him out. Richard. 

Rich Bennett 27:05
Nice. 

John Carter 27:05
It was the first hair we did when I I did it. I was 18 dollars left to my name. The gym office was my bedroom. Oh, I've been in 

Rich Bennett 27:17
Wow. 

John Carter 27:17
business. I've been in businesses for 14 years now. The gym office was my bedroom. And because I couldn't afford to rent it. That's how it started. And that gentleman from 2001 is still my clientele. 

Rich Bennett 27:32
Is he really 

John Carter 27:33
I trained him. His wife is son in his daughter. That 

Rich Bennett 27:40
is amazing. 

John Carter 27:40
That's, that's what it's at. Richard. That's. I do no mock you. So I don't think it's office. It's a private one on one 

Rich Bennett 27:53
gym. Right. 

John Carter 27:54
So my client stayed with me. Yes, and I want. I'm able to build a record. And that's how I came out with this product. See what I open my gym. I have a client come in. I'm not going to say, Oh, I was in the mob, I was a drug dealer, I was a prisoner. I got 

Rich Bennett 28:17
Right. 

John Carter 28:17
shot in the head. But give me some money and drug my gym. You 

Rich Bennett 28:21
worried about helping them. 

John Carter 28:23
They brought it down on me. 

Rich Bennett 28:25
Yeah. 

John Carter 28:25
So I would tell I came up. Now we're like with a story I just said, I was shot in the head. And I had to access and we left that there. So it wasn't a lie. I think you shot in the head I 

Rich Bennett 28:41
and 

John Carter 28:41
did. 

Rich Bennett 28:41
haunted. 

John Carter 28:41
I just didn't tell them I was the one being hunt. 

Rich Bennett 28:45
Right. 

John Carter 28:45
I just left 

Rich Bennett 28:48
that 

John Carter 28:49
spot out. It's all out. I did that. But when it's spending time with somebody, you've been to a poor. I'm in a private setting 3. I'm so weak. I've been to a close. So all the time with this one women are really trusted. And I have not taught anybody my story. So the real story. And the old time I was devoid of the world, a little piece here and there. And finally you said, I just thought you were going to car accident. I realized, you did this. She said you have to do a tent talk. 

But you had the connections. I remember going to my first interview with 10 talk people. And I came out. I said, what the hell did you get me? I was there. There was no way. I didn't do this. You know what you said? Richard, she says. You're not alone. I'm going to help you. We can do this. 

Rich Bennett 29:54
Nice. 

John Carter 29:54
For months they had coaches coach me how to do this tent talk. Richard, I did my tent talk and I got a standing ovation. It was exactly that adrenaline pumping. I felt I was on the foot, but it was incredible. So that's what I realized. I inspired my clients. They made like this. Now I see how it was seen by whole group of people. I said, I said I have to get it out there more. So that's what inspired me to write this book. One of the things. The other thing is I'm involved with a charity. It's called 

Rich Bennett 30:36
yes. 

John Carter 30:37
It's called service dog project. Raise, train, and donate. Grating for mobility and peer and it's stopped with veterans. Fresh responses, then the general public. 

Rich Bennett 30:56
Yeah. 

John Carter 30:56
And what an organization. Richard, what an organization. I have two great things myself. 

Rich Bennett 31:03
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John Carter 32:31
that Jag? That's Jag. Yes, that was my 

Rich Bennett 32:32
original one. Okay. 

John Carter 32:34
That's Jag. Jag is my original great name. And you got very sick. And I had to be tie in. We shape this like I had to be tie in for my service dog and made them like pet. I always see turtles. But when I know rich, my mom is in to with the men to live with 

Rich Bennett 32:57
me. And 

John Carter 32:58
who would have thought Jag was become her service dog? I couldn't rich it. She'll be crying. She'll be singing to welfare. It's just not crying. With no reason. Yeah. Jag gets right up, but with his thinking on her lap, she told me to just watch her cry. It's not for the ear. I mean, it's anybody. Anybody where a family balance the nature of all times. I'll tell you. Unbelievable. These are unbelievable. And here's another story. Not the service dog's part Why the wedding for dogs? Because when they sign up and you get approved together, it's somebody year and a half to two years 

Rich Bennett 33:49
of it. 

John Carter 33:49
away. It's a well they're fine. So 

Rich Bennett 33:51
they're strictly great. They're 

John Carter 33:53
strictly great. 

Rich Bennett 33:54
Okay. 

John Carter 33:55
So I was going up there. I met a lot of veterans and for dogs. I met this one veteran. He came back from Afghanistan. And he was involved in the explosion. But if it hit him, it had had trauma from the explosion. And so he came in, and I want to go to Jag, to go to his pen, to go to his pattern. This is the part of the thing, I didn't really know I was Jag, and this man was in there. So I used this for stuff, and he was a veteran. And we were talking. He says, he says, "Oh, I love Jag. I hope they give me him." Why the second half? This guy's the friend hero. He deserves this stuff. I was just freaking, "Oh, beautiful dog. You can't go wrong. I think give this man what he wants." But fortunately for me, he received this app to the contact when he has a great dog. He's doing great. But I received Jag. I couldn't feel my family dog. Richard, talk about it, God send. If you knew me growing up, I was a biggest Rolling Stone fan in the world. Look. 

Rich Bennett 35:17
I saw that in your trailer for your book. 

John Carter 35:19
Oh my god. Big Rolling Stone fan. Now Jag was named after Mick Jagget himself. 

Rich Bennett 35:27
Makes 

John Carter 35:27
sense. The losers have things. So his thing was the rock star. His Whoa Whoa Whoa. He's wringo, and it's just an Adele. And I watched it. And my buddy, when I left it for the first time, I knocked it with one face. He said, "Say ever, ever, give this dog as a God send." 

Rich Bennett 35:51
He's 

John Carter 35:53
breathing. Can you believe it? I mean, which him? 

Really? So immediately I get jagged up and I know jagged into friends. So what do I do? I get my car. And what do I, what do I do in the cat? Mac. So I got Mickey Jagged 

Rich Bennett 36:12
up. 

John Carter 36:13
Oh, that's great, that's great friends. 

Rich Bennett 36:16
I love that. Oh, God, women, when you're getting Keith. 

John Carter 36:25
Actually, actually, when I got turbulence before I knew I was getting him, I knew my next great thing. I was getting him a meal. Lots of chowly after chowly lots. 

Rich Bennett 36:37
Yeah, women, turbulence has nothing to do with the stones. 

John Carter 36:41
No, he doesn't. He was different dogs. But then when I see them, and he had his name, I said he is very tertoic. 

Rich Bennett 36:48
Oh, he already had the name. 

John Carter 36:49
Oh, yeah, it says there are names. 

Rich Bennett 36:51
Oh, okay. 

John Carter 36:53
Okay. And so he's an illustrator with territory. I was going down my daughter and my great children's family. And I went through an old wisdom, rich in old pictures. I had such a good meal for a fact. Yeah. That might go on a flower towards the palm, great thing. I was so 

Rich Bennett 37:11
on a plane, right? 

John Carter 37:12
Yeah. I'm a plane. 

Rich Bennett 37:14
Wow. 

John Carter 37:14
But then the cab is he goes. So we went to the door was on fast, no noises, no nothing is distracted. So we get on the plane and I'm going to the cabin. The pilot there, he said, hold on a second. If he grabs the microphone, he says, both we said we have a little turtle and some boy say we can't get relevant. 

Rich Bennett 37:40
Oh, God. 

John Carter 37:42
So rich in champions taught me I'd go anywhere in the world to film falling down and getting I can do what I can do. Anything. I love that. He gives me freedom. 

Rich Bennett 37:57
Now, do you know how long it actually takes them to train these dogs? 

John Carter 38:02
About a year and a half and they stop. They stop right up front. You know, within a month, they're going to, you know, stop by the beach. The being such a socially trained to be very delicious. So they start, they start training in a very young 

Rich Bennett 38:19
age. I mean, you hear a service of animals all the time, but in all honesty, I've never heard of one that they do strictly great things. 

John Carter 38:29
I'm unbelievable. 

Rich Bennett 38:31
And those things keep huge. 

John Carter 38:32
So rich in weed. When you this, it was the stick on your opinion. Great thing and American great days we read them. The matter, the American great is kind of like, kind of skinny and skinny. The European great 

Rich Bennett 38:51
Marma Duke. 

John Carter 38:52
Right. The European great game is stucky like, like a lot, a lot, a lot. But 

Rich Bennett 38:58
right. 

John Carter 38:58
So we, we mix them and we get a tall out of the white like my great game is two in the pound. Richie, I'm six, two, two, ten. I need a big sturdy dog. You're walking around with a king. I step my tower. Something that came to us. Why don't I go on the tumble? I got a whole, I got a whole of the turbulence by the car. 

Rich Bennett 39:21
He ain't letting you fall. 

John Carter 39:23
See, I might stumble and go down a little for help. Right back. 

Rich Bennett 39:27
Right. Those of you listening, I would God. 

I just, it's something with service dogs and I guess it's because, you know, being in the lines club for so long, they're just so amazing. And what I do love is the fact that you, you did this with Jagger when they retire a service dog. You're allowed to adopt them. And I don't think that's a case with all of them. But, you know, the good thing is the service dog project you can do that. So those of you listening also, besides the other two websites, go to service dog project. That org and make sure you donate because it's training these dogs is one thing. Great days. I'm sure I like to eat a lot of food. 

So they definitely can use the help. 

Wow. 

John Carter 40:41
Right. 

Rich Bennett 40:44
OK. 

John Carter 40:50
Which is that all my goodness. That's so the proceeds. I forgot to mention the proceeds of this group are helping the found. 

Rich Bennett 40:59
Oh, nice. 

John Carter 41:00
Yeah, so that's what inspired us because we're scrolling because we're moving confluxes in our movements for a different fire, but we've built a few strats. 

Rich Bennett 41:10
Right. 

John Carter 41:10
It's not financially hard right now because we don't, we don't get, 

Rich Bennett 41:30
but we find you. 

John Carter 41:31
No, I, I was just watching TV. I, I, I just seemed like I was watching with that, I realized, I said, well, what a great idea! So, I did my, my research from these two farms in America that sell great things. Well the service dot product, don't sell them, they, they don't even throw a press into the prices for price. The other places of, is a, is a private, money-making machine. They're 

Rich Bennett 42:00
Okay. 

John Carter 42:01
not the quarter and they're 50,000 dollars. A great 

Rich Bennett 42:08
Wow. 

John Carter 42:09
thing that, a great thing that first is five thousand, now you're talking that you're gonna have to two years of extensive training. But, you know, eh, I'm not rich, but if I was a wealthy man, I wouldn't have waited. I wouldn't have waited two years for a dial. I wouldn't have what, immediately, I got one. 

Rich Bennett 42:29
Yeah. 

John Carter 42:29
You know, but, it 

Rich Bennett 42:31
it. 

John Carter 42:31
is worth 

Rich Bennett 42:31
Oh, and they even, looking at their website, it looks like they even have service dogs that help people that have Parkinson's as well. 

John Carter 42:41
And the end of the kind of mobility, which is our story. I met a 12 year old boy, Ben, and he had multiple sclerosis, he walked with those, those canes. It's about, about a different, so he, he was when he was dying, you know, without you was getting, and I'm talking to him. He says, he says, John, do you really think that I'm gonna give me a dog? It's when he says, it's not, it's not a question. If it's when, when they met you to the dark, when I get honey here, who would you love, they gotta, they have ice on you. Even if you don't know, they're watching you, you're on camera, they're keeping it close. They know exactly what you need. so you, they're gonna tell the dog towards you, Richard, he received this dog, and his parents were on Facebook, still right and right probably changed. This kid's social life, they said, maybe see a smile on his face in, yes. They said, now they can't walk, but he's walking down the corner of his high school. Nobody was those big tanks, 

Rich Bennett 43:57
Yeah, 

John Carter 43:57
he's walking all around 200 pound great things, his parents said not only in the school, he said, everybody in our whole town knows who he is. He's a star. 

Rich Bennett 44:07
I love 

John Carter 44:08
They changed, Richard, they changed that kid's life. The conference that kid has now. He, that kid's gonna be a superstar. You would just tell me about a story about the guy who has doubts in the open up 

Rich Bennett 44:21
that. Yeah. 

John Carter 44:22
business. That's because his parents, they still confidence in a young age. He can do anything. That kid's gonna do anything you want. 

Rich Bennett 44:32
I wish more people would do that, because I'm even thinking of those men in prison that you walked into your cell to help you, and the gentleman that hired you to come into the gym, or to basically work at the gym. We need more people like that that are going to help people with different abilities and look at them like they're just like us, 

John Carter 44:59
There you go. 

Rich Bennett 45:00
because they are. Yeah, just because you know, whether you can't walk or you can't speak great, you can't see you can't hear. Let me tell you, there's a lot more things you can do that we probably can't. 

John Carter 45:14
Unbelievable. So let me tell you another story, I was just showing this woman that she can do something. I don't mind Ted Talk. A woman who's watching it, and she called me, she says, you know, my sister just woke up on a coma, when she gets out of the hospital with the work with her. I said, well my doctor's telling us that I come up to a hospital. 

Rich Bennett 45:41
Yeah. 

John Carter 45:41
So that day I went up there, we built the report, and I was visiting her office. Now she had a brand new thing. I don't want to say never but she was in tuck conditions. 

Rich Bennett 45:53
Yeah. 

John Carter 45:54
Very tuck condition, and she was crying, and I said she said, I would say, you know, look at the positive things. Uh, she said, "What the hell is so positive about this?" I said, "Well," and she was a, uh, a churchist book author to, to the illustration to read for. 

Rich Bennett 46:16
Okay. 

John Carter 46:17
I said, "Well, it could move you right on." So, instantly we woke up to eat some, and now she's taken the smile, I said, "Look at that, that's one single figure that you could do. Now, look at that. You should use your whole name, and that should be a bad deal for you. You can, unbelievable!" 

Rich Bennett 46:39
It's, uh, it's amazing. It's amazing, the things that never give up on yourself. 

John Carter 46:45
There you go. 

Rich Bennett 46:46
You know, that's... 

John Carter 46:47
Why are you ever, you 

Rich Bennett 46:48
Uh-huh. 

John Carter 46:48
see it? 

Rich Bennett 46:49
I love it. I love it. 

John Carter 46:50
Never 

Rich Bennett 46:50
When, 

John Carter 46:50
give 

Rich Bennett 46:51
at 

John Carter 46:51
up. 

Rich Bennett 46:51
first when I saw you...So, those of you that can't see John's wearing a shirt that says, "Never give up." I was gonna ask you at first if you were a John Cena fan since he is from Massachusetts. 

John Carter 47:02
Sure. 

Rich Bennett 47:03
And that's just, you know, he always says, "Never 

John Carter 47:06
give up, baby." 

Rich Bennett 47:07
Yeah. But, and, oh, man. Wait! Um, talk about the writing with the book. 

John Carter 47:13
Sure. 

Rich Bennett 47:13
How long did it actually take you to write? 

John Carter 47:16
Well, Richard, 

I use graduate high school. I dropped out mail almost. And I didn't pay attention to the previous 10th. So, what, what does one know, about a score? I consider myself an author by a definitely not a good writer. I, I, I, I, 

Rich Bennett 47:38
I, I, I, 

John Carter 47:38
I, I, I, I... Oh. 

Rich Bennett 47:39
I, I, 

John Carter 47:40
So, the book, Richard, I couldn't put the pencil down. The, the, the draft of my story was done in the weekend. I, I didn't sleep. I don't think for whole weekend, I just couldn't put the pen down. I just kept writing and writing. And it was the rough draft. If you had better, it wouldn't have made any sense to you. But for me, it made perfect sense. 

Rich Bennett 48:05
Right. Now, what was the hardest part to write for you? 

John Carter 48:09
Well, the hardest part was to write about my dad because I really miss him. I really miss him. And, and Richard, I have a lot of difficulty. Yeah, I, I watched the book for one thing. I don't have a difficult thing. It's been great for Richard. 

Rich Bennett 48:27
Yes. 

John Carter 48:27
Being, I have been helped by so many people. I talked about... I talked to him with a judge house. I saw a play for him in 10 years. Richard, he, he did me a favor. 

Rich Bennett 48:40
He 

John Carter 48:40
life. 

Rich Bennett 48:40
changed your 

John Carter 48:41
I wrote him a letter, thank him for what he did. I was doing drugs in the city, do you want money? Because I'm sitting in a wheelchair deserve a break? No. I'm so worried. Not. I'm doing drugs, drugs ruined families. You know, a little bit of a guy that I met in a wheelchair, to put him in a man's well. The guy who shot me, I was never mad. I got by, I press a screen and get hit by a boss, then I feel a little sad, that why me? 

Rich Bennett 49:15
Yeah. 

John Carter 49:15
But this guy shot me in the head, it was my fault, I was from a fighter. You were talking about a fighter, a friend. That means you should be somebody else's one. I was involved in it. It's only a matter of times we're 

Rich Bennett 49:28
living a dangerous life. Yeah. You know, and I'm glad you said that about the judge, because I think a lot of people, they are quick to blame somebody else for something that, like with the judge, or people that get fired from a job, they're quick to blame the person that fired them. To me, is something like that happens, it happens, which, and you did, turn your life around. And, you know, you're great. If that judge wouldn't have done that, you may not be here today. 

John Carter 50:04
Which is he, he won't be back 

Rich Bennett 50:08
Yeah. 

John Carter 50:08
in prison. I sent him a letter. Thank you and explain why, why was mad and why I'm positive and, and what I think he did find me, he won't be back here. Thank you. I couldn't believe I cried. I hope you do well. I don't know. I couldn't 

Rich Bennett 50:29
have, have you seen him since that time? 

John Carter 50:32
No, he was, he was 90 where I was a 

Rich Bennett 50:34
prisoner. Oh, that's right. 

John Carter 50:36
Oh, okay. I don't eat that around the world. 

Rich Bennett 50:39
Okay. All right. So, John, something, you got a lot of great stories of people you've helped. But can you share another story of somebody that you've helped, especially with the gym part? 

John Carter 50:53
Richard? I keep, I keep, I keep. Recently, well, she spent my client for 18 months. She's, she's my project right now. I always have a project going 

Rich Bennett 51:08
on. Uh huh. 

John Carter 51:08
She came into me about a year and a half ago, 22 years old and caused, couldn't look up, head down, show the press, 340, 340. 

Rich Bennett 51:19
Woah! 

John Carter 51:37
Smile for me. Yeah, face always. I'm confident, drive me alive and she's unbelievable, she says, "I'll just change her voice." And I know who McShrarris, who lose that kind of weight, which is, it's life changing. 

Rich Bennett 51:57
Oh, 

John Carter 51:57
oh. At the age of 22, she's 22 years old, she has a whole life at her. If she was family, her weight was around a decade. 

Rich Bennett 52:10
Wow. 

John Carter 52:10
It changes the way she's so excited. I love that. I love helping 

Rich Bennett 52:15
people. Yeah. 

John Carter 52:16
And I have lots of stories like that because most of my clients come in here, her children or her parents, so we have training in one and they become my clients. But I have lots of stories like that. Like, my clients, she just turned 71 and 2 a. m. And when she goes with her 10 years old, when she first came in her goal, her goal was to carry the water bucket time with God. That was her goal. That's all she wants to, rich it, rich it. This lady is, she can go back when she's unbelievable. 

Rich Bennett 52:58
She 

John Carter 52:58
can go to her, she can go to her, I got to carry the water, she carry the soils, she were active, asked for help. And she can come on an airplane, she can fit the packing of the floor over her head, she can take care of a husband's luggage. So that, they're all wrong, she feels so strong and healthy. And that they can just send you one that feels strong and healthy. She says, I'm doing stuff now, I'm going to do what I'm supposed to 

Rich Bennett 53:27
do. You know what? Here's the thing, age is just the number. You know, don't stop. I mean, don't stop exercising. We had a lady on not too long ago, 100 and 1 years old, I believe. And she was at the house with her trainer. 

John Carter 53:46
Imagine that 

Rich Bennett 53:47
she still trains and she, I mean, she looked amazing. Simply amazing. 

John Carter 53:53
Good for her. 

Rich Bennett 53:54
What's the next big thing for John? More speaking engagements? Another book, what? 

John Carter 53:59
Well, actually, the woman that was in a coma that went and seen in the hospital. She had a dollar that I just have to surround you. She says, oh, you're John kind. She says, I just want you to talk. Just me, my team, I've been searching for a documentary and we don't have enough funding for Because I think we found it. He says, 

Rich Bennett 54:25
Yes. 

John Carter 54:26
well, you do it. I tell him that. Not of course. Richie, this is 5 videos. Dr. Richie has come out about 2 months. 

Rich Bennett 54:34
Really? 

John Carter 54:35
Yeah. So Richie, they treated me like a movie star. I couldn't believe that people actually go through life being stupid like this. I didn't want to end, they were warmed up the red carpet probably. They treated me like high frown, which was over. I didn't want to end. 

Rich Bennett 54:56
What's the documentary going to be called? 

John Carter 54:58
The documentary that doesn't have a name. 

Rich Bennett 55:01
Okay. You got it? You have to let me know when that 

John Carter 55:04
in. 

Rich Bennett 55:04
thing comes 

John Carter 55:04
And that's going to be a big fundraiser for LaFram because I already have a movie theater that we serve and we're going to have a big event and all of the posters going to LaFram are going to be awesome. 

Rich Bennett 55:22
Nice. I love that. I might have to make a road trip for 

John Carter 55:27
Thank 

Rich Bennett 55:27
that. 

John Carter 55:28
you. 

Rich Bennett 55:30
I'm trying to think how long of a drive 

John Carter 55:33
I think it 

Rich Bennett 55:35
is that 

John Carter 55:35
was 

Rich Bennett 55:35
hours? 

John Carter 55:35
six hours. 

Rich Bennett 55:36
Yeah, it's not. I've driven further and I'm sure my. Hey, if I tell my wife, honey, we're going to New England. She'd be on in a heartbeat. I might not be able to come back as Chopi here want to move 

John Carter 55:47
there. 

Rich Bennett 55:47
up 

John Carter 55:48
Really? 

Rich Bennett 55:49
Oh, yeah, she's always wanted. The funny thing is she's always talked about Maine. 

John Carter 55:54
That's what that's. Well, 

Rich Bennett 55:58
if 

John Carter 55:58
I'm just being. 

I don't 

Rich Bennett 56:04
know why I've never been a Connecticut. Look, the furthest north I've been with my feet on the ground is. New York. So I never been never been to Massachusetts, never, never, never been to any of them, never been to any of the new English. 

John Carter 56:22
What are you going to come down? 

Rich Bennett 56:24
I know, I know, now that I'm, you know, flying again and doing the long drives because I lost the weight, 

John Carter 56:31
go. 

Rich Bennett 56:31
go, 

John Carter 56:31
There you go. 

Rich Bennett 56:31
You lose weight, you feel 

John Carter 56:33
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 56:33
better. 

John Carter 56:33
it's all right. 

Rich Bennett 56:34
You couldn't do before. 

John Carter 56:35
I'm blowing. 

Rich Bennett 56:36
You know, oh, it's simply amazing. All right. So, John, before I get to my last question, which I have no idea what the hell is going to be, is there anything you would like to add? 

John Carter 56:49
What I would like to add is never give up. Never quit. You guys, I don't know if you're struggling with any kind of challenge. I don't care what it is, if it's the challenge, it's your challenge. You can do it. 

Rich Bennett 57:09
I love that. All right. So, what I've been doing lately with my guests and somehow another the question to have picked somehow, another lines with what we've been talking about. I have a hundred different, different questions here. Don't worry, John. I'm not going to ask you all 100. 

John Carter 57:26
I'm not, 

Rich Bennett 57:27
I'm not, I'm not going to do. 

John Carter 57:27
The 

Rich Bennett 57:29
questions are, what's that? 

John Carter 57:32
Pick 

Rich Bennett 57:33
a number between one and 100, 

John Carter 57:36
why 53? That's my lucky number. 

Rich Bennett 57:43
Wow. Okay. This, and this allows you what we were talking about. What's a piece of advice you received that initially made no sense, but later proved invaluable. 

John Carter 58:00
I had no idea how to deal with my dad's man at that time. But when I was in prison and that was because of my sister, I said I need to, I need a plan. I remember sitting in my bed talking to my dad up in heaven, asking him for help. And that's where they came from. Fail the plan. When the fail, I got up that morning. I couldn't sleep at night. I was making a plan, and I had to cook Richard. Chill with 

Rich Bennett 58:28
Hell. Yeah. 

John Carter 58:29
Chill with Hell. I didn't want to do this. I want to be home with my family. I want to be free. I want to do this. I can't survive to be stuck in jail. So I made a plan and Richard. Thank God. Now what I 

Rich Bennett 58:51
Yeah. 

John Carter 58:52
know is what that means. I really know what it means because I would have failed miserable. 

Rich Bennett 58:57
I like that. Fail the plan We fail. 

John Carter 59:03
plan to fail. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 59:03
Fail to fail to plan 

John Carter 59:07
to fail. 

Rich Bennett 59:07
To fail. 

John Carter 59:08
So you all got to fail. 

Rich Bennett 59:10
question. 

John Carter 59:10
There's no 

Rich Bennett 59:10
Oh yeah. 

John Carter 59:11
If I didn't make that plan I would have took that right. I would have lew back to the whistle or a hundred bucks. I'd be still sitting at the bar. 

Rich Bennett 59:19
Yeah. And you learned from those failures. 

John Carter 59:23
Oh yeah. 

Rich Bennett 59:24
So John, I want to thank you so much. It's been a true honor. I can't not wait for this documentary to come out and yeah, you got to let me know when it's coming down. I want to try to make a road trip up there. 

John Carter 59:36
I show 

Rich Bennett 59:38
what I do. Give Jagger and turbulence a big hug 

John Carter 59:42
me. 

Rich Bennett 59:42
for up. 

John Carter 59:43
I show 

Rich Bennett 59:43
Your mother even a bigger 

John Carter 59:45
Oh thank you, but show appreciate that. My mom's awesome. Awesome. I love them. I love it. 

Rich Bennett 59:55
hug. No. 

John Carter 59:56
Richard you can ask the same question a hundred times and I'm going to answer it with a hundred 

Rich Bennett 1:00:02
Yeah, 

John Carter 1:00:03
times. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:05
enjoy it, man. 

John Carter 1:00:05
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:07
One of the things that I do miss, because I would go, if I didn't make it over to the house, I would call my mom and dad every day. Yeah. And to save my older brother. We would call each 

John Carter 1:00:20
day. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:20
other every 

John Carter 1:00:21
They love that. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:22
Oh yeah, pick on each other because if they weren't picking on me, I knew I wouldn't be 

Thanks. 

John Carter 1:00:30
Richard, off to the other great day, buddy. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:33
You too. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:34
Thank you for listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and learned something from it as I did. If you'd like to hear more conversations like this, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a episode. And if you have a moment, I'd love it if you can leave a review. It helps us reach more listeners and share more incredible stories. Don't forget to connect with us on social media or visit our website at conversationswithrich Bennett.com for updates, giveaways and more. Until next time, take care, be kind and keep the conversations going. You know, it takes a lot to put a podcast together. and my sponsors help add a lot but I also have some supporters that actually help me when it comes to the editing software, the hosting and so forth. There's a lot that goes into putting this together so i want to thank them and if you can please please visit their websites, visit their businesses, support them however you can. So please visit the following. Real life prosthetics cutting edge solutions restoring ability since 2001 go to real life prosthetics.com Full full circle boards nobody does charcuterie like full circle boards visit them at full circle boards dot com. Sincerely, Sincerely, >> Sincerely so your photography live in the moment they'll capture it visit them at sincerely soyer.com.