(upbeat music) - Hello, everybody, and
welcome to The Balancing Act.
I'm Julie Moran.
- And I'm Olga Villaverde.
Today, we're highlighting two very special people,
both of whom I am so lucky enough to call my friends.
- Beth Troutman, who was part of the Balancing Act family,
will be sharing her story of volunteerism,
why she goes to Haiti to help the children.
- And then there's Marc Buoniconti, I've told you,
he and I went to the University of Miami together.
His life took a dramatic turn on the football field.
His book, Undefeated: From Tragedy To Triumph,
chronicles his life and determination
to one day find a cure for paralysis,
and he's gonna walk again.
- You know, he's such an inspiration.
He has such a spirit, and his dad, Nick,
is just standing right there with him.
- He's got a great team behind him.
Plus, it's that time of year, � Vacation �
Whether you're young or young at heart,
there's always something to do in Florida.
So, pack your bags, Julie, because...
- That, and so much more coming your way
right here on The Balancing Act, and it all starts right now.
- Did you like that, � Vacation �
(upbeat music) - It's vacation time, and
we've got some fun ideas for the whole family.
After all, there's always something to do
in Orlando, Florida.
- Thanks, Julie!
My family and I are so excited to be here in Orlando
where we are going to experience some one of a kind adventures.
Orlando is home to 13 theme parks and water adventure parks.
That's why it's known as the theme park capital
of the world, and it's also the number one destination
in the entire United States.
So come on, we're about to have lots of fun.
(upbeat music) - When Christina told me
we were coming to Orlando with the kids, I thought, the
kids are just gonna love it.
- Last year, more than 72 million people visited Orlando,
and today, we're going to do something very unique
to Orlando, and hop on an air boat.
(rock music) (motors roaring)
We're here at Wild Florida, hoping to see an aligator
or two, maybe some cool, unique birds.
There are tons of species that call the Florida
Everglades home, so let's go see
what we can find.
- You guys ready for this?
- Yeah!
- Let's do it!
(motor roaring) (rock music)
We are on an air boat in the headwaters
of the Central Florida Everglades.
That's a white heron.
Now, why do you think they have long legs?
- [Christine] To run fast?
- No, they're wading birds, they can walk in the water.
- What's he doing with his neck?
- [Captain] Out here, we see everything from alligators
to eagles and big wading birds like the white heron
and blue heron we just saw.
Pretty cool, huh?
- We had to check out the wildlife here.
They have a couple of albino alligators,
tons of other alligators that we'll get to feed,
we can take a selfie with a sloth,
otherwise known as a sloth-fee, feed the lemurs, check
out maybe some zebras, there is so much to see here.
(upbeat music) Oh my gosh, do you want
to feed the alligators?
- [Child] Yeah!
- Say cheese!
You're doing a good job feeding Luke.
(screaming) I love you.
(upbeat music) If you really want
to see Orlando, head up to Icon Orlando.
This is the tallest observation wheel on the east coast.
It's over 400 feet tall, and it weighs three million pounds.
Now, to give you an idea of how big that is,
imagine 300 school buses.
Pretty big.
(upbeat music) - [Colin] Look at them,
they're in swings!
Here, let's take a picture selfie.
(moderate music) (upbeat music)
- [Christine] Time for a bit of shopping,
and at the mall at Millennia and Orlando Premium Outlets,
I can shop til I drop.
So many great stores and boutiques.
All this shopping has made us hungry, so let's eat.
Okay, after all of that activity,
who is ready for some Italian?
(cheering) Okay, let's go!
(upbeat music) These are breadsticks.
You can have meat and cheese on it.
We're at Maria and Enzo's in Disney Springs,
one of five thousand restaurants around Orlando.
There are tons of spots around here,
some, owned by celebrity chefs, themed dining, international
and national brands.
Your taste buds are in for an adventure,
whether you are a foodie, a casual diner,
or somewhere in between.
So yeah, Justin, tell us a little bit
about some of the food you brought out.
- Of course.
These are some of our signature dishes, perfect for sharing.
Here we have our trio, which is 24 month aged
prosciutto di parma.
Our new york stip taolol, with an arugula salad next to it.
And there's our toro, our tuna steak,
with our green bean and tomato agrodolce.
- I feel like looking around, it's like we're in an airport.
- Absolutely, this was the old air terminal
at Disney Springs.
We're very very casual here, laid back for the Disney guest,
but we do take our steps of service very seriously,
so it's kind of like white glove service,
without the white glove.
- Grazie Justin.
- Prego senora, buon appetito, enjoy your meal.
(Christine laughs) - [Christine] Are those good?
Yummy.
- Yummy.
(relaxing music) - It's a tropical paradise here
at Buena Vista Water Sports.
And we're about to head out to the beautiful
Lake Bryan, for some eco adventures.
Alright kids, safety first, we got out life jackets on.
We are ready to go.
We're gonna be super strong after this.
- One of the exciting things on this trip for me,
has been Buena Vista Water Sports.
We've got to go on jet skis, to kayaks.
You can spend a whole day here, it's a lot of fun.
(rock music) - One thing you
cannot forget to do, is relax.
And there is no better place to do that,
then here at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cyprus.
Look at this legendary lagoon style pool.
And there are tons of other over the top pools,
with kids activities and awesome water slides
for your family to enjoy.
Just like mine are.
They're like little fish.
(upbeat music) I think the kids had a lot
of fun, and they behaved, which is always a good thing.
(kids laughing) We had such a great
time and made memories that will last forever.
If you're ready to join the fun, make sure to visit
visitorlando.com or our website, TheBalancingAct.com.
We will be back soon Orlando.
You wanna go in the pool again?
- Yeah.
(upbeat music)
(Upbeat music) - My next guest walked away
from a promising career.
She was a rising TV anchor and decided to call it quits.
Because she wanted to change the world.
Beth Troutman is here with me this morning,
to share her journey and what a journey it has been.
Good morning.
- So great to be here Olga.
- Ah it's great to have you.
For our viewers out there who maybe don't know this.
You and I have been friends for, long time
- A long time.
We actually auditioned for this show together.
- [Olga] 2009.
- [Beth] 2009.
- [Olga] And you were with us for a year.
- [Beth] Uh, almost two.
- [Olga] Almost two years and then left.
We missed you tremendously.
- [Beth] Thank you.
- But when you left, I think if I'm correct
you went to Right This Minute?
- Right, it was a nationally syndicated.
Ended up being an internationally syndicated show.
We were syndicated all through Asia,
and trough the Caribbean.
- And then suddenly you left to Charlotte.
- Yes.
- And you just gave it all up, why so?
- Well I moved to Charlotte, I was anchoring the news
for an NBC station there.
But the reason that I chose to, to even move back
to my home state.
My mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
And, you know when I was born, she clothed me, she fed
me, she made sure that I had a comfortable life.
And I felt that it was my, responsibility and my honor
to do the same for her, as she left this life.
- [Olga] You always told me she was your best friend.
- She was.
And, We had a beautiful relationship.
And I was blessed that in the final six weeks of her life,
I actually moved into my parents home,
and I was her 24 hour care taker and I was holding her hand
when she took her final breath.
- I know that was a pivotal moment for you.
You changed the focus of your life.
You walked away from TV news, right?
- Ah, it was.
I get teared up even now, you know two years later.
Several months after my mother passed away I did,
decide to walk away from a television career.
And I had spent nearly 20 years in television.
And, had what most people would consider
a dream life you know.
I had a nationally syndicated show.
I had done appearance on The Today Show.
You know, I had achieved what people
thought I should achieve.
- That's right.
- But, those weeks with my mother.
And watching and understanding how finite life is,
really, released, I think the most
important part of my soul.
And I really started getting to know
the real version of myself.
Not the TV version, but the real version.
And the thing that I first did when I walked away
from television, is I went to Haiti, I went
to a third world country and I lived at an orphanage.
- [Olga] You went with an organization right?
- [Beth] I did the organization was called Give Hope Global,
is called Give Hope Global.
They are an incredible, an incredible group.
- [Olga] What do they do?
- They have, basically taken an
orphanage that was, dilapidated.
The children were malnourished.
And they have rebuilt it.
And the children now are thriving.
But beyond that they also fund a medical community there.
They bring in doctors from the United States,
to perform surgeries and work in the third world hospital.
But for them it was important to make sure that they could
empower the Haitians.
So they have started funding something that they call
Community Health Workers.
They've taught local people to help their community.
They fund it so that people are making a salary
and helping feed their families there in Haiti.
They've employed a doctor there on the ground,
who works in the clinic at the orphanage.
So it's not just about coming in and doing good
and then going back to the United States.
It's about creating a sustainable system
there for the Haitians, and increasing
the odds for them.
And that's what was so remarkable about being there
and being part of it.
And while I was there I shot a documentary.
A short documentary about the incredible work.
- [Olga] It must have been just so hard yet,
so rewarding for you too.
- You know it was actually nothing but rewarding.
I thought I was going down there to,
change their lives.
- [Olga] And they changed yours.
- They changed mine.
It was the exact opposite.
Because you know by, by American standards.
You know, by material standards certainly
it's the poorest country in the western hemisphere.
They don't have the material good that we have.
But they have something so much more important.
They have joy.
And kindness and compassion and generosity.
And I started seeing first hand, what I learned in those
final weeks with my mother.
What really matters, in this life.
And, I took that to heart.
And my goal now is to share that message
with as many people as possible.
And I do it, hopefully through shooting more documentaries,
but I'm also a motivational speaker now
and travel the world talking about this message.
And hopefully helping people find,
that purpose, that thing that drives them,
that thing that lives inside of their hearts,
rather than, you know people, living the life that they
think they should live because of some standard
that's not there's, you know.
- And I know as you're doing it you think of your
mom along the way.
- I do, and you know the biggest
thing that I think every day as I have created this
now, very purposeful life.
You know this life that I have created with very
real reasons, I hope that she, I hope that she's proud.
That's the thing that I think, I hope she's proud.
- [Olga] And she is.
Her name?
- [Beth] Nancy.
So my first name actually.
I'm named after her, I go by Beth but...
- And you're making me cry.
- I know you're making me cry to.
- Well on a more joyful note, your also coming back
to The Balancing Act, and you're gonna be doing more
stuff with us?
- [Beth] Yes.
- [Olga] Yes.
- [Beth] And it was, it's so wonderful to be back here.
I love the new set that you guys have.
- [Olga] Isn't it great?
- It's beautiful, and what wonderful thing
to come back into this loving family
and into this energy, and back to you.
I mean you know, dinners together and girlfriend time
like we used to have.
It feels, it's like coming home you know.
If feels right because like, like we said in the beginning,
we auditioned for this show together,
and started the show together.
- Now we're just a little older right?
- [Beth] Older and wiser.
- There you go.
- Older and wiser.
It's like a fine wine, we just get better with age.
We get better with age.
- I have missed you.
For our viewers our there who'd like more information
on the organization that's helping everyone in Haiti
and around the world, what is it?
- You can go to givehopeglobal.org.
And there at the website you can watch the short documentary
that I shot.
But you can also donate, and you can sponsor a child,
and help feed an orphan that lives in the orphanages
that they sponsor.
There are all kinds of way that you can contribute.
And you can even go on one of the trips to Haiti.
They go three times a year, and you can travel there
and see for yourself what kind of life changing experience
it is to, to live in a third world country.
- Thanks for doing this.
- [Beth] Absolutely.
- Thanks for coming back.
And I know she's a little bit to humble to say it,
but I'm gonna say it for her, because she is extremely humble.
She got an Emmy as well.
Bravo, bravo.
- Thank you.
Your so sweet.
Yes your right, I turn red when I get too much attention.
- I love you.
We'll be right back.
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music) - Over the last three
decades, the Miami Project to cure paralysis has become
an international beacon of hope for those who have
suffered spinal cord injures.
It all started because of one young man's
unfortunate accident.
Since then, he and his families dedication,
and determination, have never stopped.
Here's Olga with more.
- For more than 30 years my next guest
has been searching for a cure for paralysis.
It's become his personal journey and passion.
At the age of 19, Mark Buoniconti was paralyzed
from the neck down, after a tackle at a
college football game.
In his new book, Undefeated: From Tragedy to Triumph,
Mark talks about his life, his mission,
and his goal to one day walk again.
Good morning.
- Hi Olga, great to see you again.
- Great to see you again.
We went back, we go way back.
Actually to, University of Miami, I
think I was about 20?
You were 20?
- Yeah we were 20 a few years ago.
- That was a long time ago.
- Hey, but we age gracefully like wine.
- And I think we met, maybe a couple of years
after the accident right?
- That's right.
I went back to school in 1987, after my injury in 85.
I was in college as a sophomore.
Playing middle line backer, just like my father.
Hall of Fame NFL line backer, Nick Buoniconti.
- A Dolphin I have to say cause I'm a Miami girl.
- A Patriot and a Dolphin.
- Yes.
- But my hero and, playing football and I made a tackle
like I had done so many other times.
But this one obviously was different cause,
I went from really in the best shape of my life
in a split second.
After that tackle to be paralyzed on the ground
fighting for my life.
- You were in the hospital for a very long time
I remember.
- I was in the hospital and entire year.
Seven months I was on a respirator.
And, a lot of despair, a lot of psychological
and emotional issues that I was going through.
But Dr. Green not only saved my life,
but he started talking about this crazy vision that he had.
About bringing scientists together,
from all over the world, focusing on one thing only.
And that's curing paralysis.
- I know your father Nick and the doctor
and so many others came together to form the Miami Project
to cure paralysis.
- Correct.
- Tell me about that and where we are with research,
are we close?
- So we're getting closer every day.
- [Olga] Yeah.
- The Miami Project is based at the University of Miami
Miller School of Medicine.
Over 300 scientists and technicians working every day.
- [Olga] Wow.
- To find a cure for paralysis.
We do things, for people who are
injured now as well as people chronically like
me who have been injured for a long time.
We have seven FDA approved clinical trials.
Transplanting cells into people who are paralyzed.
And showing sensation and function return
for the first time ever, since their injury.
- And I know you're opening a new rehab center,
maybe in 2020?
- That's right so, The University of Miami
Jackson Memorial Health System.
Along with my dear friend Christine Lynn,
who had donated 25 million dollars to the facility.
Is opening in 2020.
A brand new 190 bed
rehab facility to house the Miami Project
and Jackson and UM.
So that we can expand our clinical trials.
And have more patients for our clinical studies.
- And along with Christine, you've had so much support
from so many that have really come together to help you.
- That's right.
We do an event every year in New York,
called the Great Sports Legends Dinner.
Hosted by Tom Brokaw and also by Bob Costas.
And we've had Muhammad Ali, we've had President Nixon,
and President Clinton.
Wayne Gretzky, you name it.
- And you're also now promoting a fabulous new book
that you wrote.
I love the title.
Undefeated: From Tragedy to Triumph.
You and your dad on the cover, what's the message here Mark?
- The message is about my life and my family.
About a kid who was really troubled
despite unbelievable support from my family.
I was going down a real strange and dark wrong path.
And it took me to be paralyzed, to change my outlook, and
literally save my life.
Paralysis, even though I've been injured
for all these years.
I really fell blessed and I feel lucky,
because of that injury it's opened up my eyes
to find out really what life is all about.
Given me a different perspective.
And after all these years I can just say,
that what I've been able to experience I,
it's really made it all worth while.
And I feel really lucky, and it's been a big
difference in my life.
I can be a positive force for a change.
- You're such an inspiration.
- Thanks so much.
- Thanks so much for coming in.
- Good to be here Olga.
- For our viewers who's like more information
on your book or the Miami Project,
what website can they go to?
- Go to themiamiproject.org.
- Thanks again Mark.
Come back any time.
And of course if you'd more information
you can go to our website, TheBalancingAct.com.
(upbeat music) - I tell ya, I just really
applaud that for her selflessness.
- I know it's just fantastic...
And Mark, what courage, fantastic people.
- Well we would love for you to head down.
Facebook page and our website.
And follow us on twitter.
- Or on Instagram @julieandolga.
Thanks for watching everyone.
We'll see you next time.
- So long everybody.
(upbeat music)