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Hi, this Nathalie Mamo joining me in this very special episode of the Libyan and
is the East superstar Titus O'Neil.
Titus, thank you so much for joining us.
It's been such a long time we definitely miss you 2020 has been a crazy year.
How has it been going on so far for you?
>> It's been gone.
Just about like it has for everybody else in regards to normalcy, but
it's given me an opportunity to kind of increase the work and
recognize more work that needs to be done for those that are in need.
And, and pivot a little bit.
I've been, you know, working on my cooking skills at home.
My grilling skills I've done all kinds of I think I'd remodel my house three or
four times during this process so
it's been a it's been a process that obviously I've had to adapt.
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In a multitude of ways with me and my kids, we practice in football in the way
you have laid the School, where e- learning and stuff like that.
But it's been a good transition for us to kind of think of things in a different
way, but I'm really, ready to go.
>> We all are by just your humanitarian work speaks volumes
to everyone who knows what you do for the community and specifically for children.
Tell us how did this all start and how can you tell us more about it and
how it all starts for you.
>> Yeah, well it started for me at a very young age.
I got a chance to go to a place called the Florida sheriff's Boys Ranch
which is kind of like a boarding school per say.
That showed me a lot of love.
I'm the product of a sexual assault.
My mother was sexually assaulted at 11 years old happy days as well.
Against the wishes of many I grew up for I grew up being pulled up being a kid that
will be dead or in jail by the time I was 16.
And I believe that for a greater amount of my young adult life, and
then I got a chance to go to this place of worship boys in
that place really trying to change my life.
The people that loved on me invested in that place not just for kids like myself,
but for others.
And so, I've always been a very outspoken person.
Even at a young age.
I just learned how to do it in a different way.
Once I started achieving success that I was told that I will never be able to
achieve, I'm the first person to graduate from high school in my family.
I'm the first person to go to college and graduate from college and my family and
I kind of set the generational curse on a different path.
And so I want to see other families and kids that have that same situation,
if not worse than I did be able to be set on that path and
I tell people all the time they asked me how do you do so
much how you do so much for so many people?
And I say how can I not know I'm literally not supposed to even be here.
And and my mom made a huge sacrifice by having me and but
in the face of unfortunate circumstances and
people invested in me when they have nothing to gain in return.
And so I'll never meet a lot of those people.
I'll never be able to thank them personally, but what I can do is show.
Others that same dignity and go out each and every day with a grateful heart and
grateful attitude to make this world a better place.
And so it's something that I take great pride in and
I'm honored to have the opportunity to do it.
Especially considering I couldn't afford, nice clothes growing up.
I couldn't afford to have food.
In some cases.
We didn't have the best of housing.
We didn't have the best of vehicles when I was growing up.
But now that I'm in a situation in a position to be able to not only facilitate
those needs resources, but also encourage others to do the same,
it's truly a blessing.
>> Well, everything you do is definitely very inspiring and you set an example.
To everyone.
We're gonna talk more about your visits to Saudi, you've been to the lobby a couple
of times to Saudi Arabia, what are the most memorable moments to you there or
what's like the first thing you recall or saw or remember?
>> Well, I would say that the most memorable moment and
everyone else would have with me along and sliding under the rain.
So you can see that if we can make a system that upholds all
this pollution, you also save government spending.
So what can we do with the money we raise with the tax on carbon or carbon tax?
First of all, we can reduce the income tax.
So if you.
Being able to, to be a part of your culture and
to, you know, see how very devoted you guys are to your faith.
And you know, I tell people all the time,
that faith to me is your relationship and It's not forced.
It's not but it's a way of life over there.
You got to be very adamant about making sure you get your prayer time in.
And, I think that when people center things around faith that puts us
all in a better position to hopefully exude love respect and honour and
and I felt that when I went over there I felt that they did this.
My experience in Saudi Arabia was something that was very different
from the stereotypes that are portrayed on on that country and
almost people and and I tell people and they don't believe it.
But I'll say I feel safer in Saudi Arabia than I feel in some
places in the United States.
And especially as a father of two sons,
knowing that my kids can literally be playing in the middle of the street at 132
o'clock in the morning with no fears of anybody coming in appropriately because.
The law makes sure that doesn't happen.
And, so I felt safe.
I was fed well, I was treated extremely well and
learned a lot in my short time over there.
One was short few times over there.
>> I was, I was actually waiting for you to mention the tightest world slide.
Then you did right after that.
>> No fortunately, I mean, thankfully, there was nothing underneath the rain
that was, normally there's a big crossbar right in the middle of the rain for
the LED board because we We use that now with Monday Night Raw and Smackdown.
Luckily none of that stuff was around.
I think it was like some ladders and stuff underneath, but
they were kinda pushed back deep, so I grazed a little bit of a ladder.
But I'm very blessed and fortunate, and
also I mean that's with all the meals are first time over there,
and with all the legendary things that happen on there.
Undertaker coming over and John Cena and Triple H, and Ray Mysterio and
all these household names that have been fixtures and WWE for years,
nobody was talking about any of that, no one is talking about it absolutely.
>> Well, thanks O’Neil, thank you so much, you're inspiring in every possible way.
Thank you so much for being with us and
he doesn't feel to see you very soon in the Mid-East because we miss you all here.
So thank you and good luck with everything.
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