>>> SO ALONG SIDE OUR SOLDIERS
FIGHTING OVERSEAS ARE
JOURNALISTS IMBEDDED WITH THEM.
IT CAN BE DANGEROUS AS WE WERE
REMINDED MONDAY WHEN TWO SUICIDE
BOMBERS STRUCK AFGHANISTAN'S
CAPITOL KILLING 29 PEOPLE
INCLUDING 9 JOURNALISTS.
HE COVERS THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
AND KNOWS THE DANGERS OF WAR ALL
TOO WELL.
PLEASE WATCH THIS, PLEASE.
>> I FIRST STARTED REPORTING
FROM AFGHANISTAN IN 2005.
YOU'RE SPENDING ALL OF YOUR
WAKING AND SLEEPING HOURS WITH
SOLDIERS SOMETIMES IN REMOTE
COMBAT OUTPOSTS WITH VERY
FEW AMENITIES AND IT'S DANGEROUS
BUT IT'S SOME OF THE BEST
REPORTING I HAVE EVER DONE
BECAUSE YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY
TO REALLY SPEND A LOT OF TIME
WITH A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM
THESE PEOPLE AND TO TRY TO
EXPLAIN TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF
AMERICANS WHAT IT IS THEY'RE
DOING AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING
THROUGH.
>> REALLY PARANOID DOWN HERE
BECAUSE WE DON'T GET TO MAKE IT
DOWN HERE AS MUCH AS WE WOULD
LIKE TO.
>> IT WAS SEPTEMBER 9th, 2010.
I WAS AT A REMOTE COMBAT OUTPOST
NEAR THE PAKISTANI BORDER AND WE
WERE ON FOOT PATROL IN A SMALL
VILLAGE.
IT WAS THE LAST DAY OF RAMADAN.
I STOPPED TO TALK TO SOME YOUNG
MEN SITTING BY THE SIDE OF THE
ROAD AND ALREADY HAD A FEELING
ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE.
ONE OF THE TELL-TELL SIGNS OF
WHEN SOMETHING IS GOING TO GO
WRONG IS WHEN THE KIDS SCATTER.
ALL THE KIDS, THE LITTLE ONES
RAN AWAY SO I WAS TALKING TO
THESE GUYS AND I HAD THIS
FEP
FEELING CREEPING UP IN ME AND I
SAW THEIR EYES GET BRIGHT AND
THEN I HEARD THIS SOUND AND JUST
DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT 40 YARDS
AWAY THERE WAS A MAN SHOULDERING
AN RPG LAUNCHER AND I TURNED TO
LOOK AT HIM AND THE TIP OF THE
THING WAS SCREAMING RIGHT AT ME.
AND JUST SMACKED ME IN THE SIDE
OF THE HEAD AND DIDN'T DETONATE.
I WAS IMMEDIATELY BLINDED IN MY
RIGHT EYE AND ALL THE BONES IN
THE SIDE OF MY FACE WERE CRUSHED
AND IMMEDIATELY I THOUGHT WELL,
THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT I'M STILL
ALIVE.
>> WOW.
HE HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT HIS
LIFE AND HIS EXPERIENCES IN
AFGHANISTAN IN HIS REMARKABLE
PERSEVERANCE.
IT'S CALLED BLIND SIDED BY THE
TALIBAN.
A JOURNALISTS STORY OF WAR,
TRAUMA, LOVE, AND LOSS.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> UNBELIEVABLE.
THE STORY.
I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO
WATCH THAT TAPE.
>> I'VE ONLY SEEN IT ONCE ALL
THE WAY THROUGH.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I TALK
ABOUT IN MY BOOK.
THAT EXPERIENCE AND I HAVE TRIED
TO HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR
ABOUT IT AND THAT'S WHAT HAS
SUSTAINED ME WHILE I WAS INJURED
AND THEN RECOVERY AND THE YEARS
THAT FOLLOWED THAT ALL YOU CAN
DO IS LAUGH SOMETIMES.
>> BUT THE BOOK PAINTS A HEROING
PICTURE OF THE MOMENTS BEFORE.
YOU WRITE IN A VERY COMPELLING
AND DESCRIPTIVE WAY ABOUT THAT
MOMENT THAT IS CAUGHT ON TAPE.
THAT'S HIM SHOOTING HIS STORY
WITH THE THREE GUYS SITTING
THERE.
AND THEN LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD
AND YOU WRITE A GREEN ROCKET IS
SCREAMING RIGHT FOR ME.
A FEW SECONDS OF HAY MEMORIAL
SERVICE SHATTERS INTO A MILLION
DISTINCT MOMENTS OF DREAD AS I
WATCH MY APPROACHING DEATH.
TIME SLOWS DOWN.
I GO FROM ANGUISH TO ACCEPTANCE
OF MY FATE IN A SINGLE BREATH
AND THEN THE ROCKET HIT YOU
SQUARE IN THE FACE.
>> YEAH.
>> HOW MANY SURGERIES HAPPENED
AFTER THAT.
>> I HAD A TOTAL OF FOUR
SURGERIES.
ONE IMMEDIATELY AFTER I WAS
INJURED.
I WAS TAKEN OUT BY SOME VERY
BRAVE MEN IN A HELICOPTER AND
FLOWN TO A MILITARY BASE IN
AFGHANISTAN WHERE AN ON STAFF
MILITARY OPTHAMOLOGIST OPERATED
ON MY EYE AND WAS ABLE TO SAVE
IT.
THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE
GOING TO AT FIRST.
THEY TOLD ME WHEN I WOKE UP FROM
THAT FIRST SURGERY THEY SAID
YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO LOSE
THAT EYE.
>> ORBITAL --
>> ALL THE BONES IN MY FACE WERE
FRACTURED.
THIS SIDE OF MY FACE WAS
COMPLETELY SHATTERED AND I HAVE
HAD THE SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS
THAT I HAVE HAD REQUIRED 12 PINS
AND 4 PLATES THAT ARE STILL ON
MY FACE HOLDING IT TOGETHER.
>> THE STORY OF WHAT YOU WENT
THROUGH IS GRIPPING BUT THE
STORY OF WHO YOU ARE IS MORE
GRIPPING AND YOU WRITE VERY
HONESTLY IN THE BOOK ABOUT, YOU,
YOU KNOW, ENJOYED SOME OXYCOTIN
IN THE WAKE OF THAT INJURY AS
YOU SHOULD HAVE BUT YOU HAD A
HISTORY OF HEROIN ABUSE, OF
ADRENALINE PURSUIT.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND EVEN WHILE YOUR FACE IS
RECOVERING WHEN YOU'RE NOT
SUPPOSED TO BE DOING ANYTHING
GOING SURFING, DIVING, OFF ROAD
MOTORBI
MOTORBIKING, WHITE WATER
RAFTING.
>> MY DOCTOR IS GOING TO KILL
ME.
>> THAT'S THE THEME THROUGHOUT
THE BOOK.
YOU'RE SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS THIS.
YOU GET THE JONES OFF OF DANGER,
RIGHT?
>> YES.
I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THAT IS
MAYBE A TRAGIC FLAW IN MY
CHARACTER.
I AM TRYING TO CURTAIL IT MORE
NOW THAT I HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT
IS 2 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE B TO
BE A LOT MORE RESPONSIBLE.
I HAVE MORE THAN JUST MYSELF TO
THINK ABOUT BUT YES IT'S STILL
THERE.
>> THERE WAS A DAY ABOUT A YEAR
OR SO AFTER YOUR INJURY THAT
YOU'RE BACK STATE SIDE AND A BOX
ARRIVED.
>> I HAD EVERYTHING, ALL OF MY
PERSONAL EFFECTS AND THE CAMERA
GEAR AND COMPUTER HAD BEEN BOXED
UP AND SENT BACK TO ME.
I HAD UNDERGONE TWO MORE
SURGERIES HERE IN NEW YORK AND
THIS BOX ARRIVED AT THE
APARTMENT WHERE I WAS
RECOVERING.
TWO MEN BOUGHT IT IN AND IT SAT
IN MY APARTMENT FOR TWO WEEKS.
I COULDN'T BRING MYSELF TO OPEN
IT.
I KNEW THERE WERE A LOT OF
BOOGIE MEN IN THAT BOX AND I
WORKED UP THE NERVE TO OPEN IT
AND SEE WHAT WAS IN IT.
THE REMINISCES OF MY PREVIOUS
LIFE AND THE FIRST THING I
REALIZED IS IT SMELLED AWFUL
BECAUSE THERE WERE DIRTY CLOTHES
IN IT THAT HAD BEEN IN THIS BOX
FOR ABOUT A MONTH AT THAT POINT
AND THEN I STARTED TO PICK
THROUGH IT AND I FOUND MY VIDEO
CAMERA, THE CAMERA IN WHICH I
SHOT THAT VIDEO AND I STILL
COULDN'T BRING MYSELF TO LOOK AT
IT.
IT TOOK ME SEVERAL MONTHS TO SIT
DOWN WITH A FRIEND AND GO OVER
THAT FOOTAGE BECAUSE I WASN'T
SURE I CAUGHT IT AND THEN WHEN I
I SAW IT, IT WAS LIKE
EXPERIENCING IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
>> WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT,
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER AHE
>>> WE'RE BACK NOW WITH THE
JOURNALIST THAT HAS WRITTEN
ABOUT HIS AMAZING STORY OF
SURVIVAL AFTER BEING HIT IN THE
FACE WITH A ROCKET PROPELLED
GRENADE AFTER COVERING THE WAR
IN AFGHANISTAN.
YOU WATCH THE TAPE AND THEN YOU
WRITE ABOUT GOING TO CLIMB
MOUNTAINS IN BOLIVIA AND SURFING
BIG WAVES AND GOING TO HAITI AND
WRITE STILL I WASN'T SATISFIED.
NOTHING SEEMED TO COME CLOSE OF
THE RUSH OF POTENTIAL VIOLENCE
AND SELF-DESTRUCTION AND SO I
BECAME DEPRESSED AND SO YOU DID
WHAT?
>> WENT BACK TO AFGHANISTAN.
>> HOW MANY TIMES?
>> SINCE I RECOVERED FROM MY
INJURY I HAVE BEEN BACK SIX
TIMES.
I KNOW.
I'M TORTURING MY PARENTS.
>> RIGHT.
BUT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU NEED
TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU WRITE ABOUT
HOW WHEN YOU TRIED TO STAY AND
COVER DOMESTIC STORIES YOU WERE,
QUOTE, SUFFOCATING IN YOUR OWN
MEDIOCRATY AND BOREDOM.
YOU TALK ABOUT HOW DOES IT MAKE
YOU DO THESE CRAZY THINGS LIKE
GOING BACK TO AFGHANISTAN SIX
TIMES BUT CHEAT ON SEVERAL
GIRLFRIENDS.
YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN --
>> YES.
AFTER I GOT HURT I FELT LIKE I
DESERVED ALL OF THIS SPECIAL
ATTENTION AND THAT I HAD IT
COMING TO ME BECAUSE OF MY
INJURIES AND THAT I SOON
DISCOVERED WITHIN THREE MONTHS
OF BEING HURT THAT I HAD BURNED
THROUGH ALL THE GOOD WILL I
THOUGHT I HAD EARNED AND
EVERYBODY WAS JUST SICK OF
DEALING WITH ME BECAUSE I WASN'T
BEING VERY NICE TO OTHERS OR
CONSIDERATE OF THEIR FEELINGS
BECAUSE I WAS WALLOWING IN MY
OWN --
>> YOU'RE ENTITLED TO A WALLOW.
>> BUT YOU SHOULDN'T DO IT AT
THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS AND I FELT
BAD ABOUT THAT.
>> THE TRUTH IS YOU WEREN'T
ALWAYS TREATED THAT WELL BY THE
GIRLFRIENDS EITHER.
THE FIANCEE WASN'T SUPPORTIVE
AFTER YOU GOT SHOT.
>> NO, WE HAD A FALLING OUT
RIGHT AFTER I GOT HURT AND WE
ENDED UP BREAKING UPRIGHT BEFORE
MY FIRST MAJOR SURGERY HERE IN
NEW YORK.
>> YOU WERE GOING THROUGH A LOT
BUT YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR
RECOGNITION OF YOUR COMPULSION
TOWARD RISK.
THE SENSELESS CHANCES YOU HAVE
TAKEN LIKE HELMETLESS RIDES AT
NIGHT ON A MOTORCYCLE THROUGH
MIAMI AND SAY WHAT REALLY SCARES
ME MORE THAN GETTING MY LEGS
BLOWN OFF OR GETTING SHOT AGAIN
IS THAT ONE DAY THE WRONG SIDE
OF THIS STRUGGLE IS GOING TO
WIN.
MY GREATEST FEAR IS ME.
STILL?
>> YEAH.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I
STILL STRUGGLE WITH AND I'M
ALWAYS GOING TO STRUGGLE WITH IT
BUT I HAVE A GREATER
RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONCERNS
THAN MY OWN.
I HAVE A 2-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER
NOW.
>> YOU DID FIND LOVE.
>> I DO.
I'M MARRIED NOW AND I HAVE A
WONDERFUL FAMILY AND A WONDERFUL
DAUGHTER AND I HAVE TO BE LESS
CONCERNED ABOUT MY OWN CRY CRIS
AND THINK MORE ABOUT THEM.
>> ARE WE DONE GOING TO
AFGHANISTAN?
>> NO.
BUT I DON'T DO THE SAME THINGS
THAT I USED TO DO.
OKAY, FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS JUST IN
IRAQ LAST WEEK AND I WAS THERE
LOOKING AT THE AFTERMATH OF THE
FIGHTING THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE
AND I WAS IN THE CITY OF MOSUL
AND THE DESTRUCTION THERE IS
SOME OF THE WORST I HAVE EVER
SEEN.
BUT I DON'T TAKE THE SAME KIND
OF RISKS THAT I USED TO.
I TRY TO THINK OKAY IS THIS A
CALCULATED RISK OR IS THIS A
FOOLISH RISK.
I TRY TO TAKE CALCULATED RISKS.
>> EVEN AS A DOMESTIC JOURNALIST
YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WHEN YOU
HAVE CHILDREN BUT I ADMIRE YOUR
COURAGE.
IT'S SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY AND
IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO GOD BLESS YOU.