A Non-Profit Built For War Zones: Navy SEAL Ephraim Mattos | BRCC

แชร์
ฝัง
  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
  • Retired SEAL and author Ephraim Mattos was shot in the calf while volunteering as a medic with the Iraqi Army as he was transitioning out of the Navy. It was all caught on camera and went viral.
    He recovered from his wound, and ever since, he's been working constantly to continue a life of service and to help people who need it most in some of the most violent places on the planet. That's why he started Stronghold Rescue & Relief, a non-profit built to give aid to people in literal war zones.
    Mattos sits down with Black Rifle Coffee Co.'s Evan Hafer to talk about his new mission in life, what it's like to know he'll be heading into heavy combat in Burma in the next couple of months (and whether or not he's armed on these missions), that unique struggles people are facing in that country, the trials and tribulations faced by GWOT veterans of all stripes, and lots more on this week's Black Rifle Coffee Podcast.
    Follow Ephraim Mattos:
    Instagram:
    / strongholdrescue
    / ephraimmattos
    Stronghold Rescue & Relief - strongholdresc...
    ------------------------------------------------
    🥇 Explore Black Rifle’s Award-Winning Coffee: www.blackriflec...
    ✅ Subscribe, like, and leave your comments below to join the conversation on everything from coffee roasting techniques to Evan's unfiltered thoughts on life, business, and creativity.
    Find us on Instagram:
    BRCC: @blackriflecoffee
    BRCC Pod: @blackriflecoffeepodcast
    Evan Hafer: @evanhafer
    #podcast #blackriflecoffee

ความคิดเห็น • 64

  • @MrBallen
    @MrBallen 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +84

    Ephraim is the man! Thanks for rocking the hat bro!
    And thanks Evan for the kind words dude!

    • @internet_internet
      @internet_internet 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      🤙

    • @MilsurpDuo
      @MilsurpDuo 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      🎉🎉🎉😂

    • @MilsurpDuo
      @MilsurpDuo 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@internet_internet🎉😂🎉 0:41 😅🎉😊😮

  • @JoKiR90
    @JoKiR90 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +29

    Shout out to Mr. Ballen. He’s the one who sent me down the Ephraim Mattos rabbit hole which ultimately led me here 👏

  • @cegda5886
    @cegda5886 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +29

    Ephraim is the epitome of a hero. Genuine af, unapologetic, doesn't accuse anyone of NOT doing something, and goes out there daily to do the right thing.. sounds simple... but always doing the right thing is hard.

  • @LukasTay70r
    @LukasTay70r 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

    The world needs more Ephraims.. this dude is the definition of hero.. I think he needs to be a household name more people should know his story.

  • @internet_internet
    @internet_internet 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

    Ephraim is one of the best humans there is out there.
    Shot out to his brother Zeb for being a positive influence on him.

  • @jodimuse18
    @jodimuse18 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Fantastic interview. I've been following Strong Hold for a minute now. This is the first in-depth on what they are doing. Thank you! After taking early retirement in healthcare🇨🇦 I decided I wanted to move abroad. As someone who had studied so much on the Vietnam war, that's where I went to settle in. 6 months later the pandemic kicked off. I stayed. 2+ years. Initial plan was 5 years, but they were not so generous with the visa stamping at the end of 2021. So home to Canada I came😢 While there was able to volunteer as there were virtually no foreigners left. I can tell you this guy and his foundation are operating at the highest level of what it means to be a good human! Id love to back over there and continue to work/volunteer as I did previously. Nothing compares to helping out our fellow brothers and sisters. Bless this man and his org ❤🙏🙏🙏

  • @nordicninjah2497
    @nordicninjah2497 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    I am proud to be a fellow wisconsinite. God bless brothers.

  • @jbee1973
    @jbee1973 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thank you for sharing this story with us, and allowing non-combat citizens to appreciate all the work special forces do for humanity! Very inspiring and makes me wish I can also be boots on the ground with people like Epharaim, but I'm no ex Navy Seal.

  • @ExMachina70
    @ExMachina70 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Ephraim is so goddamn matter of fact about things, you'd never know just how badass he is by just watching him.

  • @lakota_stu
    @lakota_stu 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    What a hero for saving that girl's life 👏

    • @HectorBan
      @HectorBan 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      He comes out in a documentary on Amazon Prime called HUNTING ISIS

  • @earljohnson2676
    @earljohnson2676 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Some dudes just can’t tell a story or keep you interested but this dude was great well spoken crazy stories and just a good listen n watch really enjoyed this interview

  • @liviam1497
    @liviam1497 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I watched MrBallen's video and after that I bought the book about those events... it's extraordinary how brave some people are ....I respect and admire people who sacrifice their life to serve others....

  • @jsav599
    @jsav599 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This dude is literally a modern day saint

  • @isaiahsnyder6565
    @isaiahsnyder6565 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    You guys should reach out Dave Eubank (the guy who carried the girl in the viral video). He is part of another non-profit called Free Burma Rangers that has very similar goals to Stronghold. He is a former Ranger and has a lifetime of crazy stories to tell after spending most of his life living in South East Asia.

    • @gagequakenbush4658
      @gagequakenbush4658 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      ephraim works with the free burma rangers as well

  • @ericthomas9915
    @ericthomas9915 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    I'm glad that Even took the helm on the podcast. I like the others guys, but I will actually take the time to listen/watch when Mr. Haffer hosts.

  • @DirtObseXXion
    @DirtObseXXion 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I literally just finished his book and was hoping to find out what he's up to. Incredible human being.. A few more Ephraims in the world and evil wouldn't stand a chance.

  • @kiritosao2661
    @kiritosao2661 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    There are a lot of us who served before 9/11, who were not let back in to the military, who have been locked out of the community in some way and struggle with this. Thank you for talking about this. Evan, you bring on some really cool people. In regards to suicide... "Suicide becomes possible when the pain of living exceeds the pain of dying." This pain stems from the belief that there are no other options. Giving someone who is suicidal more options and then challenging them to at least try is the challenge. Someone needs to call. The problem often is these guys are usually divorced, alone and no one ever calls.
    Someone needs to compile a mail list, phone numbers, whatever tio make sure someone contacts them. Does such a list exist? Who would compile it? I bet Kara Smith could come up with an algoryhthm for this.
    Thank you for what you guys do.

  • @landonclark1253
    @landonclark1253 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I love that @MrBallen is gettin appreciation

  • @BushcraftWoodsDevil
    @BushcraftWoodsDevil 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    His book, CITY OF DEATH, is a must read. Riveting and heartbreaking.

  • @internet_internet
    @internet_internet 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Stay safe when you go back out there, Ephraim.
    You’re one of the best among us. The world needs you.

  • @devanpowers1999
    @devanpowers1999 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I need to find this man and thank him personally I live in Milwaukee Wisco and it would be a damn honor.

  • @3isaiah61
    @3isaiah61 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE & SERVICE!!! MUCH LOVE & RESPECT!!!

  • @daxbonnett
    @daxbonnett 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Mattos is a fantastic communicator via story and Evan is knows just what we need to have unpacked and ask secondary questions and and inputs. This was a great podcast! Thanks guys

  • @KR4Qep
    @KR4Qep 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    mr ballin has a story in buds. he got pulled out of the water and told to go sit down
    so ballin was huffing and being all loud like "look how hard i had it" and he said ephraim turned around and said "shut the fuck up, we're all going through it" lmao
    he then went on to say ephraims comment pissed him off at first but later it sunk in and became a valuable lesson. then told shawn ryan a little about ephraim saving people as a civilian in iraq.
    so that got me to look up the footage and learn more about ephraim. and now the algorithm brought me this video

  • @Needledick101
    @Needledick101 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Mrballens video on this guy is great

  • @IcemanTFV
    @IcemanTFV 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    YO! His skin broke out recounting the story and then chilled out. That is wild to see.

  • @jobrocket1430
    @jobrocket1430 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    So good! Really enjoyed this episode. Will recommend.

  • @MrKbtor2
    @MrKbtor2 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Super humble guy

  • @earljohnson2676
    @earljohnson2676 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I have a dream story . I got out of the army 3 months after my last deployment and went out west to take care of my suck mom . I had this dream I’m in my city near Boston shooting my 240 b fighting the Taliban and I still remember hitting one as he scaled the stone wall of a neighbors home . It was so vivid . I think it was a mixed dream a little home sick with some ptsd war stuff mixed in . That’s all I remember idk how it ended

  • @bryanenglish3242
    @bryanenglish3242 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    The headline i loved was when ppl said u were an Obama lover because u lost a bet and had to donate money,fucking epically hilarious,i dont give a fuck abt politics,i love coffee and BRCC CAF and cleared hot is all i drink

  • @tryptaman4315
    @tryptaman4315 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I had back surgery in 2021 and MrBallen took up a ton of my down time 🤣 how I heard about Ephraim

  • @joenunez4722
    @joenunez4722 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    love the podcast..

  • @grantchristensen9995
    @grantchristensen9995 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    that was a good podcast

  • @tristanconnolly5675
    @tristanconnolly5675 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Nice.

  • @mxg2369
    @mxg2369 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    BRCC ads on the political debate..... very nice

  • @andrabook8758
    @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    1:34:27 -- i TOTALLY get what you mean. Here's a bit of a cheat phrase for you: "the feeling of unsafety is internalized, I think. I just startle easily at everything. Fireworks, loud noises, etc. Like even the news and all the unrest and PROTESTS (don't use the word riot or antifa, so you don't get bogged down in a political debate...) is very triggering for me! It's not rational at all, maybe PTSD?" And then they answer with some version of "awww, well of course, bc you were in combat zones", etc,
    So, that's what you say in the moment...and then you get a different therapist :)."
    ALSO, super protip: ALWAYS ask for a COPY of your FILE! prior to leaving 😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉 *wink, wink*
    You gotta be on your toes with this stuff. And when they ask why you need a copy, it's bc you're military and filing and organizing stuff just makes you happy. It's your happy zone, like making your bed super tidy in the morning. You ask for this prior to leaving your therapist. And then next week, you had to move. But will definitely give your NEW therapist the file, so there's no break in your therapy and you don't backslide on your progress.
    Mental health is pretty notorious for incompetent quacks and/or ''creative interpretation of information". You adapt, you overcome, you don't freak out about what may or may not be in the mystery file. Never forget that experts disagree all the time as well, so 1 iffy sentence in a file is not the end of the world.
    You're allowed access to your own records. If they say no, you can then pursue it via some sort of freedom of information request. But as long as you maintain a good relationship with your therapist they have no real reason to say ''no". Especially since you mention you will keep in touch and would maybe like to reconnect with her when you move back into the area. This = future therapy💰💸💸💸...and so everyone plays nicely :). And you're gonna give her referrels possibly as well, bc you have LOTS of repressed, traumatized male buddies... suggestion is a powerful thing .
    Don't argue, don't debate, ADAPT. Upgrade your situationship
    Plan B (bring a recorder with you and record your own sessions)

  • @andrabook8758
    @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    ok, can someone tell me if the suicides are just a common problem, why people don't want to work on this problem? Like, everyone keeps mentioning it like you're commenting on a lake or a lamp post...it's just there, a feature of the landscape... but no one seems to actualy want to treat it as a problem and try to solve it. Why? whenever I even try to mention solutions, i'm talking to myself basically.
    Do you get that it's a choice yeah, but when you start breaking it down it does have contributing factors and you can get better outcomes by focusing on those factors?

  • @Heckin.
    @Heckin. 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I got the likes to 556… youre welcome

  • @andrabook8758
    @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Not trying to give anyone life advice, but for BRCC dude with the recurring dream, what are you doing prior to going to sleep? And are there nights when you would not get the dream? Is it stress-related, or totally random?
    It's recurring bc you "hate it", as well. Your ''dillemma" is emotional trauma, so your brain is trying to help you work it out. They could scatter if you throw it AT them. You don't know that there will always be more left to come after you afterwards. You're assuming that part.

    • @andrabook8758
      @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      did I say I figured out his answer? also, do you know of anyone who has nightmares which are not ''associated" with extreme negative emotions? I'm just offering opinions, dude. All nightmares are typically associated with some type of extreme negative emotion. I'm just trying to narrow down if there's a present life trigger or just past unresolved trauma. Sometimes current triggers can cause a flare up of past trauma. @@joshs6897

    • @andrabook8758
      @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      if he had said anything other than he HATES that nightmare, my opinion would have been different. it's based on what he's saying. @@joshs6897

    • @andrabook8758
      @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      huh?? who's the professor and how was he disrespected? O_o@user-nd2yn6ho8h

    • @andrabook8758
      @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      is that supposed to be me? are you honestly using your own ignorace as somekind of place from which to mock anyone pointing out any semblance of facts, here? O_O
      Dude, if you don't care enough to actually know anything about this topic, that's fine, but that is your problem and your problem alone. Honestly, you guys should be a little embarrased at the level of understanding you have on any ''mental health" topics.
      @user-nd2yn6ho8h

  • @andrabook8758
    @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    is his wife also military? bc if not , does she have any other training in this area? It's not a good idea to take a complete novice and dump them into a trauma environment. She can come back more traumatized than him...that part is not clear. I saw later that she was from that area originally, but, not sure if that makes it better or worse, tbh.

    • @jobrocket1430
      @jobrocket1430 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I think she works in the medical field. She is from there, that’s where they met.

    • @andrabook8758
      @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      where does it say that?@@jobrocket1430

    • @danielletracyann
      @danielletracyann 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Why would it make it worse?

    • @andrabook8758
      @andrabook8758 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      being from the same area means she's got a lot more personal emotional connection to it. It makes it harder to emotionaly disconnect and compartamentalize, the way most people would, to avoid the emotional trauma when she sees the war zone and the damage it causes. Some people find it easier to detach than others, but having a personal connection to it, always makes it a lot harder. That's usually what gets people, in terms of trauma. It's also dangerous for day to day stuff bc she's got no training to be there, she's not military, while he does have the extra training.
      The story is a bit unclear on what her training and involvement actually is, in this context. She may never see the war zones, or she may be working in them every week. She may be working in the war zones now, bc of her husbands involvement, whereas she did not actually work on the front lines before, and her role was very removed from the danger zones. Just bc you're from a country which is affected by war does not necessarily mean you were on the front lines. @@danielletracyann

    • @gagequakenbush4658
      @gagequakenbush4658 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      he met her in burma she was already a medic there

  • @combat87
    @combat87 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    BS

  • @timothyhaltner8877
    @timothyhaltner8877 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Shout out to Ephraim from central Wisconsin, wwjd is something I try and live by and it seems you are doing that and then some🫶💛
    Good luck and God bless