"Gold Rush" Gold Rush: Band of Brothers

1 00:00:00,930 --> 00:00:02,730 Is america in there? 2 00:00:02,770 --> 00:00:04,400 -America's... - say hi to america. 3 00:00:05,770 --> 00:00:07,330 Hi, america. 4 00:00:09,070 --> 00:00:11,170 on this gold rush... 5 00:00:11,210 --> 00:00:12,610 Ah. 6 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,140 ...With gold prices soaring, 7 00:00:15,180 --> 00:00:19,650 Rookie mine boss, fred lewis, seizes the moment. 8 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,350 I want everyone to know why we're here 9 00:00:22,390 --> 00:00:23,680 And what we're doing. 10 00:00:24,850 --> 00:00:27,420 rallying a squad of american heroes... 11 00:00:27,460 --> 00:00:28,560 order. Huh! 12 00:00:28,590 --> 00:00:30,320 ...And going all in... 13 00:00:31,260 --> 00:00:32,530 I'm ready to call in the troops. 14 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:33,590 whoo-hoo! 15 00:00:33,630 --> 00:00:34,960 we're living the american dream, 16 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,970 Pulling gold out of the ground to make ourselves our own living. 17 00:00:39,300 --> 00:00:41,870 ...On a quest to hit the motherlode. 18 00:00:43,110 --> 00:00:47,140 Now each man reveals all they fought through... 19 00:00:48,380 --> 00:00:51,250 The bomb hit our humvee and launched us 70 feet. 20 00:00:52,580 --> 00:00:54,880 I was pretty certain I was gonna lose my hand. 21 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,620 We sat there, returning fire, and they were laying it on us pretty thick. 22 00:00:59,890 --> 00:01:01,860 He was sleeping in the back of his truck. 23 00:01:01,890 --> 00:01:03,420 this needs to work out. 24 00:01:03,460 --> 00:01:04,790 I don't want to be another homeless vet. 25 00:01:06,460 --> 00:01:08,600 these guys have gone through so much in their lives. 26 00:01:08,630 --> 00:01:09,660 These are my heroes. 27 00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:11,870 ...To reach the goldfields... 28 00:01:11,900 --> 00:01:14,570 Whoo! Let's get some gold, boys. All right! 29 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,040 that is insane. 30 00:01:17,810 --> 00:01:18,910 ...And become... 31 00:01:18,940 --> 00:01:20,310 misfits! 32 00:01:20,340 --> 00:01:21,340 The more we get kicked, 33 00:01:21,380 --> 00:01:22,740 The more we're gonna kick back. 34 00:01:22,780 --> 00:01:24,380 ...Gold miners. 35 00:01:25,650 --> 00:01:28,350 This ground has the potential to change all of our lives. 36 00:01:28,380 --> 00:01:30,550 And I think it's the beginning of something huge. 37 00:01:30,590 --> 00:01:31,490 - yeah! 38 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:33,050 let the adventure begin! 39 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:42,730 It's not good. 40 00:01:42,770 --> 00:01:45,270 The closure to the canadian border got extended another month. 41 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,070 Can't you just sneak in? 42 00:01:49,110 --> 00:01:53,870 in early 2020, with zero job prospects, 43 00:01:53,910 --> 00:01:59,480 Special forces veteran, fred lewis, is faced with a big decision. 44 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:00,980 I'm not getting up to the yukon. 45 00:02:01,020 --> 00:02:03,620 It's just not going to happen. I know parker has priorities 46 00:02:03,650 --> 00:02:05,720 On the guys that are most important to his mine site. 47 00:02:05,750 --> 00:02:10,090 So I want to go and look at the possibility of starting my own mine. 48 00:02:10,130 --> 00:02:11,660 But... Okay, how do you do that? 49 00:02:11,690 --> 00:02:13,990 Like, how do you just go and start a mine? 50 00:02:14,030 --> 00:02:16,830 Didn't you just, two sentences ago, say, 51 00:02:16,870 --> 00:02:19,700 "I'm not a priority 'cause I don't have any experience"? 52 00:02:22,340 --> 00:02:24,670 a former green beret medic, 53 00:02:24,710 --> 00:02:27,510 Fred has never seen a flake of gold... 54 00:02:28,380 --> 00:02:30,610 Until he joined parker schnabel's 55 00:02:30,650 --> 00:02:34,650 Expedition to papua new guinea in 2018. 56 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,650 We're looking for someone who's just going to keep us all alive, keep us safe. 57 00:02:37,690 --> 00:02:39,890 That basically was what I did in the military. 58 00:02:40,590 --> 00:02:41,690 Listen, stay calm. 59 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:43,020 - his job? 60 00:02:43,060 --> 00:02:44,220 guy's got a machete. 61 00:02:44,260 --> 00:02:45,390 protect the miners... 62 00:02:45,430 --> 00:02:46,830 yeah, we're going. We're going. 63 00:02:46,860 --> 00:02:49,830 ...On a prospecting mission in the gold-rich country. 64 00:02:49,870 --> 00:02:51,100 everybody's okay, right? 65 00:02:51,130 --> 00:02:53,530 When I went on parker's trail... 66 00:02:53,570 --> 00:02:54,870 whoa, check it out! 67 00:02:54,900 --> 00:02:57,070 ...I had no experience whatsoever. 68 00:02:57,110 --> 00:02:59,310 Yeah, there you go. 69 00:02:59,340 --> 00:03:00,810 and then he showed me a couple of flakes of gold, 70 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:02,780 And that was pretty much the beginning 71 00:03:02,810 --> 00:03:05,650 Of my infatuation with gold. 72 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,250 That's pretty cool. 73 00:03:08,250 --> 00:03:10,180 It's really cool. 74 00:03:10,220 --> 00:03:13,520 a year later, fred and parker 75 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:18,160 Head to australia on a hunt for monster nuggets. 76 00:03:18,190 --> 00:03:19,830 - shut up! 77 00:03:19,860 --> 00:03:22,330 when I held a large nugget in my hand for the first time, 78 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,460 That was the, uh, catalyst. 79 00:03:24,500 --> 00:03:26,130 that's massive. 80 00:03:26,170 --> 00:03:27,630 Let me feel that. 81 00:03:27,670 --> 00:03:30,170 It sounds a little weird, but you feel an energy when you hold the gold, 82 00:03:30,210 --> 00:03:33,270 And that feeling, it represents a sort of freedom. 83 00:03:33,310 --> 00:03:34,980 mate, that is a big lump of gold. 84 00:03:35,010 --> 00:03:36,180 that was in the dirt. It's dirty. 85 00:03:36,210 --> 00:03:38,350 I kind of got this newfound purpose 86 00:03:38,380 --> 00:03:40,850 With working with parker, and then gold mining. 87 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,320 This is it. This is what I want to do. 88 00:03:43,350 --> 00:03:46,450 now, with record-high gold prices, 89 00:03:46,490 --> 00:03:50,790 Fred is ready to gamble everything on a long shot. 90 00:03:50,830 --> 00:03:53,030 why not mine in the middle of a pandemic? 91 00:03:53,060 --> 00:03:54,260 The price of gold's high. 92 00:03:54,300 --> 00:03:56,030 I think this is pretty much 93 00:03:56,070 --> 00:03:58,670 The perfect time to start a gold mine. 94 00:03:58,700 --> 00:04:01,700 What I want to do is bring a bunch of our friends 95 00:04:01,740 --> 00:04:04,440 In on this, not, like, regular friends, but our military friends. 96 00:04:04,470 --> 00:04:05,770 As far as fred goes, 97 00:04:05,810 --> 00:04:07,840 I mean, it already is hard for him 98 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:09,310 To find work because of his disabilities. 99 00:04:09,350 --> 00:04:11,850 I'm thinking a little bit bigger than just mining here. 100 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,050 To me, this sounds like you're trying to put together a big, like, 101 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,620 Five-month, six-month camping trip with your buddies. 102 00:04:17,650 --> 00:04:19,290 Fred's extremely impulsive. 103 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,860 That's something that I've had to learn to deal with over the years. 104 00:04:23,730 --> 00:04:28,300 So, khara and I met at the joint special operations language training facility. 105 00:04:29,970 --> 00:04:35,240 there were 110 alpha males and only three females. 106 00:04:35,270 --> 00:04:37,740 my mom and dad were both in the military, 107 00:04:37,770 --> 00:04:41,780 And I was a psychological operations specialist in the army. 108 00:04:41,810 --> 00:04:44,680 As soon as we met eyes, it was love at first sight. 109 00:04:46,150 --> 00:04:49,250 Truth is, we went to vegas for her sister's wedding. 110 00:04:49,290 --> 00:04:51,590 I don't know who stood who up, but that wedding didn't happen. 111 00:04:51,620 --> 00:04:54,450 And I'm like, "well, someone's gonna get married." 112 00:04:56,090 --> 00:04:59,460 fred ended up taking my dad to a cigar bar. 113 00:04:59,500 --> 00:05:02,500 My dad, who never likes anybody that I date, he was like, 114 00:05:02,530 --> 00:05:03,430 "yep, let's do it." 115 00:05:03,470 --> 00:05:06,170 Probably an hour later, married by elvis. 116 00:05:08,970 --> 00:05:11,100 That is exactly how I do everything in life. 117 00:05:11,140 --> 00:05:14,610 I find something that I want and I go for it. 118 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:18,280 I just want to know you won't divorce me if I go for it. 119 00:05:18,310 --> 00:05:21,480 God! you're so frustrating. 120 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,380 A lot of the greatest experiences we've had 121 00:05:24,420 --> 00:05:25,990 This last 14 years have been because 122 00:05:26,020 --> 00:05:27,890 He doesn't take no for an answer. 123 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,020 I won't make any decisions without your approval. 124 00:05:30,060 --> 00:05:31,430 All right, I'm not putting my name on anything, 125 00:05:31,460 --> 00:05:32,830 I'm not signing anything. 126 00:05:32,860 --> 00:05:34,490 You can go down. You can look at this mine 127 00:05:34,530 --> 00:05:36,960 And you can talk to these guys, but... 128 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,330 That's a green light. I got lots of work to do. 129 00:05:41,140 --> 00:05:42,540 fred will do what he needs do 130 00:05:42,570 --> 00:05:44,170 To make sure that our family's taken care of. 131 00:05:44,210 --> 00:05:45,970 He has that sense of pride. 132 00:05:46,010 --> 00:05:47,270 He has to have a sense of purpose. 133 00:05:47,310 --> 00:05:48,340 Whoo! 134 00:05:48,380 --> 00:05:50,440 Next step, gold. 135 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,710 But at the same time, I'm worried that he will push himself too hard 136 00:05:53,750 --> 00:05:55,880 And take on a job that he really shouldn't be doing. 137 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:04,390 I've taken a lot of risks in my life, 138 00:06:04,430 --> 00:06:07,460 But this is an investment for our future as a family. 139 00:06:07,500 --> 00:06:09,730 Luckily, my family is used to this type of stuff. 140 00:06:12,740 --> 00:06:15,140 before his gold mining career began... 141 00:06:16,340 --> 00:06:18,170 ...Fred spent 14 years 142 00:06:18,210 --> 00:06:21,540 As a combat medic in the united states army, 143 00:06:21,580 --> 00:06:26,650 Serving tours in north africa, iraq, and afghanistan. 144 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:28,450 the military made me who I am. 145 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,180 They enabled me to take myself to the next level 146 00:06:31,220 --> 00:06:32,520 And gave me confidence in life. 147 00:06:32,550 --> 00:06:35,490 It just told me that if I want to achieve anything, I can. 148 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:40,460 but while on tour in afghanistan, his life changed forever. 149 00:06:42,970 --> 00:06:44,530 I took a round to the helmet, and that 150 00:06:44,570 --> 00:06:46,770 Was more of, like, the catalyst for all my issues. 151 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,570 I started having migraines, started losing sleep, 152 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,410 And I went to the doctor, 153 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,540 And I have a bruise on my brain. 154 00:06:54,580 --> 00:06:59,010 I went from fighting in combat with a full team of brothers that I loved 155 00:06:59,050 --> 00:07:02,880 To being on my own and have nothing to do 156 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:04,890 For the first time in 14 years. 157 00:07:05,490 --> 00:07:06,420 That was devastating. 158 00:07:06,460 --> 00:07:08,860 It was the worst and darkest part of my life. 159 00:07:10,330 --> 00:07:12,060 I just didn't want to go on anymore. 160 00:07:12,090 --> 00:07:14,160 And for some reason, my damn dog would just 161 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,600 Look at me the right way and be like, "come on, dude." 162 00:07:17,630 --> 00:07:21,170 after struggling with civilian life for years, 163 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,540 Fred tried to find a purpose. 164 00:07:24,540 --> 00:07:25,970 I was a wrestling coach, 165 00:07:26,010 --> 00:07:28,610 A girls volleyball coach, a farmer. 166 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,480 I did all these things, just trying to find a purpose, 167 00:07:31,510 --> 00:07:33,780 And none of it made any sense to me 168 00:07:33,820 --> 00:07:36,020 Until I found gold mining. 169 00:07:36,050 --> 00:07:38,790 I don't bring a lot to the table as a gold miner. 170 00:07:38,820 --> 00:07:42,260 A lot of people have a right to second guess my decision, 171 00:07:42,290 --> 00:07:44,360 But I've been told by about 100 people 172 00:07:44,390 --> 00:07:46,360 I'm the most tenacious, forefront, 173 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,030 Go-getting person they've ever met, 174 00:07:48,060 --> 00:07:50,300 And that's why this is gonna be a success. 175 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:57,100 kendell. 176 00:07:57,140 --> 00:07:59,610 -Yo. -Yeah, kendell, what's up, man? 177 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,080 Long time. How've you been? 178 00:08:02,110 --> 00:08:04,380 air force veteran, kendell madden, 179 00:08:04,410 --> 00:08:08,820 Spent 14 years setting up gold mines around the world. 180 00:08:08,850 --> 00:08:10,880 I've kind of come up with the idea that 181 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,350 It might be time for me to get my own mine. 182 00:08:13,390 --> 00:08:15,820 I've got a few possibilities up in oregon. 183 00:08:15,860 --> 00:08:17,160 Oh, really? 184 00:08:17,190 --> 00:08:19,460 -So... - I know it sounds crazy 185 00:08:19,500 --> 00:08:21,530 'cause I'm not the most experienced miner. 186 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,630 In order to do this, I need a team. 187 00:08:23,670 --> 00:08:25,000 At least one more person that knows something. 188 00:08:25,030 --> 00:08:26,700 And I... You're the only person 189 00:08:26,740 --> 00:08:30,370 That I want to bring into this that I can actually trust. 190 00:08:30,410 --> 00:08:34,570 in gold mining, there's a lot of opportunity if you have the right land. 191 00:08:34,610 --> 00:08:36,640 People spend their entire lives trying to do this 192 00:08:36,680 --> 00:08:39,650 And waste their entire life's fortune 193 00:08:39,680 --> 00:08:40,850 Trying to find good ground. 194 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:45,290 So you want me to go all the way north 195 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,720 Through a pandemic, leaving my family, 196 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,690 To a property that we don't truly know 197 00:08:50,730 --> 00:08:53,090 Is gold-bearing or not? 198 00:08:53,130 --> 00:08:54,730 Yeah. When you put it that way, 199 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:57,300 It kind of sounds a little different coming from you. 200 00:08:57,330 --> 00:09:01,540 Um, I feel like I'm on to something here, man. 201 00:09:01,570 --> 00:09:02,800 I really do. 202 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:04,970 I'm just trying to seize the moment. 203 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:08,880 Let's go test this place, 204 00:09:08,910 --> 00:09:10,910 See what this land actually has. 205 00:09:10,950 --> 00:09:12,580 So you're giving me a soft yes. 206 00:09:12,610 --> 00:09:14,480 I'm giving you a soft yes right now. 207 00:09:19,390 --> 00:09:22,260 So, the elkhorn was not an easy find. 208 00:09:22,290 --> 00:09:24,890 I had searched for weeks and weeks... 209 00:09:24,930 --> 00:09:26,160 What's going on, guys? 210 00:09:26,190 --> 00:09:28,430 ...Trying to find a place that was plausible to mine. 211 00:09:28,460 --> 00:09:32,470 Eventually, it just came from researching areas of rich history of mining 212 00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:35,100 And driving around first person and talking to people. 213 00:09:35,140 --> 00:09:36,740 I wanted to come and talk to you guys, 214 00:09:36,770 --> 00:09:38,370 See if maybe you thought a little bit 215 00:09:38,410 --> 00:09:40,440 Through our discussion earlier on the lease. 216 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,040 good thing is, you know, you've got a military background. 217 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:44,540 Yep. 218 00:09:44,580 --> 00:09:46,080 If it weren't for that, we probably wouldn't even be thinking about it. 219 00:09:46,110 --> 00:09:48,380 Well, we're gonna have to do a test here 220 00:09:48,420 --> 00:09:49,880 To see gold come out of the ground. 221 00:09:52,890 --> 00:09:56,890 since the first strike near the rogue river in 1851, 222 00:09:56,930 --> 00:10:01,700 Oregon has produced almost six million ounces of gold. 223 00:10:03,270 --> 00:10:04,500 Are you ready? 224 00:10:04,530 --> 00:10:06,700 all right, 20 yards. Let's see what we got. 225 00:10:13,010 --> 00:10:15,340 - it's a pretty nice little nugget. - yeah. 226 00:10:15,380 --> 00:10:17,110 I think that was the moment where I was like, 227 00:10:17,150 --> 00:10:19,350 "look, kendell, there's gold here," 228 00:10:19,380 --> 00:10:21,780 And he was able to actually tangibly see, 229 00:10:21,820 --> 00:10:23,820 "okay, fred's not completely crazy." 230 00:10:23,850 --> 00:10:25,390 That's pretty freaking good, right? 231 00:10:25,420 --> 00:10:26,950 that's not bad at all. 232 00:10:26,990 --> 00:10:30,520 it was a great feeling, knowing I'd actually found, a, a claim 233 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:31,990 That does have gold on it 234 00:10:32,030 --> 00:10:34,930 And b, one that I could start my own mine site on. 235 00:10:38,530 --> 00:10:39,930 I'm ready to call in the troops. 236 00:10:39,970 --> 00:10:41,600 I'm going to bring in a band of my brothers. 237 00:10:43,670 --> 00:10:45,070 what's going on? 238 00:10:45,110 --> 00:10:47,140 Hey, what's happening, man? 239 00:10:47,180 --> 00:10:49,910 I found a pretty good property, I'm gonna start a gold mine. 240 00:10:49,950 --> 00:10:51,180 Are you serious? 241 00:10:51,250 --> 00:10:53,410 You want me to mine with you for gold? 242 00:10:53,450 --> 00:10:54,910 I'm making a crew of all veterans. 243 00:10:54,950 --> 00:10:57,250 All veterans? You've got me intrigued. 244 00:10:57,290 --> 00:10:58,720 I believe in this ground. 245 00:10:58,750 --> 00:11:00,650 I think there's a lot of gold. 246 00:11:00,690 --> 00:11:02,490 If there's gold there, we're gonna find it. 247 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:04,420 Veterans get stuff done. 248 00:11:04,460 --> 00:11:05,860 can I count on you, man? 249 00:11:05,890 --> 00:11:07,660 Yeah. we're in it to win it, man. 250 00:11:07,660 --> 00:11:08,830 Let's do it. 251 00:11:08,860 --> 00:11:10,130 There goes daddy, honey. 252 00:11:10,170 --> 00:11:13,600 love you. Bye. Bring us the gold. 253 00:11:16,570 --> 00:11:19,340 - did you taste it before you put it in there? - nope. 254 00:11:19,370 --> 00:11:20,970 Risk it for the biscuit. 255 00:11:21,010 --> 00:11:22,910 -come on, now. Come on. 256 00:11:25,150 --> 00:11:28,450 I've got a phone call with an old teammate of mine. 257 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,990 He is going to be running a gold mine. 258 00:11:32,020 --> 00:11:34,490 He wants me to be part of his crew. 259 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:37,190 This is a family decision. 260 00:11:37,230 --> 00:11:39,060 -I want to hear you say it. -Okay. 261 00:11:39,090 --> 00:11:40,060 Yes. 262 00:11:40,100 --> 00:11:41,190 - yeah? - yes. 263 00:11:41,230 --> 00:11:43,230 you've got the deciding vote. 264 00:11:43,270 --> 00:11:45,230 Baby, I've got your back all the way. 265 00:11:46,130 --> 00:11:47,430 All right. 266 00:11:47,470 --> 00:11:48,600 To hell with it, then. I'm goin'. 267 00:11:53,340 --> 00:11:54,870 these are my best friends. 268 00:11:54,910 --> 00:11:56,580 In my mind, these are my heroes. 269 00:11:58,180 --> 00:12:00,180 -Have you ever mined? -No. 270 00:12:00,220 --> 00:12:01,380 -Neither have I. -No. 271 00:12:01,420 --> 00:12:03,980 It's cool to see some wildlife all around. 272 00:12:04,020 --> 00:12:05,620 -There's hopefully no bears. 273 00:12:07,460 --> 00:12:09,090 I want to be successful at mining, 274 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,030 And I want to bring these guys wealth because they deserve it. 275 00:12:12,060 --> 00:12:14,530 I want to bring that tight-knit group back to my life 276 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:16,830 And back to all of our lives that we've missed for so long. 277 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,670 oh, we got a truck here. Hold on. 278 00:12:20,700 --> 00:12:23,240 Oh, ! 279 00:12:23,270 --> 00:12:25,340 Whoo-hoo-hoo! 280 00:12:26,370 --> 00:12:27,210 There's the boys. 281 00:12:28,140 --> 00:12:29,440 I think that's fred right there. 282 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:31,040 - hey, what's up, baby? - what up? 283 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,410 Hi, what's up, man? How are you doing? 284 00:12:33,450 --> 00:12:36,150 seeing my old teammates and my old best friends 285 00:12:36,180 --> 00:12:38,050 Walk up onto that claim for the first time 286 00:12:38,090 --> 00:12:39,790 With their eyes wide open... 287 00:12:40,690 --> 00:12:43,620 That's when it started feeling real. 288 00:12:43,660 --> 00:12:46,090 maybe fred was rubbing off on me, that I'm like... 289 00:12:46,130 --> 00:12:49,200 My eyes were actually glued to the ground because I was so sure 290 00:12:49,230 --> 00:12:51,630 I was just gonna see a gold nugget laying there. 291 00:12:54,570 --> 00:12:57,370 you guys have all been in the . 292 00:12:57,410 --> 00:12:59,540 That's why we're here. 293 00:13:01,340 --> 00:13:03,410 This isn't just about gold mining, 294 00:13:03,450 --> 00:13:05,980 It's about coming together as brothers, 295 00:13:06,010 --> 00:13:07,680 Living the american dream, 296 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:09,250 And pulling gold out of the ground 297 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:11,250 To make ourselves our own living. 298 00:13:11,290 --> 00:13:13,650 -Yeah. - we're going to beat the odds. 299 00:13:13,690 --> 00:13:14,750 Damn straight. 300 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:16,860 Seriously. 301 00:13:16,890 --> 00:13:18,590 You know, a lot of people may think I'm crazy. 302 00:13:18,630 --> 00:13:21,660 Were rookie miners, but honestly, I think it's the perfect time. 303 00:13:21,700 --> 00:13:23,330 -You guys in? -Oh, yeah. 304 00:13:23,370 --> 00:13:24,360 yeah, dude. 305 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,300 -Let's do it, then. - let's go. 306 00:13:26,330 --> 00:13:28,540 let's let the adventure begin! 307 00:13:28,570 --> 00:13:29,640 This is it. 308 00:13:29,670 --> 00:13:32,540 Like, I could literally walk out of this place 309 00:13:32,570 --> 00:13:34,870 With everything I've ever wanted in life. 310 00:13:34,910 --> 00:13:39,110 This ground underneath us has the potential to change all of our lives. 311 00:13:39,180 --> 00:13:40,980 Not only did I convince my wife 312 00:13:41,020 --> 00:13:44,080 To let me do this crazy-ass thing, but I also convinced 313 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,820 Every single close friend I have 314 00:13:46,860 --> 00:13:48,690 To come out here with me and do it, 315 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,290 So its failure and success is gonna reflect on me. 316 00:13:54,000 --> 00:14:00,074 Support us and become VIP member to remove all ads from www.OpenSubtitles.org 317 00:14:04,010 --> 00:14:05,170 If we're doing it as individuals, 318 00:14:05,210 --> 00:14:06,540 We're not gonna succeed. 319 00:14:06,580 --> 00:14:09,840 So the number one mission is to become the best team 320 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:11,080 We can possibly become. 321 00:14:11,110 --> 00:14:14,680 with his combat veterans finally on site, 322 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:18,920 Fred begins training the greenhorn miners. 323 00:14:18,950 --> 00:14:20,690 All right, I got you guys all jobs. 324 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:22,320 Uh, johnny, I want you to go down to the irrigation, 325 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:23,320 Check out the pumps. 326 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:25,230 Kyle, you've run a loader before, right? 327 00:14:25,260 --> 00:14:27,330 -Yeah, bud. -And you're going to take hay to the plant 328 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:28,490 And drop it off. And, stuart, 329 00:14:28,530 --> 00:14:29,460 You're going to feed the plant. 330 00:14:29,500 --> 00:14:30,530 Yeah. 331 00:14:30,570 --> 00:14:33,000 Stefan, you're gonna be on the big excavator, 332 00:14:33,030 --> 00:14:34,200 You're gonna be digging pay. 333 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,700 - let's do it. - no time like the future. 334 00:14:36,740 --> 00:14:39,810 apart from fred's foreman, kendell madden, 335 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,180 None of his rookie crew has any mining experience. 336 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:47,610 stefan, go ahead and hop up in. 337 00:14:47,650 --> 00:14:50,480 And my favorite method of teaching somebody 338 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:54,120 Is to let them learn. Um, sink or swim. 339 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:55,620 fred's first student, 340 00:14:55,660 --> 00:14:59,660 Retired green beret master sergeant stefan generally. 341 00:14:59,690 --> 00:15:00,660 Mmm-hmm. 342 00:15:00,730 --> 00:15:01,690 Let's see if he can handle it. 343 00:15:02,300 --> 00:15:03,400 I've got it. 344 00:15:03,430 --> 00:15:06,170 This is the first time I've ever seen a gold mine. 345 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:08,070 This is not what I was expecting. 346 00:15:09,740 --> 00:15:13,410 And the equipment looks old. 347 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:18,240 a veteran with 27 years' service with the united states army, 348 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:22,720 Stefan fought alongside fred on two tours of duty. 349 00:15:22,750 --> 00:15:24,980 for my first ten years in the army, 350 00:15:25,020 --> 00:15:26,890 I commanded a bradley fighting vehicle, 351 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,450 And then I went to special forces. 352 00:15:28,490 --> 00:15:31,160 I never, ever considered being a gold miner, 353 00:15:31,190 --> 00:15:35,730 But we are all veterans, brothers in arms. 354 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,830 It's just awesome to be a part of that again. 355 00:15:38,870 --> 00:15:40,700 stefan's one of my best friends. 356 00:15:40,740 --> 00:15:42,270 He's always gonna be one of my best friends. 357 00:15:42,300 --> 00:15:43,570 It's one of those bonds. 358 00:15:43,610 --> 00:15:45,970 He's proven to me, in life or death, that he can have my back. 359 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,410 So he's gonna have my back anywhere. 360 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,810 It's a crawl, walk, run sort of event here. 361 00:15:52,850 --> 00:15:54,850 There's a lot of stuff to learn, 362 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:57,280 And they are all brand-new. 363 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,390 right now, stefan's trying to move his first rock. 364 00:16:00,420 --> 00:16:02,160 Actually, he's not doing too bad, 365 00:16:02,190 --> 00:16:03,290 But we'll see. 366 00:16:04,690 --> 00:16:06,390 A lot of rocks everywhere. 367 00:16:06,430 --> 00:16:09,030 What I'm seeing right now, it's kinda hard to dig. 368 00:16:11,730 --> 00:16:13,700 Curl your bucket more. 369 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:17,500 when I'm learning something, 370 00:16:17,540 --> 00:16:19,670 I want the person instructing me 371 00:16:19,710 --> 00:16:21,610 To be clear and concise. 372 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,280 Try to keep the bottom of the bucket flat. 373 00:16:24,310 --> 00:16:25,610 Now, what did I say? 374 00:16:25,650 --> 00:16:27,680 The person instructing me. 375 00:16:30,650 --> 00:16:32,120 Say that again. 376 00:16:32,150 --> 00:16:34,290 I don't want all this crap from the puzzle palace 377 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:36,090 Coming at me from all different angles. 378 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:37,860 Now get it sort of flat. 379 00:16:41,700 --> 00:16:43,100 uh-oh. 380 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:53,870 hey, you're doing great. 381 00:16:53,910 --> 00:16:56,640 Tell all these to get the off this radio. 382 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,350 All these other need to stop yelling at me. 383 00:17:00,380 --> 00:17:04,450 Maybe the crew wasn't quite prepared for stefan, the master sergeant. 384 00:17:04,490 --> 00:17:05,850 -I'm listening to you. -Got it. 385 00:17:05,890 --> 00:17:07,990 I'm hearing four other people. 386 00:17:08,020 --> 00:17:09,290 Tell them to shut up. 387 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:10,860 So, talk to me. 388 00:17:10,890 --> 00:17:15,700 First time I ever came close to really, really losing it, you know. 389 00:17:15,730 --> 00:17:20,330 Seeing stefan in the civilian life, having the same attitude he had 390 00:17:20,370 --> 00:17:23,840 When he was in the military as a master sergeant is kind of hilarious to me. 391 00:17:24,770 --> 00:17:27,440 But it happens a lot in the military. 392 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,740 You piss somebody off enough, they're going to let you know it. 393 00:17:29,780 --> 00:17:32,880 Hey, radio silence. Just me and kendell talking to stefan, okay? 394 00:17:32,910 --> 00:17:35,110 You know, all it took was for me to blow off some steam 395 00:17:35,150 --> 00:17:38,280 For a quick 30-second rant and tell fred what I needed, 396 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:39,690 And he made it happen. 397 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:41,720 Keep the show going, huh? 398 00:17:42,260 --> 00:17:43,260 perfect. 399 00:17:43,290 --> 00:17:45,490 Serving with stefan is one of those things 400 00:17:45,530 --> 00:17:48,130 Where it's like having a big brother right beside you all the time. 401 00:17:49,730 --> 00:17:52,700 I mean, we were in combat. 402 00:17:52,730 --> 00:17:54,530 I don't have to say anything else besides that, really. 403 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,510 in 2013, fred and stefan 404 00:17:59,540 --> 00:18:05,880 Were part of a special forces unit operating outside kabul, afghanistan. 405 00:18:05,910 --> 00:18:08,750 we were investigating a village that was a known hotbed. 406 00:18:08,780 --> 00:18:11,320 But turned out there were a lot more people than we thought. 407 00:18:11,350 --> 00:18:13,750 We sent the team ahead to scout to the village 408 00:18:13,790 --> 00:18:15,560 And they started taking fire immediately. 409 00:18:17,430 --> 00:18:19,990 We were ambushed, basically by around 200 militants 410 00:18:20,030 --> 00:18:25,100 For almost 360 degrees around us, throwing everything they had at us. 411 00:18:25,130 --> 00:18:29,440 At the time, I was a gunner on top of one of our gmv's gun trucks. 412 00:18:29,470 --> 00:18:34,570 And we basically just sat there returning fire, 413 00:18:34,610 --> 00:18:36,810 And they were laying it on us pretty thick. 414 00:18:38,810 --> 00:18:40,710 Rockets bounced off our vehicle. 415 00:18:40,750 --> 00:18:43,250 Bullets were hitting our vehicle constantly. 416 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:44,880 It was getting pretty freaking hairy. 417 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,020 Stefan's laying down mark 19 automatic grenades 418 00:18:48,060 --> 00:18:50,220 To make sure I was safe when I was treating patients. 419 00:18:52,090 --> 00:18:54,660 the lead column got decimated. 420 00:18:54,730 --> 00:18:57,030 We weren't going to leave until we recovered their bodies. 421 00:18:57,070 --> 00:19:00,700 You get kind of scope-locked when you're behind the sights of a weapon. 422 00:19:00,740 --> 00:19:03,370 Just kind of block everything else out. 423 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,740 And, you know, I got my blinders on 424 00:19:05,770 --> 00:19:09,040 And I'm just focusing on this in front shooting at me. 425 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:10,880 I noticed a little bit of movement of to my right. 426 00:19:10,910 --> 00:19:13,550 I scanned over, and just as I came over, 427 00:19:13,580 --> 00:19:16,750 I saw a flash, and the next thing I know, 428 00:19:16,780 --> 00:19:18,750 I'm looking straight up at the sky. 429 00:19:18,790 --> 00:19:21,550 And then I saw another flash, which I think was my neck snapping. 430 00:19:21,590 --> 00:19:22,660 And then I was out. 431 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,190 You could see where the bullet had just grazed the top of the helmet. 432 00:19:28,230 --> 00:19:30,300 Half an inch lower, would've gone through my head. 433 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,830 The amount of difference between life and death, 434 00:19:34,870 --> 00:19:38,000 It's just one of those things that makes you think more about life, you know. 435 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:40,470 I always knew we would prevail in a situation like that. 436 00:19:42,510 --> 00:19:44,240 All right. 437 00:19:49,020 --> 00:19:50,780 - attaboy! 438 00:19:50,820 --> 00:19:52,920 That thing is insane, dude. 439 00:19:52,950 --> 00:19:55,050 That brotherhood and that camaraderie 440 00:19:55,090 --> 00:19:57,520 That we shared back then, it's a lifetime bond. 441 00:19:57,560 --> 00:19:58,690 It never goes away. 442 00:19:58,730 --> 00:20:00,160 Can I say, "good job?" 443 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:01,860 No, don't do it. 444 00:20:01,900 --> 00:20:04,460 -He was mad. - that's what I'm talking about? 445 00:20:05,930 --> 00:20:07,870 stefan's kicking ass right now. 446 00:20:07,900 --> 00:20:10,000 I want to dump dirt into the grizzly. 447 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:11,870 -I agree. 448 00:20:11,910 --> 00:20:14,040 -Gold. I like how you're thinking. -Exactly. 449 00:20:20,220 --> 00:20:21,410 Come on, buddy! 450 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,550 Good girl! 451 00:20:24,590 --> 00:20:29,320 helping fred train the rookie crew is mine foreman kendell madden. 452 00:20:31,330 --> 00:20:32,860 as the foreman here, 453 00:20:32,890 --> 00:20:38,300 It's my job to teach these guys everything that I know as quickly as I can. 454 00:20:38,330 --> 00:20:42,540 And I'm truly impressed by how quickly these guys are actually picking it up. 455 00:20:42,570 --> 00:20:46,610 I got these awesome group of heroes, military veterans. 456 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,870 Really is a blessing to have guys like that. 457 00:20:48,910 --> 00:20:51,380 Yeah, some of my favorite memories of the military 458 00:20:51,410 --> 00:20:52,950 Are literally the people I served with. 459 00:20:54,020 --> 00:20:56,150 before becoming a gold miner, 460 00:20:56,180 --> 00:21:00,690 Kendell started his career in the u.S. Air force. 461 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:04,060 I truly believed that I was going to be an astronaut, 462 00:21:04,090 --> 00:21:07,830 That I could go from flying a-10s to flying to mars. 463 00:21:07,860 --> 00:21:11,030 Because I wanted to make that type of impact on society. 464 00:21:11,070 --> 00:21:17,340 but in 2006 a training accident sent kendell's life spiraling. 465 00:21:19,770 --> 00:21:23,840 So I was flying in a transport aircraft, the c-130. 466 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:28,880 I was part of a special operation squad where we mostly dealt with rescue. 467 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:32,720 You're flying low level, dropping off jumpers out the back. 468 00:21:32,750 --> 00:21:36,290 It was a pretty turbulent day, and the plane just dropped. 469 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,690 I smashed into the ceiling, came down, dislocated my ankle, 470 00:21:41,730 --> 00:21:43,830 Shattered my fibula, broke my tibia. 471 00:21:43,870 --> 00:21:47,670 I remember thinking to myself immediately after seeing my leg backwards 472 00:21:47,700 --> 00:21:51,140 That everything was going to change. 473 00:21:53,340 --> 00:21:56,580 There were so many question marks getting out of the military, 474 00:21:56,610 --> 00:21:58,110 Not sure where I was going to go. 475 00:21:58,150 --> 00:22:02,380 Not sure what my new purpose or drive was going to be. 476 00:22:02,420 --> 00:22:05,520 after being medically retired from the air force, 477 00:22:05,550 --> 00:22:08,350 Kendell joined the family trade. 478 00:22:08,390 --> 00:22:10,020 So, after getting out of the military, 479 00:22:10,060 --> 00:22:12,360 I was introduced to gold mining 480 00:22:12,390 --> 00:22:15,530 By my dad and my uncle, freddy dodge. 481 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:20,100 I was just like, "holy what a crazy way to make money." 482 00:22:20,130 --> 00:22:21,900 holy cow! 483 00:22:22,770 --> 00:22:24,600 Last cleanup of the year. 484 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:27,710 gold guru freddy dodge and kendell's dad 485 00:22:27,740 --> 00:22:33,450 Run a business designing and constructing gold-catching wash plants. 486 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:35,750 Now, all of a sudden I'm having to go work 487 00:22:35,780 --> 00:22:40,420 For the family business, setting up this new mining operation. 488 00:22:40,460 --> 00:22:44,190 Gold gave me opportunities to travel and to see places 489 00:22:44,230 --> 00:22:45,490 That I never would have gone. 490 00:22:45,530 --> 00:22:47,730 So I fully took advantage of that. 491 00:22:49,900 --> 00:22:54,830 First time I met kendell was actually at a socom adaptive sports training camp. 492 00:22:54,870 --> 00:22:58,900 He was training for his events for the upcoming warrior games. 493 00:22:58,940 --> 00:23:01,170 Fred and I were competing for the same events. 494 00:23:01,210 --> 00:23:02,740 I think we were doing track and field events. 495 00:23:02,780 --> 00:23:04,540 That little was a little bit faster than me. 496 00:23:04,580 --> 00:23:08,050 Just started talking, realizing that we had a lot 497 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,920 Of the similar passions and drive. 498 00:23:10,950 --> 00:23:12,320 We just became good friends. 499 00:23:13,390 --> 00:23:15,720 A year later, I met freddy dodge and realized 500 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,490 Through some casual conversations at dinner that he was kendell's uncle. 501 00:23:19,530 --> 00:23:20,730 I mean, what a small world. 502 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,060 one of the only guys here with mining knowledge, 503 00:23:24,100 --> 00:23:27,600 So teaching these guys something I take a lot of pride in. 504 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,270 I'm really confident that these guys are going to pull through, 505 00:23:30,300 --> 00:23:32,140 Be a badass team by the end of the year. 506 00:23:32,170 --> 00:23:34,440 he's been out there all over the world, 507 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,540 Making sure other mine sites are set up correctly. 508 00:23:36,580 --> 00:23:39,150 So why wouldn't I want that guy on my site? 509 00:23:39,180 --> 00:23:40,750 What I want you to do is, you're going to give her 510 00:23:40,780 --> 00:23:42,750 -A couple of huffs of paint. -Yeah. 511 00:23:42,780 --> 00:23:45,820 Here I get to combine my military background... 512 00:23:45,850 --> 00:23:46,920 Whoo! 513 00:23:46,950 --> 00:23:49,490 ...With my mining experience, which are two worlds 514 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,220 That I just never thought were going to combine. 515 00:23:52,260 --> 00:23:54,530 Pretty special, to be able to do that. 516 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,060 We're putting pay dirt through the colonel. 517 00:23:57,100 --> 00:23:59,030 How amazing. Whoo! 518 00:24:08,710 --> 00:24:11,040 all of you fought some pretty hard battles in your life. 519 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:13,410 And now we just need to do that here. 520 00:24:13,450 --> 00:24:18,120 in eastern oregon, rookie mine boss fred lewis is gambling 521 00:24:18,150 --> 00:24:23,090 On his crew of combat veterans to become gold miners. 522 00:24:23,120 --> 00:24:25,860 Gold mining is hard, but our lives aren't at risk. 523 00:24:25,890 --> 00:24:27,260 No one's trying to kill us. 524 00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:29,260 That's why I picked you guys. 525 00:24:29,300 --> 00:24:31,400 Because I know that all of you guys can handle this . 526 00:24:31,470 --> 00:24:34,070 Fred's right. Let's get this gold, boys. 527 00:24:34,100 --> 00:24:36,540 - oh, yeah! - we got this. 528 00:24:36,570 --> 00:24:39,940 every gold mine needs a loader operator. 529 00:24:39,970 --> 00:24:44,780 Fred selected 29-year-old army sergeant kyle pletzke, 530 00:24:44,810 --> 00:24:48,050 The youngest crew member on the team of greenhorns. 531 00:24:51,090 --> 00:24:53,020 I might be new, but it doesn't matter. 532 00:24:53,050 --> 00:24:54,820 I'm going to push through hard to the end. 533 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,220 hey, kyle, the hopper's jamming up, man. 534 00:24:58,260 --> 00:25:00,790 Can you come up there and knock something loose? 535 00:25:00,830 --> 00:25:02,030 damn it, dude. 536 00:25:02,060 --> 00:25:04,130 seemed like every time I'd make a pass by 537 00:25:04,170 --> 00:25:05,760 On the loader, this thing's clogging up again, 538 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,500 So since I'm right there, I might well as jump in with a shovel. 539 00:25:12,110 --> 00:25:14,770 kyle, I don't know if that's a great idea. 540 00:25:14,810 --> 00:25:18,210 You know, kyle, he'll go head on into damn near anything. 541 00:25:21,550 --> 00:25:23,550 Oh, ! Hey, hey, hey! 542 00:25:24,550 --> 00:25:28,020 Cut the water, johnny! Cut the water! 543 00:25:28,060 --> 00:25:30,560 I think, right off the bat, maybe I went in 544 00:25:30,590 --> 00:25:32,320 A little overconfident. 545 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:35,560 You know, I wanted to show the guys that "hey, you know, I could do this." 546 00:25:39,570 --> 00:25:43,400 kyle has been battling injuries for eight years 547 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:47,770 Since his light strike vehicle rolled over in afghanistan. 548 00:25:47,810 --> 00:25:50,080 I was ejected from the truck, 549 00:25:50,110 --> 00:25:53,950 Truck kept rolling, and ended up on top of me. 550 00:25:53,980 --> 00:25:57,250 The roll bar landed right on my pelvis, shattered my pelvis. 551 00:25:59,950 --> 00:26:02,520 You go from, like, the strongest point in your life one day 552 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:05,690 And then the next second you're lying in this hospital bed, 553 00:26:05,730 --> 00:26:07,960 Not able to feed myself. 554 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:12,130 You feel like you're damn near on your deathbed, you know. 555 00:26:12,170 --> 00:26:14,200 It's not a good feeling at age 21. 556 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:16,500 Uh. 557 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:17,900 Yeah. 558 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:26,450 after 20 surgeries and five years in the hospital, 559 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:30,350 Kyle was medically retired from the military. 560 00:26:30,380 --> 00:26:35,720 my early 20s were all taken up by living in the hospital. 561 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:38,090 I didn't know where the hell I was gonna go next. 562 00:26:38,130 --> 00:26:40,390 My world was in a little bit of a downward spiral. 563 00:26:40,430 --> 00:26:41,360 Where is the next meal? 564 00:26:41,430 --> 00:26:43,800 Let alone the next job or next part of life. 565 00:26:46,030 --> 00:26:48,830 unable to get a job since the accident, 566 00:26:48,870 --> 00:26:53,540 Kyle became one of an estimated 40,000 homeless veterans. 567 00:26:54,980 --> 00:26:59,080 Well, another glorious night here. 568 00:26:59,110 --> 00:27:02,310 kyle came into this, he was sleeping in the back of his truck. 569 00:27:02,350 --> 00:27:04,920 That hurts my heart, truly does. 570 00:27:06,150 --> 00:27:08,190 That rips me apart inside. 571 00:27:08,220 --> 00:27:11,920 everybody probably thinks I'm just roughing it. 572 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,430 But I haven't had a job in a year and a half. 573 00:27:15,830 --> 00:27:17,860 I don't like to give up, I don't like to fail. 574 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:20,830 That's why we're here. 575 00:27:20,870 --> 00:27:25,940 We're here to try to make some money, make something of ourselves. 576 00:27:25,970 --> 00:27:27,870 No matter what somebody's going through life, 577 00:27:27,910 --> 00:27:30,410 Whether their life is good or bad, 578 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:33,450 Positivity will get you through a lot. 579 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,520 And I'm hoping when I leave here, I can upgrade somehow. 580 00:27:37,390 --> 00:27:39,350 Camper, maybe a house. 581 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:41,720 I don't know. 582 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:45,190 You know, positivity will bring good people into your life. 583 00:27:45,230 --> 00:27:48,930 Um... and, you know, 584 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,200 You make that choice every day. 585 00:27:51,230 --> 00:27:52,730 I think this is what I needed, you know. 586 00:27:52,770 --> 00:27:56,740 It's being out here with a good group of guys. 587 00:27:56,770 --> 00:27:58,240 I've got to give it everything I can. 588 00:27:58,270 --> 00:28:01,040 There's nothing that's gonna stop me from making this be a success. 589 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:02,910 All right, let's do it, man. Let's fire her up. 590 00:28:06,910 --> 00:28:10,720 From the get go, kyle has proven to me that he's here to work. 591 00:28:10,750 --> 00:28:11,680 And he's here to learn. 592 00:28:12,890 --> 00:28:15,350 This, this is freaking awesome! 593 00:28:25,730 --> 00:28:27,670 guten morgen, world. 594 00:28:29,500 --> 00:28:33,810 I think this is fred trying to put me back through boot camp right now. 595 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:38,810 But he called on a marine, so he knew he called on the right guy. 596 00:28:38,850 --> 00:28:43,680 Sometimes I'm not exactly sure if johnny took that role seriously in the beginning. 597 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:45,650 A-ha! 598 00:28:46,790 --> 00:28:49,560 I'm scuba john. 599 00:28:49,590 --> 00:28:52,060 to keep water flowing to the wash plant... 600 00:28:52,090 --> 00:28:54,460 Have you ever seen mission impossible? 601 00:28:54,500 --> 00:28:57,300 ... Fred called on johnny stanz. 602 00:28:57,330 --> 00:28:59,670 it didn't look anything like this. 603 00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:04,670 Johnny happens to be an ex-scuba diver, so he knows a lot about water. 604 00:29:04,710 --> 00:29:07,110 I'm sure that belt loop is gonna hold. 605 00:29:07,140 --> 00:29:09,740 -Yeah. -Is it just on a belt loop or the whole belt? 606 00:29:09,780 --> 00:29:11,210 oh, yeah, I got you. 607 00:29:11,250 --> 00:29:13,680 - I trust you. 608 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:18,350 oh, there it is. 609 00:29:19,790 --> 00:29:21,490 I'm sinking! 610 00:29:22,620 --> 00:29:25,490 You know what? It's okay. Just let him go. 611 00:29:25,530 --> 00:29:28,330 Johnny is a jokester, and he's the funniest guy I've ever met. 612 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,560 I would say johnny either breaks the tension... 613 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:33,530 Let's get that colonel started! 614 00:29:33,570 --> 00:29:36,940 It's game time! Damn, I missed completely. 615 00:29:36,970 --> 00:29:38,700 ...Or he's an immense pain in the ass. 616 00:29:40,780 --> 00:29:42,670 Yes! Yes! 617 00:29:42,710 --> 00:29:45,280 the thing with my comedic style is, 618 00:29:45,310 --> 00:29:48,910 I don't care if other people find it funny, 'cause I find it hilarious. 619 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:51,050 I love me. 620 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:54,350 Come and get it! 621 00:29:55,060 --> 00:29:56,790 Yeah! 622 00:29:57,830 --> 00:29:59,790 I want to show what I do on my off time. 623 00:30:01,130 --> 00:30:03,500 We're down again 'cause of our equipment. 624 00:30:03,530 --> 00:30:05,300 We can't mine. 625 00:30:05,330 --> 00:30:09,400 So, might as well have a little snack with my friend from the forest. 626 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:11,670 Gotta feed him from my mouth like a mother bird. 627 00:30:14,780 --> 00:30:19,280 So, I mama-bird wild animals when I meet them. 628 00:30:19,310 --> 00:30:22,250 One time I was on a wounded veterans trip. 629 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,980 And all the guys said, "hey, feed the iguana, johnny." 630 00:30:25,020 --> 00:30:26,790 It takes the piece of bread out of my mouth 631 00:30:26,820 --> 00:30:32,360 And I was like, "dude, I'm mama-birding every wild animal I ever meet now." 632 00:30:32,390 --> 00:30:34,460 I've got in five continents so far. 633 00:30:34,500 --> 00:30:38,160 I'm gonna mama-bird animals until the day I die. 634 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:40,370 After you go through the things that he's been through, 635 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,470 Comedy was his outlet, and that's what got him through 636 00:30:42,500 --> 00:30:43,800 A lot of problems he had. 637 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:47,110 Honestly, I've come so close to death so many times in my life. 638 00:30:47,140 --> 00:30:51,440 I feel like just another day at the office. 639 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,550 While I was at the school of infantry, I signed up to become a recon marine. 640 00:30:54,580 --> 00:30:56,220 That's no easy task. 641 00:30:56,250 --> 00:31:00,750 Basically, recon marine is just, destroy your soul and make you want to quit. 642 00:31:00,790 --> 00:31:03,420 And if you don't quit, you're ready to become a recon marine. 643 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:09,360 We got intelligence that there was a large number of al qaeda 644 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:12,560 All in the same building at the time we were going to hit it. 645 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:16,370 And then our vehicle goes over the roadside bomb. 646 00:31:18,740 --> 00:31:21,970 The bomb hit our humvee and launched us 70 feet. 647 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,680 Killed the two on the driver's side immediately. 648 00:31:26,710 --> 00:31:30,320 They told my family that even if I did survive, 649 00:31:30,350 --> 00:31:32,420 I would never walk or talk again. 650 00:31:32,450 --> 00:31:34,890 If I could eat without help, it would be a miracle. 651 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:37,720 But my family stuck by my side and pushed me through all of that. 652 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:40,660 So I feel like the luckiest man alive. 653 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:46,130 so many veterans are committing suicide these days. 654 00:31:46,170 --> 00:31:51,370 I really want to do this, you know, to be out there and show 655 00:31:51,410 --> 00:31:53,570 A rainbow will come at the end of the storm, 656 00:31:53,610 --> 00:31:55,540 And there's gold at the end of it. 657 00:31:55,580 --> 00:31:57,610 I know people that have taken their own lives 658 00:31:57,650 --> 00:32:01,180 Because they couldn't deal with things that have happened in the past. 659 00:32:01,220 --> 00:32:04,980 I want to play a part in helping to save people's lives. 660 00:32:05,450 --> 00:32:07,620 I understand. 661 00:32:07,660 --> 00:32:11,060 I mean, a lot of people don't get lucky and don't make it out 662 00:32:11,090 --> 00:32:13,390 Because they don't have that inspiration. 663 00:32:13,430 --> 00:32:15,060 Being around guys like johnny, 664 00:32:15,130 --> 00:32:18,860 Seeing that they've gone through a lot of , too, and we're doing just fine, 665 00:32:18,900 --> 00:32:21,300 Honestly, that's what got me going in life. 666 00:32:26,070 --> 00:32:28,370 And that's how you mama-bird. 667 00:32:28,410 --> 00:32:32,340 Hey, what in the ever-living christmas are you doing? 668 00:32:32,380 --> 00:32:34,050 You starting a petting zoo? 669 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:38,320 Johnny gave me what I expected. 670 00:32:38,350 --> 00:32:40,590 So this has to do with irrigation, how? 671 00:32:40,620 --> 00:32:42,490 guy's got two purple hearts. 672 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:48,060 So it's really, really hard to criticize someone like that. 673 00:32:48,100 --> 00:32:49,960 that's what I call furry gold. 674 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:51,230 get back to work. 675 00:32:51,270 --> 00:32:53,870 But I do know one thing. He has benefited from being around us 676 00:32:53,900 --> 00:32:55,800 And has benefited from being part of this team, 677 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:57,470 And he is part of this team. 678 00:32:57,500 --> 00:32:58,870 - furry gold, baby. -No... 679 00:32:58,910 --> 00:33:00,140 way. 680 00:33:00,170 --> 00:33:01,910 This looks... 681 00:33:01,940 --> 00:33:05,480 They just think "we're here for one job, we're mining. 682 00:33:05,510 --> 00:33:07,410 You shouldn't be wasting your time doing that." 683 00:33:07,450 --> 00:33:09,580 But it's life. You got to live it. 684 00:33:16,890 --> 00:33:17,920 water's coming! 685 00:33:19,390 --> 00:33:21,090 at the elkhorn claim... 686 00:33:21,130 --> 00:33:22,730 All right. 687 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:24,160 Hit it, khara! 688 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:28,200 ... Fred's wife, khara lewis, is pulling double duty. 689 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:30,540 It's been a pretty long day already. 690 00:33:30,570 --> 00:33:32,740 I teach high school history on zoom. 691 00:33:32,770 --> 00:33:36,140 But I had a quick lunch, and I am good to go here 692 00:33:36,180 --> 00:33:38,440 For about another eight more hours. 693 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:40,850 To me, gold, it's exciting. 694 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:43,380 There always is that little part of me that's like, 695 00:33:43,420 --> 00:33:46,620 "today, maybe we'll scrape up some magical gold nugget." 696 00:33:46,650 --> 00:33:48,820 You just never know. It could be there. 697 00:33:48,860 --> 00:33:50,820 I'm just gonna have to do triple duty. 698 00:33:50,860 --> 00:33:54,990 Teaching, mom, mine manager/loader-driver. 699 00:33:55,030 --> 00:33:56,660 I do miss the military. 700 00:33:56,700 --> 00:34:00,930 I really thought I was going to do a full military career. 701 00:34:00,970 --> 00:34:02,330 I loved the weapons. 702 00:34:02,370 --> 00:34:03,470 Range weeks were awesome. 703 00:34:03,500 --> 00:34:04,800 I loved kicking in the doors. 704 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:07,370 I loved all the tactical aspects of it, 705 00:34:07,410 --> 00:34:10,040 But 100% my favorite part was that feeling 706 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:11,540 Of you can rely on these people, 707 00:34:11,580 --> 00:34:14,050 And you come out of this horrible situation together. 708 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:15,750 And then you're proud of yourself 'cause you did it. 709 00:34:15,780 --> 00:34:18,920 So, it was really hard for me to make the decision 710 00:34:18,950 --> 00:34:21,020 That I was going to get out. 711 00:34:22,620 --> 00:34:25,160 I found out that I was pregnant. 712 00:34:25,190 --> 00:34:27,290 We were both in the special operations community, 713 00:34:27,330 --> 00:34:30,300 And fred very much saw this as a dangerous thing. 714 00:34:30,330 --> 00:34:32,330 I think he just couldn't handle the idea 715 00:34:32,370 --> 00:34:36,300 That our child could grow up and have no parents. 716 00:34:36,340 --> 00:34:38,340 And it just was kind of an adult decision 717 00:34:38,370 --> 00:34:40,970 That I had to make, that I didn't want to. 718 00:34:41,010 --> 00:34:43,210 To me, family is just so important. 719 00:34:43,240 --> 00:34:47,250 So I decided that's what I was going to have to do. 720 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:50,050 we lean on each other a lot, khara and I. 721 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:52,080 She's not a risk taker, I am. 722 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:53,820 And she's safe, and I'm not. 723 00:34:53,850 --> 00:34:55,720 So we kind of balance each other pretty well. 724 00:34:56,860 --> 00:34:58,190 fred! 725 00:34:58,230 --> 00:34:59,960 -Shut it down. - why? 726 00:34:59,990 --> 00:35:03,130 It sucks to be the bad guy, but I'm used to it. 727 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:05,130 Fred's always been the fun dad that's like, 728 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:06,670 "no, you're not grounded. 729 00:35:06,700 --> 00:35:09,230 Oh, your mom doesn't know what she's talking about. Your mom's mean." 730 00:35:09,300 --> 00:35:12,670 And I feel I've stepped right into that same role that I have with my family. 731 00:35:12,710 --> 00:35:14,240 I stepped into it with these guys, 732 00:35:14,270 --> 00:35:16,270 But it was a role that I am comfortable with. 733 00:35:16,310 --> 00:35:17,810 I love being the mom. 734 00:35:17,850 --> 00:35:19,850 We have to get protective cage around the belt. 735 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:21,680 We need rails on the catwalk. 736 00:35:21,720 --> 00:35:25,250 We need weatherproof power box to the generator and the plant. 737 00:35:25,290 --> 00:35:26,550 are you sure we have to do all this stuff? 738 00:35:27,150 --> 00:35:28,350 I'm 100% certain. 739 00:35:28,390 --> 00:35:31,390 She is a commanding presence. 740 00:35:31,430 --> 00:35:33,530 She doesn't back down. 741 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:35,590 But she makes really smart decisions. 742 00:35:35,630 --> 00:35:37,560 I make kind of off-the-hip decisions, 743 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:40,130 And maybe that's why I put her as the mine manager, 744 00:35:40,170 --> 00:35:42,630 Because I knew she'd take it a lot more serious. 745 00:35:42,670 --> 00:35:46,510 I hope that after this week it's going to be smoother. 746 00:35:47,240 --> 00:35:49,340 I hope so. 747 00:35:49,380 --> 00:35:52,280 -Just listen to what I say and we'll be fine. -No, no, no. 748 00:35:52,310 --> 00:35:55,710 this is what fred wants to do, and this is his new passion. 749 00:35:55,750 --> 00:35:57,450 Then I just want to make it a success. 750 00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:59,520 So I'll be doing this for the next eight hours. 751 00:35:59,550 --> 00:36:02,290 Then I'll go make some dinner, grade some more papers 752 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:05,260 And wake up and do it all over again tomorrow. 753 00:36:05,290 --> 00:36:07,960 But ultimately, the only way fred's going to be successful 754 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:09,430 Is if they follow my rules. 755 00:36:14,870 --> 00:36:17,440 So many people have so many excuses. 756 00:36:17,470 --> 00:36:21,410 I mean, mining is unbelievably hard. 757 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:23,510 we're a lot different than a lot of mine teams, you know. 758 00:36:23,540 --> 00:36:27,280 When we get back to camp, we're not just going to bed, we're hanging out as a team. 759 00:36:27,310 --> 00:36:30,320 We set up a gym. We called it primal misfits. 760 00:36:30,350 --> 00:36:33,490 And we get out there and we hit the gym hard together. 761 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:35,190 I came to show you guys how to work out. 762 00:36:35,220 --> 00:36:36,520 -All right. - oh, jeez. 763 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:37,990 All right, trainer's here, everybody. 764 00:36:38,030 --> 00:36:39,790 Here you go. We got your heavyweight. 765 00:36:39,830 --> 00:36:41,590 If you're building that level of camaraderie, 766 00:36:41,630 --> 00:36:44,160 A team that works together and works out together 767 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:46,800 And eats together. It's just a lot stronger. 768 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:48,800 -Hey, stuart. -Yeah? 769 00:36:49,770 --> 00:36:50,970 how's that on your hand? 770 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:52,470 Does it hurt your wrist? 771 00:36:52,510 --> 00:36:54,840 no, my wrist is, like, fused and locked, so... 772 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:58,310 dude, I don't think people understand how crazy that is. 773 00:36:58,350 --> 00:37:00,380 I don't even... I can't even do one of those. 774 00:37:00,410 --> 00:37:02,450 It's kind of crazy when you think about it. 775 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:04,320 Stuart's been through some... . 776 00:37:04,350 --> 00:37:08,620 I was a recon scout sniper and I was a sergeant in the army. 777 00:37:08,660 --> 00:37:12,060 like most members of fred's misfit mining crew, 778 00:37:12,990 --> 00:37:15,430 Army scout sniper, stuart mckenzie 779 00:37:16,830 --> 00:37:19,200 Planned on being a career soldier. 780 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:24,470 we came to a t intersection. We were the last vehicle, 781 00:37:24,500 --> 00:37:29,470 And I remember just the most violent, loud, chaotic thing possible. 782 00:37:31,650 --> 00:37:34,010 Immediately I was like, "oh, I just got hit with a roadside bomb." 783 00:37:34,050 --> 00:37:35,480 It's almost like something out of a movie. 784 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:37,020 Everyone's screaming, "I'm hit. I'm hit." 785 00:37:37,050 --> 00:37:39,080 And the medic... 786 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:40,450 He kept tapping on me and saying, like, 787 00:37:40,490 --> 00:37:42,190 "if you're not going to make it, like, let me know." 788 00:37:42,220 --> 00:37:44,990 I was like, "please don't take my hand. Please." 789 00:37:45,030 --> 00:37:48,730 And he was like, "uh, if you wake up without it, don't be pissed." 790 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:51,500 Wake up in the recovery room and then I just saw 791 00:37:51,530 --> 00:37:53,230 A huge bandage, but I could see my fingertips. 792 00:37:53,270 --> 00:37:55,000 I was like, "oh, thank you, god." 793 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:59,470 The scar starts right here, goes all the way around through right there. 794 00:37:59,510 --> 00:38:02,510 So, when I'm pinching, it was actually holding my hand on. 795 00:38:02,540 --> 00:38:03,940 And I remember just the entire time I'm like, 796 00:38:03,980 --> 00:38:05,680 "what am I gonna do with the rest of my life?" 797 00:38:07,010 --> 00:38:09,410 make yourself comfortable, as flat as possible, 798 00:38:10,950 --> 00:38:12,420 We want to make the initial cut. 799 00:38:12,450 --> 00:38:15,120 yeah, so just lay him down, make the incision. 800 00:38:16,390 --> 00:38:18,320 I trust fred. I trust fred's leadership. 801 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:20,460 I trust that he wouldn't put me in a bad spot. 802 00:38:21,460 --> 00:38:23,400 I am ready. 803 00:38:23,430 --> 00:38:26,200 as well as the injury to his hand, 804 00:38:26,230 --> 00:38:29,200 Stuart was also hit with a piece of shrapnel 805 00:38:29,240 --> 00:38:31,870 That lodged above his left shoulder blade. 806 00:38:32,810 --> 00:38:35,040 might be deeper than we thought. 807 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:37,680 during the course of the mining season, 808 00:38:37,710 --> 00:38:40,750 The shrapnel worked its way to the surface, 809 00:38:40,780 --> 00:38:46,550 Giving fred and fellow army medic johnny rourke a chance to remove it. 810 00:38:46,590 --> 00:38:49,550 I had it in my back for 16 years. 811 00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:53,290 After my injury, I was constantly going through surgeries, 812 00:38:53,330 --> 00:38:55,460 And so I developed an opiate addiction. 813 00:38:55,530 --> 00:38:57,800 It was just a very, very dark time. 814 00:38:57,830 --> 00:39:02,470 I immediately went to a treatment center for ptsd and for opioids. 815 00:39:02,500 --> 00:39:04,270 I mean, the piece of shrapnel. 816 00:39:04,300 --> 00:39:08,670 We're expecting a large thing, it could just be literally a splinter. 817 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:11,780 - grab it. - you got it? 818 00:39:11,810 --> 00:39:14,550 we got it, bro. It was the tiniest piece of metal. 819 00:39:14,580 --> 00:39:15,780 yeah. 820 00:39:15,820 --> 00:39:17,550 wow. 821 00:39:17,580 --> 00:39:19,280 are you able to see it? 822 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:20,790 I'll save this for you, buddy. 823 00:39:20,820 --> 00:39:23,290 - all right. - maybe we can make a necklace out of it. 824 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:25,090 -It would be something cool. 825 00:39:26,630 --> 00:39:29,630 Now you gotta say, "look at me, I'm shrapnel-free." 826 00:39:29,660 --> 00:39:31,260 Look at me, I'm shrapnel-free. 827 00:39:33,100 --> 00:39:35,970 It's awesome. I wasn't worried at all. 828 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:39,440 I knew these guys had my back, quite literally. 829 00:39:39,470 --> 00:39:43,240 Throughout my entire addiction, my wife, jamie, stood by me. 830 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:45,880 And, not only that, she was the only one that stood by me. 831 00:39:46,450 --> 00:39:47,710 Awesome. 832 00:39:47,750 --> 00:39:49,380 Best part of my week right now. 833 00:39:51,850 --> 00:39:53,150 -Hi. -How are you? 834 00:39:53,190 --> 00:39:54,590 -Good. 835 00:39:55,690 --> 00:39:58,590 Look at you. She's so excited to see you. 836 00:39:58,630 --> 00:40:00,790 I have been with my wife, jamie, for ten years, 837 00:40:00,830 --> 00:40:03,730 And we have a daughter named halo, and she's four years old. 838 00:40:06,870 --> 00:40:08,900 oh, I've missed you so much. 839 00:40:08,940 --> 00:40:11,340 you know, this is what I t's all for, it's right here. 840 00:40:11,370 --> 00:40:14,010 My beautiful baby daughter and my beautiful wife. 841 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:17,340 That's why I'm out here. That's why I'm taking these chances 842 00:40:17,380 --> 00:40:19,040 And, you know, these risks, so that they can have 843 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:20,780 A life that they're supposed to have. 844 00:40:20,810 --> 00:40:21,880 You know, I, uh... 845 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:23,850 It's just so nice to be able to actually see them. 846 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:27,120 Is that funny? Yeah? 847 00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:31,860 That's where daddy digs. 848 00:40:31,890 --> 00:40:34,690 He feeds the plant, he tries to find all the gold. 849 00:40:34,730 --> 00:40:36,630 This one's the horn. 850 00:40:36,660 --> 00:40:39,700 It's been quite the journey for us both, definitely. 851 00:40:39,730 --> 00:40:41,530 Um, him being up here 852 00:40:41,570 --> 00:40:45,240 And me taking care of everything has been quite the challenge. 853 00:40:45,670 --> 00:40:46,910 We miss him. 854 00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:53,680 - uh-oh. - uh-oh. 855 00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:57,850 What do you think, baby girl? 856 00:40:57,880 --> 00:40:59,480 -Cool. - yeah. 857 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:01,550 -I like the buttons. - yeah? 858 00:41:01,590 --> 00:41:03,290 Pretty fun, huh? 859 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,290 They're both incredibly beautiful human beings 860 00:41:06,330 --> 00:41:09,930 That provide so much joy in my life. 861 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:12,000 That's my driving force. 862 00:41:12,030 --> 00:41:14,170 gold mining definitely gave us a new purpose 863 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:16,000 And a new drive for our family. 864 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:20,040 And it's not just something we're doing for fun, it's now our new thing. 865 00:41:21,580 --> 00:41:23,540 in 2013, if you told me 866 00:41:23,580 --> 00:41:27,610 I would be sitting here in 2020, gold mining, 867 00:41:27,650 --> 00:41:31,750 In one of the most opportune moments of my life, 868 00:41:31,790 --> 00:41:33,350 I would have told you you're absolutely crazy. 869 00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:44,660 the perks of this job, huh? 870 00:41:45,570 --> 00:41:47,070 Now we get to move a 871 00:41:47,100 --> 00:41:49,770 That some people in the past have been using. 872 00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:51,770 on the elkhorn claim... 873 00:41:51,810 --> 00:41:53,470 oh, man. 874 00:41:53,510 --> 00:41:56,370 ...Foreman kendell madden has a dirty job. 875 00:41:56,410 --> 00:41:59,310 Hey, speak of the devil! You want to start pushing on this side, 876 00:41:59,350 --> 00:42:01,380 -Right where all that is? -Yeah. 877 00:42:01,410 --> 00:42:02,480 Ooh, poo. 878 00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:04,550 don't fall in the hole! 879 00:42:04,580 --> 00:42:05,620 Hang on. 880 00:42:07,890 --> 00:42:10,020 I've been poop-straddling. 881 00:42:10,060 --> 00:42:11,860 -do not... 882 00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:13,890 - whoo! 883 00:42:13,930 --> 00:42:15,630 -Poop hole! Poop hole! 884 00:42:15,660 --> 00:42:17,260 - almost fell in the hole. 885 00:42:22,440 --> 00:42:24,300 Poop dust! Poop dust! 886 00:42:25,310 --> 00:42:26,970 That scared the out of me. 887 00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:31,640 Yuck! 888 00:42:45,190 --> 00:42:46,960 The biggest challenge after I got out of the military 889 00:42:46,990 --> 00:42:48,430 Was that loss of purpose. 890 00:42:49,900 --> 00:42:51,830 It makes you feel worthless. 891 00:42:51,870 --> 00:42:54,030 Straight up, makes you feel like a piece of... . 892 00:42:56,940 --> 00:43:00,370 spurred on by record gold prices, 893 00:43:00,410 --> 00:43:05,440 Former green beret turned mine boss, fred lewis, is on a mission. 894 00:43:06,750 --> 00:43:09,710 I've always been involved trying to help vets. 895 00:43:09,750 --> 00:43:11,550 -Kyle. -Big guy. 896 00:43:11,590 --> 00:43:14,850 I've always known that my brothers and sisters 897 00:43:14,890 --> 00:43:17,260 That went through the same I did had a hard time 898 00:43:17,290 --> 00:43:18,890 Dealing with that transition as well. 899 00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:25,060 Let's fire it up, misfits. 900 00:43:25,100 --> 00:43:27,230 all righty, let's get it goin'. 901 00:43:30,270 --> 00:43:33,610 to employ his wounded veterans and make money... 902 00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:36,440 All right, stuart, the colonel's hungry. Feed him. 903 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:40,880 ...Fred is risking everything on the hope his ragtag crew 904 00:43:40,910 --> 00:43:45,880 Can overcome inexperience to become gold miners. 905 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,350 This is it! We're doing it! 906 00:43:48,390 --> 00:43:50,420 We're running pay! 907 00:43:52,090 --> 00:43:54,860 Whoo! Let's get some gold, boys! All right! 908 00:43:57,560 --> 00:44:00,430 We're still pretty green, but we've run the equipment. 909 00:44:00,470 --> 00:44:02,430 We've done all the stuff that gold miners do. 910 00:44:02,470 --> 00:44:05,970 Let's get ready to rumble! 911 00:44:06,010 --> 00:44:07,440 Oh... . 912 00:44:07,470 --> 00:44:08,570 that's the biggest nugget we found. 913 00:44:11,810 --> 00:44:13,580 what I feel is possibility. 914 00:44:13,610 --> 00:44:14,550 -All right. -Yeah. 915 00:44:15,650 --> 00:44:18,020 Together, vets are some of the strongest people, 916 00:44:18,050 --> 00:44:20,220 Like, there's an entire nation of us. 917 00:44:23,490 --> 00:44:25,320 - wow. -That's your first real gold. 918 00:44:26,290 --> 00:44:29,060 that is insane. 919 00:44:29,130 --> 00:44:31,300 -Ow, that hurt my hand. 920 00:44:31,330 --> 00:44:33,400 All right, guys, let's get back to work. 921 00:44:33,430 --> 00:44:34,600 - all right. - okay. 922 00:44:36,140 --> 00:44:38,700 We created a mine team out of nothing. 923 00:44:38,740 --> 00:44:41,640 and the sun comes out. See, it's a sign. 924 00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:43,310 I mean, that's pretty impressive. 925 00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:56,790 fred's all-veteran crew's strength and unity 926 00:44:56,820 --> 00:45:00,360 Was never more apparent than on September 11t. 927 00:45:02,630 --> 00:45:05,300 I got some shovels, a little surprise for the boys. 928 00:45:06,070 --> 00:45:07,230 What's up, guys? 929 00:45:08,230 --> 00:45:09,470 Ha-ha! 930 00:45:09,500 --> 00:45:11,540 We're going to build this 931 00:45:11,570 --> 00:45:13,740 Into the biggest flagpole bourne's ever seen 932 00:45:13,770 --> 00:45:15,740 And raise a flag up there. 933 00:45:15,780 --> 00:45:17,180 Uh, you gotta... 934 00:45:17,210 --> 00:45:19,680 - hey, fred. - so we got to dig a big hole. 935 00:45:19,710 --> 00:45:21,580 let me know when the hole's ready. 936 00:45:21,610 --> 00:45:24,480 -What? -So let's get to diggin'. 937 00:45:29,390 --> 00:45:32,220 Me and johnny pulled the, uh, 938 00:45:32,260 --> 00:45:34,260 Short end of the stick on this one, so... 939 00:45:36,500 --> 00:45:39,800 Living the american dream, every town needs a flag. 940 00:45:39,830 --> 00:45:42,170 So we're putting up a 40-foot flagpole. 941 00:45:42,240 --> 00:45:44,140 All right, guys, ready? 942 00:45:44,170 --> 00:45:45,540 That was pretty special. 943 00:45:45,570 --> 00:45:48,740 9/11 meant a lot to a lot of us. 944 00:45:48,780 --> 00:45:51,080 I know it was the reason I joined the military. 945 00:45:51,110 --> 00:45:52,310 -Ready? -Yeah. 946 00:45:53,350 --> 00:45:56,180 -One, two, three, go. 947 00:45:56,220 --> 00:45:57,420 Hey, scoot up on fred. 948 00:45:57,450 --> 00:45:58,650 All right, let's go, up. 949 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:00,080 Keep walking. 950 00:46:02,020 --> 00:46:03,920 so, 9/11... 951 00:46:03,960 --> 00:46:06,890 I would have been a junior in high school, 952 00:46:06,930 --> 00:46:11,200 And I remember when the first plane hit, 953 00:46:11,230 --> 00:46:14,230 And I watched everything change. 954 00:46:14,270 --> 00:46:16,170 We got tension on the winch. 955 00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:18,570 You understand that the world is bigger 956 00:46:18,610 --> 00:46:20,140 Than you think it is, you know. 957 00:46:23,340 --> 00:46:25,210 I hate when america bleeds. 958 00:46:25,250 --> 00:46:28,380 You know, raising the flag, specially on September 11, it was respect. 959 00:46:28,410 --> 00:46:30,380 It's coming up on 20 years ago. 960 00:46:35,690 --> 00:46:37,020 now back a little more. 961 00:46:38,460 --> 00:46:40,060 - hold on. -That looks good. 962 00:46:42,100 --> 00:46:44,030 That flagpole ain't going nowhere. 963 00:46:46,700 --> 00:46:49,230 The fact that we did it on 9/11 was... 964 00:46:49,270 --> 00:46:51,670 It was like, surreal, you know. 965 00:46:51,700 --> 00:46:52,940 That was awesome. 966 00:46:52,970 --> 00:46:56,270 Born oregon, usa, population seven. 967 00:46:56,310 --> 00:46:58,610 100% veteran population. 968 00:46:59,910 --> 00:47:01,250 oh, fred! 969 00:47:03,250 --> 00:47:04,520 All right, we're ready, stefan. 970 00:47:10,890 --> 00:47:11,960 goin' up. 971 00:47:16,930 --> 00:47:18,600 it's kind of an emotional moment 972 00:47:18,630 --> 00:47:22,070 When you take a group of guys that you know have fought so hard for freedom. 973 00:47:22,100 --> 00:47:24,140 Guys that have actually 974 00:47:24,170 --> 00:47:26,540 Had to carry a casket with a flag draped over it. 975 00:47:26,570 --> 00:47:29,340 That flag means a lot more to guys like us because of that. 976 00:47:35,980 --> 00:47:37,520 In my mind, these are my heroes. 977 00:47:37,550 --> 00:47:40,250 Order. Pull! 978 00:47:40,290 --> 00:47:42,850 These guys have gone through so much in their lives 979 00:47:42,890 --> 00:47:45,020 And fought so much adversity. 980 00:47:45,060 --> 00:47:47,360 So, what I wanted is to give these guys 981 00:47:47,390 --> 00:47:49,360 Not only an adventure and a moment 982 00:47:49,430 --> 00:47:51,500 To have that camaraderie back again, 983 00:47:51,530 --> 00:47:54,470 But I could give them a whole new purpose in life. 984 00:47:56,700 --> 00:47:59,740 And that impact right there, to me, is worth its weight in gold. 984 00:48:00,305 --> 00:49:00,596