(uplifting music) - This and more coming right up on "The Whitney Reynolds Show."

- Tom Cruise, Richard Branson, Beyonce, Willie Nelson, this is their advice and the wisdom, the things they've learned, what they do differently.

And then the Hail Mary moment.

- We all have this unique story in life, and so often people don't get a chance to tell it 'cause it's something that kinda happens in private.

- Step across that line and find your joy.

- "Whitney Reynolds Show" is supported by BMO, boldly grow the good in business and life.

And Together At Peace Foundation, remembrance, resilience and comfort, creating a hopeful space for those who are grieving.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

10 West Real Estate Group, providing multi-family investment in property management services.

Center For Beautiful Living, empowering people to live rich, robust, and beautiful lives.

Additional funding provided by facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Stacey McClain, Lifeway Keeper, Respiratory Health Association, Kevin Kelly, Kid Friendly Venues app, joeperillo.com, Hi Five Sports Club, and by these sponsors.

- In a world full of noise, what would happen if we all chose to listen to that inner voice?

It might just bring us full circle.

That's today's topic.

Awakening the soul of our story.

♪ Come for stories, stay for the heart ♪ ♪ Where every journey is a work of art ♪ - And sharing those in a safe space to inspire others.

♪ In all you'll see ♪ ♪ Whitney's here to share your dream ♪ ♪ It's The Whitney Reynolds Show ♪ - I'm watching "The Whitney Reynolds Show."

♪ Straight from Chicago to your home ♪ ♪ Real voices and real lives in every episode ♪ ♪ This is The Whitney Reynolds Show ♪ - You can step across the line tomorrow into the world of healing.

There's a promise of healing.

And it's almost guaranteed if you do the work, but first you have to call it by its name before you begin the journey.

So step across that line and find your joy.

- Creating is something that has always come easy to Mike Menard.

At just 19 years old, he received his first patent and has created game-changing products like disposable diapers with elastic legs.

It was those early days though that shaped this leader.

Yet he had to go back to some of the dark moments to truly find his light.

- It's my personal belief that we are brought into the world with a certain level of grit and resilience.

I had a heavy dose of that and some of my siblings as well.

We navigated easier through that, but those with less crumbled under it.

And you know, I feel almost guilt of getting by a little bit better than my brothers and than some of my brothers and sisters.

So, you know, it's all the same DNA, it's the same parents, but every individual's very different with what they can take.

I was eight years old, and there was no room in the dormitory.

- And when you said the word dormitory, this was actually your parents' house.

- Yeah, so it was a 900-square-foot home, about an hour south of here in KP Key.

And there was one bedroom, and that was for mom and dad and the incoming baby because there was always an incoming baby.

And there was no room for me to sleep.

It was just mattresses wall to wall.

And so I got up at eight, eight years old and walked to a used car lot and went inside a used car that was open and slept.

And before I went to sleep, I realized I just have to take care of myself.

It's up to me.

And I felt like I was alone.

I felt like I wasn't seen.

- Mike encountered complex trauma as a kid, from food insecurity, non-secure housing, and tough parents, he learned how to be his own advocate and later took his struggle to paper while writing his book, a story he thought he knew very well.

You really started on this path of understanding your own story.

And as you started the writing process, you realized, oh my goodness, this is much bigger than I thought it was when it comes to mental health and bringing in the experts.

- I didn't wanna write the book.

I was halfway through.

- You were halfway through.

- I was halfway through.

- And then you have this.

- And I said this, I just, I didn't think it would help anyone.

- Mm.

So many of us get to this point in our stories where we are in it.

We think we're gonna do X, Y, and Z, and then we go, oh my gosh, I'm being impacted by my own writing.

My own story has taken a turn that I didn't think it would.

- Writing alone, I didn't know, this is very therapeutic.

- Oh yeah.

- Very, you go into your story, and my wife, her name is Emily, in the middle of the depths, she.

- I'm here with you.

- She grabbed me.

She grabbed me and said, "Listen, this is not you.

This is not you.

You've made a hole for yourself.

You need to get out of that hole."

- And this was in the midst of the writing.

- In the midst of the writing.

She says, "You need to get up, dust yourself off.

Go back into that house."

- Hmm.

- Right?

Take his hand.

She's not a psychiatrist, but.

- She knew.

- She knew.

So I did that, and it was a beautiful experience.

- What did you tell your younger self?

- It's what he told me.

- Oh, I love that.

- He told me, "Mike, it's all okay.

You're okay, let's go."

- Let's go.

- It's like a movie, you know, like a dream, with him always reassuring me it's okay.

- Wow, that is some powerful stuff.

How did that moment, in the midst of the writing, change the rest of the book?

- As I was writing the stories, I thought at the end of this, end of each story, there's 25 chapters, each is a childhood memory, I need to give a reflection on what, the book is written in my 12-year-old voice.

- I love that.

- The reflection is my adult voice.

And I didn't feel equipped.

So I started searching, and I gave the manuscript to a number of psychiatrists.

I paid them for their time.

I sat with them.

And they all said the same thing.

They said, "Oh, you have no idea the suffering that's underneath you."

And I resisted that.

- Of course, you're like, "I'm good."

- I said, "I'm not here for that."

I'm here to understand, why did I survive and others didn't?

Why did I wobble under the weight?

And why did some siblings were crushed under the weight?

So they said, "Well, you've experienced, and I'm writing it down, complex childhood trauma.

Do you know what ACEs are?

If you have four or more ACEs, four more types of trauma."

- And you keep referencing ACE, this is a test.

- It's a criteria, it's an adverse childhood experience.

It's called an ACE, and it could be abuse, physical, mental, sexual, raised in a dysfunctional family.

My brother-in-law was an eight.

And last year he killed himself.

I knew he was an eight.

I didn't know then I could have saved him.

How many people can we save with just that awareness?

- And with his inventor mindset and new author title connected the dots on something he believes is missing in the trauma world, a way his readers can look in the mirror at their past, and no matter their circumstance, still see hope in a way forward.

- I went back, and I saw every story clearer.

I got with my brothers and sisters, asked them to meet me in our hometown.

And I shared with them what I experienced and what I remembered, and they all agreed.

- And you were vulnerable with them.

And that's a big step.

- Oh, very, of course.

And a lot of crying.

- Of course.

- A lot of healing.

I said, "It's gonna be a very different book.

I want each of you to tell your story at the end, how you turned out, any reflections, which is there."

And I said, "I'm gonna write a reflection based on now, the help from these mental health experts, the power of help, the power of thankfulness."

- I love where you are right now because you're being so open and honest.

And I know this story is gonna help so many of our viewers.

- You know, Whitney, I'm open-minded, and I do know what I suffer from, and I manage that.

And I've rationalized that, and I've developed through that.

And love is 90% of the solution.

So I've had love in my life that cured a lot of ills.

Some of my siblings don't have that.

- The love component is huge.

- I'll tell you, Whitney, if you took all the tears from everyone in the world and you put 'em in big vats, the vat that would be the most full would say, "Unloved."

That's where the sadness comes from.

And if you've experienced childhood trauma, you automatically feel an element of shame, which automatically separates you from others.

And now you're missing that.

We're built to connect, we're built to be relational.

And all of a sudden now you're isolated, and you feel alone.

I read a book a day for 18 days, and I, for the first time, experienced depression for my siblings and for the world.

I had no idea how prevalent it is.

And 7 out of 10 are suffering from it.

And no one's pushing the panic button.

- And even though his book title is "The Kite That Couldn't Fly," Mike has found a soaring vision and purpose through his writing.

- Before I was making life happy and rich.

Now it's making my life meaningful.

And isn't that a beautiful thing when that happens?

I think you discovered that a long time ago.

- It is.

- I'm getting it later in life.

And I am a little bit panicked about how many years I have left, 'cause I know it's gonna take a long time, and I have to make sure I put people in place that'll carry on this movement.

- Visually, I just saw you as a little kid.

- Awesome.

- Running across that finish line right now.

And you're gonna be taking others with you on this race.

- I hope.

- Thank you so much for coming on.

- Thank you, Whitney.

Glad to be here.

(gentle music) - The power of connection, his journey took him to save a life, and an unexpected revelation unfolded.

Frank Rob has always had a deep connection with alligators, a passion that not only shaped his life, but ultimately saved it.

We learned about his story when he became a hero in our home market of Chicago.

There was a loose alligator at a local park, and he got the call asking for help.

- There was a morning where I'd been out catching alligators all night, and you know, kind of wore out and get this call, and lady's telling me who she is and what's going on, which I had heard a little bit about this story, and like, "Would you be willing to come up here and help us out?"

And I said, "Sure, okay."

"Can you get it done?"

I said, "Lord willing, I will get it done."

- So you make your way up to Chicago because people had been trying to catch this alligator.

He was showing up randomly in people's pictures here at the park.

People would see him, and no one was successful getting him until you arrived.

- Catching large apex predators has always been my jam.

And that's just what we do, what I'm comfortable with.

- How long did it take you to actually get Chance the snapper, which is what Chicago named him.

- It was the first night I was out here.

I got up here the day before, kinda looked around, said, "This is a lot of people in a park, and if you want me to work this out, you need to get this place closed down.

Let me work in silence and at dark, and I'll work it out the first time I'm out here."

And Lord willing, it worked out that way.

- After his swift catch and safe release of this loose alligator, his journey took an unexpected turn when he needed emergency heart surgery, a surgery that came with a staggering cost.

You get back and you find out that you have this condition that actually you needed big time support.

- Yeah, I found out from my cardiologist that I needed a mitral valve repair.

He's like, "You're gonna need open heart surgery."

He's like, "You're a tall, thin person.

They're gonna, you know, you had a surgery as a kid.

It's gonna be, it's gonna be a lot of, a lot of extra stuff to it.

You're gonna, it's gonna be hard to figure it out."

So the friends I've made up here in Chicago in the media, they helped me find the doctor who did my open heart surgery.

- The friends and fans he met during his rescue trip helped him fundraise $68,000.

He now not only has a second chance at his own life, but is also working with his nonprofit to save others.

- Alligators have the same endocrine system or reproductive hormones as people.

We found that alligators can repair their chromosomes.

Not every single one, but most of them.

And their process behind doing that is a lot better than ours.

So they can do it correctly.

And we're trying to work with the, we're working with the University of Louisville, looking at that process and how they go about doing that.

- Is that something that you're doing through your nonprofit?

- Yes, ma'am.

Yep, through my nonprofit years.

- When it comes to work life balance, he's got it in more ways than one.

- There's interesting, you see movies and stories about things like this that people get into that change their life.

But to actually live through a process that went that way, it's, could've never saw this coming.

- It's incredible because your story is one that really you came out because of the love and what you do.

And then it's amazing how that really repaid exactly what you were doing.

- So often, you know, we all have this unique story in life and so often people don't get a chance to tell it because it's something that kind of happens in private.

And then your life gets put into the spotlight whether or not you want it to or not, which I believe happened because I wasn't looking for it.

And then you have all these opportunities, and who could have ever seen this going the way it went and then eventually saving my life.

(gentle music) - Paul Salfen is a media personality known for exploring pivotal moments with our favorite stars.

His hosting journey came full circle when he realized his interviews were not just for his viewers, but also impacting his own life, which started him on a new chapter.

Paul, welcome to the show.

- Thank you for having me on.

I really appreciate it.

- Is it weird being in the other seat?

Because normally you are the interviewer.

- I know it is, but I'm getting more used to it now.

It's just funny having the questions come back to you, 'cause you're like, oh wow, this is what it feels like.

- This is what it feels like.

- This is what we've been doing to people all these years.

- I know, you have interviewed so many great people over the years for television.

But now you have taken it to a book form, and I love it, because it really is, you know, a lot of people don't get to have the conversations you've had.

You're doing a lot of celebrity interviews, and you asked them three really important questions that turned into your book "Going For It."

- That's right.

- Okay, so tell us about it.

- Yeah, so the book is just chockfull of knowledge from the most amazing minds and some of the coolest people.

So in the book is, let's see, like Tom Cruise, Richard Branson, Beyonce, Willie Nelson.

And this is their advice and the wisdom, the things they've learned, what they do differently.

And then the Hail Mary moment in the hail.

So you know, my co-host Drew Pearson, one of our great Dallas Cowboys, caught the Hail Mary, went in the Hall of Fame.

So we always ask people their Hail Mary moment, which is that moment in their life or career where they just had to go for it.

It's so amazing what people have gone through.

There's people in there that have been homeless, like sleeping in cars, borrowing money, pretending to be waiters, like all kinds of things, just to get in the door.

- So there's stories, 'cause I've read some, I keep it next to my bed just because even when you are doing exactly what you love, you need that fuel to say like, "Okay, they did it.

I can keep going.

I can do this too."

Sometimes we always see the end, but we don't see the struggle.

What made you passionate about bringing that out?

- You know, as you know, when you do some of these interviews, we don't do the editing, and sometimes the stuff that we feel is the good stuff gets cut out.

And that just kept happening over and over again.

And they're like, "No, wait, what about," you know?

Because, you know, TV segments are often like three minutes long.

And I just started collecting all of these stories because I thought, "Well, I'm gonna take this stuff 'cause to me this is the best stuff."

And I like went through all these tapes, all these memory cards and like a madman, just writing like I was running out of time in life, and then it just became, you know, I thought it'd be an article, now it's a book.

- It's a book, and it says volume one.

- That's right.

- So you have plans for more.

- Yeah, book two is actually, volume two is already done, but volume three that I'm working on right now is the best one yet.

- Really?

Oh my goodness.

I say that with every season.

That just keeps building and building.

What was something that this book taught you?

- The thing that separates everybody and the common denominator in the book is everybody just really just went for it.

What it taught me is just to never give up.

And that's really the key here.

You know, it's funny, the continuing to do these interviews and continuing to ask these questions, it kind of pumps me back up.

- What is your going for moment?

- My going for moment was actually with Drew Pearson, who, you know, wrote the forward to the book.

He had a producer who, you know, Drew was doing the "Drew Pearson Show" on Fox Sports.

He said, "Hey, we got a, Drew's got a new show."

I said, "Oh, congratulations, man.

You know, if you ever need an ugly white guy to come on and do some celebrity interviews."

He said, "Oh, I'll see you on Thursday."

And I was like okay.

And then he invited me back and then we just kept going.

And then I was like, "Drew, how did you know?"

He goes, "Oh, I didn't, it's kinda like football, you know, you either catch it or you sit on the bench.

And I caught it."

So, you know, I got my start in high school.

Did you ever have one of those broadcasting classes?

- Oh, you know it.

- The teacher's very dismissive of me.

And he just, he said, "Well, you like music, go talk to some bands."

And just literally waved me off.

So what did I do?

I started knocking on a tour of bus doors, side doors, backstage doors, the cameras, "Our show's terrible, but will you be on it?"

Every last band said yes.

All these bands that I watched on MTV and grew up listening to it, I was like, "This is what I wanna do!"

So I get back to school, and the teacher literally smacks his head.

He goes, "I meant bands in the school."

And I was like, "Oh, no."

He goes, "But good job, I don't know how you did it."

You know, I just thought I want to keep doing this.

And so despite everything, I've stayed on it, tried to hang in there and do it, and I'm still doing it.

- I love it.

- Still going for it.

- You are going for it.

Thank you so much for coming on.

- Thank you for having me.

(upbeat music) Where fiction meets reality, we're talking Harry Potter and two of their stars who were reading the storyline and it resonated on the next level.

"Harry Potter: The Curse Child," has hit Broadway.

We sat down with Benjamin Thys, AKA Draco Malfoy, and Harry's wife Jenny played by Trish Linstrom.

We discovered the magic behind the continuing narrative and how their personal plot lines crossed over with their characters.

- Well, I think what's special about this iteration of the play is that, so John Tiffany, the director, came back to work with us, you know, for this play.

And he asked in the beginning, "You know, let's see if this is actually gonna work out as a under three hour play as one piece."

It was a two parts play.

Now it's a one part play.

It is one part play in New York, but it was over three hours.

Now it's under three hours.

We had to make sure that the internal structure of the play remained intact and still worked, and the magic worked, and the relationships worked.

And we could all have an arc, and it could still work really well.

- How do you decide what you cut?

- I think what John has managed to do, and Jack Thorn is the author and he's in the UK, is miraculously maintain the heart.

And I'm fascinated by that process is that of relationship.

Because if you don't have a relationship, then why do we care?

And I think what what is maintained in this story is relationship.

- Both actors had full circle moments with their roles and that unveiled how their wizarding world and real life actually aligned for the stage.

You tragically suddenly lost your mom.

- The other day I had a moment, I was like, oh my gosh, that there's certain kind of underscoring and the certain lines bring me back to a place where I had envisioned, you know, my mom in the hospital, you know?

And I was like, "Whoa, here it comes again."

It's lifelong, losing a parent is, it's forever grief.

And the play is really around grief and death and loss.

And in that way it's so rich, and it's about love, and it's about parent child relationship.

- And here you are playing a mom now.

Well, and then for you very full circle moment, like magician originally and then bringing it and now you're like doing it on this stage.

- That was a huge joy because I did magic, I would say professionally for four years, say professionally, I was doing shows for kids for about four or five years.

And when I did the audition, I was supposed to make something appear, it seemed to me.

And I was like, am I just gonna bring it?

And it felt like a missed opportunity for me as a former magician.

So I did do, I made it appear.

And I found out about, not even 48 hours ago by one of the creatives that it was like, he said to me, "It's not the reason you got the part, but that's a big reason you got the part."

- Maybe.

- I never thought that magic was gonna be a part of my acting career.

- Right.

- Because why?

So when, you know, they asked me, my relationship with, you know, the world of Harry Potter, I mean obviously, you know, the books are fantastic, but mainly for me it was first about being a wizard.

You know what I mean, being a magician for sure.

- Magic right here.

Magic on the stage, you two.

Thank you so much.

Remember, your story is still being written.

And as our guest reminded us today, every chapter has the potential to bring you full circle.

Your story matters.

(uplifting music) - "Whitney Reynolds Show" is supported by BMO, boldly grow the good in business and life.

And Together At Peace Foundation, remembrance, resilience and comfort, creating a hopeful space for those who are grieving.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

10 West Real Estate Group, providing multi-family investment in property management services.

Center For Beautiful Living, empowering people to live rich, robust, and beautiful lives.

Additional funding provided by facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Stacey McClain, Lifeway Keeper, Respiratory Health Association, Kevin Kelly, Kid Friendly Venues app, joeperillo.com, Hi Five Sports Club, and by these sponsors.

- In the heart of transformation and renewal, here's what's coming up on our season finale.

- I'm a Haitian born girl that was raised in Paris and that came to the US without speaking a word of English, and obviously teased and bullied and so forth.

And I knew that I had something in me that, you know, was unique.

And I kept that resilience through and through while I was learning a new language and battling a lot of different obstacles, - A vibrant soul, and living a glamorous life, Guerdy Abraira, known for "The Real Housewives of Miami," walks us through her newfound reality.

- I walked out of there saying, "Okay, on to St. Barts I'm going."

And it wasn't until I was on my trip to St. Barts that I get a call that they found something, and that was an noninvasive tumor, until I went back again for an MRI, and then they found a second invasive tumor.

So it was a trickle down, slow trickle of information.

And that's what, you know, people don't understand.

Like you don't just get diagnosed and it's a flat out deal where there's a A and B solution, and it's not a perfect formula.

There's always a wave because there's different tests and different tests tells you different on diagnosis.

(epic music) - So you might be wondering what happens after you find the lost city of El Dorado, and you're stranded with a sack full of gold.

Let me catch you up.

- So I mean, my character's in a not new relationship, but we're 18 months in at the top of this season.

He's really going through a lot in this one, and she's really just trying to figure out how to be there for him.

- Want to stay connected to all things Whitney Reynolds?

Well follow us on social media, and you'll get exclusive content and updates from the show.

All episodes are available for streaming anytime.

(children hollering indistinctly) (children laughing) (bright music)