SPEAKER_00 0:04

That wasn't the plan. Hi, Courtney Holland. Hi, Emily White. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 0:14

Good.

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Yeah. You look good.

SPEAKER_02 0:17

No thanks.

SPEAKER_00 0:18

I'm good. I'm good. Just wanted to say thank you, everyone, to all of our listeners out there for listening to that wasn't the plan. And a huge uh also want to give a huge shout out to Courtney's Tooth this morning for making an appearance. It was a rough ride.

SPEAKER_02 0:37

I still thank God I don't have children because I'd lose them right and left. I forgot where I put it, and then I moved whatever I put it on and it flung it somewhere, and I didn't know where. So I was on my hands and knees looking for a tooth.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

And for those that don't know, uh we've got a whole episode on Courtney's teeth, and um one of them all of a sudden decided to start falling off.

SPEAKER_02 0:59

So I have an implant and it uh apparently they do fall off. That's something that happens, which no one told me that. I thought I'm gonna die with these teeth. And sometimes that's not the case. So the adventure never stops. Oh my gosh. Never a dull moment in my never dull moment in my mouth or my face or my back hair, you know.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

Goodness. Well, we also have an amazing guest today. Before we fully introduce her, um, today's guest is somebody who came across my Instagram feed, gosh, about six or seven months ago. Um, it completely stopped me and I had to save it and I had to reach out. And for months and months, I was like, should I reach out to her? I'm not sure. And so I finally just got up the courage and I did it. Um today's guest is Carrie Edwards, who is a phenomenal woman from Virginia who won $150,000 in the Powerball. And she gave away every single cent of her winnings, plus a little bit more. Which, you know, in today's economy feels a little wild until you understand why. Um, so I just wanted to say thank you so much for joining us, Carrie. We are so happy and glad you're here, and we can't wait to talk to you today. Yay, Carrie!

SPEAKER_01 2:15

It's a pleasure to be here. I feel like we're sisters already. Right. Between between your connection with the Navy, Courtney and Emily, uh bonded forever with me by FTD.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

So sisters. I'm mugging. We all are sisters, aren't we? One way or another. Welcome. So Court, sorry, Carrie Courtney, forgive me. I'm probably gonna be doing that during the whole conversation today. The two C's. Um Carrie, so you win $150,000 and your first instinct is to give it all away. Um, kind of who does that? So take us back to the beginning. What happened?

SPEAKER_01 2:55

Well, it was no fluke, first of all, that I even knew that I won because I didn't realize I had played draw two. So I thought, I thought, and I because it was my first online purchase of a lottery ticket.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

I didn't even know you could do it online. I didn't either.

SPEAKER_01 3:10

I didn't either. And and my army buddy said, Don't ever buy a ticket online. I'm buying a paper ticket. It was that billion-dollar draw. And he said, Don't ever go online and buy. He said, It's a scam, don't do it. So I'm like, Oh, I'm gonna try that, you know. So, so don't play online, don't ever play the multiplier, because that that's a scam. Don't even do that. And so I did that too, because I'm like, well, we'll see. And then he said, and your numbers have to be special to you, like your you know, birthdays. You've we've all heard this. So I pick up my phone and ask Chat GPT, you know, what the do you have some numbers for me? You know, and chat just he is so funny. I have the British Australian sounding guy, and he's like, Oh, oh, Carrie. He said, You know, it's just luck, you know, but here are some numbers, here are some numbers you can play with. So I'm like, okay, all right, let's do it. So I did it. So that's I know. And I didn't realize I had selected, you can do like draw one, the first draw, second draw, or more draws, I guess, if you don't win. And I didn't realize I had done second draw. So when I got the text that said you won, I I I was like in a meeting, and I I'm like, that's a scam. Because I it was two days ago, and you know, no. And I'll check it with later. So when I got home, I checked it, and I'm sitting in my kitchen at the island, and I go to my account that I had opened online and it said collect your winnings. And I'm like, okay, $10, you know, whatever, you know. And so um, so I go and look in my account and it says, You won $50,000, and then you got the multiplier, which was times three this time, so it's $150,000. And I was like, in my kitchen alone, you know. I was gonna say, is anybody home? I'm looking up, going, what? You know, what is happening right now? And as loud as me talking to you right now, it's like uh on my heart, it was just like, you know, it's not your money, you know, that kind of you know it's not your money. And so uh, because I also had heard uh, you know, we all do the stories of lives that are ruined by the lottery. Family the money tears you apart. So yeah. So I was like, I sat there for a minute and I thought briefly of my family, because I have three kids, they're all saving for houses, you know, and all and you know, and so I thought, well, I fleet it kind of went across my like a cloud in the sky. And and I just said, Yeah, you're right, you're right, you're right, you know, it's not my money. What could I do with it? What should I do with it? And then I thought of these, uh, of Steve, one, you know, and the the um AFTD, which I'm involved heavily with, and then two, my dad, who had passed away just before Steve. And then um, and then my healing place was little Shalom Farms in uh little nonprofit Food Justice in in Richmond, which had healed me the second I put my hands in the soil. I'm like, you know, sometimes the good lord plants seeds and you don't even see them growing, but you girl, you're gonna grow back from this, it's gonna be stronger, better than ever. So uh so those were my three, and I just knew it right away. And and I couldn't do anything with the money online because if it's over a hundred thousand, you have to call them and verify and talk to them. And so I did that. So that was my next step. I called them and talked to them, and I happened to get the head of PR, and his name's John, he's been there for 35 years. I said, John, you know, I said, I I was in communications. I I worked at an advertising PR firm and I said, I I'm here's what I'm gonna do with this. Have you ever had anybody in Virginia do this? And he said, I've I've been here 35 years, and I've heard of nobody ever doing that. And most people don't even want to be uh photographed, you know, if they were let alone who are you, who are they? So I said, Well, I'm gonna give it to these three charities. And if you think there's a story there that would inspire others to shine a light on the world, and you know, then then I I'm gonna do it, you know. I'm gonna and well, I said, I'm gonna draft a press advisory for you to look at. You can polish it up. But I said, This is I'll name the charities, give you that. And so within a week, we had a press conference and every network was there. Every everybody was there. And I I'm like, and it was amazing. And it got, I mean, it went, uh, I think the total debt, I mean, chat helped me do all the calculations of media reach. It was like six billion, I mean, there was like billions of people. I even went to get my nails done, and I walk in, and they're, you know, they're such sweet, beautiful Asian people where I live. And they're like, You famous, you know, you famous. Look. And they show me the Korean headlines, you know. Oh what? And I'm like, and they're like, You're you're so good, you know, you're so good. And I said, I said, Oh, thank you. So it came from all over the place, just like a big hug to the world, you know. And so it, you know, it was amazing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

Well, it touched me, and that's why you're here today. Um honestly, yeah. I I just thought to myself, I'm like, who is this incredible human being? I mean, who does that? So my question real quick is when you found out you had won and it was legit, and you knew there was a voice that came to you. Was it a voice or was it a feeling? I'm just curious, kind of what happened and how did you feel in that moment?

SPEAKER_01 8:45

Uh, when I heard the voice say it's not your money.

SPEAKER_04 8:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

Knowing in my heart, I'm like, yeah, that's true. You know, it's like I it's almost like I've blessed you so you can bless other people. And so that's your mission. And so that's what your that is your assignment, if you will. Whether you believe, no matter how you identify with God or the universe or, you know, Buddha or whatever it is, it's like if you listen to your higher power, which we all have one, you know, it can be different things for different people.

SPEAKER_04 9:16

Right.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

But if you're open and create space to listen, you know, it comes to you. And it just comes from, you know, and the energy that's out there. And I felt it so strongly that I didn't even ask anybody. I didn't ask my kids, like, what do you think? I didn't there's no second guessing. Right. All I did was call the army buddy and say, Go Navy.

unknown 9:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:41

I was gonna be like, my most important question here is what the heck are you doing hanging out with an army dude? I know. He went to West Point. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

There's more to that story.

SPEAKER_02 9:54

We'll we'll get into that a little bit later, too. I'd never even heard of the army, honestly, until I know. I'm sure my dad is happy.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Um so yeah, before we get into the army story, uh, let's go back further because this kind of gets us into the organizations that you did donate to. Um, I want I want to know more about your husband or late husband, Steve. And you guys were high school sweethearts, I understand. How long were you together?

SPEAKER_01 10:26

Uh 47 years.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

We were married. Did were you married right out of high school?

SPEAKER_01 10:32

Yeah, I mean, he well, he was a year ahead of me, but yeah, I went to Florida State and can't ended up coming back home and to study marketing and graphic design. And he was a fire going to he was actually working in a grocery store and he got accepted to rookie school in Fairfax County, and we just we had dated a little bit after he graduated from high school and um kind of you know went our separate ways and then came back together. But we were, yeah, we were just it was incredible. And my parents, you know, Navy Captain Dad, you're 20. You know, you're 20, you know, like let me just repeat that. You're 20. Yeah. And so, and so what are you doing? What are you doing? So, but they love Steve, and my mom was the one who really, really um knew Steve was a great guy. So uh she called him the prince, you know. He was just peaceful, humble, you know, humble and kind, and all you ever wanted to do is help people. So he he went to rookie school, he graduated, um, we had three children. He had a long career in Fairfax County, um uh 30 years. Uh he was at the Pentagon on September 11th. He was called after the attacks. He was battalion chief on quadrant four. And those are his guys that were rolling the flag down the Pentagon. Wow. Yeah. And so, and um of the nine or ten guys up there, uh, only two are still alive today because of environmental, you know. Like John's remember, John Stewart fought the fight to get uh the 9-11 victims fund going. So Steve is part of that. Um, but they only honor cancers right now or pay out for cancer. So, so I I mean he he worked the burn pits. He also was in a very hazmat, hazardous job with very poor gear. Even the best gear today can't protect you. So it I it took its toll. I mean, he was a wonderful husband, my best friend. We grew up together kind of thing. Yeah. But we were always like, I choose us, I choose us, like he would say that too. And um, and then uh, you know, he and he ran marathons. He did a thousand miles on his bike every year. I mean, he was an athlete. And and and and the picture of health, and then in his mid to late 50s, he um came home one day and he said, you know, I think I'm gonna have to leave the fire department. I cannot write. And I can't, I know what I want to say, but it's just not coming. So that set off alarm bells for me, you know, and and searching online and looking at things. And it took almost three years to get diagnosed. And you know, you know, Emily, from probably your uncle. It just is a long uh cycle of going to the doctor, something's not right. And this is Northern Virginia where we have GW, we have yeah, great hospital take care of it. I really do. And they said you're gonna have to do all this battery of cognitive testing and you're gonna have to do this. And then in six months, we'll think about doing an MRI. And then six months later, you get the I mean, it was just crazy.

SPEAKER_00 13:33

Did you, as his sweetheart and wife, for you know, at this point, I'd say probably 40 something years, did you notice that something was off? Because my aunt who I spoke with on the phone um last week, she was like, I knew something was wrong. And you know, we just didn't quite understand what was going on. But um, for the listeners out there, uh Steve unfortunately passed away of FTD, which is frontotemporal uh degeneration, which is a type of dementia that you may know Bruce Willis has right now. He, you know, his him being famous has kind of brought light to this subject. But there are millions of other people, unfortunately, that get this disease that it's just not discussed because it's in the same would you say it's in the same category as Alzheimer's, but it's even worse. It's called the black belt of dementia.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

It is under the dementia umbrella, as is Alzheimer's. It's under that umbrella. But but FTD, um, the part of the tricky part with that is that it can have symptoms in three different buckets. One is language and communication, which was Steve, like writing. One is movement, it's like a cousin to ALS, you know, like movement motor issues. And the third, which is the craziest, is behavioral variant, where people just have these almost criminal behaviors, or um, they they'll take take a credit card and fill a shopping cart with cookies and buy it and go home and eat them all, you know, just weird behavior. And so knowing which of those it might be is just it's like a a detective game, you know. And so we finally ended up uh the the head of neurology for Innova looked at the MRI and he said, I see this metabolistic thing in his brain. I have no idea, I've never seen anything like that. So I'm like, I'm like, okay, I said, so we're gonna, well, here's what's gonna happen. We're gonna go to Rochester, you know, Mayo Clinic, and we did. And they saw Steve within two weeks, and he was part of the study they were doing, and he he was diagnosed within a week of that, which was all a lot to process because they kind of said, you know, this is what's happening, it's terminal, and there's maybe five years-ish, and um we're working on it, you know, we're working on it, but there's no biomarkers, there's no drugs, so it's just gonna be uh, you know, comfort and the things that could like PT and physical therapy and other things that will help them stay, have a quality of life as long as possible. So with that, we had to tell our kids and you know, came home and just tried to, and I could tell from how he was progressing that um he couldn't go into a facility because and I went and visited a couple just in case that might happen. But they're not prepared to take a 58-year-old or 59, 60, 61-year-old. So I spent last week in DC lobbying on the hill, advocating Emma Willis and I were together. We were each in in groups of four, we had four groups. She and I did we did a briefing uh to Congress, and um so we had an incredible week, very successful week. The Healthy Brain Act is, you know, there's there's legislation pending that we want to make sure passes. And as long as I have a voice, I'm not gonna stop because it's all about Steve and the legacy we leave and and the legacy of you think you can't do something, but you can do something for those who are coming behind you. And Steve even donated his brain to the mayo clinic in an effort to help just one person, one family from not going through that.

SPEAKER_00 17:15

So, you know, I know. Yeah, my uncle I know had was seen at the Mayo Clinic as well. So Yeah. Yeah, my aunt was telling me, you know, she's donating a lot of money or she already has to the Mayo Clinic to research this because the more we understand about certain diseases, we can help future people, future patients, I suppose.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

And I I do have a very strong relationship. I'm the ambassador to the state of Virginia to volunteer, but um, I'm a go-getter, so it's like a full-time job. But uh, you know, I know. And but I work very closely. They're not competitors, Alzheimer's. Like they they are like 20 years ahead of us, right? In research and because the numbers are so much bigger. But what's happening last year they passed FDA passed a um blood biomarker to see for sure if you have Alzheimer's. So what's happening is people are taking that test and they're finding out they don't have Alzheimer's, even though they've been diagnosed with it. So that's pointing right to FTD. Like it's like one of these three forums. So I'm being asked to speak at these big, you know, and teach students, neurology students at William and Mary, guest lecture. Like I'm doing whatever I can to get the next and and these young kids in colleges are so awesome because not only do they want to solve it, but I had 350 kids in my class when I was teaching. I'm like, anybody who thinks they want to be part of the research train that you can get on to research this and bust it, I said, get come up afterwards, let's talk. I had a line like out the door, and four of them did a 5k run to raise money on William and Mary's campus. You know, so it's like I said, you guys are the ripple effect of the future. You're the pebble, we're gonna drop in and out you go, you know. So yeah, so let's go.

SPEAKER_00 19:04

Oh my god, I just had all the hair stand up on my arms. You are you are fighting the good fight and getting the word out there and especially encouraging the younger generation.

SPEAKER_04 19:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

Oh God bless them.

SPEAKER_01 19:16

They've got the energy.

SPEAKER_02 19:17

God bless them.

SPEAKER_04 19:18

I know, I know.

SPEAKER_01 19:19

Well, I mean, I don't know. And I mean, I honestly I I believe there are more good people in the world than not. I believe there's more good news there than there's not. We just focus on the wrong. You know, like look at the nightly news shows where they end with a good, a good news story. I'm like, why aren't we leading with that? You know, and so precisely.

SPEAKER_00 19:40

Why aren't we not just leading with it, but having all these good news stories? I think it would help us get off all the the meds that we're on for depression and anxiety throughout the world if we were just fed good news instead of, you know, the horrors of the world. Um so do you think that experience loving Steve through his FTD and you taking care of him was the main reason for you donating the money so immediately?

SPEAKER_01 20:06

I think it was a part of the reason for sure, you know, and definitely. Um and also it was more of a call to um to recognize that I didn't have the money before today and I'm not gonna have it tomorrow. Right. So what where could I put it? And you can't take it with you, you know, and take it with you. And so, yes, Steve taught me that lesson, you know, you can't take it with you. And and I felt him with me too when I made that decision. Like go, he would say this, and he he got stuck like maybe your uncle did on a loop, like just saying the same thing over and over. He would just say all day long, go carry, go. Like, just go carry go, like go, girl, that kind of thing. So when I did it, I just was like, Yeah, I could hear him saying that. But um, but he so I do think that was a factor in it, but it was also an opportunity to demonstrate to my children and my grandchildren how you can help others. And we're all here as, you know, look at the astronauts, right? That just came back, Artemis, and they look out their window and they say, the one thing that struck us all is there is this beautiful blue oasis orb floating in the middle of darkness, and we're the light in the universe, and let's be the light and realize we are all connected. It's almost sapiens like we're all to the plants and the trees and everything, and we're here just by the fragile nature of mother. So let's all just, you know, get along. And so I love that message. And so I feel like anything we can do in our lives to be blessed with something that allows you to do that.

SPEAKER_02 21:45

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

I'm all in.

SPEAKER_02 21:47

Yeah, it forward. Like that is I love that that was your truly like you listen to that still small voice. My husband always talks about that still small voice, and you don't if you're not listening, if you're not open to it like you said you don't hear it or you knock it down too fast and you know that just to perpetuate more positivity more good with something good that you got immediately goes and then but it also is something that you hear a story like this and you're like that's real. This is what we're capable of if we know if because I I can't because I'm one of three and I'm wondering what it would have been like had I found out my mom or dad had had done um and I mean there would have been nothing but like absolute joy just the fact that because that this is little story your wonderful win is gonna is is a ripple effect just like you said the drop in the pebble and the ripple effect going out. So go Perry go I love that. Go carry go.

SPEAKER_00 22:53

That's what we would say.

SPEAKER_04 22:55

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 22:56

So it's been about two years since your husband Steve passed away on New Year's Eve and your your father passed away the same year um and he was a Navy fighter pilot Captain Peter Swanson.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

Tell me about him and tell me how difficult of a year that was so again I mean I found myself in early 2023 that my dad was not and he was healthy. He was cracking jokes till the day he went in you know to the ER or whatever happened. Wow so so uh something just said to me get ready be prepared you're gonna lose both of your favorite guys and we lived a quarter mile from my dad Steve and I would walk over and see him and visit every day through COVID through all that because my mom had passed away about 10 years ago. So we would go see him they would have quote unquote happy hour and they would tell jokes and just talk. So it was all so healthy so good and um and something just said to me and nudged me and said you need to get ready things are gonna happen and they're it's like a race to the middle and it's gonna be okay. And I all I did was grip tighter I'm like no you know like no and you do because you get you build resistance because you're not in control of anything right so and then you start to realize I'm not in control of anything. So yeah so my dad did did have a very brief illness went into the ER and uh I had just happened to have a caregiver for Steve that weekend because he wasn't doing really well and I went and visited my children in in Richmond and I came upon this cute little townhouse brand new in one of four only and I said to my real estate person I said it can I go look at this something about it. I just it's not in a big development I don't want to be in the middle of you know a bunch of chaos or building and she said yeah let's go look so I did and I walk in the doors of it and I'm like this is incredible. I love it. I'm done I'm done so I put a contract on it and I went home and um and my dad was failing and so I just heard something say the winds of change are here and here we go. And so I knew uh I was and on the right path I got a house I sold the one in northern Virginia and I packed Steve up and my dad passed away in March. Steve passed away New Year's Eve that later that year and I I just loved them both through it and just was there for my dad when he passed away was there with Steve um surrounded Steve with the family with care and the more into maybe like your uncle was too the more into it they get the more childlike they are and Steve just would sit and we have now we have six grandchildren but there were four then and they they would just run around and play and Steve would sit there and smile and laugh and you know so he and and um two weeks before he passed away my daughter Kelly our youngest of three um was proposed to earlier that year they asked if they could get married in our home with just family and so Steve walked her down the hallway two weeks before he passed away to get married. I know I know and so it was a joyful memory that we all have and then basically Steve went to we had a hospital bed in our room and he went in there he never came out and he was done like he had done you know like one of his last acts of joy and courage for Callie. So it was great I mean it was just it all unfolded the way it was supposed to and I had so much love and support my sister who's a nurse in Seattle came flying out and they stayed with me and you know it I I and I didn't really realize till C passed away for six years caring being his caregiver that I had um built like an emotional cage around myself to protect myself you know and and I had to I had to I had done two smart things in the six years or one two smart things. I had bought a Peloton bike and a Peloton tread and I did those every day because that was COVID you know and I knew I was going to have to take care but I wanted a healthy way to handle therapy and stress. So so I did that and then um you know after he passed away I just knew I needed to kind of just go inside myself and center myself and get to know my inner child again and what makes you know that kind of thing that exploratory and give yourself the space to do that. And I was kind of hunkered down. You know I I I I was with my kids and grandkids a lot just to make sure everybody was you know processing in their own time and love and light. And then and so it was good that we were all together and then um you know it just that was about a year. And then after about after about six months of that I picked up the phone and I called the association of FTD and I said because again a voice said to me Carrie like you were in the communications business for 30 years. Like go do like use your skills to talk about this and talk to people and and make a difference. So I called them and I said here you go I said I'm here and so they were they were so grateful and just it's been a great year with them. I've been doing it for a year it's been awesome you know yeah yeah and were they a big part of Steve's journey the AFTD they that was the only resource the Mayo clinic doctors said to us they said do not go home and Google this go home and and go to the AFTD website great resources um and and just just you just talk to them because they are the leading expert group on what this is.

SPEAKER_00 28:51

Yeah okay well that's good yeah when I was diagnosed with cancer that was the first thing they said to me was don't Google this you'll go down a rabbit hole but here are three websites that you can go to so because they have all the information. So I think that was really important because there is a lot of dark stuff out there and it is easy to get overwhelmed with you know when you have completely trauma tragedy happened in your life to always go to the negative instead of you know seek out what can I do? How can I better my situation right now and better understand what's going on. Right. So I and one other thing that I picked up when you were just talking then and I you said it earlier is you have a knack for listening to those voices and trying to do your heart and your gut. Yeah I I'm curious because I every single day of my life I'm like listen for that voice, you know, just try and clear space for everything else. Is there anything that what's your what's your secret sauce? How are you able to do that and tune everything else else else out so that you can hear that it's a you know it's a practice right like yoga.

SPEAKER_01 30:04

I mean that's what I started doing was yes doing yoga every morning and setting an intention for the day and space and meditating and one of the meditations I would do and my mom so I'll just paint this quick picture you can cut it out but my dad my dad is a warfighter right you know how that is and my mom majored in um multiple eastern religions and she was a she was one of the first Reiki healers in Washington. She worked for the Center for Attitudinal Healing she knew the Dalai Lama like these are people that came to work so she was very spiritual and very healing and so and she could read your palms she could do reflexology on your feet I know she was incredible. That's and so unreal wow I know and so that but but and she supported my dad a hundred she was an officer's wife like you had she was incredible and she did that but but while he was deployed on the Enterprise fighting in Vietnam for three times she took us to Haight Ashbury to peace peacefully protest you know the war. So so the little here here Carrie put the daisy in the gun you know and so yes it's like yeah so that's me that's how I grew up so so so with that as background you know I started to explore and remember what my mom had said like this was the time for me to then channel my mom with uh you know with knowingness that that it's a practice so if you just become quiet and take yourself and realize that you're just energy like everybody else although we happen to be in 3D form right now we are all just energy and light and love that goes on forever. And that life that's within you is full of healing full of love full of light and you can tap into that anytime and listen to it and you can hear what's the next best thing I can do like what you know you can do that.

SPEAKER_02 32:06

And it's just practice it's just a practice the recovery program I work with which is AA they we always especially in early recovery what's the next right thing?

SPEAKER_00 32:20

Yeah what's the next right thing that's all like in the very beginning when it's like don't drink alcohol I'll brush my teeth instead don't do drugs I'll go to a meeting instead yeah just what is the next right thing and if you ask yourself honestly the answer will come but it is hard to be honest between you know yourself and but yeah I love that gosh that is oh your mom oh my gosh what was her name I know that's a weird name D E D-E-E-T-T e right what a beautiful name to get oh wow I know what a incredibly so yeah that's kind of in the same vein as um the second organization that I wanted to talk about that you donated to which is Shalom Farms um and what pulled you yeah tell me about them and because they kind of do advocacy work correct in Virginia food advocacy um like food justice food justice food advocacy giving people access to the things that they that because of where they live or their color they can't access them as easily or and so what what's what set me on that path was I became a um regenerative farm advocacy person during COVID.

SPEAKER_01 33:42

Our family owns we had an our family I share with all my cousins and aunts and uncles two farms in Illinois and I and I watched Common Ground and I watched Kiss the Ground and I was so uh alarmed at what we're doing with our farming in the world that I became an advocate I trained to be an advocate so when I I said when I have a chance I'm gonna work on a farm and see what that's like so Shalom Farms is a regenerative agriculture almost organic but just without the certification and then they we they have um 14 acres in one farm and then a four acre farm in the middle of Richmond downtown. And they are all about growing food and growing community anybody can volunteer I'm a lead volunteer there and I I we plant we plant tomatoes and pumpkins and watermelon and we harvest it all we have to drag these huge tarps over the fields and it is work. Like it's a workout yeah and so but the second I got and and as soon as I moved down there my daughter in law's mom had volunteered through her church there and she and I I said what was the farm that you volunteered at once and she said it was Shalom. So I called them and they I ended up doing a day a week but whenever I would go and put my hands in the soil it was just so healing like it was like life comes and life goes but there's always love there. You know like there's always there's always a something new growing the only thing about life that is real is change right and everything's temporary and it's so everything's temporary yes. Yeah yeah so that just really made help me to kind of be at peace and let the walls fall down and just let the you know the cage that I built it's like you can come out of your cage now it's okay you know come out and see what's out here and and have fun and get to know some people and you know make new friends. And so that's what I was doing. Like I was just healing you know I was being healed by the earth so so they're they've built a great model we have 400 mobile markets. We take the food to to the VCU cancer center for people it's called food RX you know that what you eat healthy soil equals healthy food equals healthy people equals healthy planet. So so we teach them how to use the food how to cook it a lot of them are in the underserved markets of Richmond. We our mobile markets go to the places where you would not drive or you know but we set up mobile markets and and they can use their snap or EBT cards and they can walk out with two huge bags full of fresh produce for four dollars you know how lovely yeah yeah so so that's very close to my heart because it's right where I live and it's also it's also growing in uh and I I have a you know two or three t-shirts that say Shalom farms I wherever I go a restaurant a gas station uh people come up to me and say do you work there? You know that's the best organization. It's just so it's just very satisfying you know to be able to put your hands in the soil and you know be able to help others at the same time.

SPEAKER_00 37:01

So absolutely um and then the third organization that you donated to is the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society um to honor your dad's legacy. So so talk to me about the reason behind you donating to them.

SPEAKER_01 37:18

So when my dad passed away he had left in his um will that we were to all and from his estate to take money and donate to them. So I I did that when my dad passed away and I called the CEO Bob Ruark and he um I I presented the check to him in person. I said this is from our family this is from my dad and I just developed a really good relationship with him and they were in the middle of um redoing some of their branding and marketing and I just volunteered to help them do some market research and you know over the next year I just kind of played around with that with them and because they are they're an organization that that really when when troops are deployed in the Navy Marine Corps sometimes they'll deploy the family ahead of the guy or the guy and there's no money there's no there's there they're there's no food there's no they're on our military is on food stamps right now a lot of it and so and so um my parents were involved with that charity when I was younger when I was when we lived in California in San Francisco we would go my mom would take us to um the hospitals to visit those who had come back from Vietnam with wow all kinds of situations and it just struck me you know how my mom to me she looked like Florence Nightingale just going to love on them when they couldn't see or speak or walk or and so um so after after that and I I just it came to me because you know our world right now is in such upheaval and our warfighters are are not taken care of the way they should be and so I just it was a no-brainer because they actually have over 5,000 volunteers worldwide the a lot of it is dependents of the military like the wives and they they man the thrift stores and they help with family you know groceries and things like that. So it's a it's it's a it's a great organization that's doing really good things. So um to support our military when they're really not taken care of.

SPEAKER_00 39:24

You know that I'm just like my tax dollars if it's not going to help pay for these people's well being feeding them so they don't have to be on food stamps. Right I'm I'm that just I'm sorry. I that's news to me. I'm a bit flabbergasted right now and it actually pisses me off. Yeah yeah yeah I don't want to be paying for a new ballroom or a big arch um when that money should be is better is put but what am I trying to say is better off put someplace else which goes into people's homes and they're you know into their refrigerator just to take care of these people that are fighting for us. Right.

SPEAKER_02 40:04

Right Carrie, I'm so moved by the fact that your father was fighting in Vietnam and your mother was in a peaceful protest and was also going to see the soldiers that had come back that were treated poorly when they came back spit on, like all that kind of stuff. And then but that's magic. Like that is you have a family member that's fighting but you're also peaceful you can have it can all exist in one like you know I feel like that's what we're we're we've lost in this world or in this especially this this political place we're in where we've lost the ability to understand that two can also exist at the same time. It's not I don't know that just move it's black and white it's not black and white and and unfortunately we do with the passions we have and the feelings that like the beliefs that we have and what we think is wrong it comes out as fight instead of I I don't know what the other word is but what she what she was doing and teaching you and I do have siblings or I was the people I was such I was the problem. Yeah I'm in the middle too nobody cares right oh my God even cares. Nobody's listening to anything you say anyway we don't matter um but like that's funny. What an amazing thing to teach you guys like to be a part of not only your dad is fighting but you're also against it. I just I I just find that to be really yeah just groundbreaking and it would be so wonderful if we could you know flesh that into this world that we're in right now. I don't know what the answer is like I but I feel very inspired by that. And um I'm gonna go have some kids and then I'm gonna do that.

SPEAKER_01 41:54

Well well the the it modeled for me how you can have a life partner who is very different from you and there's space for both you know there's space for both and respect for both and and love is love. And it's like you do you and I can take care of my own what makes me happy emotional needs and all of that but but my parents really model that well in terms of being very different people and and uh you know being having a 62 year marriage so yeah and supporting each other through it.

SPEAKER_02 42:32

And she was an officer's wife that comes with so much responsibility. Yeah. Oh my gosh. The what like my mom was pregnant eight months pregnant my I was three my sister was six my my my dad got us a wild German shepherd before he left to go on deployment and the dog attacked a uh an edger and sliced her mouth up so my mom's trying to get all of us in the car with a dog that's bleeding from the mouth but she did it and like there was never any you know that's just like an image that I'm just like my God mom and still with the hot with the heart of gold and kindness and compass led with kindness and compassion. Right. So I I feel like the fact that your mom was also an officer's wife carrying a lot of but still able to have that you know the space for also love and wanting peace and just incredible.

SPEAKER_00 43:29

Wow yeah wow so you won $150,000 and it's in your name and you had to pay taxes on that. So after the like after the fact I think I read it was around a hundred and eight thousand dollars but you decided to make the difference of forty two thousand dollars out of your own pocket. Yes. Um how did like how did that come about and what did your kids say?

SPEAKER_01 43:56

Well I mean they they uh honestly nobody They were just so happy that I had won and they were thrilled that I had given it the way I had in honor of their grandparents, their dad, you know. So there was not a, you know, there's not a what about my new, you know, there's none of that. No. No. Not even the middle kid.

SPEAKER_02 44:20

What do you mean? Dang it. Just kidding. Just kidding.

SPEAKER_01 44:28

Yeah. I mean, no, and and it's like, and and uh I'm retired now and I can kind of, you know, decide what's what where I put my energy and my time. And, you know, most most of my joy is from being able to see my three kids often and the six grandchildren and see Steve in their eyes and and help them see joy and help them laugh. And, you know, and so it's just, you know, it's all good.

SPEAKER_00 44:59

So good. Um so this story went worldwide in National Post, Insight Edition, Fox News, Tamron Hall, she had you on. Um, did it surprise you that it went public like that? A little bit, you know.

SPEAKER_01 45:15

It wasn't, I mean, it wasn't millions of dollars. I guess I I was my thought was that's probably, you know, I I don't know. I didn't know what I didn't really have any expectation, but right all I knew is that I was gonna do it. And if there was uh if it created a uh a ripple effect that would impact those organizations because the media dollar equivalent of what ended up being ex the exposure, they could not afford like a fifty thousand dollar check or fifty thousand dollar what media buy could not buy millions and you know fifty, sixty million views. And so uh there were there were and I and I got to hear uh from the organizations the impact of that. Like there were people donating to Shalom Farms from California.

SPEAKER_00 46:08

And so it is the best advertising you can get right there.

SPEAKER_01 46:14

Right, right. So uh I'm like and I just looked up at Steve and I'm like, we did it, you know, we did it. And so, and so it's you know, and it's um I just I just was standing back and watching, and it's still the the ripple effect is still going, you know? Yeah, yeah. I mean when I talk to when I talk to um kids in college and uh some of them will come up and they're like, You're that woman that you know in Virginia that and I'm like, yeah, and so and so it's just and somebody will come up to me and they'll say, I you look familiar, you know, you have I seen you. So it's just kind of fun. But it but you know what the main thing is shining the spotlight on those organizations and the people that they're serving and the families that they're helping and the communities they're building so that they know they're not alone going through a disease like FTD, or you know, that their their loved one may be deployed, but we're here for you, you know. Yes, or or you can't afford food, but we are gonna come and bring a mobile market that to, you know, and teach you how to cook your and we we're growing cultural food, you know, things that they love. Yeah, uh in their in their different cultures, Indian and Hispanic, and it's it's amazing to talk to them, the people that that come to those markets. Yeah, it's like about walking each other home. You can wash other people's feet. It's okay. Absolutely. It's okay, you know? And so it's it's healing for them and for you. And it's it really is.

SPEAKER_00 47:44

Um, there's one more ripple that happened with all of that, and that is your army buddy, the guy that you had a rivalry with, and who was like, I'm but neither one of us can win this lottery. Um, tell me the story there.

SPEAKER_04 47:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:00

So so we were so we were at the beach and on the way home, he's like, I'm gonna pull in and buy a lottery ticket. So he bought a paper one and coached me all the way through as if I didn't know how to do that myself. But you know, how not to how um how not to do it online, you know. Mansplaining. Yeah, yeah, there you go.

SPEAKER_00 48:22

Total.

SPEAKER_01 48:23

So I so I did, and I went in and I but I would not have got a lottery ticket if he hadn't done that. So, you know, so he takes full credit. So of course he does, yes. But um, but no, so that's that's how that ended up. And you know, now we're really good friends. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:47

That is how did you tell him? Did you call him or did you text him?

SPEAKER_01 48:51

I called him because he's a couple hours away from me from Richmond, and I called him and I and I just said, I said, go Navy, beat Army, you know. That is so awesome. I know. It is it's been so fun.

SPEAKER_02 49:08

Yeah. I want to know how long after you found out that you called him same day.

SPEAKER_01 49:15

I think I I think I processed for a day. Good because I'm like they say just don't tell a whole lot of people, you know. I mean, I talked I talked to the lottery uh about what to I was gonna do, but I wanted to just process and center myself before I really told anybody else, my kids, you know, and so it was like that. But but I'm curious wise.

SPEAKER_02 49:38

Go carry go. Sorry, continue.

unknown 49:40

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 49:41

I yeah, I just I needed to take a beat and just you know, just reflect for a minute about all of that and soak it in. Yeah. And you know, and realize that you've been given something that is a blessing, it's divine windfall to me, and and there's a responsibility with that, you know. So just think about it, make sure that that uh, you know, that you're that you uh make the most of this moment for those organizations. So yeah, that was the motivation.

SPEAKER_00 50:12

If somebody's listening and thinks to themselves, I could never do that, what would you tell them?

SPEAKER_01 50:19

I would say uh center yourself and listen and think about, you know, what is really important in life and in, you know, whatever your situation is. I mean, everybody has that fantasy conversation, right? If we win a billion dollars, you know, there's that's just so much money. But but it you know, no matter what, it's good to have it's good to kind of think about that. Like what would you do and and um how would you um help others who can't help themselves? And what you know what and it helps you self-reflect on your own values and your family values, and what matters, what matters to me is that my kids know that of course that I'm there for them and I love them and our grandkids, but more importantly is that they know that we're all just here to help each other and to be kind to each other and reach reach behind you and bring the next one in line, like Steve did his whole career. He was so humble and so all he ever wanted to do is help people, you know. So that's really his legacy right there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 51:27

Oh, so amazing.

SPEAKER_02 51:28

Well, and it's true that where you sorry, sorry, I'm just that when um it's always selfish when I feel when I'm doing something for others because I get so much more out of it, you know.

SPEAKER_04 51:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 51:41

Number one thing, if you're stuck in your own muck and you're just do something for someone else, get out of yourself because that is the best therapy and can really truly like turn things around for you because it it's so good for your soul to be a part of the good.

SPEAKER_01 51:57

So I agree, I agree, yeah. I mean, pick up the phone and call that friend, pick up the phone and see how your you know, uh a sister, brother, somebody's doing it you know, I haven't talked to in a while. And yeah, and get outside yourself. That's exactly it, you know.

SPEAKER_00 52:13

Wise words. Um, for all of our listeners, if you'd like to donate, um, I believe you can go to the what aftd.com. Is that correct?org.org.org, thank you. The aftd.org. And then shalom farms, and they are based in Richmond, Virginia. And then the shalom.org, yep. Shalom.org, thank you. And then the NMCRS. Well, gov, perhaps? Org.com? Might be org. It'll come up. I'll put it in the show notes. Yeah. I'll put it up for everybody. Um but before we close out, Carrie, we always end with a question for all of our guests, and that is what is one of the nicest things somebody's done for you ever or lately? Anything?

SPEAKER_01 53:04

Oh gosh, one of the nicest things anybody's done for me. I it goes back a ways uh um because it taught me an important lesson about helping others when when I was diagnosed with cancer, very late stage cancer. And it's scary. You've been there, right? You've been in the same, we've uh a lot of people have been on that journey. A friend came by with um uh homemade soup, which was of course great. Um, homemade soup. She wrote a poem, and she wrote a note about dear sister. You know, I kind of the tone was, you know, I'm not gonna sit here and feel sorry for you. You're strong, you can get through this, that kind of a poem, poetry. But she gave me a book, and this is 2011. It's the Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo. It's a daily read. And so I love Mark Nepo. And I've read it every day, every year, and it's amazing. The amazing part is I put little notes in it, like not a lot, but I but I see where I've come from since then, like and where I am now, and just it's amazing to see how a person can watch their own metamorphosis through something like that. And so I always think of her and thank her and bless her for doing that because it was a great way to keep myself centered during all those years. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 54:24

Wow, wow.

SPEAKER_02 54:26

I will be getting that book. I've never heard of Poe, and now I'm stoked.

SPEAKER_00 54:32

Yeah. Courtney, I I shared him. Uh I there's a book that he also wrote, and I'm looking up at it right now called Surviving Storms.

SPEAKER_02 54:39

Oh, you did mention that.

SPEAKER_00 54:41

Yeah. That's a guess. Yes. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_02 54:43

Like, I've never heard of him. No one's ever said anything to me about him ever until Carrie came along. Yeah. Last week I did. Just a reminder. Just for the teeth. I'm here for the teeth. With the teeth. Oh, good Lord.

SPEAKER_00 55:02

Uh Carrie, is there anything else you'd like to share? Courtney, do you have any further questions?

SPEAKER_02 55:06

Oh my gosh. Do you have any pets, Carrie?

SPEAKER_01 55:10

Uh, growing our our family had two dogs. Um yeah. And they were great family pets. I don't have any now. I'm, you know, you're too busy. You've got so much traveling. Yeah. So it's now that season is kind of past us, but it was fun. It was great. We loved having having pets. Yeah. Yeah. They're so great.

SPEAKER_02 55:32

Great healers, too. This was just so inspiring. I'm gonna make my husband listen to this immediately. We're gonna sit down. He, oh my gosh, I wish he was here, Carrie. He would just be so excited of all that you shared. And just because yes. Yes, indeed. This has just been wonderful.

unknown 55:51

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 55:51

Well, you two are, I mean, I don't know what gave you the idea to do this, but I love it. And it's um, you two, your dynamic together is amazing. I feel so included. And I you're just both lights, you're both lights in the world. So thank you for doing this. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 56:07

Thank you for sharing that. Yeah, that is. Every day I will pay you later for that. Thank you. As soon as we can start making money from this, we will start donating. Yes, we will start donating. I'm out of pocket every episode, but that's what we do. That's just for now. We're gonna start making money. That wasn't the plan. Yeah. That wasn't the plan. No, that wasn't the plan. But you know what? It's after coming through cancer, and like you were talking about kind of being, you had to put yourself in this cage in order to get through a traumatic moment in life. And for me, that was cancer. And kind of finding my way out of that cage has been very difficult. And the one thing that I fell in love with was writing and editing. And I kind of found out that I'm not the strongest writer, but I have a passion for stories and hearing other people's stories. So that's really what prompted me to do this podcast. And Courtney's been a friend of mine for gosh, 20 plus years now. And her stories alone and just her charisma, everything else. I thought, I let's do this with Courtney. Um, she's my yin to my yang. Literally riding her coattails. And every week I'm, you know, I'm just trying to find other people so I can get the stories and get them on. Cause it's that is part of like our humanity. And being, you know, like the astronauts said, just looking back and seeing that we are all part of this same planet. We're all here together, but we don't pay enough time or attention to one another. And we have so many stories that we can share and enliven somebody and brighten their day and take something away. So that's to be inspired. To be inspired. The goal of this podcast is to be so inspired by you, Carrie.

SPEAKER_02 57:56

I'm always inspired by you, Emily, but like inspiration is what causes action for me. And so I this is I'm about to go outside and I'm about to save some lives, probably. Yeah. It's gonna be a busy day. I got a lot to do.

SPEAKER_00 58:13

Well, well, then on that note, Carrie Edwards, thank you. Thank you so much for sharing your story today and joining us. Um and just I'm coming to Virginia soon to see Courtney. Um, as soon as I book my ticket. We have got to get together. Because I mean I'm in Southwest Virginia, Carrie.

SPEAKER_02 58:30

I'm in Rona, right next to Virginia Tech. Yes, yeah, yeah.

unknown 58:36

All right.

SPEAKER_02 58:37

Book it, book it.

SPEAKER_00 58:38

Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Courtney, as always, thank you so much. To all of our listeners out there, thank you. If you have any questions for Carrie and want to get in touch, please email us. Our email is that wasn't the plan pod at gmail.com. You can always find us on social media, Instagram, TikTok. All of our uh recordings are up on YouTube if you want to see our faces, and you can always go to our website at that wasn't the plan.com and reach us there. But if you have any questions for Carrie or want to pass along a message, I will get that to her. Sounds good. Thank you. And on that note, ladies, thank you so much. Listeners, thank you. And we will talk to you next week.

SPEAKER_04 59:16

Yay!

SPEAKER_00 59:17

Go, Carrie Go. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Bye. Thank you. Bye. Bye. Thanks for listening to That Wasn't the Plan. If you found it helpful or at least mildly entertaining, a quick grading, review, and a click on the subscribe button would be lovely. And it genuinely helps us. And if a friend comes to mind, please share. Until next time. Bye.