Latest / 🎙️ Rebuild & Fulfill Real conversations on burnout, rebuilding, and becoming stronger than before. / From Homeless to Hope: Leonard Firestone's Story | Episode 4
Transcript
- Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): A lot of people think success comes from having a plan, but sometimes it comes from surviving what should have broken you. Our guest today has lived through more than most people experience in a lifetime. From childhood responsibility, to war, to homelessness, to building a platform that now reaches millions. conversation is about what it actually takes to rebuild when life keeps knocking you down. I'm suffering, suffering I broke through the flames Turned every grave down and there's something to change Leonard Firestone: ⁓ Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): This my rewritten ⁓ pen Welcome back to Rebuild and Fulfill, real conversations about burnout, rebuilding, and becoming stronger than before. I'm Kelsey Dunbar here with my co-host Mark Regala. In our previous episodes, we've talked about the idea that many people aren't broken, they're overloaded, and what it looks like to rebuild when life gets tough. Today we're joined by someone whose story really brings that message to life. Leonard Firestone is a content creator, father, veteran, and someone who has gone from some of the lowest points a person can experience to reaching millions of people with his message. Leonard, we're really glad to have you on. You've gone through adversity in multiple stages of your life, not just one defining moment. ⁓ I kind of want to start at the beginning. So you experienced a lot at a young age, right? Even saving your mother's life and later helping your family through serious health challenges. Leonard Firestone: Yeah. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): that shape your understanding of responsibility growing up? Leonard Firestone: I did it shaped it very, very early. mean, you know, mom had health issues. I mean, as long as I can remember. And it was years old. I'm sitting there and she's having her health issues, you know, serious health issues. And ⁓ siblings are going off to school. My dad is working in a factory all the time trying to help pay for the medical bills. So. ⁓ While these other kids are learning, you know, one, two, threes, ABCs, I'm sitting there learning 911 and trying to figure out if mom and dad, you know, passes out certain things, how I can get responded. Hey, here's the address on that. And I was doing that at three. And, and, know, one day she did, she took a, passed out. She fell out on the living room floor, called 911, told them the address, everything. They came. They was able to save her. Later we figured out that those, there was an aneurysm at the stem of her brain. So she had surgery around there when we was like, when I was in fourth grade. had to teach her how to re-talk, re-walk, redo all those things and help dad take care of the house as well as dad is, you know, trying to go work and take care of the bills and pay medical bills as well on top of that. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): So, what did that feel like emotionally as a kid at that age? Leonard Firestone: At the time it just felt normal because it was just what it is. You didn't know, experience, anything else. It wasn't until you started getting a little bit older and looking back on it and understanding how unique situations were ⁓ you were really in and a part of, I just thought everybody's mom got sick from time time. thought ⁓ mom in the hospital was something a lot of people did all the time. And a lot of those times she don't remember who you are. It was a ⁓ lot of health battles and issues and you're trying to just go through that. So the moment it felt normal, but looking back on it, was just survival and just doing what you could in the moments. And it just didn't seem as deep as it was in that moment. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): Leonard, thank you very much for taking the time to spend some time with us this evening. I really appreciate it. A lot of people don't realize how much that kind of environment forces you to grow up early. Did you feel like you had a childhood or did you always feel like you were in survival mode? Leonard Firestone: I had a childhood and an extent. So, you know, my parents did the best that they try to do. You know, I still went outside. I still got to go play and do things. But you just know that maybe my chore list was a little bit longer than others. I got to get back so I can help with dinner. I got to get back so we can help with some of the other things in laundry and some of the other things that need. At that 13, I went and had my first job. I went and helped chip in some of the bills so we can do some things. Same thing with my other siblings. It was just... It kind of shaped you in survival mode because it kind of got you prepared quicker. So some things you didn't feel like you get to fully embrace the childhood, but you still had those moments where can look back and say, I got to hang out with friends where I wasn't fully in adult mode, but it definitely put you in survival mode. And I think it put me in a place where ⁓ constantly in support mode for a lot of other people as well. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): Yeah, well, mean, certainly that helped you grow up fast and which sounded like you needed to because not too long after that you joined the military and actually ⁓ served in the military and experienced the Iraq War. How did that impact you mentally when you came back? Leonard Firestone: I did dealing with that and coming back. I came back like, like some of the soldiers do. came back angry. I came up very, very upset and battling with a lot of things of what was saw what was done ⁓ trying to deal with that morality side of it as well with it. and, you just, that experience, just military wise, but during that time was just a lot bad. Like I signed up military 19. I was already, my second kid was on the way. Me and the girl that I was with at that time, not good. You know, cheated when I was there in Iraq, coming back to that. So coming back, having to deal with what everything you did in that tour, then to come back to deal with that as well. It was a lot mentally. And I came back very upset and felt very alone at that time because I thought I had a significant other I could rely on and talk to. But then, you you come back and that's not there. So was a lot of things that brought me back into a dark angry place that I had to later learn how to get myself out of. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): So you talked about going through depression, betrayal, and some really low points in your life. What were those moments like internally, ones people don't see? Leonard Firestone: Those are moments you feel alone. Like you truly feel like there is nothing there. I've said this and I know a lot of other people say it's like, you're not alone, you're not alone. But in those moments you feel it. Those words are echoes. it's falling on deaf ears. Cause there's a moment that I always fall back to that I tell people and this was one of the moments of letting me know that like I'm all I got. And it was truly letting me know that I was alone because I couldn't buy a friend in this moment. and a girl was splitting up. We was breaking up and I had a washer and dryer at her house and I called up friends. I was like, hey, if you got a truck, just show up. You ain't got to get out the truck. I'll pay for the gas. I'll load up the washer and dryer by myself. I'll unload it. You just got to show up and I'll pay you for your time. I couldn't get nobody to show up. I had to walk a dolly over there to her house, pick up it up on a dolly and walk it six miles across town. In those moments, you see that who's really there for you. And those moments are... Define moments that let you know that A, in tough times, sometimes there's not people there for you, but also in those moments, you're strong enough to handle it on your own as well. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): Was there a moment where you didn't think things were going to get better at all? Leonard Firestone: All the time. You know, all the time in those moments you didn't, I didn't see how there was an escape. I didn't see how there was a light. I didn't see how there was any hope, but I knew that. another day had to come. You know, there was a lot of time I was suicidal and a couple of times I attempted and failed and there was a stat that was told to me that changed that perspective for me and it was 75 % of kids who have parents who commit suicide also commit suicide. And that stuck with me because my whole point of that was I was trying to get rid of it and not create more pain and create more damage and I felt like that was all that was going to do. So that kept me Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): and Thank Leonard Firestone: waking up every day that kept me one foot forward and just, hey, I don't know how, I don't know when, but today's not the end and I gotta make it through the day. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): Alright so before you ⁓ kind had that you know ⁓ full perspective shift you also actually experienced homelessness which is something most people can't fully understand. ⁓ So does it actually feel like day to day mentally emotionally going through that? Leonard Firestone: That'll break you too, you know? I think that was the moment when I realized I didn't have family as deep as I had. ⁓ had a moment where I realized I didn't have friends as deep as I had. And I think in those moments, I realized I didn't have family as deep as I had because it was me, my kids, and a dog. And I was asking like, hey, can my dog just stay? The backyard, that's an inconvenience to our dog. So it was that just constantly... ⁓ I don't know if I was too stubborn to see signs before then, so God had to make it very blatant and that blatancy was, it was very painful and hurtful, but I feel very necessary. But in those moments, it felt like no hope, no way out. Every day you're just trying to push forward, but you didn't know. And luckily I had one friend who did give me a place to stay about a month or two before I finally got me a place and got back on my feet. And then later on that friend, know, he had his troubles and committed suicide and we lost him for that. So he was battling with his own stuff as well. So it's just, you don't know what people are going through. And sometimes people that are helping out and lending a helping hand are going through just as much as you are. And ⁓ trying to just be what they're wishing somebody else would be for them as well. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): Well, kind of the turning point moment, I think we need one here, right? So it's kind of what we refer to as our strength thresholds where you kind of hit that wall and then there's just that one specific moment where something just kind of shifted for you. Was there that kind of moment that existed for you where you decided you were going to rebuild and like enough is enough, I got to start moving forward? Leonard Firestone: Yeah. I think it was that statistic of, you know, that 75%. I think that was the start of it. But that was still didn't have me like in survival mode, like I gotta go. But that gave me the start of like, okay, I can't give up. I can't give up. even like, when I was in that dark place of even the suicide and the commitment and fell in at that, you're in a moment like I'm, I'm failing at everything. can't even, I'm failing at failure. I'm trying to give up and I'm failing at that. Like that is such, was such a hard, deep wait. but there was just something that kept telling us like, cause it's not meant to, there's something here, there's a bigger purpose you're here to do. And so that just kept lingering. But I think it was just the TikTok one day just helped me figure that out. Just the scrolling the videos, how that helped me bring joy, that little bit of joy, a little bit of laughter for me, just started to react to some videos and seeing how that resonated with some people and then sharing my story. and how that resonated people that slowly started to give me life and that slowly started to give me help because I don't think a lot of people really learn or really know that early on in my following that first year, year and a half, was very, very depressed. I was very in a dark place that I didn't ever think I was gonna get out of even with all this stuff going on and the followers and all the views, you still feel as lonely as ever because say one thing, do one thing and they're gonna turn just like everybody else did. So you still don't feel like you found something yet. And I got over that. did feel I found something, especially with my community. They was very helpful for that, even though I don't think that they realized how helpful and impactful they were to my life in that moment. Because there's a lot of those moments I was still just holding on by a thread and they helped me just as much as I've helped them. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): So getting into that content creation, so you started creating content, not as a strategy, but completely as an outlet. And I totally get that for somebody that struggled with depression myself. do you think people connected with you the way they did Leonard? Leonard Firestone: think it was authenticity. think that they just, times I think they saw things that I didn't see in myself and they saw some moments ⁓ I did never try to put on a front or show or entertainment aspect of it. I was giving you my authentic self at all moments. So I think it was just. The fact ⁓ was so many people that had a mission and an initiative behind what they were doing, that I was just somebody that was just trying to have fun and just trying to bring you joy, just trying to bring you laughter, restarted the day and not asking anything in return from you. I think that's what really helped in the beginning, authentically being myself and saying, I want to provide value to you. And I wasn't asking for anything in return. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): Yeah, I get that. It's the whole kind of playing class clown thing and just to entertain other people. But it's almost kind of like wearing a mask. what people don't understand is when you're making others laugh, but they're caring a lot internally. And powerful. ⁓ I think a lot of people listening are really going to connect. And, but before we go any further, just ⁓ kind of a quick segue here. You know, your stuff is so powerful and, ⁓ and obviously entertaining as well. You know, anyone that's listening to our podcast here, that's like, man, I got to find out more about this guy, or maybe I want to check out his contents. What's the best way that people can connect with you, listen to your stuff, see your stuff, that sort of thing. Leonard Firestone: Thank you. Yeah, on all social media platforms, Leonard Firestone or at one L Firestone, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Leonard reacts or Leonard Firestone, you can find me that way. I'm everywhere and you can reach out on any other platforms. I manage them all myself and answer to the inboxes as well. So you'll be getting a direct line access to me. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): So question for you Leonard. I mean, obviously you built something that reaches millions of people and you've gotten billions of views with the bee. Leonard Firestone: Yes, sir. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): What does that responsibility feel like to you right now in the present moment? Leonard Firestone: heavy at times, it's a weird feeling because it's something that ⁓ feel like you have a purpose to do something to show up every day to be funny, to be helpful, and to be ⁓ light now for others. But then there's a self of not necessarily pride, but I guess I get it of enjoyment of knowing that. I've always wanted to do something that outgrows me. I wanted to plant seeds to a tree knowing that I won't reap the benefits of the shade. And I think that's what, even though I'm not necessarily talking to all these people and I don't know these millions of people individually, just to come and say, hey, I needed this laugh today. Hey, this was it. I've been having a trouble. This line took me out this part. Those things give me a sense of it's. everything is worth it. All that heaviness, all that weight, all that pressure that comes from it, because you're wondering, do I still got it? Is the next video going to be the last video? When are they going to get tired of me? When am I going to get played out? So there's all that pressure. But to see that still, no matter what that view count is, you still have people in the comments that's like, hey, this made my day. This made me laugh. I needed this today. That's all I'm ever doing it for. that's been... the light and the spark that keeps me going with all the pressure and everything. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): Yeah, and I can both relate to that a lot, when we get those kind of messages, those kind of comments. ⁓ yeah, I it lights up our world when that happens. ⁓ So, ⁓ another we in common is ⁓ we're all fathers, so ⁓ Mark, myself, we're all ⁓ But as a father of okay, how is your past, mean, other than the fact that you had that responsibility to keep going, keep going. But other than that, how has your past shaped the kind of father you want to be? Leonard Firestone: shaped it tremendously. You know, there's a lot of things in my past in my life that has showed me who I don't want to be and especially as a father and as a man, younger me has shown a lot of things that is definitely things I'll make sure that my kids know was a hard lesson and things that you just don't want to be erodes you don't want to go down. So it's helped me tremendously. I ⁓ At times I wish some of the things wasn't as rough, and you look back on some things and you don't, and I'm not one of those people who always like to say, you don't have regrets, because I definitely, if I could, I'd take some of those things back, but also in retrospect, that I wouldn't be who I am here today. who I am here today ⁓ shaped me to be a better man, a better father for my kids. And those experiences will help make sure that they're better in those moments as well. So ⁓ past has shaped ⁓ tremendously as a father. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): Well, that's great. So talking about purpose and finding your purpose and your passion for life, you you took your pain and you turned it into a purpose. What helped you make that shift? Leonard Firestone: Oh man, I kind of, I stumbled into it. Like my son told me about, know, like, cause like we're clearly, we're struggling for money. I was plumbing, we're still not barely making it with plumbing. And my son was like, one day, you know, he's in high school, he's like, dad, you know, content creators are making some good money. I was like, the son, like people say that they're not really making what they're making. They just be, you know, they fluff it up a little bit. He was like, no, you can, you can do that. You can make some money. So I went looking into content and It just stumbled into it. I was doing this reaction just because it was a way of me highlighting some people that helped give me a spark in darkness, just so can maybe, hey, you see this too and help spread the word. And then, you know, overnight it went from 3000 followers to 30,000 followers. And once you have numbers that kind of come to that, you're like, okay, I can't waste this opportunity. And I can't just not do nothing with it. Cause there's millions of people out there every day trying to reach this. You got to make something impactful. got to make a purpose of this. You can't waste this opportunity. You can't waste this moment. So what was just genuine to me is what I knew and what I was struggling with and what was my genuine story. So as I continue to just genuinely be me and genuinely share what was helping me and affected me in a positive way, it seemed to reach other people. And it showed me when I felt like I was alone, I wasn't so alone. There was millions out there feeling exactly what I was feeling and it impacted them the same way it impacted me. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): Yeah, so, the success that you have now, but coming from where you did, ⁓ I obviously it begs the question, ⁓ what you say to someone right now who feels completely alone and doesn't see a way out? Leonard Firestone: Don't give up. As much as that's cliche, as much as everybody says that, and as much as you don't believe in that, just a step, a moment, every everything will pass and everything that is happening now ⁓ will I know you're probably thinking, been, ⁓ it's been like this forever. It's been like this year. It's been like that for me for 30 years, 30 something it was for me. And it finally changed around because I finally got the lesson. I finally saw it all. I finally seen and finally got people out of my life that needed to be out of my life so I could receive my blessing, my purpose. And I think that's what a lot of people miss too is that sometimes we're so hard headed that we want to keep holding on to relationships or keep holding on to ties of people because of titles. we have to remember that the grass don't hang with the trees even though that they come from the same place. It doesn't mean you're better than nobody. It just means some of us outgrow others and we have bigger potential than others and we just can't be surrounded by that. So a dark moment, it's a lonely place, but there is a way out. There is a community for you. There is a purpose to your life. It's just right now you're in a ⁓ lesson of your chapter, of your phase of your life. ⁓ when you get to the road of what your success is and you will get there. you will look back on it and you will absolutely agree that all this was purposeful and all this was meaningful and all this was impactful and necessary to be who you was. So it's not why me, it's why not me because you are going to be something that is set destined that nobody else has seen before. And that's why it's hard because you're trying to do something that nobody else has done before. So it's going to come from a hard, lonely, dark place, but you can do it. Just don't give up one foot at a time. Even when you don't know where you're going, it will reveal itself in time. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): That's awesome. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): That's a great, great answer there, Leonard. you know, I, ⁓ thinking about your story and I can kind of relate to your story because you were building something, but you were in survival mode, going from day to day, trying to win the day and so forth. ⁓ And you're building something special, but you had probably had so much tunnel vision that you didn't realize you're building something special and then boom, it just happened. Right. ⁓ Looking back at it what does rebuilding mean to you now? you Leonard Firestone: It was if put it one way, it was absolutely necessary because even all the hardships and everything, the person who I was before, all that hardship has shaped me, helped me to be everything beforehand or to what I am now. So. To see how everything grew, see how everything played out turned out to how it was, it's beautiful. Especially, said, I was ⁓ tunnel-fished for so long I didn't know what I was doing. I was just doing, I was just in motion. Just, okay, we gotta find a video, make a video, react, let's go. ⁓ just in motion, we're gonna figure this out. I'm a blue collar plumber trying to figure out marketing and advertising. It a struggle at first, but it was working and I didn't know why it was working and it took a while to figure that out. And I know that sounds crazy for people to hear for a while, but it was like that for a while. just, some things just, just catch and took off and it did. And then you just have that moment where you're like, I can't waste this. This is clearly a blessing. This is clearly, this doesn't happen. I waste this moment. I got to figure out a purpose. I got to figure out this. ⁓ But every day was survival mode and not realizing it. You're even imagining that was going to grow to what it is now and how big it is or how impactful it is. Never, never would have imagined that. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): Yeah. I'm actually being reflective here because I'm thinking about two podcasts ago when, when Kelsey was interviewing me and I made this comment about the greatest opportunity to grow is usually in the most painful times of life. You know, and that's your greatest opportunity to grow. I actually made the comment, you almost have to welcome the pain, knowing that there's going to be some type of transformation here. you embrace it and embrace it in a healthy way. know, but your story, okay. What stands out about it is it's just not about one moment. You know, it's, was from your childhood to post-military ⁓ the homelessness, that got you to where you're at today. And you're continuing to rebuild over and over again. ⁓ Leonard Firestone: Okay. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): the hell out of you for that and I think that's something that a lot of people can relate and respect of you as well. Leonard Firestone: I appreciate that, you know, you just gotta keep trying. Marc Rogala (Co-Founder S2T): Absolutely. Kelsey Dunbar (Co-Founder S2T): Yeah, so one thing we've seen over and over again is that people aren't broken, but life can put them in some situations where they really feel like they are. And conversations like this are reminder that no matter how many times knocks you down, ⁓ is always possible. So. If this conversation resonated with you, be sure to follow Rebuild and Fulfill so you don't miss future episodes and you can always catch up with us on Facebook at S2Tnation or suffertotuffer.org is the website. And if Leonard's story connected with you and you missed it earlier, we'll have all of his information on the show notes so you can follow him and check out what he's doing. And remember, you're not broken. Sometimes you're just overloaded. And rebuilding is always possible. Take care and have a good night.