Ep. 111: Josh LaJaunie - Helping our Plantstrong Brother in the Bayou
PLANTSTRONG Podcast
Rip Esselstyn
4.8 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 23 September 2021
⏱️ 58 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Rip catches up with longtime plantstrong pal, Josh LaJaunie, in a moving conversation about remaining resilient, determined, and focused even when life hands you profoundly difficult situations.
Many know Josh as a former 400+ pound football player-turned-plantstrong ultra runner. He has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and even the cover of Runner's World Magazine celebrating his transformation, as well as his desire to help others. He wrote his book, Sick to Fit and even started the Missing Chins Run Group to motivate others to reclaim their lives with the power and life-saving intervention of plants.
As a Louisiana bayou native, Josh is a cajun, through-and-through. Unfortunately, his home and the trailer park he manages were obliterated by Hurricane Ida. Today, he speaks with Rip about the ongoing effects, devastation, and rebuilding efforts he, his family, and his community are facing. The media has moved on, but the pain and reality have not.
Josh shares his story with Rip, as well as his hope for remaining buoyant in a time when the hurricanes and floods have sunk nearly everything. There isn’t a more real and raw human than Josh LaJaunie and we appreciate him taking the time to talk on the phone in the middle of his stress and chaos.
As they said in the interview, “quitting is optional,” and we know Josh won’t quit, but we're also here to spread the word and extend a loving plantstrong hand to a friend in need.
Episode Resources
PLANTSTRONG Website and Resources
Video: More Ida Damage in Grand Isle, Fourchon, and Leeville
Hurricane Ida: The Documentary by Storm Chasers
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | That's, uh, we got like a cage and French term called a Teddurt. |
| 0:03.8 | That means hardhead, bro. |
| 0:05.4 | We got a bunch of hardhead if fellers down here and ladies and, and the harder it is to survive a thing, |
| 0:13.5 | the more likely it is we will. |
| 0:15.4 | Oh my gosh. |
| 0:16.2 | I love it. |
| 0:17.8 | It's to prove you wrong. |
| 0:19.8 | Season three of the Plant Strong podcast explores those Galileo moments where you seek to understand the real truth around your health and dare to see the world through a different lens. |
| 0:39.8 | This season we honor those courageous seekers who are paving the way for you and me. |
| 0:47.4 | So grab your telescope, point it towards your future and let's get Plant Strong together. |
| 0:54.4 | Hello Plant Strong people. |
| 0:59.4 | I hope that you're in a good, good place right now in your life. |
| 1:04.4 | You're feeling confident and powerful and, and present because so many of us don't even realize how lucky we are. |
| 1:16.4 | And this conversation that I have today will kind of help to help to highlight that. |
| 1:22.4 | This is a conversation that is, it's very raw. |
| 1:29.4 | It's very real and it's very timely and it's with, it's with a gentleman that I've known for over eight years. |
| 1:38.4 | His name is Josh LaJonny and he hails from Tibido, Louisiana. |
| 1:45.4 | And he is Cajun to the core as you're going to hear. |
| 1:51.4 | He's also, he is quick as a whip. |
| 1:56.4 | He is tough as nails. |
| 1:59.4 | And he's also hurting right now as you're going to hear about. |
| 2:03.4 | But Josh has a big change journey that he went through that is insane. |
... |
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