The IRONMAN World Championship was held on October 14th in Kona, Hawaii. The race, which is regularly considered the toughest competition for civilians in the world, was filmed by NBC and will air on the network this Saturday, December 9th. Ahead of the special, three of the competitors stopped by Cheddar to explain their race and the journey they made to Hawaii.
Mike Ergo overcame addiction and depression to race in Hawaii. The former Marine served time in Iraq, and was involved in the Second Battle of Fallujah, the bloodiest battle of the Iraq war, and the heaviest urban combat for Marines since the Vietnam war. Over the course of one month, Ergo said goodbye to 29 of his brothers. This experience haunted him for years. But with the support of his family, his new children, and the promise of an IRONMAN, Ergo was committed to running for his fallen brothers.
Mike Levine ran his first triathlon nearly four decades ago, and at 68, he's competing in another IRONMAN. This time, two things are different. One, he is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and two, he trained and competed with Kathleen McCartney, the 1982 IRONMAN winner. Levine credits McCartney and training for both giving him the zest to compete, and to work past cancer.
Nancy Mello, an animal communicator with Medium, joined Cheddar News to discuss how her love of animals led to a change from doing readings with people and spoke of her experiences and the process of helping animals. Mello also does a live pet reading in studio.
A study published this week in the Journal Frontiers in Pain Research found that listening to sad songs when you're in pain could actually help relieve that pain.
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous attractions in New York City but there's a lot more to this landmark than one may think. Rafael Abreu, vice president of marketing with Statue City Cruises, spoke with Cheddar News to discuss the park's operations and Park Ranger Laurel Brierly also joined from inside the statue's famed crown to talk about visiting the landmark.
Wondering what to watch this weekend? This week, we have a timeless hair-raising movie, a spooky experience that tugs at your deepest fears and MI6 puffer fish. Plus: a non-creepy Halloween classic.
Jeff Lee, CEO and co-founder of the DIBS Beauty brand, which is a finalist in the CEW Beauty Awards' make-up tools category, spoke with Cheddar News to discuss his background, career, and success in fashion -- and eventually working with baseball great Alex Rodriguez and influencer Courtney Shields -- after a career as a corporate lawyer.
