With so much to be grateful and excited about, the Besties’ latest chat opens up with a celebration of Angie’s youngest's HBCU university graduation with high honors, a testament to the power of hard work, prayer, and an amazing village.
But that's just the start. The Besties reminisce about their cherished family traditions, now taking new shapes as their children carve out their own paths. Then Leslie shares her preparations for an upcoming 5K walk in support of the New Jersey Sharing Network, a federally designated non-profit Organ Procurement Organization.
Leslie successfully challenged herself to go way beyond the modest initial goal and her supporters did not disappoint! Knee troubles be damned, she joined her son and Deputy Mayor Ellen Zimmerman at the starting line to ring the starting bell.
So join your Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn, as they count their blessings, and step into the excitement of making a meaningful difference, one stride at a time.
This episode and all previous episodes are available on YouTube. Please join our Besties Quad Squad as a Patreon subscriber at the $5 or $10 monthly level. You'll receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Visit Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn website for behind-the-scenes extras.
With so much to be grateful and excited about, the Besties’ latest chat opens up with a celebration of Angie’s youngest's HBCU university graduation with high honors, a testament to the power of hard work, prayer, and an amazing village.
But that's just the start. The Besties reminisce about their cherished family traditions, now taking new shapes as their children carve out their own paths. Then Leslie shares her preparations for an upcoming 5K walk in support of the New Jersey Sharing Network, a federally designated non-profit Organ Procurement Organization.
Leslie successfully challenged herself to go way beyond the modest initial goal and her supporters did not disappoint! Knee troubles be damned, she joined her son and Deputy Mayor Ellen Zimmerman at the starting line to ring the starting bell.
So join your Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn, as they count their blessings, and step into the excitement of making a meaningful difference, one stride at a time.
This episode and all previous episodes are available on YouTube. Please join our Besties Quad Squad as a Patreon subscriber at the $5 or $10 monthly level. You'll receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Visit Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn website for behind-the-scenes extras.
Hey Ang.
Speaker 2:Hey, les what's cooking, Good looking.
Speaker 1:Oh, there's so much cooking. There's so much cooking, so much, and I'm so good looking.
Speaker 2:Indeed, indubitably. How are you pal? Oh my gosh, I feel like I've built Rome and now I'm relaxing in it.
Speaker 1:It's like I miss you already and I just saw you a few days ago. Indeed, all right, but we have to talk about that, okay. So welcome to another episode of Black Boomer. Besties from Brooklyn, brooklyn. We've got a lot to cover and talk about today.
Speaker 2:We do, we're excited.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, as always, talk about today we do, we're excited. As always, I want to start in by saying why you're excited, and then I'll tell you why I'm excited, sure.
Speaker 2:I'm excited Okay.
Speaker 1:Let me go first. No, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:This is what I have today. Okay, this is the Leslie that's showing up today. Okay, I know this one. I know this one. Okay. So I'm super excited because I just had my last baby wash belly, as we say in Jamaica. My last child just graduated from university, mana, cum laude, and my family was here, including Leslie and my nephew Omari, her son, and I'm still kind of in the joy of it because, even though everyone has gone home yesterday everyone left, the last group of people left I am still in this place of joy because I just feel like my joy bucket, my joy account, my joy, well, just got.
Speaker 1:so your cup run over.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, Really, really, really really.
Speaker 1:Yeah so.
Speaker 2:I'm feeling really good about that. And right now, just one more thing really good about that. And right now, just one more thing Right now he and his brother his older brother are in the new state West Coast that he's moving to. They are together looking for his first apartment and I'm so grateful for my two older children who are so supportive and helpful. I would even say they helped me to raise that boy.
Speaker 1:You've said that before.
Speaker 2:They're still showing up that way, and yeah, so that's me.
Speaker 1:So what's up with you? I'm kind of bubbling because one I spent a fantastic few days with you and Omari was mentioned that he's like Ma. I really had a good time there and I know why he said that, because this whole, even though we were only there two days or two and a half days a weekend, it felt like longer. But but it is reminiscent of the old family days when we would get all the kids together Omari and my nephews when they were toddlers and we used to spend every Thanksgiving and Christmas together with all of the families and the kids and Omari and Saeed were one of the older kids I think Omari is about seven, eight years older than his next peer group and just the cooking and the full house and the noise and activity. And now these same people are hanging out together and I'll meet you on the corner and you guys go this way and this and it's like and driving meeting us in their own cars.
Speaker 2:You know, I don't know if you knew this, Sorry, my eyes really bothering me, because I'll tell you why. I'm going to admit it and so when I leave this I'm going to throw it away this new liner that I got, that I'm trying out and I don't know. My eyes are sensitive. It's a fail. My eyes are really sensitive. I have to start. I've started using just really, um, uh, I don't know what the term is, but hypoallergenic that are not comedogenic all of that no, because it's not a poor thing.
Speaker 2:It's just the the chemicals they use really start, have started bothering my eyes anyway on animals, old thing, but anyway. So, talking about the children who are now damn grown up, I don't know if you knew, but they had and this has become a thing they have. Um, they booked a cousin airbnb so they get away from us they popped in in and they hung out, but then they're like all right, they're good enough.
Speaker 1:We did our obligation to the old people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they gathered the old folks together and then they have their own cousin Airbnb. They did that at my niece's wedding too. They had a cousin.
Speaker 1:Airbnb and they don't even consult us about that they don't need to.
Speaker 2:They don't need our credit cards, oh well, they need our permission.
Speaker 1:So well, I apparently not didn't.
Speaker 2:I didn't even know. Wow, it's really, but anyway, so I'm still riding a high with that too.
Speaker 1:and you know, um, I just can't believe that all three of your children are college graduates. They're becoming more and more and more independent and adulting, and God has just blessed you, your family and us all in such magnificent ways that I just have to say thank you, lord.
Speaker 2:That's say thank you Lord. That's right. Thank you, lord. So grateful Father, so grateful, so grateful. And you know I love being with my nephew Omari. We have a call, by the way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you guys have been talking independent of me. What's up with?
Speaker 2:that we do. This is nothing new, Leslie.
Speaker 1:I know it's nothing new.
Speaker 2:You just need to like, just relax into it. It's what we do and it was great, cause he's like the, the, the, the senior person.
Speaker 1:Like your first born.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's just like um. It's really good to be with him. He looked really healthy and happy and um just really engaged. I love just. We'll put pictures in.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's nice.
Speaker 2:But yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, so ask me why I'm so happy and ask me specifically, where am I going to be in about 13 hours from now?
Speaker 2:In, about 13 hours from now, you're going to be walking, run, walking, walk, running in in in a 5k event in support of a cause that you are such a champion I'm pointing to a body part.
Speaker 1:Such a champion I'm pointing to a body part. I'm so silly.
Speaker 2:Such a champion of have been, even before you became kind of a part of the cohort of organ donors. You have been an advocate for this, and Omari being a kidney recipient, you being a kidney donor, and so you are about to just kind of take off because it's new jersey sharing networks.
Speaker 1:5k walk run there you go, yeah and by time this episode airs it will have passed, but I'll I'll tune in and tell you all about it. So I've been training. Let me tell you how I've been training. I've been drinking my ting. I got my new brace on my left knee. Wait a minute, I don't know.
Speaker 2:Ting is not.
Speaker 1:I've been doing Tylenol around the clock. You ate, leslie, you're so I'm ready.
Speaker 2:I'm ready, Let me just tell you. Omari said Mom, I'm preparing to run and I'm like run.
Speaker 1:I thought you were walking with me. I can't run.
Speaker 2:It's okay.
Speaker 1:Go on without me.
Speaker 2:Go on without me. Wait a minute.
Speaker 1:For those of you who do not know what Ting is Ting is a Jamaican soda. It's a grapefruit soda. It is such a distinct, distinctive taste and Leslie is a fan and it's so specifically Jamaican and it's so specifically Brooklyn. That's right, and it's so specific to our history and so it's great as a chaser for various and sundry. Oh yeah, this is not Ting by itself.
Speaker 2:Oh, Les stop it, Wait a minute. Let me tell you those are all the things that Ting is. Let me tell you what Ting is not. Ting is not a health drink, okay.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, okay, oh, no wonder I can't walk after I drink this ting is not sugar free ting is carbonated okay okay, all the things, hey, never mind. So anyway, I gotta talk about this thing tomorrow.
Speaker 2:Okay, I've had such revelations?
Speaker 1:Yeah, when it all started, actually and we all know, people who follow me know that Omari had kidney failure, went through six years of dialysis treatments and finally, three years ago, he received a kidney a donated kidney from a live donor.
Speaker 1:At that same time, we participated in a kidney swap, such that I donated my kidney and in order for Omari to receive it, so it was three recipients and three donors. Well, I've been involved with the New Jersey Sharing Network as a result of my involvement and my advocacy, and I've done some press, especially in April, which is organ donation month. But this year, much like a year ago, my township issued a proclamation to both Omari and I for Organ Donation Month and recognizing our efforts and volunteerism. So at that time I became aware of the I think it's annual sharing network 5k walk. They do two a year. I signed up for it. And when I signed up and here's the thing that really I want to talk about because it's almost overwhelming to me, want to talk about because it's almost overwhelming to me, yeah, and I maybe it's a testament to my naivete or there's something psychological about it, but we'll talk about that.
Speaker 1:When I signed up, they suggested their suggested fundraising goal was $250. And I thought $250250 and I'm like okay. And I said you know what? I think I'm going to be a little more ambitious and I'm going to raise that goal and try to raise $500. I don't like asking people for money, um but stick a bit.
Speaker 2:Why, what is that? What, what, what comes up, because that's something that is going to kind of flow through the experience that you had. Why do you think that is that you don't like asking people for money and wait a minute, hold on, this isn't your money, this is money that's going into your account.
Speaker 1:Well, that's that's true, but I assume that with the economy the way that it is, that you know a lot of people have difficulty. I'm not in people's pockets, I don't know how many people necessarily support the causes that I support. So I had to think hard about, okay, raising it to $500. And I said, if push comes to shove, I'll donate the $500 to meet that goal that I set. After all, I know how good a cause it is.
Speaker 2:Right right. So you said you're not in people's pockets, but you are in people's pockets because you're assuming all of those things you, you, you didn't know any of that to be true.
Speaker 1:You know that's an interesting point, right? You're saying I am in their pocket if I'm assuming they have lack or they don't have enough to donate, or this is remember you can donate five dollars or this is this is not where they would choose to spend their money.
Speaker 2:You're really like all in their business.
Speaker 1:Wow. Just saying Okay, okay, well, thank you for that. Yes, yes, in public showing me up like that. Couldn't we say that before we started taping Like get out of people's pockets, Les, we didn't prep this Next time I will.
Speaker 2:It's just what we do, though, so I just want to offer that perspective to everyone.
Speaker 1:You're right about that. We make assumptions and we project our own feelings on other people without even testing the validity of those feelings.
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1:So my goal was $500, and I started by going through some of my email contacts and in probably a day I got to about $900.
Speaker 2:Wait a minute. If this were any other, like KPI, Key Performance Index, oh, I'm like what's a KPI? If this were any other KPI.
Speaker 1:I'd get a raise.
Speaker 2:Yes, not necessarily because, because because 500 was double what they said.
Speaker 1:It is right and I was doing good. I'm like, I'm good, I'm digging in.
Speaker 2:And within a day you more than tripled that, is it triple.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I did more than triple. Yeah, you more than tripled that.
Speaker 2:Okay, triple. Yeah, I did more than triple. Yeah, you more than tripled that. Okay. So then what happened?
Speaker 1:so then I started relaxing a little bit, drinking your ting, okay, and I said okay, I've exceeded my goal. Let me go on the website and increased the goal to. I think I increased it to 1500. I'm like, okay, but I think I might be able to do it. Let me, you know, go in.
Speaker 2:So let me tell you what was happening on my end. Leslie was sending me texts with a picture of the numbers going up saying oh shit. Can you believe this. I'm like, yes, I can, yes, I can, and you really weren't surprised at all.
Speaker 1:And I think, like it wasn't even the next day, because I did all this in about two weeks. I had about two weeks to do this, and I think it was either the next day or so I exceeded the goal of 1500. So I started sweating, mopping my brow a little bit. Okay, all right.
Speaker 2:I think I'm onto something here.
Speaker 1:So after increasing it to 2000 and then 2500, I'm like, okay, okay, yeah, I exceeded that goal. Powerful, talking to coworkers and so many people know my story. Yeah, so many people have been so supportive of me and Omari over the years and I just said this is what I'm doing. Would you like to contribute? Yeah, so when I was about when I increased my goal to $4,000, $4,000, ange $4,000.
Speaker 2:What made you? What made you keep increasing it? What was that? What was happening? What made you keep increasing it? What was?
Speaker 1:that what was happening. Well, what I was starting to believe was that people were interested in the cause yes, when I would verbally speak to people about it. And then I started getting aggressive. All right, I'm going to send it to you now. Would you mind contributing and speaking to people about it? And people like oh, I know that I walk every year A lot of people at my hospital. They participate regularly, so it's a known thing. And people were happy to contribute, you know, because of my involvement. Yeah, so when I got a little over $ thousand dollars, I said wait a minute, you're on. How about five K For the five K?
Speaker 1:You got so excited I said, and it's about to go down. So in my mind I said I'm going to set my goal. And the thing is I kept increasing the goal on my contribution page because I didn't want people to stop contributing when they saw that I reached the goal. So I kept increasing it. Yeah, so I increased it to 5,000. And I said you know what? I know this is a stretch, but I think 5K for 5K sounds good. Right, you know?
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:And I think it's a lofty goal.
Speaker 2:It was, and you met it and I want to. I didn't meet it.
Speaker 1:Okay, what had happened was today, I think I had two days left and I had $70 left to meet my goal, oh, wow, and then the webpage went down. So I suppose people you know, they were just overwhelmed, I broke the internet.
Speaker 2:I went viral.
Speaker 1:I went viral the webpage and people now are texting me. I'd like to contribute. What's wrong? I'm not able to follow000 goal and I exceeded $5,000 in donations for the New Jersey Sharing Network.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I didn't think I could do 500. You didn't think you could do 500?. I didn't.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I don't know. I guess we got to talk about what my mindset was. I was shocked and I thank you, lord, I'm very thankful, I'm so appreciative, yeah, but I have to tell you about these two phone calls that I received.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:So, as I mentioned, I do press for organ donation Because I think that with by talking about it and educating people, people understand what the need is. People can sign up to be organ donors deceased even and what the need is, people can sign up to be organ donors, deceased even and living donation is a real thing. Because I'm a survivor of living donation. I did well. I am a physician, I go to work every day, I talk to patients about it and I talk to people about it because I want it to be more of a common thing.
Speaker 1:So, as such, a year or two ago I did some press for the New Jersey Sharing Network Foundation. So that's when the cameraman came to my house, wrote a story and put it in their newsletter with our pictures and what have you? So I got a phone call two days ago from and the name came up on my phone Gary. He is the cameraman and the reporter for the New Jersey Sharing Network. And he said oh, you know, we're having a 5K race this coming Saturday. I would love it if you and Omari were available. I'd like to get some interviews before the race Did he know that you were participating.
Speaker 2:I asked him.
Speaker 1:I'm like did you know? He said no, but he knew I'm local and he was asking me. And I said, well, funny, you should ask. Not only am I signed up, but I'm doing great fundraising for it. And he's like, oh, that's wonderful, meet me at the gazebo ahead of time, you and Omari. So of course I'm always saying yes, yes, yes. And then I call Omari and I'm like you ain't going to believe what I did, cause you know, omari is an introvert, he is not his mother. I'm like you know what I signed you up for? And he's like, uh, okay, all right, I'll do it, all right. So I'm prepared to go there early, talk to the press a little bit, and what have you? I get a phone call yesterday. It's Gary again, hey, Gary.
Speaker 1:Hey, gary, maybe he made a mistake. Oh, we got somebody better. We don't need you after all. He said you know, I was talking to the people at the foundation. We want you and Omari to ring the bell to start the race. I said what? Now? Looked at the phone like I said what did you say, gary? He said we'd like you to ring the bell to start the race. I said you're kidding me. Whose life is this?
Speaker 2:Yeah, liz, it's yours.
Speaker 1:And I guess it's a big deal, but why is it that I haven't internalized it as such? I don't know.
Speaker 2:You know it's brand new. It's brand new because you're definitely excited. You're definitely excited, I am excited.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I just didn't think it's such a big deal. I don't know, I don't know. I was blessed when my recipient texted me on Mother's Day and thanked me again for donating my kidney to him and we're in touch a lot, so, um, that was heartwarming. Um, I don't know it's, I don't, I don't, I don't know, I don't know why?
Speaker 2:Is it? Because, or are you feeling? It's like, um, it's not a big deal because I get to do it and therefore, how could it be a big deal if they chose me? Is it that type of thing?
Speaker 1:No, what is it? I feel that donating my kidney in order to save the life of my son. Any mother would do that Right. Save the life of my son Any mother would do that.
Speaker 2:I can't think of too many people, that would not do that for their loved one if they had the opportunity.
Speaker 1:I'm happy that I can tell people that, yes, you have the opportunity. When that's not something that you would even think of, people have the opportunity to save a life and they don't even realize it, and that's what I talk about. So I don't think that it's this Herculean super mom thing that I did. I think it's just me being a humanist and not thinking in that way. That's the way I look at it, Because if I was a match for someone other than my son, I would donate a kidney to anyone.
Speaker 1:I don't know if I mentioned it to you Maybe I was afraid to mention it to you but I have a very close friend that's being evaluated for a liver transplant and I have not. That's because I don't want you to be afraid, but I have been considering because you don't have to give up your entire liver to a person that needs a liver transplant and it's very early. I don't know if I'm a match, I don't know anything, but I'd absolutely give part of my liver. Let me finish this alcohol first and then we'll talk about the liver.
Speaker 2:The evaluation is yet to be done.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah, yeah, let me do the evaluation quick, let me give another sip in, but honestly, you know that's interesting, that's really interesting. I don't know.
Speaker 2:Well, let me tell you a few things that I observed on your journey, right?
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:You weren't always qualified. You had to make some deliberate changes to your lifestyle. Ok, you weren't always qualified. You had to make some deliberate changes to your lifestyle. Yeah To get to the point where, leslie, if everybody could do it, everybody would do it. Everybody can't do it, everybody doesn't think about doing it, everybody is not open to doing it. Well, I think they can.
Speaker 1:I mean, I think the Lord gives us abilities that we don't even know that we have. But I think people can do it. They just don't know it, that's part of our brand with our podcast.
Speaker 1:You know I look at that in terms of getting and going into becoming a doctor and going to medical school. Yeah, I say, if I do it. This woman from Brooklyn who was raised by a single parent, who didn't have a lot of financial resources, but I had emotional and family and friend support. When I entered medical school I was a single parent, omari was 10 or however. I entered medical school I was a single parent, omari was 10 or however. So what I'm saying is me, I happen to be smart, but other than that, I'm not sure how special I was. I am. So that's how I look at it. I'm just saying I just had a little more tenacity, or I was fortunate enough to have people surrounding me who were backing me, and I think that's just more an information sharing issue rather than exclusionary. I'm part of this exclusive club club.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you are part of an exclusive club, because I think, if you had not been, the rates of kidneys available, especially to Black and Brown people and that's one thing I want to say it's so amazing for you to be a representative of this community that needs it so badly. And the person who receives or donates a kidney it does not matter what their race, ethnicity, any of those things are right, because Omari's kidney was a white woman from I don't remember where she came from, but anyway. So that doesn't matter. But I'm saying that there is such a huge need for kidneys to be donated. So if you don't believe that you are in a small group, then why would there be such a huge need? People can live with one kidney but, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:So the fact that they can is not there.
Speaker 1:That doesn't mean that they do.
Speaker 2:It doesn't mean that they do. And there are all these limited. You can tell someone hey, you can live very well with one kidney.
Speaker 1:It doesn't mean that they're not lining up to donate.
Speaker 2:It doesn't mean that they're going to you, know they're going to believe it, they're going to trust the doctors, they're going to you, know, get away from their fears about having an operation. It doesn't mean. It doesn't mean and and, by the way, what was required time off from work you know the before and after.
Speaker 1:Family support.
Speaker 2:You know that to have a friend. You know I came up to spend time with you. It's all of this stuff. So people may not have the resources. Les, you're right about that. You know what I mean and even you remember you were telling me that no, it was either you or Omari were telling me that the this is on the kidney recipient side, the fact that the people, those who are evaluating who receives a kidney, have to consider all of these things. Do they have the support? Do they have the financial resources?
Speaker 2:to be in the West.
Speaker 1:In order to even be a candidate, and that becomes a reason why black and brown people are not getting it. One of the barriers, yeah.
Speaker 2:Right, one of the barriers, and when I say black and brown, I mean because, in this case, of the division in terms of income, in terms of access for these people. So it also includes poor people of any ilk. So it's all of these things. So you are special and you should be okay with feeling special. You can be special and be grounded. You can be special and continue to be a giver. You can be special and you don't have to give up feeling special to be all the other analogy that you say.
Speaker 1:Like I say, you know, I put certain things together in order to get into medical school and become an anesthesiologist and work and enjoy my work and whatever. But I guess, if anybody could do it, why are only 5% of physicians in the country African-American? Why are we only 5%? Or why are Black women only 2% of physicians in this country?
Speaker 2:There we are.
Speaker 1:Three of which are in my family.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:Atama Nana, me no four and my sister-in-law Prudence. So yeah, it's a thing. Yeah, I guess I need to rethink that a little bit.
Speaker 2:I think you do, and I mean this idea, because this kind of broader idea that if I can do it, anyone can do it. It's not really true, because it becomes this thing that you're not doing it because you're lazy, because you're not ambitious and so on. And that's the reason why, because I did it. So the only reason why you're not? Doing. It is so forth, and so on.
Speaker 1:But there that I that almost sounds like Ben Carson-ism.
Speaker 2:This is what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:It almost sounds like you know like well, yeah, I'm a neurosurgeon and I was able to lift myself up on my bootstraps, and you know, I am the first person to counter that type of talk in general. And here I am spouting it in a different way, right, in general and here. I am spouting it in a different way, right when it's not like you.
Speaker 2:you know, for you, so many things had to line up, Les, so many things had to line up for you to see, ooh, you know it's like you're looking and it's like ooh, I think you know Like the Swiss cheese model. The Swiss cheese model, in order for things to happen.
Speaker 1:All those circles need to align. In order for things to happen, all those circles need to align. That's like what Monique I said in some conversation, a few conversations with Monique, I said you know, well, you know we had it, my sister, for the audience. You know we had it pretty good and things. I've been fortunate. And she's like Les, you've overcome a lot, we've overcome a lot of stuff. Don't you remember this? And don't you remember this? And and I'm like you know what, right, I guess the mind is kind, yes, in that we sometimes forget the travails that we've overcome and that are behind us now. But when we sit back and think of it, I'm so busy looking forward that sometimes I forget you know the hurdles that I've overcome, but I, yeah, I appreciated what she said.
Speaker 2:Yeah for sure. Status or wealth or some level of success. The detriment in them forgetting this is that they believe that if you are not in their position it's on you, it's because of some lack that you have, it's not part of the societal isms, or?
Speaker 1:external forces. It's some lack that you have Part of the societal isms or external forces. It's some lack in you internally, in your inability to prosper, to overcome, to be mentally able to withstand some of those depressions. I you know.
Speaker 2:I know how Not having the support of family and friends. It's like look how much that played a role in both of our success. Oh my gosh, when people don't have that.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, you're right about that, and not and the fact that I've had family support. That's nothing that I did, yeah, that's nothing that I did.
Speaker 1:Yes, you know, it's something that I say to Omari. You know you were not responsible for some of these wonderful things that have happened to you. You know, being born in a time such as this, having access and parents who had medical information and financial resources to care for your illness, your critical illness, too critical illness Remember his traumatic brain injury so there's many reasons why he doesn't have to be here and it had nothing to do with him, but I really think that the Lord has covered him.
Speaker 2:Yes, for sure.
Speaker 1:And the Lord has covered him from before. He was even an it, et cetera. That's you know. But yeah, wow, I know.
Speaker 2:So now you're at this, surpassing your 5K mark, unbelievable. Now all you have to do is to show up at the starting line.
Speaker 1:Wait a minute, Wait a minute, Wait a minute. When I when I heard that there's going to be press and I'm going to be ringing the bell, what do you think? The first thing I said is what am I going to wear? What am I going to wear?
Speaker 2:Leslie, oh, my goodness gracious, I get it Well, but I do have to say that.
Speaker 1:I just have so much support. So my good friend, our, my town's deputy mayor, ellen Zimmerman, she went to pick up our T-shirts today, so I think she and I may be walking together. But I texted her and I'm like, ellen, I'm going to need to get there early because I need to do some press ahead of time and I'll be ringing the bell. At least you'll be able to find me. I'm like whose life is this? This is so surreal. What a blessing. I thank you. I thank you, lord. This is just wonderful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's amazing, it's amazing.
Speaker 1:So I can't wait to let people know how I did and how much I was able to raise for the New Jersey Sharing Network Foundation. Yay, and if you made it across the 5K line, and if you made it across the 5K line, I'm sure I'll make it. I'm sure I'll make it. Come on, now I can walk three and a half miles. Absolutely, stop it. The only thing that's going to make you not cross the line is if you stop, yeah, you can crawl across the line. You can crawl across the line.
Speaker 2:They will keep a light on for you.
Speaker 1:I'm going to ice my knee before I go. You know, because I have this brace on for the last three weeks. I know More than that. You'll be all right, I'll be ready, You're equipped. Come on now. I can't wait to tell everybody about it. Let's go, wish me luck. Let's go, let's go. Wish me luck, guys, luck, luck, all right. First, first. This has been another fun and exciting episode of Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn, brooklyn.