The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - IDO 061126 YAWN

Episode Date: June 11, 2026

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This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. There was no anything inside those eyes. They turned black. It scared the hell out of me. Evil, wake up. I'm the one that saw the murder take place by Crevette and DePippo. Anthony DePippo showed no signs of remorse,

appearing unfazed after being sentenced to the maximum. I said I'm not guilty. I'll take it to the grave. Listen to the devil's quarry in the Bone Valley Feed on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Joy is essential and it's also elusive. But now there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence. Joy 101. It's a new podcast hosted by me, Hoda Kotby.

If you're craving inspiration to maximize your joy, tune into these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Open your free IHeart Radio app. Search Joy 101 and listen now. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotfi is presented by CVS. Happy Pride from the Outspoken Podcast Network. All month long and all year round, we're celebrating being loud, proud, and always original.

It's me, Brandon Kyle Goodman, host of the podcast, Tell Me Something Messy. Check out my show for unfiltered takes on dating, relationships, and adulting. Listen to High Key for the best podcast, pop culture takes and there are no girls on the internet for all your tech news. For your favorite celebrity key keys, check out outlaws with T.S. Madison. Learn to love yourself unapologetically with BFF, Black Fat Fem.

And start your day with intention with waking up with Ryan coming in July. Celebrate Pride with the Outspoken Network. Open your free IHeart Radio app. Search Pride and listen now. Here at the Happiness Lab, we're serving up some hot takes for the summer. Big ideas that just might reshape how you think about your well-being. like the radical notion that we should get rid of small talk completely. We talk about current events.

We talk about what you do for a living, but not do you love what you do for a living. Is this your dream job? For more surprising ideas backed by psychological science, check out our new series, Happiness Hot Takes. Listen to the Happiness Lab with me, Dr. Laurie Santos, on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there, folks, and welcome to I do Part 2. And if you got love right the first time around this show ain't for you. Welcome. I'm T.J. Holmes alongside my dear lovely, my fiance and my co-host on this show is Amy Robach.

And we are losing it a little bit on this one because we have a couple of guests in studio. One we are very familiar with, one we just met. Now, the one we're very familiar with, Robs, is this goes beyond just being a fan of the show. Oh, Captain Sandy and below deck got us through some of the darkest times of our. lives. That's a true statement. You not. That's a true statement. When we were hiding out from the world literally and had nowhere to go, you know where we turned to? Super yachts. Below deck med. I'm telling you, we go back and we think of the show and we think of the episodes.

And as we watch new ones, we remember how much your show literally helped us escape our own tumult. And for that, we are grateful. Thank you. It's a great show, right? It's an amazing show. Yes, all the places you can be, but all the drama that ensues, but all the fun that's had in the process. But we are joined. This is I do part two now.

This is just regular Amy and T.J. podcast. We would just be talking to Captain Sending, no, no, no. We're talking relationships here on I do part two. And you are sitting here. We are all sitting in studio together. You here with your wife of two years now. Yeah. It is so good to meet you.

you. Thank you. Nice to be here. Two years. When was the anniversary now. I want to get it right. Just had it, right? Do you know? Yeah, May 11th. Good job. Oh, wow. Wait a minute. That didn't come from nowhere. But we've been together seven years. Okay. Is she not as good with dates usually? She's amazing. Okay. Yeah. I mean, she's a captain. I would think numbers, like precision are kind of really important with the job. Just directions. I know where we park her car. We had no time to get to a car. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. She just showed up for the wedding. I did all love. She did everything. That's amazing. I mean, you have to have a planner and you have to have an executor. The two together work perfectly. Happy Pride Month, by the way. Thank you. New York obviously knows how to do it right.

Any plans to celebrate? Do you guys get into all of the festivities and celebrations? Not really. I mean, we keep to ourselves a lot. We have a very tight group of people that we hang out with. So we like, nice dinners. We love to shop.

But if Bravo did a Bravo pride float. Oh, I just said. I've never been. That would be a phenomenal float. And I think when we show up in life together and hold hands, we're showing everyone what it's like to be in the same sense.

Yes, absolutely. That is cool. You can send a message without saying a word. We always think that you all probably get it sometimes to where, why don't you do this more or say this more? And why isn't this enough? That's a very good point. And worth pointing out.

Just living our lives, loving each other. Exactly. No judgment. And just, you know, we're two normal people that happen to be in love. It's two souls. Yes. Oh, I mean, look, and here in New York City, obviously, this is a city that embraces all kinds of love, whatever it looks like, however it manifests.

How is it for you all in, I don't know where, where, I don't know if you want to even say where you live or where you reside, but have you ever felt uncomfortable or discomfort holding hands in public, showing affection in public, or is that in years past and today, things are good? I mean, I'm just aware, like, I always say read the room, you know, to be honest with you. I come from a very conservative family. I was a gospel singer for 30 years, worship leader, and so I came from the Christian industry. I lost my career when I came out, actually, overnight.

So, I mean, I'm aware that we're not going to, like, make out in a very conservative, you know, room. And then when we walk the streets, I'll grab our hand and she'll hold my hand. So, you know, we're respectful. Right. You know, I feel that way. I feel that way. Thank you. I was going to say.

Yeah. Yeah. Yes. But there's no weirdness or anything where we live. I mean, you know, if they have a problem with it, it's their problem. One of the two of you more naturally affectionate than the other, though. We're all over each other. We are too, by the way.

Yeah. We're inseparable. Yeah. Yeah, so the, you know, touches love, right? So I don't know. To me, it's like I want to know my person loves me and I want them to know I love them. Yeah. Physical touch is important.

Everything. We've actually had some stuff said about us because they said we were overly affectionate, which was completely embellished. But yes, we also understand. You have to read the room. So you all met through social media. Can you tell me how you all met and how it all, how the romance all began? I got to hear this.

Yeah, no, I mean, I mean, I turned on the show. I didn't really watch the show a lot. And I thought, oh, she's hot. I'm just going to message and be like, hey. And so I said, many blessings, congrats on your show. And that was it. And then six months later, you reached back up. These are DMs?

DM. I'm the same way. I'll be like, oh, my God, six months of messaging. So you finally see. Yes. And hers stood out because it said many blessings. And then I clicked on a link and she was singing. And I was like, wow, she can sing.

And then we reached out. And then we met in LA. Yeah. It was love at first sight. Okay. Oh, right. I have so many questions about this story. Now, how much time?

You saw it after six months. You saw the message. But then how long between writing her bag did you all actually see each other? A month? Wow. A month or so, yeah. In L.A. Yeah.

What was that? I lived in L.A. Okay. And she was in Colorado. Okay. And she was coming to visit family in L.A., or Orange County, somewhere. I'm from Orange County, California. We met.

How was that first meeting, date? What was it? Well, I asked her if she wanted to go to the movies at 10 o'clock at night. She was so nervous. It was so cute. She's like, you want to go buy a chicken? A chicken. I didn't know.

Are you hungry? You're going to go see the Queens movie? It's so cute. I want to go see what movie was it? I don't know. It was like that Queens movie. Yeah. Yeah.

And I'm like, no. Oh, yeah. You all did go to a movie that night. No. No. No. No. We went to Bristol Farms, though.

Oh, that's amazing. Yeah. She does walk really fast and I'm in my high heels and I'm like, ding, ding, ding, ding. I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm trying to keep up. It was cute. So how do things progress? How do you get from there to being married now? You said seven years ago though.

You all been together. Conversations, talking, communicating, just staying in touch and realizing this was love. Yeah. It was fast. I mean, it was pretty fast. I'm not going to lie. I mean, it wasn't a U-Haul. It was a rider.

It was a rider truck. God. That's amazing. Yeah. We literally drove from L.A. through all the way to Colorado because that's where I lived at the time. I'm laughing because I only understand that joke recently. Because she explained the whole U-Haul.

makes to me. Lesbians fall in love. They want to move in right away. They get the U-Ha'u-haul after the first date. And voila. It was a writer. It was a writer. Leah, you were married before for 20 years to a man.

Yes. So what were you looking for? Did you think you could find love again? Were you on a mission to find love? I was so sad and felt so trapped. And because I was a gospel artist, it was like couples that pray together, stay together. And I thought, this is just torture to me. And I had adopted a daughter at birth. And she was beautiful. She's 20 now. But I had to stay in Colorado and raise her. So I told Sandy, I can't move back to California. I need to put. put my daughter first. I need to, I can't take her from her friends and get her through school. And then so she said, I'm going to, I'm going to move to Colorado. And I'm like, what? You're going to move to Colorado. There's no water, really. There's no boats. And she did. She came and lasted five years. But yeah, I mean, I came out to my husband at the time and just said, I'm not happy. And this is why. and we need to divorce, you know. And it was not easy.

It was terrible. Yeah. It was the worst time in my life because I lost my identity. I had to start over. I was crucified by the church and lost friends. And it was horrible for me anyway. So she was supportive. But then she moved out of her big house because this is when you know it's like real, right?

This is real. It moves into this apartment. And I'll never forget, we drove up. up and she just cried. And I'm like, it's only temporary because she had a big house, a big life, obviously a big career. She lost everything. And now she's moving into an apartment that you would move into after you graduate college. The apartment after a divorce is almost always sad. It's sad. Mine was. Your kind of was. Yes. We know that feeling. It's a huge adjustment. Huge. On every level. Every level. And your kids are adjusting too at the same time. How did your

daughter handle at all. I mean, I took her from her childhood home. Yeah. Into this apartment. And so she's, she's, and I had two dogs who were used to running on five acres. So they're like poop and peeing on the floor. I'm like, oh my God, this is like a nightmare. But it was good. We got through it. And then one day, it was snowing in Colorado. And I'm in my ugs. And I'm driving her to school. And I drive by townhouses for sale. And I go, and I go in. And I put a deposit down on a piece of property. And I buy my first. townhouse. So like I said, I was married 20 years before, so he was the provider and did everything. So I had to like relearn everything in life, you know, and it's been great.

Because you did your gospel career, which... Because my gospel career. Yeah. You know, but now I'm in the beauty industry and I love it and I'm launching my own product. And it's just been, I'm happier now in my life than I ever was. And I'm so in love and it's just, I have new family and it's great. Pride is like love. You feel it in your heart. IR. Radio, Canada's number one streaming app for radio and podcasts, including IHart Pride Canada, your favorite hits and must have party bangers,

plus personalized and curated playlists, like back in the day Pride. Come together, celebrate love. Take pride with you anytime, anywhere. Just ask your smart speaker to play IHart Pride Canada. Stream us on your phone or listen now at iHeartRadio.ca. In the moment, it felt like it was going on forever. I didn't think I was going to live. I was terrified.

There was no anything inside those eyes. They turned black. It scared the hell out of me. That was your first murder case? Yes, sir. Fair to say this was the biggest case of your career? Yes, sir. Rape and murder for a child.

Just as bad as it gets. I would think so. People, wake up. I'm the one that saw the murder. placed by crevette and de pippo. Anthony DePippo showed no signs of remorse, appearing unfazed after being sentenced

to the maximum. I said I'm not guilty. I'll take it to the grief. Listen to the devil's quarry on the Iheart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear the devil's quarry ad free with exclusive content, subscribe

to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Joy is essential, and it's also elusive. You can't order it, you can't borrow it, or simply hope it into life, but now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence, Joy 101. It's a new podcast hosted by me, Hoda Kotby. Together, guys, we'll have meaningful conversations with the world's most fascinating people, entertainment legends, sports icons, wellness experts, and everyday people will share how they find, allow, and experience joy. And I'll offer

some of my own tips and takes on seeking a more balanced and harmonious life. If you're craving inspiration, support, and useful tools to maximize your joy, tune into these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Joy after a breakup. Joy is an empty nester. Joy after a loss. Joy as a caretaker. This new podcast will speak to you. Listen to Joy 101 on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your husband is not who you think he is. Your body is not what you saw it was. Your identity is formed by a secret history. I'm Danny Shapiro, and these are just a few of the stunning stories I'll be exploring

on the 14th season of Family Secrets. And just then, we felt the plain turn in the air, so much so that the bags that were under people's seats just kind of flew into the aisle. Each week, we dive headfirst into the complex power of secrecy, how it shapes our identities and relationships, and how it ultimately can reveal to us our truest selves. My daughter, she's pretending she doesn't know, but is trying to cook and feed me and keep me alive because I wasn't eating anything and me pretending like everything was fine.

He kind of shoved me out of the way and said, move. And he went out the front door and he jumped in a car and drove off, and that was the last time I saw him. Listen to Season 14 of Family Secrets on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This, I guess, is, it's adjacent, but a little off topic. I'm just curious, I have those folks who pushed you out and the church and all these folks, have, has that softened any and been welcomed back? Have any of those relationships gotten better and proven?

It's interesting that some of them have come out to me and said, hey, I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you. I'm struggling to. And I go, yeah, it's all good, you know. Actually, my daughter came out to me that she's gay. and I thought, oh my gosh, like, I thought like I ruined her or I, you know what I mean? Like it was, and she's living her authentic life. I'm living my authentic life. I've forgiven the people who cast me aside.

Most of them are closet something, you know, in the churches. So it's hard, but it's hard for me to go to church now. I mean, I miss it. But to think I'm not allowed to be on the platform, like it's just a trick. so I just don't really go to church. Because God loves all of us. Yes. Not just.

That's what we were told. Yes. That's what we were told. What would Jesus do? Not what a lot of churches do when they see something that they don't think fits their rules. Yeah. She says something wise one. She goes, when the church fails, that's because the people worship the man and not God.

Yes, for sure. A church should never fail. And so basically it's like, it's so stupid. And I just, it's like, it's love, period. Forget it. Don't think about sex. Why do people got to go there? Right.

That's such a good way to look at it. Yes. It's about love. It's not about the sexual act. That's just what happens when you express your love. We're talking about who you love. Sandy, this is your first marriage,

correct? Yes. So did you feel any reservation? Did you think marriage was in the cards? Once you get to a certain point, you might think, yeah. Really?

Yes. I was like, I'm going to marry her. Yeah, instantly. And you'd never thought that before. No. Wow. Wow, really? No, I just didn't think, you know, it wasn't really a thing, you know.

Obviously, I just love the person I love. And I was like, why do we need to get married? Now I know why. Wow. Yeah, I took her name and everything. Yes. It was so cute, though. She bought me a promise ring.

I was like, a promise ring. I want the real ring. Then she got me another ring. It was so cute. Yeah, it was it Tiffany. And surprised me in Greece. Yeah. Oh my good.

Sandy, I think it's so cool too because I think that part of the podcast is that either you've, you've tried something, it didn't work. And people really do lose hope. I think when you lose hope, that's just that dark place that I think many of us have been in. What would you say to anyone who's out there thinking, I'm past my prime, who's going to want this? You know, I've waited too long. What hope is there out there? Who you live in your life for?

You live in it for everybody else or yourself? That's what I say. Like, live your life for yourself. obviously be kind and do the next right thing, but don't base your decisions based on what other people think about you or what you're afraid they're gonna judge you. Live your life because you're living it truly, and that's love.

Yeah, absolutely, yeah. I wish, well, I think maybe on social people can see how the two of you look at each other. It's really beautiful to know that you've been together for seven years and you still look at each other that way. That's pretty cool. You, this is a long-distance relationship, though. obviously Captain Sandy, we watch you traveling the world in the most beautiful, amazing places,

but very far away from Leah. How do you all manage that? FaceTime. Yeah, FaceTime. That's a face time. And then Leah comes over. Yeah, I go at the end. But we're both, you know, independent entrepreneurial, you know, entrepreneurial women.

And so, you know, I'm focusing on my business and I have my daughter that comes in visits and stuff. And then I come over and see her. And we have my family. And our families in Jacksonville. you know, our sister, my sister-in-law, Michelle, Dunham, she's amazing. And so it's great. I mean, we have such a great community. I'm not gone that long.

A couple months. Yeah. I was just, how does it work in a 12-month period? How often are you going? But in the career, like if it wasn't for Bravo or Below Deck, I would be gone a long time. Yeah. You know, back in the day when I started, I was gone all year. I didn't see my family for years.

Like, it was rare. It's not like that now. No, the industry has changed. Like, it's three months on, three months off. the bigger boats. The boats are getting bigger, the crewer. If you want quality crew, you better let them have a life. And back in the day when I started, we didn't have lives. Wow. Right. So it's like your life was the boat life. And now it's changed. Sandy, do you think your love life got put on hold because of the career you chose?

Of course. Yeah. I mean, it's so transient, you know. But the great thing about this career, first of all, there are plenty of jobs in the maritime industry. Secondly, you travel the world and you meet some really interesting people. Thirdly, you're shoulder to shoulder with the billionaires. You learn. I learned so much. Most of those conversations to their companies happened on the bridge of the vessel. I learned a lot

from those billionaires and you travel the world but at the same time, you meet obviously if you watch below deck, that's how it is. You hook up, you break up. A boatmands. A boatmands. Yes, it's a boatmants.

Did you have boatmances? I was going to ask you, Did you ever mix business and pleasure? Because I came up and yachting very differently where I worked for one person. And he taught me everything. I went to sea school. You know, I could save your life, like a lot of stuff, engineering school. And then I became a captain under him. So I never really had to work like they did.

I was the boat slave. So you never were at the boatsin or that you didn't. I was the boat slave. I was the boats and the chief stew. Wow. The laundry girl. The dishwasher, I was not the chef because Fran cooked. So she just bought extra pots and pans so she didn't have to wash those.

So they have it easier than I had it. That makes sense, though. And that's why you feel comfortable making the decisions you do on the show because you've been there, done that. Yes. And trust me, if they want to know what hard work is like, come back to the days when I started boating. That's hard work. And again, you go back and watch these. You don't know a lot of what's going on in the drama until you see that this.

Nor do I want to. No, but once you see it, why in God's name are they doing? Are they just kids having fun and this is going to be over with and let them get it out of their systems? Or do you see some real relationship issues, mistakes being made? Are there any real relationships lessons to be taken out of what we see on the show? Most of them are in their 20s. When we were in our 20s, I mean, I was still using drugs. I got clean at 25.

But, I mean, you know, they have different backgrounds. They're from different nationalities, different religions, different religions, different. beliefs. So you think, okay, I personally like to get to know them. So I try to have a meal with them. Do they have siblings? And get to know them. Some people have walls up. So you try. And then for me, it's, I think it's, I don't step in unless they're starting to affect each other in their job situation. When it starts permeating through the boat, that's when I step in. When they're all talking about it. And now if I can pick up on it, you know the guests are going to pick up. Yeah. As far as their interpersonal relationships, I don't live. Do you, boo? You know, I love that. I'm curious, being married, did that change or affect you in terms of how you captained your crew? Did having your own deeply personal relationship impact at all, what you thought of things or how you viewed certain relationship issues perhaps that were happening on the boat? No.

I work the 12 steps. So I'm sober. And the 12 steps, I learn the design for life, right? I'm telling you, that changes lives. And I can see where people need personal growth, right? And I need personal growth. Get into a relationship, you learn, right? It's easy to have, you know, kumbaya your whole life if you're single.

But the minute you get in a relationship, you start working on yourself. And, you know, that personal growth is, and it's all about communication. So they don't have that. We do, right? Because we're in relationships. We learn how to communicate because we want it to work. They're just hooking up. You know, I guarantee you, Joe isn't thinking about his wife.

Is she worth material? I don't think so. I don't think so. Exactly. You know, with Nathan, obviously he loved Gail. Yes. That's his woman. That is his wife.

Like, well, soon to be, hopefully, you know, they had a baby together. You look at, you know, look at Malia. Let's take her. Like she, her career was yachting. Yes, she hooked up. Yeah.

Tom and all, you know, breasts. She was having fun. Yes. Now she's a baby. She's in love. She's in brokerage,

you know, so, or charter management, or charter brokerage, yes. So everybody's got their different paths, but I think on below deck,

I think they're just there for that time. Yeah, I got you. All right. Pride is like love. You feel it in your heart. IR Radio.

Canada's number one streaming app for radio and podcasts, including IHart Pride Canada, your favorite hits and must-have party bangers, plus personalized and curated playlists like back in the day pride. Come together, celebrate love. Take pride with you anytime, anywhere. Just ask your smart speaker to play IHartP Pride Canada. Stream us on your phone. Or listen now at iHeartRadio.ca. In the moment, it felt like it was going on forever. I didn't think I was going to to live. I was terrified. There was no anything inside those eyes. They turned black. It scared the hell out of me. That was your first murder case? Yes, sir. Fear to say this was the biggest case of your

career? Yes, sir. Rape the murder for a child. Just as bad as it gets. I would think so. People wake up. I'm the one that saw the murder take place by Crevent and DePippo. Anthony DePippo showed no signs of remorse, appearing unfazed after being sentenced to the maximum. I said I'm not guilty. I'll take it to the grief. Listen to the devil's quarry on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And to hear the Devil's Quarry ad free with exclusive content, subscribe to Love for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Joy is essential and it's also elusive. You can't order it. You can't borrow it or simply hope it into life. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence. Joy 101. It's a new podcast hosted by me, Hoda Kotby.

Together, guys, we'll have meaningful conversations with the world's most fascinating people. Entertainment legends, sports icons, wellness experts, and everyday people will share how they find, allow, and experience joy. And I'll offer some of my own tips and takes on seeking a more back. balanced and harmonious life. If you're craving inspiration, support, and useful tools to maximize your joy, tune into these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Joy after a breakup, joy as an empty nester, joy after a loss, joy as a caretaker. This new podcast will speak to you. Listen to Joy 101 on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your husband is not who you think he is. Your body is not what you saw it was.

Your identity is formed by a secret history. I'm Danny Shapiro, and these are just a few of the stunning stories I'll be exploring on the 14th season of family secrets. And just then, we felt the plain turn in the air, so much so that the bags that were under people's seats just kind of flew into the aisle. Each week, we dive head first into the complex power of secrecy, how it shapes our identities and relationships, and how it ultimately can reveal to us our. truest selves. My daughter, she's pretending she doesn't know, but is trying to cook and feed me and keep me alive because I wasn't eating anything and me pretending like everything was fine. He kind of shoved me out of the way and said, move. And he went out of the front door and he jumped in a car and drove off and that was the last time I saw him.

Listen to season 14 of Family Secrets on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Leah, did you notice anything that maybe we wouldn't have noticed that any change in her that you watched actually on the show, as you all's relationship might have been going through whatever it might have been going through. She softened, I would say, since being married and being with me. And plus her hair and makeup looks really good now.

Yeah. Who was it? Who is it said that I stepped up my game? Yeah, Ramona Singer, New York. She goes, yeah, your wife really made you. She said your girlfriend. Oh, she said girlfriend, but no, she's my wife. So I would say the, and the skin care, because I'm just,

skincare expert and so the that side of it right yeah i've seen that yeah i actually don't have i need more clothes i we're gonna go shop later because i did any uniform my whole life yeah that makes sense yes yeah yeah yeah she does like tight sheets i'm like i had to go buy this for today yeah yeah yeah well we have to tell you every time we see you in street clothes we say wow she's got style she looks i'm not kidding you we have we have actually made a point three shirts i have it's great they are those three shirts are awesome she likes she has she has she likes she has That's good shoes. Good shoes.

Yeah, I got a lot of shoes. Yeah, you got a good shoes. What's happening today? I don't see the feet. Good shoes? Yeah, good shoes. Oh, yeah, they're good. All right.

And Leah, I know that you have gone through your own breast cancer scare. Scare. Yeah, I had three scares. Three lumpectomy. So far, so good. And just getting checked every six months. Did that impact? Just because that scare and that fear of what if and what happens next and how will this change us?

Did it bring you all closer together? What impact did that? that have on your relationship? I mean, she's such a caretaker. We're, you know, she's a huge caretaker. So she was just like, no matter what, we're gonna work through it, you know. She was all for like, if you need a double mastectomy,

like we're gonna do it, we're gonna find the best surgeon. And so, I mean, we don't even question when it comes to health. We're just there for each other. We're married. We're in it to win it. Yeah. And I wasn't afraid to lose anything.

Like, if it was, was going to save my life. I don't care if I get rid of them. Plus you can do a direct implant now. So the reconstruction is amazing. What would you say has been your biggest struggle, your toughest moment as a couple, whether it was when you were dating or when you got married? The builder? The builder. Oh, well, we had a builder take all our money. The builder took all our money. Yeah, all of our money. What? Yeah. We were robbed. So in a lot of other homes. We were building a house. Oh, wow.

We were making payments, and he used the money for his own personal use. So, yeah, the builder. That was a big hurdle for us. That was a big hurdle. But we realized that we got through it. And our house was a shell of a house. My sister called and said, I'm not sure what's happening, but nothing's happening on your house at all.

Yeah. Because we were living in Colorado. Yeah. What ultimately happened with that? Well, we're in it. We're in the house. There's a trial coming in July. How do you do?

It was a pyramid scheme basically? Like he was just taking money. I just think he's a guy that inherited a business because he married somebody and he ran it into the ground. Wow. That's the reality. Because there was 11 other homeowners that he took the money from. Because apparently the company, it was a wonderful establishment that they were a great builder, had a great reputation. And when he took over, that changed.

So dealing with massive financial loss, like that's stressful. Very. But that's what we're both very resilient people. We just get right back up. And what do you say, wake up, dress up, show up, kick ass. That's her thing. And that's really how we live our life. I mean, we don't lay in bed and we're not depressed.

And we just like, well, I get up and do my hair and makeup. That's how I get ready for the day. And, you know, my. And she plays with our dog. But we keep going. I mean, we don't. Or what else? Yeah.

When got our. CO? C.O. I mean. I became the contractor. He was like, you're living in your house. You're not supposed to be living there because we didn't have our CEO. Go, what are they going to do, arrest me?

They're not arresting the builder. Yeah. They stole our money. They're going to arrest me for a house I paid twice for. Yeah. You paid twice for? It was like crazy. We don't have a CO.

Yeah. We don't have trees or grass. But he's still walking free, living in his house. Yeah. That's crazy. Okay. That's another episode. Crazy.

Yeah. Last few things here. You said something earlier. You've never thought throughout your life, your dating history that you, you never thought about getting married until you met Leah until you all got together. For people hearing that, what did you listen to? Because that seemed like a huge switch in your life.

It's like you weren't even thinking about it. And then somebody made you think about it. What is that thing? Because people are wondering, is this it? Is this the one? How do I know? What do I feel? What is it that made you finally go,

oh yeah, now I want to get married? Your heart, you're willing to sacrifice. It's like the sacrifice. So you, I moved. I swear I'd never move out of L.A. I swear I would never leave. Well, you made a list. Tell them the list.

I made a list. Yeah. And they had to love God first. Yeah. So that was the list. And music. And music. And music.

And hot. Yeah. Sorry, getting down the list. Yeah. Sorry, I'm totally kidding. It was like, wow, cool. Because I love music.

Yeah. I think it's cool for people to hear, though, because a lot of, I think a lot of folks do. end up just kind of closing themselves off and just saying it's not worth it and it's not going to happen. But just when you think it won't or it can't, it can. Did you, did you ever, you weren't looking for love, but did you lose hope? But did you ever think it would happen like this?

I didn't lose hope. I just was oblivious, to be honest. I don't know. I'm Peter Pan. I just, I don't know. I just continue to find joy. Yeah, but all formed with a joyful heart. I mean, I was born with a joyful heart.

Like, I am a child. I have a child spirit. But her friends told me, like, you, we can't believe that she found someone that made her settle down. Like that we can't believe she finally got married. We can't, because they didn't really think that that would happen with you. And they're like, wow, I'm like, all right, well, hey. Pure bliss. Yeah.

Well, what about you? 20 year of marriage? What is it that made you go, okay, yeah, I want to do this. Her. Just meeting her. I think when you just, honestly, like, I think when you have a connection with someone and you meet that person and it's so powerful and strong, you feel like you can conquer the world with that person by your side,

and it just makes you make decisions. And you don't really care what anyone thinks because you just fell in love, you know, and it just works. Yeah. So, yeah, she gave me the courage to. jump. We've got to collect all these answers. That is a wonderful way to put it.

Like people always looking for advice, relationship advice and concrete things on this, this and this. That was just beautifully said. And I agree with you what you're talking. It's how it's hard to explain. You can't explain it until it happens to you. Exactly.

And then you go, oh, I know exactly what she's talking about. And people judge you. Because they're not happy. Yeah. We figured that out. We know. They're so judgy because they're miserable

and they wish they found And you know that. This is my last question. I'm wondering just what you found and what you all have together. And it's palpable. I mean, we can see it in your faces and your body language, how you look at each other. It's just, it's obvious that this is the real deal. Do you think having had lived enough life where you found this love later in life that you have the perspective to actually feel confident,

where it isn't just this one-off or just this passion that could die out, but it's deeper because you've lived enough life to know. Yeah, everyone is like, oh, is that a phase for Leah? You know, because she was like the straight girl in church. And is this just a phase? Even you were, I think, wondering, is this a phase? Because she didn't want to get her heartbroken. And I think just time and, you know, showing and action and going through the hard times and the ups and downs. I mean, we are very different.

And yet we compliment each other so well. And so, and it was just worth every single sacrifice. And it was just worth it. And I, honestly, I, I'm like, why not take the risk? I would rather want to know than not know. You know what I mean? So take the risk. I agree.

The worst case scenarios, you're going to have a little heartache. Maybe a lot of heartache, but you'll live, you know. It's worth taking the risk. Yeah. Love always is. Yeah. Captain Sandy, is it, is that annoying? Should I just call you Sandy?

Sandy, Leah. Thank you for sharing your love story with us. I do think that it's so inspirational for a lot of people listening who are hoping that they'll find love the second time around or the third time around or the fourth. Or whenever. We don't judge on this podcast at all. But thank you so much for being with us and sharing your story with us. Thank you. Catch the new season of Below Deck Mediterranean on Bravo on Mondays at 8 p.m.

and then streaming the next day on Peacock. And to our listeners, we are here to help. You can send us an email or leave us a voicemail. All the info in the show notes. Follow us on socials. I do part two and IHeart Radio podcast. We're falling in love is the main objective. We'll see you.

There was no anything inside those eyes. They turned black. It scared the hell out of me. People wake up. I'm the one that saw the murder take place by Crevette and DePippo. Anthony DePippo showed no signs of remorse, appearing unfazed after being sentenced to the maximum. I said, I'm not guilty. I'll take it to the grave. Listen to the devil's quarry in the Bone Valley Feed on the IHeart Radio app.

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