StoryCorps: Paul Crowley and Anthony Bravo Esparza
From StoryCorps | Part of the StoryCorps series | 01:50
Paul Crowley talks with his friend and fellow veteran Anthony Bravo Esparza, who calls himself "Dreamer," about the free haircuts he gives in a VA Hospital parking lot.
Many veterans seek out the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Hospital in hopes of feeling better. Thanks to Anthony Bravo Esparza — known to his friends as “Dreamer” — those veterans often end up looking better, too.
Since the 1970s, Dreamer, a veteran himself, has been giving free haircuts to vets.
He can be found in a red, white, and blue painted trailer parked at the VA, where he averages about 200 haircuts a month.
Last year, Paul Crowley showed up looking for a trim. Today, he’s Dreamer’s assistant.
At StoryCorps, the pair sat down to speak about their friendship.
StoryCorps: David Plant and Frank Lilley
From StoryCorps | Part of the StoryCorps series | 02:34
Frank Lilley interviews his stepfather, David Plant, about approaching the end of his life.
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This is a story about reaching the end of life.
It was recorded as part of StoryCorps’ Legacy Initiative–an effort to collect interviews with people who have life-threatening conditions.
In 2010, David Plant was diagnosed with skin cancer. Since then, the cancer has metastasized in other parts of his body.
David sat down for a StoryCorps Legacy interview with his stepson, Frank Lilley.
StoryCorps: Lisa Combest and James Hanson-Brown
From StoryCorps | Part of the StoryCorps series | 02:25
Lisa Combest and her ex-husband, James Hanson-Brown, talk about how their marriage ended.
It’s not often that couples split up and stay close friends.
But that’s what happened to James Hanson-Brown and his ex-wife, Lisa Combest.
They fell in love in high school, got married, and began to grow apart.
At StoryCorps, they remembered how their divorce deepened their relationship.
StoryCorps NTI: Kate Musick and Harleé Patrick, Jose Catalan and Carlos Vizcarra
From StoryCorps | Part of the StoryCorps series | 02:50
Two stories about teachers who went beyond the classroom to help their kids.
For students who are struggling, sometimes the difference between success and failure can start when a teacher takes the time to listen.
In these two stories from our National Teacher’s Initiative, teachers go beyond the classroom to help their kids.
In 2004, Kate Musick was teaching third grade at T.C. Walker Elementary school in Gloucester, Virginia. When Harleé Patrick walked into the room, Musick saw a troubled child.
Harleé is now a teenager, and the two came to StoryCorps to talk about how she made it through that year.
The second story comes from Los Angeles, where 19-year-old Jose Catalan, who is studying to become a math teacher, sat down with his former high school teacher Carlos Vizcarra to talk about how they became friends.
StoryCorps: José Rodriguez and Charles Zelinsky
From StoryCorps | Part of the StoryCorps series | 01:57
José Rodriguez tells his former coach Charles Zelinsky how he got involved in the Special Olympics.
When he was a teenager, José Rodriguez was kicked out of public school.
He was diagnosed with a learning disability and sent to a school for students with special needs.
This qualified him to participate in the New Jersey Special Olympics -- any child or adult with an intellectual disability can take part.
At StoryCorps, José told his former coach Charles Zelinsky what his life was like before he found the games.
José is now a Special Olympics basketball coach -- and will be coaching during the 2012 New Jersey Summer Games.
StoryCorps: Adeline Roccko and Zachariah Fike
From StoryCorps | Part of the StoryCorps series | 01:48
Army National Guard Capt. Zachariah Fike speaks with Adeline Rockko about returning her brother's lost Purple Heart medal.
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Captain Zachariah Fike is an Army National Guardsman on a special mission.
He finds Purple Heart medals for sale in antique stores and on the internet, buys them, tracks down their rightful owners, and returns them.
So far, he has reunited five families with lost medals.
The first one belonged to Corrado Piccoli, an Army translator who was killed in Europe during World War II.
At StoryCorps Captain Fike and that soldier’s sister, Adeline Rockko, remembered their first conversation.
