This podcast interview is with Judy Green, a Manager at MN120. This episode is the next in our "Survive and Advance" series. Throughout the series, we have been holding conversations with survivors of addiction, illness and other life challenges. In this episode, Judy tells us how she survived a house fire in 2018, along with a cancer diagnosis and treatments, and explains how Sport Clips came alongside to assist her financially through the Wayne McGlone Memorial Fund. The Fund was established to support team members in times of need through disaster relief payments. For more details, visit: https://sportclips.com/about-us/haircuts-with-heart/support/team-member-support
| Episode Air Date |
Guest Name |
Guest Title |
Topic(s) |
| April 4, 2019 |
Judy Green |
Manager |
Surviving a house fire and cancer, with help from Wayne McGlone Fund |
Each episode of the Podcast is also available on iTunes and the Google Play store.
Transcription:
Chad Jordan: Hey everybody, this is Chad Jordan, the Director of Marketing for Sport Clips Haircuts, and this is another edition of our Hall of Fame Podcast. Thank you so much for joining us. We have a series of these podcasts called Survive and Advance in which we interview people especially around Sport Clips, working for Sport Clips in one way, shape, or form that have overcome some setback or tragedy or addiction or whatever it is in their lives to become a success here at Sport Clips and a success in their life. I'm here in Minnesota in blizzardy condition and we couldn't think of someone better to have on than our guest today, and we'll explain a little bit more in a while.
Chad Jordan: Why don't I have her introduce herself for us?
Judy Green: Hi, my name's Judy Green from Minnesota Store 120.
Chad Jordan: You are the ... You're managing that [crosstalk 00:00:59]-
Judy Green: I'm the Manager.
Chad Jordan: Okay, you're managing that location. Judy, the reason we wanted her on this Survive and Advance episode is because we have something at Sport Clips called The Wayne McGlone Memorial Fund in which we raise and then distribute funds to team members that are having some sort of financial setback or financial issue and we're able to distribute these funds with the Wayne McGlone Memorial Fund. Judy has been a recipient of that, so I want her to kind of ... This is great because she can put a voice, for those listening on the podcast, and a face, for those watching on the YouTube channel, she can put a voice and a face to The Wayne McGlone Fund and kind of tell us the impact it's had on her life and on her family.
Chad Jordan: Let's take a quick trip down ... You've been with Sport Clips how long?
Judy Green: About five years now.
Chad Jordan: Okay, five years and you came as a stylist? Or where-
Judy Green: Right.
Chad Jordan: Okay. You were a stylist, a team member. How long have you been managing that location?
Judy Green: It's about three, three and a half years.
Chad Jordan: That's one of the Chelbergs-
Judy Green: The Chelbergs
Chad Jordan: Stores? Bob and Marlo Chelberg are the team leaders there and you're managing their location. First three, four years things are ... Your life, everything's rolling along, things are good, and then was it 2018 is kind of when ... Or into 2017 I think you were saying [crosstalk 00:02:26]-
Judy Green: Well, 2018 it started. In January of 2018 our house started on fire. It was about 7:30 in the morning and the only one I could think of to give a call ... I happened to have my phone when I was running out the ...
Chad Jordan: You were home at the time?
Judy Green: Right.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Getting ready for work? Or getting kids [crosstalk 00:02:47]-
Judy Green: I was getting ready for work and it was kind of weird because there ... Smoke started coming up from the vent and you're just kind of dumbfounded. I started walking to the kitchen and when I opened up the kitchen door I just got blasted with smoke. You couldn't even see, but I kind of felt my way through to open up the back door so the dogs could go out [crosstalk 00:03:15]-
Chad Jordan: Is anybody else at home right now?
Judy Green: Yes. My two kids are downstairs where the fire is.
Chad Jordan: Oh my.
Judy Green: I got the back door open and I hear my one son say, "Mom", and by then I'd already heard the pop and new the house was done 'cause the electricity went out and then the smoke was coming so you knew ...
Chad Jordan: How old are your kids?
Judy Green: They're-
Chad Jordan: Are these the ones that were at home?
Judy Green: Yeah. They were 20 and 25. I said, "Just get out! It's done." Chris got out, and then Colton went out through the window, too, but me and Chris are standing outside and I look at him and his hair is white. Well, he's got dark hair like mine and I thought, "When did you do that?" The house is on fire, so you're not thinking [crosstalk 00:04:10]-
Chad Jordan: Right. You're thinking he dyed or bleached his hair or something and ... Yeah.
Judy Green: Yeah, I thought it was like weird and ... Me and Chris are outside and my other son ... It's funny now, it wasn't funny then, but I see him putting a TV, his game system, and games outside. I'm like ... He's got his head out the window. I'm like, "Colton, what are you doing?" "It's really smoky in here." I'm like, "Yeah, the house is on fire."
Chad Jordan: He's saving his ... He's a gamer, so he's saving [crosstalk 00:04:42]-
Judy Green: He's a gamer-
Chad Jordan: Okay, he's saving [crosstalk 00:04:42]-
Judy Green: You got to save the games.
Chad Jordan: Wow.
Judy Green: Not a stitch of clothes went out with him, but get the TV-
Chad Jordan: Priorities, Mom. Come on.
Judy Green: Priorities. We all get out and me and Colton are in the squad car and the cop comes up and he's like, "Yeah, somebody has to get the" ... The Great Danes are Mommy's boys, so [crosstalk 00:05:08]-
Chad Jordan: You've got how many dogs?
Judy Green: Five.
Chad Jordan: Are they all Great Danes?
Judy Green: Well, one passed away, so by the time this airs ... Okay, there's ... The Great Danes went to Marlo and Bob were Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, and then we also had ... Those are the Great Danes. Bruno and Shiloh are the German Shepherds. Sheba's the Siberian Husky-
Chad Jordan: You don't like Pomeranians or little toy poodles or anything? I mean, you got ... You're going big or going [crosstalk 00:05:41]-
Judy Green: No, I want something you don't step on or kick across the room.
Chad Jordan: You've got dogs that you're getting out of the house. You got sons that are having to get out.
Judy Green: The monkey.
Chad Jordan: I'm sorry now?
Judy Green: The monkey. You gotta hear the story.
Chad Jordan: You have a monkey?
Judy Green: Well, hold on.
Chad Jordan: Okay, okay.
Judy Green: The cop comes out to the squad car and he's like, "Well, we got the three dogs out." I go, "There's five dogs and a monkey." He's like, "Oh." They went back and it was the Great Danes that kept running back in, and then so the cops ... He told me that they'd taken Chris to the hospital and-
Chad Jordan: Was he the one that had ... You thought the hair was bleached or something?
Judy Green: Yeah. He actually had third-degree burns on his face, hands and lets.
Chad Jordan: Oh, gosh. You were just so out of it, you didn't see that part of it. You're just kind of in shock, all of this is [crosstalk 00:06:35]-
Judy Green: They wanted Colton to go call Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, and I'm like, "Well, they're only gonna come to me." They're like, "Well, they figured I was gonna get too emotional." They come back after taking Colton for about five minutes and they're like, "Okay, just stay away from the house." I go back there, "Scooby-Doo, Shaggy." They were there like in three seconds. Then we walked off, and then-
Chad Jordan: You're leaving out the monkey part.
Judy Green: I know, but I'm here there. They got Zero, but they had to revive here-
Chad Jordan: What's the name of the monkey?
Judy Green: Sira?
Chad Jordan: Sira, okay.
Judy Green: They did revive her, so ...
Chad Jordan: They found ... They went in and found her?
Judy Green: Yeah, 'cause Colton's like, "Sira's dead." You couldn't see downstairs and she was downstairs, but he opened up her bedroom door, but he just figured she was dead, but they got her.
Chad Jordan: They got her. I mean, are they literally doing mouth-to-mouth to a monkey?
Judy Green: I don't know how they did it, but they said they had to revive her.
Chad Jordan: I need to see the video of that 'cause that [crosstalk 00:07:39]-
Judy Green: We're like ... Or then I'm like, "Where is she?" "Well, we have her in a little kennel outside." Okay, this is January in Minnesota, it was below zero. I'm like, "You can't ... We can't leave her outside." They had her ... We had her in a heated car, so ...
Chad Jordan: The cause of the fire, was that ever determined?
Judy Green: Oh yes.
Chad Jordan: Was it monkey-related? Was there some monkey business?
Judy Green: No. The one who got the third-degree burns ... This is a Mommy lesson, listen to your mother ... He had a kerosene heater, which I told him do not have that on in the house, and we didn't smell it that morning. I didn't know until a couple days later when the insurance company called and they're like, "Yeah, we're gonna send a fire investigator in." They're like, "Oh, they had the kerosene heater." It's like, "Oh, Chris." Normally you would have beat your child for that, but I figured he already did himself in [crosstalk 00:08:37]-
Chad Jordan: Yeah, he got the punishment, yeah.
Judy Green: He punished himself, so then I ... We got all the dogs out, everybody's pretty safe, and then I'm like, "I gotta call" ... Oh, I was calling Marlo 'cause I was supposed to be at the store to open it and I'm like-
Chad Jordan: Marlo's a team leader [crosstalk 00:08:55]-
Judy Green: Marlo's ... Marlo-
Chad Jordan: And her husband Bob, a team [crosstalk 00:08:58]-
Judy Green: Marlo and Bob Chelberg. They're the team leaders, and so I call Marlo. I'm like, "Marlo, my house is on fire." She came over because, of course, now we're outside. We have no car keys, no clothes, no nothing. Marlo brought some ... She was there, I don't know, 10, 15 minutes and she brought over a sweatshirt, 'cause whatever we had just stunk. Marlo took me to the hospital to seek Chris. I kind of peeked in his room and I'm like, "You gotta come in there, Marlo." She's like, "No, you go ahead." Well, I made Marlo go in with me.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, hard for a Mom to see. Yeah.
Judy Green: Oh, I have to show you the pictures. I don't know how it all came up, but Marlo just ... She's like, "Well, bring all the animals and you guys stay at our house", and so-
Chad Jordan: You mean not too many La Quinta Hotels or whatever will take-
Judy Green: No, I-
Chad Jordan: Horses ... Or dogs the size of horses-
Judy Green: Yeah, I don't know how they took the ponies in, but they were ... Seemed excited about it. They were great.
Chad Jordan: Your team leaders actually housed your dogs
Judy Green: Yeah-
Chad Jordan: For you during this and-
Judy Green: And me and my two boys.
Chad Jordan: Oh, your whole family?
Judy Green: Oh, yeah.
Chad Jordan: Oh, okay.
Judy Green: Bring the family.
Chad Jordan: Okay, all right. They brought everybody in-
Judy Green: The daughter gave up her bedroom and ...
Chad Jordan: You end up ... Oh, wait. This is 2018?
Judy Green: Yeah, all of this is [crosstalk 00:10:35]-
Chad Jordan: This is when [crosstalk 00:10:36]-
Judy Green: All of this is [crosstalk 00:10:36]-
Chad Jordan: That's-
Judy Green: Everything is 2018.
Chad Jordan: In January?
Judy Green: That was January.
Chad Jordan: The Super Bowl was in February of 2018 and I-
Judy Green: Everything [crosstalk 00:10:46]-
Chad Jordan: I know in Minnesota, there's no apartments or there's no hotels and there's like a shortage. Is that part of the challenge here? Is that you couldn't-
Judy Green: Well-
Chad Jordan: Really get a quick place to stay-
Judy Green: No, I think-
Chad Jordan: Either-
Judy Green: No, it was like [crosstalk 00:10:58]-
Chad Jordan: Because of the Super Bowl?
Judy Green: There was just so much going on that you're not thinking of ... I think Marlo and Bob, they just wanted to take that away and say, "You come here and then we'll figure it out."
Chad Jordan: You eventually get a place?
Judy Green: Yeah, we were in a temporary housing, which turned out to be full of mold, black mold. We were in that for, I don't know, five months until we found out, and then I'm like, "Oh, let's just move home." We moved home. We didn't have any electricity or water. I'm like-'
Chad Jordan: This is the same place that caught fire?
Judy Green: No ... Oh, yeah. Yeah, 'cause they had most of it built. We just didn't have any of the-
Chad Jordan: The essentials?
Judy Green: The essentials. Who needs a kitchen sink or toiled? They did have a toilet. It was out in the front yard. It was [crosstalk 00:11:52]-
Chad Jordan: Wait, what?
Judy Green: They had an outhouse in the front yard.
Chad Jordan: Okay. This sounds like-
Judy Green: It's either, "Do you want to go camping or live with black mold?"
Chad Jordan: Yeah, right. Yeah.
Judy Green: We lived there before they got that all straightened.
Chad Jordan: Fortunately, 2018 got better from there?
Judy Green: Well, no, not really.
Chad Jordan: All right, so-
Judy Green: They finished the house. About a month later, Bruno, one of our German Shepherds passed away. We got another Great Dane, that's Daphne, and then thought life was good, right? No, in October then they diagnosed me with cancer. It's like ... Well, and I have to say, in 2016, I don't ... You probably don't know this. In the fall of 2016, my brother died of cancer. In the fall of 2017, my mother died of cancer.
Chad Jordan: Oh my.
Judy Green: The fall of 2018 I was a little nervous.
Chad Jordan: Right. When's this shoe gonna drop?
Judy Green: It's like, "Shoot." I ...
Chad Jordan: What did they do? They start you on chemo right away? Or-
Judy Green: Well, the ... I went in and I was supposed to have surgery. Well, I was at work when they called me and said that I wouldn't make it through the surgery.
Chad Jordan: Was it Stage 4? I mean, what ...
Judy Green: Well, they just said my body ... I used to be really skinny, but ... Yeah, that's a funny story.
Chad Jordan: You used to be [crosstalk 00:13:25]-
Judy Green: Well, wait, no. I'm bigger now, ask her. I'm going through radiation and then like six weeks in on the radiation my doctor, he's like, "You're about one of the only ones who gained weight during this." I'd gained 10 pounds in six weeks.
Chad Jordan: Wow. Definitely rare.
Judy Green: My next appointment or close to the last one, he's like, "Yeah" ... He goes, "Your tumor's shrinking abnormally fast." Well, and I figure 'cause 2018's almost over so-
Chad Jordan: Yeah, right. All the badness is leaving as the calendar is dwindling down. You had a house burn down. You had black mold in a house ... I mean, I'm sure people listening in are like, "Wow" ... Actually they should be taking stock of their life and going, "Hey, things aren't that bad. Just because I'm having a bad day, at least I didn't have Judy Green's 2018." You got the C word, you got cancer and you had to face that.
Chad Jordan: I started off this podcast talking about the Wayne McGlone Fund and what that does. Can you describe the process for you with The Wayne McGlone Fund? How it stepped in? How it helped and the timing of it? Can you describe that for me?
Judy Green: Yeah. I mean, last year, 2018 was a pretty financially burdening year as it was. When they said I had cancer, it's like, "Not something else."
Chad Jordan: Gut punch. Yeah.
Judy Green: That helped and making sure there [crosstalk 00:15:09]-
Chad Jordan: Had you known about The Wayne McGlone Fund or what it was? Or-
Judy Green: Yeah, I did, but I'm one of those people ... I work and I pay my own. Yeah.
Chad Jordan: You don't necessarily ... You're not looking for a handout or charity.
Judy Green: Yeah, I don't look for charity.
Chad Jordan: Let's reiterate that's what this Memorial Fund is for. It's to help team members in difficult circumstances to be able to again Survive and Advance, that being the title [crosstalk 00:15:38] of this episode.
Judy Green: Yeah, 'cause no matter the health insurance, you still have your deductibles. You still have to pay $471 a month for insurance, and then your medication, that's all coming [crosstalk 00:15:51]-
Chad Jordan: I imagine [crosstalk 00:15:51]-
Judy Green: Even though you're not getting [crosstalk 00:15:52]-
Chad Jordan: Imagine you're missing some work, right?
Judy Green: Right.
Chad Jordan: Exactly.
Judy Green: It made a relief on my mind having to worry about stuff.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, just a couple of more questions and then we got some lighthearted fun stuff to end with, so it doesn't feel so heavy, but what finally changed your mind to the point where ... I imagine there's other people that are listening that are wired the same way as you. "I'll get by, I'll make it, it's okay." What finally ... How did you relent and say, "You know what, I'm willing to receive help, this could really make a difference in my life"? What changed?
Judy Green: Well, I think Marlo, she had talked about it more with me. I think it helped make me stay away from work, 'cause I'm a workaholic anyway. I love to go to work, and I think it helped that I didn't have to worry about anything.
Chad Jordan: I wonder if that lack of anxiety and the relief of that helped the abnormally quick shrinking that the doctor was seeing in the cancer?
Judy Green: Yeah, 'cause he said, "It's shrinking abnormally fast." I think maybe he was ... Maybe God was saying, "You know what? 2018's almost done."
Chad Jordan: Right, just keep going. Hang in there. That's ... The irony is the whole Survive and Advance terminology that we use in these podcasts really is a nod to March Madness and NCAA basketball tournament where it doesn't matter how you win, you just gotta get to the next game, and that really kind of describes your ... 2019, you're gonna be cutting the nets down. You're a champion, you're advancing because you survived 2018. I'm proud of you, and anyone that's listening that is struggling and kind of ... Not necessarily the same way, it doesn't have to be the exact same situation where you're house your burned down, your Great Danes were staying at ... Your monkey had to get resuscitated, you got black mold ...
Judy Green: Dog dies, get cancer.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, right. I don't think [crosstalk 00:18:15]-
Judy Green: I just-
Chad Jordan: Anybody can replicate the 2018 you had.
Judy Green: I keep saying God only gives you what you can handle.
Chad Jordan: This is true. Yeah.
Judy Green: I say I hope He puts me on vacation in 2019.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, you've certainly earned it. Here's what I want to do. Let's lighten this up for you and for our listeners. I want you to answer these 10 questions for me. They're supposed to be just kind of, whew, questions where you can exhale a little bit. If you're out there and you need access to The Wayne McGlone Memorial Fund, we'll put instructions with this podcast on how to do it. These are just for fun for you, Judy.
Chad Jordan: Number one, which super power would you most like to have?
Judy Green: Super power. I guess just the strength of going on.
Chad Jordan: Like you-
Judy Green: Always staying [crosstalk 00:19:06]-
Chad Jordan: Incredible Hulk-
Judy Green: Incredible Hulk-
Chad Jordan: Strength. I thought you were gonna say something like fire power, fire walker.
Judy Green: No, we'll leave the fire out of it.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, no more fire for you.
Chad Jordan: Number two. What is your personal motto?
Judy Green: My personal motto?
Chad Jordan: Words you live by.
Judy Green: I'd say to be happy.
Chad Jordan: What was that song? Don't Worry, Be Happy?
Judy Green: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, yeah. I like it.
Judy Green: I'm always the happy one. I'm sometimes too happy. I know most of 'em think I'm obnoxiously happy.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, your team members, they like, "Pipe down. Come on."
Judy Green: Yeah. Most ... I probably have three or four birthdays a week.
Chad Jordan: That you're celebrating?
Judy Green: Heck, yeah. I walk in and "Happy Birthday to me!"
Chad Jordan: Okay. Oh, giving ... You're here.
Judy Green: I know.
Chad Jordan: Number three. Other than where you live now, where in the world would you most like to live?
Judy Green: Put me in Hawaii on the beach.
Chad Jordan: You want to go to Hawaii? Okay. There's some stores in Hawaii, so when you're there, you can go on vacation, but you can fill in as well for some team members.
Chad Jordan: Number four. Who's the celebrity you'd most like to meet one day?
Judy Green: Well I did, I met you.
Chad Jordan: Oh my goodness, we're gonna edit that part out so you can put a real celebrity.
Judy Green: Oh. Who's good looking? Oh, does it have to be a celebrity?
Chad Jordan: No, anybody you want to meet. We'll put it out in the universe and see what happens.
Judy Green: Brad.
Chad Jordan: Brad Pitt?
Judy Green: Brad Pitt.
Chad Jordan: Brad Pitt. That's ... He counts ... He kinda counts as a celebrity [crosstalk 00:20:49]-
Judy Green: Yeah, he counts as one. Well, I was thinking of the ... Brady ...
Chad Jordan: Oh, Tom Brady?
Judy Green: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Yeah.
Judy Green: Tom Brady.
Chad Jordan: Yet another celebrity.
Judy Green: I know he is.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, you're good.
Judy Green: He's hot.
Chad Jordan: Okay. We're not ... Now, listen, we're not gonna go down [crosstalk 00:21:01]-
Judy Green: So's Gronkowski-
Chad Jordan: The list of all the hot guys you want to meet, okay? We don't have time for that.
Chad Jordan: Number five. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Judy Green: It's my birthday!
Chad Jordan: It's my birthday. Okay. We ... Yes, and now I know why you say that.
Judy Green: It's karoke.
Chad Jordan: It's karoke?
Judy Green: Yeah, we do karoke. I have to get these guys singing [crosstalk 00:21:21]-
Chad Jordan: Is that karaoke?
Judy Green: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: You call it karoke?
Judy Green: Karoke.
Chad Jordan: Boy, Minnesotans. Okay.
Chad Jordan: Number six. Which sound or noise do you love?
Judy Green: What sound or noise?
Chad Jordan: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Judy Green: It's not fire trucks.
Chad Jordan: It's not the sound of a roaring fire?
Judy Green: No. Let's see. Sleeping dogs.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Sleeping big dogs.
Judy Green: Sleeping big dogs. Ponies. They all sleep [crosstalk 00:21:50] every day with me.
Chad Jordan: Number ... What? What do you have, like a [crosstalk 00:21:53] double king-size ...
Judy Green: I think it's gonna have to get bigger. Did I tell you Fred's coming next month?
Chad Jordan: Is it a puppy?
Judy Green: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Puppy Great Dane or German-
Judy Green: It's gonna be a puppy Great Dane.
Chad Jordan: What sound or noise do you hate?
Judy Green: Sirens.
Chad Jordan: Okay, yeah. I bet. Either ambulance [crosstalk 00:22:11]-
Judy Green: Not coming towards my house-
Chad Jordan: Or a fire ... Yeah [crosstalk 00:22:12].
Judy Green: Oh, and that stupid fire alarm they put in our house. It tells you there's a fire.
Chad Jordan: That's probably ... Yeah.
Judy Green: They put two of 'em in my kid's room.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, they should. Was it Colton who was the one?
Judy Green: No, it was Chris. Colton is in the Army, though.
Chad Jordan: Okay. You're in trouble Chris.
Chad Jordan: What profession other than your own would you have been good at or at least have wanted to try?
Judy Green: A nurse.
Chad Jordan: A nurse. I like that.
Chad Jordan: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Judy Green: My children.
Chad Jordan: Great. It's either that or your zoo.
Judy Green: Well-
Chad Jordan: Right, you're a zookeeper [crosstalk 00:22:51]-
Judy Green: That, but my kids would be upset 'cause they think I like the animals better than them.
Chad Jordan: If Heaven ... This is the last one ... If Heaven indeed exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates many years from now?
Judy Green: There's no fires here.
Chad Jordan: Yes. Excellent. Well, thank you for your bravery and your courage and for surviving and for filling us in a little bit on the difference a Wayne McGlone Memorial Fund can make in a team member's life and a manager's life. You're a walking testimony to it and why we try to raise as much for it as we can. Thanks for joining us today.
Judy Green: Thank you.
Chad Jordan: All right. Thanks everybody.