Michael Shepherd, Mark Shepherd, and Bryan Shepherd

00:00 My name is Mark Shepherd on 57. Today is Saturday, June 26th, 2021. I'm in Atlanta and I'm here with my brothers. Brian, and Michael.

00:15 My name is Michael Shepherd. I am 50 today is the 26th of 2021 on the plan. Of course, with the my brother's a mark, and Bryan.

00:26 And my name is Bryan Shepherd. Today is June 26th. I am 55 and I'm almost here in Atlanta, Georgia.

00:40 Michael. It is so great to be here with you this morning and celebrating your 50th birthday this month. How is turning 50 affected? You?

00:54 That's a good question. It's only been a couple days. I always think of mom on a lot of things, a lot of times and her older and her seventies. And still thinking. Oh man, I pay my body is seventy but I still mentally feel like I'm 23, everybody's got that age of her stuck and I feel like I'm always stuck at about 23 24 that far as my mental, like, I could do this, I could do that. But my body just won't allow the 2050 the bodies 5023. But the body is 50, the body might be 55 55.

01:52 Grown up grown up. We boys. We've always shared a love of sports and, you know, and that's obviously been a big part of both of our Lives. Tell me, tell me about your favorite sports memory in your last time. And you can't say Zach's homework and frisbee golf.

02:16 I don't know. I take away a lot of them. I always tell the same story to a lot of people and I think really what drew me and

02:28 I got a ton of regrets in life. I hate to say that I don't start with that. But one of them is not taking Zack like you did to me. Every time we played in the backyard or every time we played with all your friend. There were other is a five-year difference. I was the youngest one every time, but you were always the captain and you said that's my first and I said hold my language here. I'm not going to let him down. I remember that at that age is no way. I'm going to sacrifice everything and I wish I would have done that. Was that called?

03:06 I hate to lose and I'm sure you do know my life to lose. And that's how you doing that. Stepping out. And taking me first pic. It's like all men. There's no that they gave him. I drive it. Did it really did leave it at that early age. It's just I just found out, there's no way I'm going to let it down. So I think that whole memory or playing with you younger, is it truly is Mother's Day's the Home Run Derby in the driveway and one of the baseball field with her golf ball, go over the cars and everything else. I don't know. That. Is a great by the way, we're very close as a family and surely you and your wife, Renee and her family are very close. What does family mean to you?

04:10 This might be cynical here a little bit, but I think there's really

04:16 As you go through life, there's only a handful of true. Good friends. At the other day. What do you have free for five nights? I think that you can just pick up the phone and say, hey, can you help me with that? No questions, asked, time their family, just on conditional. I don't care for Matt move to Europe tomorrow in three years. From now. I call it as a member, really, we need that you were. There were there. No question that it's unconditional. If they goes on to your kids, are everybody, like most men are truly truly is. And at the end of the day, all you had, I think it is. So I think it's a big part of Mom to call other mother.

05:09 Agreed. So sticking with the kind of what family means to you and the family question, you entered a marriage is obviously a married to their bike to look up. So you guys been together for over 30 years, talk about the successes and maintaining that relationship for so long.

05:33 I got to be careful cuz she listens that today. I want to start out with the negative. But I think I think the commitment of sounds like a relationship, too easy. And I don't care who it is. I think you both got to be dedicated to one another and

05:55 You ride the good times and the hard times, it's if it's a combination of both and I think Renee is the perfect. I think we're the perfect match will be complement each other. In areas that I'm with Dad, and I think there was a huge week at we complement each other, like we have the same values overall, which I think the key thing to have in common, but

06:20 It's War 2. At the same time. You got the wrong relationship. You been in a relationship. They're not, they're not easy at all times. I think that having the commitment and having the trust one another and just

06:42 Knowing that I read it together. So it's she's a great match. You have two great children, and I've been blessed to watch them. Grow up. What do you remember about becoming a parent and holding them for the first time?

07:14 Or I got to watch you some to my first thought, the very first thing is, when Grace was being born. I'm like holy cow. Is that what is that coming out? Is that

07:36 Tamisha stated. I don't know where the other words to describe it is sheer Joy, right? It's just holy cow. It's a

07:48 We talked about this the other day. I think I'm going to motional person anyway, but when you have an experience like that, you bring out other emotions that you never felt before by the Cyclone. May I didn't even know you can think about this or Bill or Bill even more about that? Right? So it's a

08:05 It's one of the same that goes back to the other question. What's family? It's brawl family brawl.

08:17 We love each other. We're having your kid this a little different. It. It's it's it's it's different than there's nothing you might do for them. Nothing. I won't do for you guys, but she has your kid Joel.

08:33 I would do anything for my bed, so much different feeling than I've ever had before.

08:41 Miss Grace Williams, a little different. Now, both are different. They got shows what that fight brawl.

08:56 Got a good core, but we're all different.

09:00 Go to these questions. I mean, obviously, you know, to me, it's brought up a lot of memories and was talked about kids being born. I'll never never forget me. And you looking to each other like idiots from our baby was born dead. And we said

09:24 The kids subject, obviously, Grace's graduating college and will getting ready to finish up high school where you get them as they become adults.

09:43 Caillou goes for everything. Kind of goes back to mom a little bit, but I can tell you this. It doesn't matter. What if I say, I gave him they're not going to listen because it's the same as me. I remember, I think it was 26 when I just, I don't know what time I hit me in the head or something. And I finally go, holy cow everything that Mom ever told me or said or the advice all troop, right? It's all true. And I can say, William and Grace going through the exact same things that I did. But and I could tell him, but at this point on the 50 year old geezer Rodney, you can't see that and Grace is different than William as far as how you give me a dice and William is just like me at that exact same age. So which makes it even harder a little bit because I know the path which way they can go.

10:44 And so, but it's also

10:49 Find the watch him grow at the same time it which I keep him on the right. He's got a lot of future to it. Then to his grace said both too, but it's funny that you do the exact same thing that you did. The advice and goes in one ear and out the other. I always say, I think mistakes and failures great when they have it but I just try want to control that word, doesn't impact her life or anybody else's ride back to their success and I'll take you learn anything from success, I think failure and mistakes and that's how you learn. So I let him do it. Even though when I see that they're going in that direction, they're going to but

11:34 It wasn't around packed and more impactful little different, but the future to them and I think he's got a lot of mom and her mother. And I think of Williams got a lot of me, so they better person than I do. We know family is important to you. So now I have to ask about Mom and Dad. What would an you mentioned Mom several times? But what traits do you think you have of moms?

12:10 We look a lot alike. The family side of things. I think having that value. I think she had great values. I also think I talked about regret. I thought a lot of regrets but I don't dwell on them. So I like to think of the I think I have that positive side that she has. You could always take a train for three weeks and still say we needed the rain is my running joke. I think I always like to look at the bright side of things, which I think is good. I think I have those two things.

12:48 Family values. She has strong family values and just the Battle of her family. So that to you mentioned that I know. Dad passed away when you were very, very young. What experiences do you think you would like to have had with him?

13:14 The tough question.

13:17 Thanks going through marriage right grandkids.

13:24 I have I've known memory, my first, my actually first memory, which is an odd memory. It's just crying and not knowing what I was crying about because everybody else was Prime.

13:37 I know I did what I was crying about. I'm just crying because everybody else is crying.

13:44 I just talked to Zach about this last week, which is kind of never really thought about it. Never really talked about it, but we talked about it.

13:55 It's kind of Zack with Ernie and us with with Dad.

14:01 That's actors. Actors. Is there a sense that you feel different Heaven? Not the same. Father. There is a little bit myself because I really feel like I didn't have one. I really don't and it wasn't already and it wasn't bad. So I was kind of in between I would have called but I called you a course. I called all ready. Already? Because you got caught her memory that I don't know. Cuz I was the only guy I know it's, so it's an in-between. But of course, I would have loved to have had dad just to just to know I'm just, I want want to get my rear end with fine. But from story, The I would love to have him. Go to the ball game. I think I should get older. They only for, for me is.

15:01 What is your ally? I just want to make mom or dad if he was here proud, right? That's it. That's not make him a couple years.

15:21 Lincoln sticking with the gsms for sticking with you know, we we talk about Mom and you know in the challenges she's had in life and you know, I'm just about uses, she is still deny us. What was what do you feel when your cups Challenge? And how did the shape where you can shape you? Where you're at today?

15:47 A couple different challenges. We've all had a few know how to Capital there.

15:58 I've been going to try the first challenge. Might have been the whole school thing for. I didn't graduate high school and then trying to figure out where I was going to go and what direction you want to go, and then

16:13 I actually needed somebody to to fuel the fire. I think. Uh, it was actually, at the end. I remember to this day. I need to call Bob and say thank you alarm of America when I was working with the alarm of America and I just looked around. I saw my ceiling where I was going to go, and I want a little bit more and I told by my boss at the time, I said, you know what, I'm thinking about going back to school and gun shop and see Aaron. I don't worry about it. You don't need to go anywhere. You're fine right here. This is perfect for you. If you do not be too hard to succeed at this point. That's exactly what I needed. Thank you. Bob. That's it. Thank you for that.

17:03 Challenges. Marriage is a challenging right with special mint year 2 students pregnant with no job. No money. I would assume by the number one, the cause of divorce. I would assume he's doing this with the kid on the way with no job that a challenging challenging at the top of your cares. They got no worries in the world. Just let it lie. So it's very odd to me where your challenges in life. When you look back at it afterwards. He said, that's what really counts. Is this a good time to have that perspective, but I kind of have that perspective during the time, which I think Mom is very good at Rotten.

17:52 I mean, I think that moment I was talking about this too on the way home from your house one day. If you did. I mean you went to three different high schools in your freshman year of high school at that was definitely a different time. To exactly going for that. Right? And the funny thing is, I would love to have her crystal ball and change anything not to tell you everything, but my life would be a completely different and all three places. All three places. I can pay you in Las Vegas. I'll be paying college baseball right now and we were pretty good group Houston. I would have been probably in jail and I don't like it. I just don't like it. I'm being sarcastic. I don't think I've been to jail.

18:52 It's the wrong environment. Then I went down with the many people. It was, it was depressing. It was horrible. It was different. I would have different paths. Las Vegas would been different. I love it. I love it. I really did. So when you get the news and moving from, you seen you as happy. Oh, yeah, I don't do that.

19:23 I like you some but I just have to help up. Was it going back to school? And then all the way to Georgia Tech and graduating with honors at Tech?

19:40 That is definitely you should have got it now. I think we can pay for something you pull up with more apprehension at some point. There's a I think you just make it right you, but you're ready to say this, but stop being a kid anymore. So I find but stop being a kid anymore and just grow up and figure something out there for a little bit of a thirst for Learning and knowledge a little bit. Right? That's intriguing, especially when you get into something that you like that. You want to learn more of their, something to that.

20:31 Highlights that I do I do much better. I feel like I'm sure everybody else when you said goes and you sent your stuff to it and you know the pathway to get to it and

20:47 Like I do interesting, you mention that about Las Vegas and being in a group, but who have been your two or three, biggest mentors and in NY because obviously, that's important to you.

21:06 That's hard to take your mother as a mentor, but I think that's one right now and

21:18 You don't have to save me.

21:22 All right, why I was going to say, you boys are all the brothers really and we had this conversation the other day. You were saying that's why the, most of which I think I am. But every year even before my mom passed, I said me and you don't want for Christmas this year. And I was just going to write a nice letter to each one of you of everything that I love about you and what you guys are special about and what you guys mean to me. And I'm a slacker but that I want to do it every year but it's this has been before miles past. It's just because time flies and things go this way and you just don't realize what people mean to you and then you get so many things. I wish I could have said before. It's just

22:14 Having heard to do it right now, have the courage to do it. Your own money to do it. That way. You have to do that. How about with your work? How about a mentor there?

22:36 Going to go through all my jobs. Are, it definitely was not a pretty much pizza cuz they took me out a different Avenue.

22:53 I hate to say that I haven't had a true,. I know what I meant or is and it's somebody to take you under their wings and teaches you to everything. And I thought the most successful people, I don't care how smart you are, or what, you know, or how good you are. You got to have one of those who succeed and I know that and I try to do at with the couple people that work for me that the fight I want you guys to take my job and surpass me. So I'm going to tell you everything, I know teach you everything. I know it's it's my duty to do that. I think.

23:34 I'll take, I'll take stuff from by to take stuff from, but I think by right. But a tad that's not the right there even though it doesn't matter. Even from my

23:46 Bryan, Bryan jobs and it even just stupid stuff like that work. He just does things the right way. Just do it. The right way, right now.

24:01 We talked earlier, you know, we talked earlier a little bit about that. I know you didn't have no memory of Dad, or I have always seen Ernie basically as your father, but without having that true, father, to grow up with what the, what do you what do you hope that your strengths are as a father to your children?

24:26 The unconditional love, right? That there's nothing you can say or can't do that. That won't tarnish that, right.

24:36 Here. Regardless, right now.

24:41 Just I want to say this goodness, but just be good, right? Just be good. Kind hearted right? Do good work. Just I think the work ethic at the key. I love a good work ethic and I don't care what you do gracer Williams. It doesn't matter what you do. You could do whatever you want and be successful at that. So they'd only be sure one of the, one of the best things that Lizzie my daughter said to me. One time, is that I got your work ethics.

25:25 Absolutely.

25:30 What's been one or two of the biggest accomplishments or blessings in your life?

25:40 Family ride, but I think Renee, and the kids has definitely been quite the best thing for me. I would also go with the road for school. I would go that would buy bait number to. That was a long road. Just when you guys get here, I can get my GED, which is depressing. But I love Thomas door that everything's anything's possible that point ride. It goes. And I had to start out with two classes, remedial classes at didn't got that count for anything to get me back, just to start Square. What a pain in the keister.

26:29 Set in along with that and I think we talked about this a little bit. When we talked about you staying in Las Vegas in the school.

26:39 But going back, what we talked about. Yeah. I'm here. You're tougher than we talked about your toughest challenge in the house shape you. Where you're at today.

26:50 Which I think I would go back to that. That was the school. I think gone high. That was a tough challenge.

26:59 We're coming out of the covid-19. Pandemic. How was that challenged? You? What? Have you and Renee learned?

27:12 I hate to say this, we really never stopped but we were still going out to eat being careful. We if anything and I'm sure it's like most people have brought our family closer together. I think her working fast beat working at the house. The kids there just brought us closer. We had more game time than ever before Friday. So I think how you take it on the other end coming out of it and continue some of that Rice. This will be the challenge and the key, if another challenge right? We can continue that but it's the same token. It opens up things for up now, right? So, broken, and together with the vaccine.

27:55 Not another now that you had 50 and, you know, coming out of the income and I was hoping for a graduate from college. I will getting ready to start college know what, what, what comes in mind when you think about great walk and raced, down the aisle, or future of going grandchildren.

28:21 Well.

28:23 Ego. I think I'm going to be a great grandpa. I really do. I'm ready to take a. I don't want the age. I want to fill the body of that. 65 year old, but I'm ready for that. I'm hoping I can live that long to see it cuz I buy knows when their time. So or what? What happened to ride embracing that I would like to see the marriage, but now I am looking forward to all of that. I think that's another great chapter of life. I know I'm can't wait for it.

29:12 Right. I just don't want it pretty fast.

29:28 What are the traits that you think you will have his grandfather? I have no doubt. You'll be a great one. It's one of those traits that you think you will have. I kind of think similar to the Papaw. Papaw was fine. With the train whistle is very playful. I think have an energy. I can see myself coaching baseball or soccer or whatever. It might be for the grandkids, taking him out, for her eyes. That I may just everything at its, you can have all the fun, right? Give them back drink. As much soda here along. I'm glad you mentioned Graham, grandfather and Grandpa Papa, you know.

30:28 What are the memories you have of Peppa?

30:35 As he was getting older, I really came,. So I can repay you for that sounds like cuz I knew his getting older and having problems, but a couple years before he passed, I don't even know why or what I was doing. I said, I'm going to drive up there. I drove up there by myself and we just went out fishing on that. Dirty legs at River. Dirty River. Khaliq? How we throw? Our fishing poles out there and we can catch up. I said we cut the fishing poles out there and no jump in the river that are pulled on that line and whatever. Hopefully, I'll stay there when we get back on. The boat said that we had such a good weekend right there and just say, but he was always like that. He was always

31:33 I think he was always there and I think also having some of my own stories to how he was. So, how's life going in the direction? You thought it would.

31:57 I think it's

32:00 I think, when you look at

32:03 16.

32:05 17. I think you have so many Forks in the road and looking back at that point. I I would have thought I've never been here.

32:17 I think 1821, your forks are still planning, but the you get 2:30 or 4 start to narrow a little bit, right?

32:28 I knew I'd be so successful, but my whole life.

32:38 I ate at this car is kind of hard to Envision, cuz I can see all the different Forks in the road. And even today. You make a different decision and it goes to a different direction. I think you just got to embrace app. Just take it for what it's worth. I do say that. I said it probably couple times. I have a ton of regress, but you just learn from those and nobody's perfect. Nobody's Perfect.

33:02 Well, how is every member being so proud of her? So proud of you, when he was a kid growing up together. I'll tell you, I could be more proud of you. Now, the probably become the, the husband's brother, the son in law that they can do for us bomb. They trying to end on a kind of the movie about Michael Shepherd Sly Cooper, Pediatrics.

33:32 Always get that. I got Kevin Costner look like Kevin Costner. I put my bill on in there, baby.

34:01 Oh, you're you're always laughing. It's always easy. You need to get you to laugh. What what's the funniest thing you've ever witnessed?

34:17 It might have been on myself. I think might be at myself, laughing at yourself by, I think the hardest thing. But it's also the most rewarded. At the same time and that I was it's this will be good for William if he ever listens to it, is that Halloween where we are, passing out, better fingers and somehow he came back with a butter fingers on his chest. And my name is 323 and right after Halloween, we're watching the Ohio state-wisconsin game to a little male bonding. We had all those Butterfingers. He leaves the room to go, use the bathroom, cuz back with butter fingers on his chest, and I swiped it off and ate it, and it was a Butterfinger.

35:04 Arizona is Apollo the number to there but I didn't realize it was a big chuckle. Laugh after the disgusting but laughing at yourself, but I do love laughter is the best medicine better. Leave me alone with him.

35:55 That is, I think that's probably that probably been part of your success and where you are, but, you know, getting through school working, getting a great job. I've been doing construction. But it if you had to do it all over again, would you do something else other than Construction?

36:27 I want a tab. Not that, I'm the best at it, but I think I have an imaginative side there and I would have done it. Dustrial design where you could be a little bit more creative, a little vision.

36:41 But I also think that would been challenged to get the same time because I always think no matter what you do or what, whatever I do. I never finished that it's hard to say. That's it. It's complete wish you would need to have it cut off, but industrial design. What I was going to school and watching the guy here watching the students to shopping cart lounge chairs to. I think they were part of the Texas electrical system on their board. It's it's impressive and you get to look at everything so I would have probably done industrial design.

37:16 Play Rhythm is a Dancer.

37:28 What are you going to?

37:31 What are you hope that Grace and will become play? Enjoy what they do? I think, I wish somebody would have told me that before I made the career decision. It's something you're up, do something you're passionate about and I think, if your passion about anything you're going to succeed at it, I think no matter what it is. I didn't know you were that passion about the hotel business, but you can't nobody ever asked a question. I never even asked myself.

38:16 Braces in the perfect spot for her cuz that's what she loves. I don't know what we must to do. Maybe this is too much. You love and that you can't go wrong with that. Those lines. Are you with you growing up? And you know any kind of the whole school move as a freshman bro. I thought you had such a baseball, your self kind of live in those years, through your son with his competitive. I've had many many conversations with him saying,

38:58 I don't care if you quit baseball, whatever you do, if you're if you're going to do what do it, a hundred percent go after it and I switched a little bit and said that, I don't care if I never want your grades right hand side brake on 1st, and I wouldn't be afraid to start going to different path. You going to pull things where it hurts. I hate to say it, the to look for today for Saline. So he's been good right there bedtime.

39:50 Hubert Bob, and I have seen a lot of the parents with living through their kids and it is horrible. It is horrible. This is his path. Mine has been so great to sit here with you and and talk and ask questions and listen because you're such a great Storyteller and so funny, but is there a question that you wanted us to ask you if we didn't take a question for a question?

40:36 Or I would have said I was thinking, when I said, regrets a lot. There's been a lot of those.

40:52 And I would say one regret is with you. Is the last time we were in Ohio, not letting you have that moment at Dad's, the gray car. That looks like I could tell Mark, was there and it was I didn't realize it at the time and I'm joking and having fun and being myself and I didn't put two and two together that he realized.

41:19 He realized this the last time, the hell scene.

41:22 Right. And it and you did and not let you have that time. Was had to regret.

41:30 I regret that I didn't take Zack like you did with me. I talked about that before just drive. Put him in the car and take him to all those places right now, but you can't do anything. You just each other. You know that we all will be. Are we love each other who we are, so thank you. I love you guys. Love you.