Chef André Rush: Strength Through Service

Mick Hunt (0:00)

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André Rush (0:37)

And so instead of saying survivors remorse is survivors' life.

You know, it's a remembrance of to remind everyone that life is short. You never know. Check on each other. Be with each other. Never take it for granted.

Mick Hunt (0:57)

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of Mick Unplugged. And today, not only is a bucket list moment, but we're about to have a conversation with a guy that really sparked me into understanding mental health awareness and how I can contribute to make sure that mental health awareness stays on the forefront of everyone. We're talking about the White House chef who turned into a viral sensation.

He was a US. Army combat veteran and mental health advocate with biceps as big as his heart. From the battlefield to the kitchen, from discipline to inspiration, he is fearless, he is passionate, he is unstoppable, and he is someone that I call a mentor. We're talking to none other than Chef André Rush. Chef, how are you doing today, brother?

André Rush (1:45)

Brother, I'm doing absolutely blessed, thank you so much for that amazing introductory. I will say the same thing right back at you, your inspiration to me, and thank you for everything that you do in being here.

Mick Hunt (1:56)

Man, Chef, you know, I was telling you before, huge fan of yours, but where I became a fan, man, was when you were talking and promoting 22 pushups a day, what that meant to veterans and the suicide rate, and it really touched me, man. Like I wasn't someone who served, but I have a lot of friends and family who did. And I understand everything that you were saying in those messages. And that truly inspired me, man. Like, you don't have to be the person going through it to help. You can be the person that can check in on your friends, as I like to say, doing a checkup from the head up, right? Like, just asking people how they're doing, just talking goes such a long way.

But I didn't get that until you, bro. So I just wanted to tell you thank you for that. And what that means to me and the people that I'm in connection with as well.

André Rush (2:50)

No, thank you. Thank you for that. And you know, it's crazy because I didn't know how much I needed. You know, my mind, what I do in giving back is helping me even more. So when people say thank you, Chef, and I say thank you back, they have no idea how much and how heartfelt when I say it back to them, because they're actually literally helping me. You know, and it's funny because a lot of people started at 22 You know, I was doing the 22 a day and then I started doing the 222, and I started doing the 2222 as a logistician strategically because I wanted that number to mean something. You know, you say 22 a day, like, okay, you kind of blew it off. But even when I was started doing those high numbers, people would always say, wow, and they're like, what is the significance for it, behind it?

You know, that's the hook line and sinker. And then you bring some money into your world. And then you realize that you're both sharing the same world already and they didn't even know it. And so when they started doing it, you know, I've had so many people to come and just said, you know, from the neck up, head up, how not only did it change their lives in a physical aspect, in a mental aspect, in a health aspect, in a social aspect as well.

Mick Hunt (4:03)

Yeah, man, like you inspire so many.

I guess I got to get mine up to 2222 a day so I can one day look like you. But speaking of looking like you, man, like there's so many places I want to go. A lot of people don't know this. Looking at you, you would think, oh, Chef was a linebacker or whatever in football. But you had some sweet feedback in the day in high school, huh? It was the running back, Chef.