This Independence Day: A Veteran’s Tale of Survival & Commitment to Our Country

This Fourth of July, we celebrate the men and women who have risked their lives for America’s continuing independence. Senior Master Sergeant Israel Del Toro shares his story of resilience after his Humvee was hit by an IED in 2005 while serving in Afghanistan. After being given only a 15% chance of survival, Del Toro re-enlisted in the Air Force with an amputated arm and only partial use of his fingers. Since then, he has dedicated his life to raising his children and serving his country. He joins the podcast to talk about his new book A Patriot’s Promise: Protecting My Brothers, Fighting for My Life, and Keeping My Word, share his journey to recovery, and how he continues to keep a promise he made to his dad at 12 years old.

America’s Crime Crisis: Many major U.S. cities including Los Angeles, New York and St. Louis continue to battle high levels of violent crime, and some lawmakers have voiced concerns that the reason they are struggling is due to Democratic leadership enforcing ‘soft on crime’ policies. Despite this claim, these cities continue electing progressive leaders who support the same approach; to make criminal justice reforms that tackle crime while allowing more chances for rehabilitation. On the Rundown, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones discusses how she is partnering with law enforcement, behavioral health specialists, and mayors across the U.S. to combat the crime crisis. She also explains how she believes the pandemic & inflation have impacted the U.S. crime rate and her plans to strike the right balance between holding offenders accountable & offering second chances.

Plus, commentary by author and vice president of communications for Focus on The Family, Paul Batura.