The Hard Way With Joe De Sena

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Down Syndrome, Ironman Triathlons, and Never Quitting: Robert Norris on Doing the Work

June 09, 2026

A doctor said he needed knee surgery. He said no. Robert Norris is 22 years old, has Down syndrome, and completes Ironman triathlons without a guide. He taught himself to ride a bike, swam with Navy SEALs in the Hudson River, ran the Boston Marathon through bloody blisters, and trains daily with a volume most able-bodied athletes never touch: 80-mile bike rides, 10-mile runs, 2100-yard swims.   Joe De Sena sits down with Robert and his mother, Wanda, a retired Navy veteran, to unpack how a s...

Herb Thompson on Leaving Safety, Owning Your Journey, and Earning the Green Beret

June 02, 2026

Herb Thompson had already made it. He was Drill Sergeant of the Year, on a clear path to a top enlisted career, and could have stayed where it was safe. He didn't. In this conversation with Joe De Sena, Special Forces veteran Herb Thompson explains why he walked away from the secure path to chase the dream he had since childhood: becoming a Green Beret.   Herb breaks down fear of failure, why most people talk instead of act, how he survived Special Forces selection without feedback, and what...

Four Warriors on Combat, Survival, and What It Takes to Keep Going When Everything Breaks

May 26, 2026

Nine soldiers in a hilltop position. Rocket-propelled grenades and machine gun fire from every direction. Seven killed. One man left on the radio, calling for help that was not coming. That is where this episode begins. In this Memorial Day special of The Hard Way, Joe De Sena sits down with four men who faced the most extreme physical and mental breaking points a human being can endure.   Medal of Honor recipient Ryan Pitts fought alone and was wounded at a remote observation post in Afgha...