Sharing the inspirational story behind the movie 'Rule Breakers'
We spoke to Nahid Khajazada, a mechatronics student at CCAC, who was the inspiration behind the 2025 film "Rule Breakers," where a young girl in Afghanistan who wanted to learn robotics defied the Taliban and joined the country's first all-girls robotics team.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Memorial Day event recreates ‘Lone Survivor' hero's grueling Navy SEAL workout: ‘Very moving'
They're a force to be reckoned with. Hundreds of military members and Long Islanders took part in a grueling, emotional event Saturday to commemorate the extraordinary grit of Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, a slain SEAL from Patchogue whose heroics were worthy of Hollywood. Participants of the annual Suffolk County gathering took on the punishing workout routine of the 29-year-old Navy SEAL, who was killed in action in 2005, deliberately sacrificing himself to Taliban gunfire to call in reinforcements during a famous mission portrayed in the Peter Berg film 'Lone Survivor.' 'It's a 1-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, capped off with another 1-mile run,' said former SEAL Kaj Larsen, who was Murphy's roommate during Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training, or BUD/S, to The Post. 'To do it at the full expression of the Murph, you do it wearing a 20-pound bulletproof vest,' Larsen said. Larsen and Murphy, who Taylor Kitsch portrays as a main character in the 2013 flick, first concocted the daunting exercise on their base in Coronado, Calif. Larsen, now 47, re-enacted it Saturday along with nearly 350 other people at the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in Sayville, running his first mile with an American flag in hand in honor of his dear friend. 'I know if Mike were down here, we'd be right next to each other, pushing ourselves, seeing who could win,' said Larsen, who knew many of the other 18 service members who perished along with Murphy during 'Operation Red Wings' in Afghanistan in late June 2005. Since the museum opened in 2022, the annual Memorial Day Weekend event has exponentially increased in local popularity, according to Executive Director and former SEAL Chris Wyllie. He noted that one woman flew in from Italy just to do 'The Murph' challenge. 'My big focus is making this an emotional experience that's so positive and fun that people want to come back and want the news to spread,' Wyllie said. For Murphy's brother, John Murphy, a 37-year-old SUNY police officer stationed in Stony Brook, it represents a bigger picture. 'It's very moving and very nice to see that people appreciate and have not lost sight of the meaning behind this weekend,' he said. The beginnings of the event date back to 2007, when Air Force Capt. Joshua Appel — the man who recovered Murphy's body from the horrific firefight — first tried it in a Tucson, Ariz., gym to venerate the sacrifice of the SEALs and the Army Night Stalkers, the nickname for an elite military air group, that day. 'The Murph' went on become a Memorial Day Weekend tradition done by athletes around the globe. 'Michael could do it in about 32 minutes, but once in Iraq, he was able to in 28,' said his father, Daniel Murphy, a Vietnam veteran heavily involved in the museum. A few years ago, the dad moved to Wading River, LI, to be closer to Calverton National Cemetery to visit Michael's grave about twice a week. During visits there, he talks to his son, updating him on what's happening in the museum and lets him know who stopped in. 'I'm going to tell him how competitive it was this year,' Daniel Murphy said. 'We've had two people who did it in 33 minutes and 34 minutes. I'll explain to him that, and how many people came through this time.' Muprhy's mother, Maureen Murphy, who regularly gives tours at the museum, appreciates that the event helps more people 'get to know' her son. 'He had a big heart, and honestly, he could have his leg or his arm torn off and not cry,' she said of her son, who was a lifeguard and Penn State graduate before becoming a SEAL. 'But if his friends were having a hard time, he'd cry with them,' she said. Larsen remembers how Murphy's call to duty was only rivaled by his caring for his buddies, even in just the littlest ways, such as when Larsen had to go through SEAL hell week after he did. 'I was like, cold, almost hypothermic, on just the hardest, hardest night,' Larsen recalled. 'Out of nowhere, I see this figure in camouflage sneak around the corner of the barracks with a Snickers bar — and it was Murph. He took care of his brothers,' he added of the beloved man widely nicknamed 'the protector.' Nearly two decades since his death, Murphy — who posthumously awarded the medal of honor — is still changing lives, including 16-year-old Finn Schiavone of Bay Shore, who was paralyzed in middle school from a wrestling accident. The wheelchair-bound teen met Dan Murphy at the museum and credits the family for helping him find the strength to recover fully through rigorous physical therapy. 'I don't even know how to explain it. They instilled a sense of drive into me,' said the high-schooler, who marvelously completed the challenge this year. 'I want to apply to the Naval Academy and hopefully become a SEAL,' said Schiavone, who wore a weighted vest signed by Robert O'Neill, the SEAL who killed Osama Bin Laden.
New York Post
25-05-2025
- New York Post
Memorial Day event recreates ‘Lone Survivor' hero's grueling Navy SEAL workout: ‘Very moving'
They're a force to be reckoned with. Hundreds of military members and Long Islanders took part in a grueling, emotional event Saturday to commemorate the extraordinary grit of Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, a slain SEAL from Patchogue whose heroics were worthy of Hollywood. Participants of the annual Suffolk County gathering took on the punishing workout routine of the 29-year-old Navy SEAL, who was killed in action in 2005, deliberately sacrificing himself to Taliban gunfire to call in reinforcements during a famous mission portrayed in the Peter Berg film 'Lone Survivor.' 4 Lt. Commander Kai Larsen, LT Michael P. Murphy's roommate in Seal Training, leads off over 300 participants, one from as far away as Italy, in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark 'It's a 1-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, capped off with another 1-mile run,' said former SEAL Kaj Larsen, who was Murphy's roommate during Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training, or BUD/S, to The Post. 'To do it at the full expression of the Murph, you do it wearing a 20-pound bulletproof vest,' Larsen said. Larsen and Murphy, who Taylor Kitsch portrays as a main character in the 2013 flick, first concocted the daunting exercise on their base in Coronado, Calif. Larsen, now 47, re-enacted it Saturday along with nearly 350 other people at the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in Sayville, running his first mile with an American flag in hand in honor of his dear friend. 'I know if Mike were down here, we'd be right next to each other, pushing ourselves, seeing who could win,' said Larsen, who knew many of the other 18 service members who perished along with Murphy during 'Operation Red Wings' in Afghanistan in late June 2005. 4 Navy Lt. Michael Murphy was killed in action by the Taliban in 2005. LP Media Since the museum opened in 2022, the annual Memorial Day Weekend event has exponentially increased in local popularity, according to Executive Director and former SEAL Chris Wyllie. He noted that one woman flew in from Italy just to do 'The Murph' challenge. 'My big focus is making this an emotional experience that's so positive and fun that people want to come back and want the news to spread,' Wyllie said. For Murphy's brother, John Murphy, a 37-year-old SUNY police officer stationed in Stony Brook, it represents a bigger picture. 'It's very moving and very nice to see that people appreciate and have not lost sight of the meaning behind this weekend,' he said. A hero's memory The beginnings of the event date back to 2007, when Air Force Capt. Joshua Appel — the man who recovered Murphy's body from the horrific firefight — first tried it in a Tucson, Ariz., gym to venerate the sacrifice of the SEALs and the Army Night Stalkers, the nickname for an elite military air group, that day. 'The Murph' went on become a Memorial Day Weekend tradition done by athletes around the globe. 'Michael could do it in about 32 minutes, but once in Iraq, he was able to in 28,' said his father, Daniel Murphy, a Vietnam veteran heavily involved in the museum. A few years ago, the dad moved to Wading River, LI, to be closer to Calverton National Cemetery to visit Michael's grave about twice a week. During visits there, he talks to his son, updating him on what's happening in the museum and lets him know who stopped in. 'I'm going to tell him how competitive it was this year,' Daniel Murphy said. 'We've had two people who did it in 33 minutes and 34 minutes. I'll explain to him that, and how many people came through this time.' 4 Over 300 people participated, one from as far away as Italy, in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark Muprhy's mother, Maureen Murphy, who regularly gives tours at the museum, appreciates that the event helps more people 'get to know' her son. 'He had a big heart, and honestly, he could have his leg or his arm torn off and not cry,' she said of her son, who was a lifeguard and Penn State graduate before becoming a SEAL. 'But if his friends were having a hard time, he'd cry with them,' she said. Larsen remembers how Murphy's call to duty was only rivaled by his caring for his buddies, even in just the littlest ways, such as when Larsen had to go through SEAL hell week after he did. 'I was like, cold, almost hypothermic, on just the hardest, hardest night,' Larsen recalled. 4 Sixteen-year0old Finn Schiavone, who was wheelchair bound last year due to a wrestling injury, competed today in the 2025 Murph Challenge at The LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum in West Sayville, NY. Dennis A. Clark 'Out of nowhere, I see this figure in camouflage sneak around the corner of the barracks with a Snickers bar — and it was Murph. He took care of his brothers,' he added of the beloved man widely nicknamed 'the protector.' Nearly two decades since his death, Murphy — who posthumously awarded the medal of honor — is still changing lives, including 16-year-old Finn Schiavone of Bay Shore, who was paralyzed in middle school from a wrestling accident. The wheelchair-bound teen met Dan Murphy at the museum and credits the family for helping him find the strength to recover fully through rigorous physical therapy. 'I don't even know how to explain it. They instilled a sense of drive into me,' said the high-schooler, who marvelously completed the challenge this year. 'I want to apply to the Naval Academy and hopefully become a SEAL,' said Schiavone, who wore a weighted vest signed by Robert O'Neill, the SEAL who killed Osama Bin Laden.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
A Nat Geo documentary caused my husband's murder, widow says in lawsuit
The widow of an Afghan man – whose lawyer says was tortured and killed by the Taliban after his identity was revealed in an Emmy-winning National Geographic documentary – has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the filmmakers in Los Angeles. Omar Khan — whose good looks earned him the nickname 'Justin Bieber' — was among a group of Afghan mine-clearers who appeared in the film, 'Retrograde.' The documentary, which chronicled the final chaotic months of America's 20-year war in Afghanistan, debuted on National Geographic channel and Hulu in December 2022. Soon after, a TikTok video circulated in Afghanistan showing scenes from the film and then Khan was seized by the Taliban and tortured for over two weeks, according to the widow's lawyer, John Uustal, and two former Green Berets who remain in touch with other Afghans who were close to Khan. He died of his injuries in April 2023 at the age of 25. His ordeal was detailed at a congressional hearing on the threat of Taliban reprisals in 2024, as well as in a Washington Post story that was published months later. The lawsuit names as defendants several companies behind the film, including Disney, National Geographic and Hulu. The film showed close-up images of Khan and other mine-clearers even though its director and producer had been warned that doing so would jeopardize their lives, according to the lawsuit and the two former Green Berets who spoke to NBC News. 'Military personnel warned defendants about safety concerns regarding the identities of individuals who had assisted U.S. operations appearing in the film,' says the suit, which was filed last month in Superior Court in Los Angeles. 'Despite these warnings, defendants did not take appropriate measures to protect the identities of individuals appearing in the film.' Representatives for Disney, Nat Geo and Hulu did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The director, Matthew Heineman, and producer, Caitlin McNally, also did not respond to requests for comment. National Geographic had previously said in a statement to The Washington Post that it took down the film in "an abundance of caution." 'We were devastated to learn of the death of one of those brave Afghans and our heart goes out not only to his family but to all those still in danger as they fight against a brutal terrorist organization," it added. Heineman and McNally told The Washington Post in a statement that they 'have no recollection' of receiving specific warnings about the showing the Afghan bomb-clearers in the film. They called Khan's death "a heartbreaking tragedy." The film won three Emmy awards in 2023, as well as an Edward R. Murrow Award for feature documentary. But it was pulled from its platforms last year after The Washington Post began inquiring about whether certain scenes may have placed some of the subjects in danger of retaliation. 'This man was a hero,' said the lawyer representing Khan's family, Uustal of the Kelley | Uustal Law Firm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 'He trusted that those documenting his bravery would take the most basic steps to protect his safety. But they didn't even blur his face.' Khan was part of a specially trained unit, known as the National Mine Reduction Group, tasked with identifying and disabling the insurgents' weapon of choice against American soldiers: improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. It was an exceptionally dangerous job that put the Afghans in harm's way on a daily basis, said Dave Elliott, a former Green Beret. 'Special operations soldiers are often referred to as the tip of the spear,' Elliott said. 'These guys were the tip of the tip.' 'I don't know how many lives can be attributed to them,' added Elliott, 'but it's gotta be in the thousands, and that's just U.S. forces.' Elliott is now the deputy director of the nonprofit 1208 Foundation, which provides assistance to Afghans who worked with U.S. Special Forces. The group's executive director, Thomas Kasza, said there are still several Afghans whose faces were shown in the film and remain in danger in Afghanistan due to bureaucratic delays in a special visa program designed to help Afghans who worked with the U.S. military. Kasza testified at a congressional hearing on the dangers of Taliban reprisals in January 2024. He urged lawmakers not to turn their backs on the Afghans who risked their lives for the U.S. 'As Retrograde became a hit in Hollywood, it became a hit list in Afghanistan,' Kasza told a subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. 'A hit list which the Taliban used to identify, abduct, torture and kill one who my organization pledged to protect: a [25]-year-old father named Omar.' Kasza told the lawmakers that an Afghan member of his foundation spoke to Khan while the man was on his deathbed and recorded his account. 'When the Taliban had me, they showed me the 'Retrograde' movie and said you have worked with foreign forces and also worked in the movie,' Khan said, according to Kasza. 'They found me through the 'Retrograde' movie and are still asking villagers and my family members about me." This article was originally published on
