Latest news with #motivationalSpeaker
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Decorated double amputee former Marine, 36, is charged with heinous act on 13-year-old girl
A heavily-decorated former Marine who lost both his legs in Afghanistan has been charged with repeatedly raping a 13-year-old girl. Brandon Rumbaugh, 34, was charged on Tuesday for the vile acts he allegedly committed while the victim slept over at his home in Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania. Police launched an investigation into the sickening claims on May 5 after receiving a report from a child protective agency. The girl told cops Rumbaugh, a well known motivational speaker, is family friend who she has known since she was 10. When she turned 11 or 12, the father-of-two allegedly started contacting her over the phone. The abuse began when she turned 13 and started staying over at his house, where he gave her alcohol and forced her into sex, she told detectives. She reportedly stayed at Rumbaugh's home three times in April. He did not attack her the first night, she said. They went to the gym and watched military movies. But he allegedly raped her twice each night the second and third times she stayed at his house. He once gave her alcoholic iced tea before he assaulted her, she claims. Describing how the liquor affected her, she said 'she didn't feel like herself,' the criminal complaint reads. She also slept in the same bed as the accused predator on one occasion, with another person sleeping across the hall, police said. Rumbaugh had tried to scare her into silence, allegedly telling her to 'to keep this a secret until she was eighteen years old'. The former marine is now facing a slew of charges including rape, statutory sexual assault and furnishing alcohol to minors. He was arrested and is being held in jail without bond. Rumbaugh is due in court on Wednesday. His Pittsburgh-area community members are now grappling with the shocking news after he was for years treated as a hero for his military service. Uniontown resident Jenn Smith told CBS: 'He's supposed to be a positive person for this community and now this is coming out.' She added: 'It teaches us we need to be a little more careful with our babies.' Another woman said on Facebook: 'Hopefully he gets what he deserves for something so horrible.' She added: 'We need to protect our children and send this message that this will not be tolerated.' 'Hey just wanted to pop by and say I hope you go to prison forever. Best of luck,' someone commented under one of Rumbaugh's Instagram posts. Rumbaugh lost both his legs after stepping on a landmine while carrying another Marine to safety in 2009. 'I had to learn to be independent at 21 years old, starting a whole new life without either of my legs,' he told The Daily Nebraskan in 2018. 'My life wasn't over, but I had to find a new path.' He went on to become a motivational speaker and the CEO of Action Conquers Terror. Aside from being celebrated on multiple occasions, he was recognized by the US Marines with a Commendation Medal for valor.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- CBS News
Brandon Rumbaugh, Pittsburgh-area veteran and motivational speaker, charged with raping 13-year-old
Brandon Rumbaugh, a Marine veteran, double amputee and motivational speaker from the Pittsburgh area, is facing charges after police said he had sex with a 13-year-old girl multiple times. According to court paperwork, the investigation into Rumbaugh began on May 5 after Allegheny County police received a ChildLine report about a 13-year-old girl who said she had been sexually assaulted several times by a 34-year-old man. During an interview, the victim told police that she had known Rumbaugh, whom she described as a family friend, since she was 10 years old, and when she was about 11 or 12, she started to talk to him on the phone. (Photo: KDKA) Police said the victim told detectives she spent the night in Rumbaugh's home in Pleasant Hills three times. The first time, she said nothing happened, but the two other times, she said Rumbaugh raped her twice each night, the criminal complaint says. One time, she told police Rumbaugh bought her alcoholic iced tea, which she drank before they had sex, "but she didn't feel like herself." Police said Rumbaugh told the victim "to keep this a secret until she was eighteen years old," according to court paperwork. In 2009, Rumbaugh lost both legs in Afghanistan and now works as a motivational speaker. He was also recognized by the U.S. Marines with a Commendation Medal for valor. Rumbaugh is facing a slew of charges, including rape, sexual assault, indecent assault and aggravated indecent assault.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Survivor of Mount Everest avalanche that killed thousands remembers moment of terror
A decade after surviving a devastating earthquake and avalanche on Mount Everest, adventurer Alex Staniforth is marking the anniversary with an ambitious feat: climbing 446 mountains across England and Wales. In 2015, a 19-year-old Staniforth was on his second attempt to summit Everest when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal. The quake triggered an avalanche that swept down the mountain, an experience Staniforth vividly remembers. The disaster claimed thousands of lives and left thousands more injured. 10 years on from the earthquake, he recalled: 'At this point, I wasn't aware of an earthquake. I didn't feel the ground shaking, but my teammates did. I was completely on my own, and I remember feeling something was wrong. 'I could sense there was an avalanche coming towards us, but I couldn't see it because the cloud was so bad… I remember feeling really confused, and then feeling this massive blast of white just knocking me off my feet. 'For the first time in my life, at 19, (I remember) thinking 'This is it, game over', and that sickening feeling of fear that I've never really felt before.' The motivational speaker, who lives in Kendal, Cumbria, said he is 'grateful' to have survived the avalanche and is now commemorating 10 years since the earthquake by scaling 446 mountains across England and Wales in 50 days for charity. In the UK, a mountain is generally considered to be a summit of more than 2,000ft (600m), according to the Ordnance Survey. Mr Staniforth said: 'I'm very grateful that I survived that day, but I think, ever since then, I've just tried to make it count and try to give something back, and I hope that this challenge will do that.' He is raising money for Mind Over Mountains, the charity he founded in 2020, which focuses on using walks in nature and venturing outdoors as a tool to support people with mental health issues. He said the charity helps to 'give people the tools to stay mentally and physically well' by providing safe spaces for people to walk and talk about challenging topics around mental health and suicide. 'The outdoors has always been my natural health service, and I want other people to have access to that,' he said. 'By doing this challenge, it's not only opening conversations around mental health and suicide, but it's actually directly providing more access to (the outdoors), which, for me, is what makes it all worthwhile.' The challenge started on Friday with the mountains of Yes Tor and High Willhays in Dartmoor, Devon, and Mr Staniforth is expected to finish in the Lake District at the end of June to mark his 30th birthday. The whole journey will be human-powered because he is running and cycling to every mountain before scaling each one. His bike ride was 103 miles (166km) and his longest run to come will be 36 miles (58km), while his highest mountain climb will see him tackle 11,483ft (3,500M) of ascent. He said he wants his challenge to provide a 'bit of hope' for young people, particularly those approaching their 30s, who might be struggling to find a sense of purpose in life. 'I think when a lot of people reach 30… they feel like they're not where they should be or they feel like they're not where they want to be,' he said. 'There's a lot of mental health challenges and depression, and I just wanted to be a bit of hope for those people that things can go wrong but you can always pick yourself up and find another way. 'I think Everest, for a long time, was like my idea of success. It was like the be all and end all, and actually it's given me much bigger opportunities.' The adventurer has already faced ankle issues and feeling sick from the 6,500 calories he is eating daily, but said the recent good weather and support from his team has encouraged him to persevere. The journey will see him travel from Dartmoor to Bristol and through the Brecon Beacons and North Wales, before reaching the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland and the Lake District. So far, Mr Staniforth has raised nearly £12,000 of his £100,000 target which forms part of Mind Over Mountains' Project 500 campaign to raise £500,000.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man claims cafe refused to serve him and looked like they'd 'seen a ghost' because of his facial tumours
A man with a facial disfigurement says he was refused service in a cafe after customers stared at him like they had 'seen a ghost'. Amit Ghose has a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 1 which causes benign tumours to grow on his nerves. The 35-year-old was visiting his sister Shilu Sen in Wood Green, London, last month when they went out for a coffee. When he entered a cafe he says he noticed people were looking at him 'like they'd seen a ghost'. As Amit ordered a drink, he says he was told by staff that they were 'no longer serving'. Amit, an author and motivational speaker, said: 'We as people with visible differences face this discrimination time and time again. 'I went into this coffee shop and it was full people, mainly men, and they were all just staring at me, like they'd seen a ghost. 'The barista told me they weren't serving anymore, and then just turned and walked away. 'It was not a good feeling obviously - I felt neglected. 'It's not very inclusive, it's not acceptable to be subjected to that kind of behaviour. 'I was disheartened walking out that coffee shop. But I went to another one an hour later and they were really lovely.' Amit, from Birmingham, was born with the rare genetic condition that affects approximately one in 2,500 to 3,000 people worldwide. At the age of 11, Amit had his left eye surgically removed which led to him wearing an eye patch for six months while his prosthetic eye was built. Despite his disability, Amit gives talks in schools about his condition and has written a children's book called 'Born Different.' He said: 'A kid once said to me: "You don't need a Halloween mask, you've got one for life." 'That comment absolutely broke me, I still think about it every Halloween.' At the age of 11, Amit had his left eye surgically removed which led to him wearing an eye patch for six months while his prosthetic eye was built After learning to 'accept' his facial difference and with the support of his wife Piyali, 28, Amit started sharing his story online to help others. He has gained 300,000 followers across his social media platforms over the past two years, and even quit his job as a regional manager at a law firm to pursue a career as a motivational speaker, content creator. and a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Business Partner. Amit added: 'People with visible differences are human beings. 'I want to help other people find validation and security in themselves.' FACT BOX TITLE Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic condition where tumours grow on the nerves and skin. NF1 is a lifelong condition that usually gets worse over time. It is caused by an altered gene and ometimes the altered gene is passed on to a child by one of their parents (inherited). But sometimes a child can be born with NF1 even if their parents do not have the altered gene. If you have NF1, there's a 1 in 2 (50%) chance of passing the affected gene on to any children you have. There's currently no cure, but treatment can help manage the symptoms. Symptoms of NF1 can include: Light brown patches of skin (café-au-lait spots) – these may be harder to see on brown and black skin Freckles in your armpits or around the tops of your legs lumps on or just under your skin (neurofibromas) that can be painful or itchy – these tend to appear during the teenage years or early 20s Yellow-brown raised dots on the coloured part of your eye (iris) that do not usually affect vision Eye problems, such as a squint, reduced vision, or a bulging eye (which can sometimes cause further symptoms like headaches or feeling and being sick) A large head and below average height Learning difficulties
SBS Australia
10-05-2025
- General
- SBS Australia
How motherhood and struggles led her to become a life coach
Lee Montajes is a registered nurse, certified life coach, motivational speaker and professional master of ceremonies. But she says what grounds her the most is her family. Originally from the Philippines, Lee and her family had settled in the UK before the global financial crisis pushed them to seek refuge elsewhere. Lee recalls how they slept on the floor, used a discarded hospital drape as a mattress, and moved from place to place, clinging to each other for support. Despite starting from scratch, she is grateful for those early experiences, as they shaped her resilience and deepened her gratitude. SBS Filipino 10/05/2025 34:07 Her journey, like that of many migrant mums, is filled with courage and quiet sacrifice. Originally from the Philippines, Lee and her family had settled in the UK before the global financial crisis pushed them to seek refuge elsewhere. 'We came to Australia just for respite care. The plan was to go back to the UK once the world settled down. We had no family here. It was exciting, but also daunting.' Landing in Adelaide with no support system, Lee and her husband had to start from scratch with three children in tow. 'We slept on the floor. We used an old operating theatre drape as a mattress. We moved houses several times. There were moments I questioned everything. We took a leap of faith." How she shaped her family to be resilient Despite the fear and hardship, she held her family together. 'I had to be brave. Even when I didn't feel strong, I had to show my kids what resilience looks like.' One moment she'll never forget happened during their early days of settling in Australia. 'We were walking one day, with one child in the pram, when my other child asked, 'Are we poor?' That broke me. But I reminded myself, this is just a season and we won't stay here forever.' What was supposed to be a short stay turned into something more permanent when a few new friends encouraged her to give Australia just a few more months. 'Winter came, and it was beautiful. I started seeing the opportunities for my children, for my family.' Motherhood her greatest teacher Motherhood, for Lee, has been her greatest teacher. 'Being a nurse taught me skills, but being a mother taught me patience, purpose, and perspective. It's not always about having everything figured out.' As a mum, she also taught her children respect, gratitude, and empowerment. 'I want to raise children who respect both cultures, who are inclusive and proud of where they came from.' Now deeply rooted in Australia, Lee uses her voice to uplift others. Her healthcare experience and motherhood, combined with her work as a life coach and speaker, have fueled her passion for helping others unlock their full potential. Motherhood shaped the woman I am today. The highs and lows made me strong, and I taught my children that no matter what happens, there's always something to be grateful for. Lee Montajes- Mother, registered nurse, a certified life coach, a motivational speaker, professional master of ceremonies 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
