Section II
The Past That Shaped Today
Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”
— Popularized by Charles Dederich, with earlier usage attributed to Emmett Grogan
Tony Robbins
“As I looked around, everyone was busy taking calls, walking with purpose, animated in meetings. The place felt as alive and inspiring as the pages of his book had been to me. At the end of the paperwork was a question: What does success mean to you? That was easy. I wrote, word for word, the quote I’d memorized from Ralph Waldo Emerson at the start of Unlimited Power:
SUCCESS
‘To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived — this is to have succeeded.'
— Ralph Waldo Emerson”
— me – Being What I’ve Always Been
Boot Camp
“As I stood up to toss my trash, still chewing, I collided headlong into an unfamiliar drill instructor. He was impossibly close — his breath mixing with the clatter of trays and the distant hum of conversation — when his voice exploded in my face:
‘Attention! What is your problem, Airman? You’ve been told not to stand up until you have completely finished chewing and swallowing your food!’
My heart hammered against my ribs, the noise in the chow hall fading into a thick, suffocating silence. Every eye seemed locked on me, hundreds of recruits witnessing my humiliation as the drill instructor demanded, ‘Swallow it!’”
— me – Being What I’ve Always Been
Alicia
“When I finally arrived at UCLA, I learned I was too late for the delivery. The hospital staff explained that they had to rush the gurney to the operating room — tilted with feet high in the air — to help prevent the birth from happening right on the helicopter landing pad atop the hospital building.
And so, our second daughter, Alicia, was born on August 7th, 1992, at a fragile weight of just over 3 pounds — too fragile for me to hold just yet. Once she was stabilized in the neonatal intensive care unit, and after an intense scrub‑down before entry, I was finally allowed to see her. As I stepped into the dimly lit NICU, I was flooded with a complex mix of emotions: relief that she was alive and receiving care, fear for what lay ahead, and awe at her tiny, resilient presence. Seeing Alicia — so small and vulnerable, with electrodes and IV’s attached to her — I felt my heart both break and swell with love. A weight lifted knowing she had the help she needed, but I couldn’t help wondering what her chances of survival were.”
— me – Being What I’ve Always Been
Competition: Round 1
“Just as the event was getting underway, life delivered a blow that would change everything.
The convention hall buzzed with excitement as vendors and competitors prepared for the big fitness event. Rows of booths lined the main floor, each manned by teams displaying their products and banners. Steve and I were stationed near the center aisle, just a few spaces from a side entrance, surrounded by the hum of conversation and laughter.
As I scanned the crowd, I noticed a police officer entering through a side door, clutching a small piece of paper in his hand. Methodically, he moved from booth to booth, speaking briefly to the staff at each one — his approach slow and deliberate. With each step closer, a ripple of unease moved through me.
When he finally reached our booth, he looked directly at me.
‘Are you Tom Fuller?’”
— me – Being What I’ve Always Been
Dateline Episode
A stark look into the calculated poisoning of Frank Rodriguez, this Dateline episode traces the investigation that exposed Angelina’s pattern of manipulation and harm. It also revisits the earlier death of her daughter, Alicia — a loss that still echoes through every life touched by this case.
“There are moments when the truth doesn’t arrive with thunder, but with a quiet, undeniable shift — like a room you’ve walked through a thousand times suddenly revealing a door you never noticed. That’s how this case unfolded for me. Not as a story I wanted to tell, but as one I could no longer look away from. In this episode, I’m interviewed briefly to offer clarity and perspective as someone who witnessed the human cost up close”
— me – Being What I’ve Always Been
Til Death Do Us Part Episode
This dramatized retelling follows the whirlwind relationship between Frank and Angelina and the devastating aftermath that followed. Through interviews, reenactments, and case details, the episode explores the patterns, motives, and losses that defined this tragedy.
“Grief has a way of rearranging the air around you. Even years later, I can still feel the weight of what was taken — not just lives, but futures, laughter, ordinary days that should have stretched on. Sitting in front of the cameras, I wasn’t there to relive the past. I was there to honor the people who never got the chance to step into their own. In this episode I share more details — as a reminder that the story belongs to those who can no longer speak for themselves.”
— me – Being What I’ve Always Been