I’ve been fascinated by the Guinness World Records since early childhood.
I specifically remember elementary school trips to the library where instead of free time on the teal Apple computer, I’d elect to thumb through every page of the latest Guinness Book of World Records. Countless hours of my life were spent watching Guinness World Records Primetime, and I never missed an opportunity to watch re-runs of past episodes on FOX. So, when the opportunity to interview someone who possesses a Guinness World Record naturally presented itself, I could hardly contain my elation.
Jade and I first spoke via Facebook messenger. Jade learned of The World With Nate through a mutual friend, Holly Sitzmann, who had appeared as my guest in “Don’t Kiss the Babies w/ Holly Sitzmann” on September 1, 2021. After hearing Holly’s poignant narrative, Jade reached out to me with her equally heartrending story. Moreover, during our conversation, we shared our goals and aspirations in regard to our current endeavors. Some of those same things we chatted about last year have come to fruition this year, and it is exciting to be a part of that journey.
Case in point, Check out the SMACK mini-pack that was created for the gala!
That being said, I’m often asked why or how I choose the guests for each podcast episode. Frankly, there isn’t a set formula or exact reasoning. Maybe some podcasters possess a guide, but my goal for The World With Nate is that it has to be natural and organic. Jade reached out after hearing another guest’s story, and she was so moved that it encouraged her to share her story with me. I was a complete stranger to Jade; consequently, that took guts and courage for her to contact me—which was something that I admired in our introduction.
After our conversation, it felt natural to have Jade on as a guest to speak about the twin births, which just so happens to have earned them a Guinness World Record!
Jade gave birth to the most premature twins in the history of humanity on 24 November 2018, at a gestational age of 22 weeks and 1 day, or 155 days; the girls were 125 days premature. We used the timing of “Keeley & Kambry’s Tribe” episode to help raise awareness for the inaugural, now annual event “22 + U Gala” and the creation of a new nonprofit organization to benefit families in similar situations.
I didn’t know Jade prior to our first conversation, and to be completely honest I may have never heard her story if she hadn’t taken a chance and reached out. As a parent, I can’t imagine the amount of stress that their situation could put on a family.
I’ve spent time in the hospital with a sick child and it’s tough. Frankly, I can’t fathom waiting months to hold my baby after their birth and wondering every day if they will make it. So, when the opportunity to help future families who find themselves in these situations presented itself, it felt so natural.
When I got to attend the 22 + U Gala and watch Jade radiate as she chased her dreams in real-time, it felt natural. When I sat next to, Dalles Jacobus, as he sold his last game-worn Hawkeye jersey raising thousands for the nonprofit, it felt natural. Lastly, at the end of the night, as we left the inaugural gala, I finally got to hold a Guinness World Record, and after hearing Keeley & Kambry’s story…it just felt so natural.
