Extreme Expedition The Reality show that tanked because of a death.

The Reality Show That Tanked because of a death of a Navy Seal.

Aug 2003 I was on my way to Veracruz, Mexico to be apart of an expedition on two teams of women on a reality TV show I had auditioned for and got. Four women in each team Red Team, and Blue Team. I had no idea what to expect, and I certainly had no idea I would come home within inches of my life. According to cast member -˜Bobbi’. We had been cast by Valerie McCaffrey Casting and went to Sunset Studios in Glendale, California on July 20th to do our title shoot-which I thought came out really hot. We all signed our contracts and we were ready to go. They were flying us coach to an undisclosed location in Veracruz. We were composed of athletes, and professional cheerleaders, ex-cops (me), bike racers, and tri-athletes. Chris Corabi, one of the producers, the legal eagle on the team sat next to me on the plane and away we flew after handing over our cell phones to him. The show was an off shoot of Survivor and was one of the earliest and only show of it’s kind at the time. Two teams of women (total of eight) were going to be dropped off on this remote island and take boat, and truck into the boonies of the jungles of Mexico. We were to happen upon two -˜survivalist’ men. One was a young decorated American Navy Seal, Pentathlon winner, Scott Helvenston, and the other guy was smuggled in from a European country, Milo was his name. However he was a -˜live off the land’ type of guy, and was rugged. Scott Helvenston These men thought they were on an expedition and having a competition amongst themselves. So, when we show up they were shocked. They were then told we will be joining them on the competition and they will be coaching us; not participating, so immediately there was already tension and slight confusion. Us women were in on it, so we thought it was pretty humorous. Since the official show’s title was called: Extreme Expedition: Models Behavior, we were supposed to embody the ideal -˜bimbo-model’ type women. So being sexy was a requirement and attitudes a must. After walking off the truck and boat from a long two or three hour trip into the jungle, we started to see -˜tree people’ as we called them, because they lived at the foot of the trees. We were far from town. It was hot and steamy and very humid. We arrive in mini skirts, and heels with our hair and nails done perfect. So, here was the twist: we were supposed to rough it on the jungle floor in cheap Kmart pop-up tents, and thin nylon sleeping bags. We had plastic bags as toilets, and a couple cans of tuna, and peanut butter to get us started. (With no can opener). As soon as the Host, Jerry Penicoli (Extra Host) ? introduced us to the two men, who became our team Captains, we were put into groups (Red & Blue). I was grouped with Scott Helvenston, the Blue Team. It took me about 2 seconds to know I got the wrong guy with the expression on his face. First I towered over him, at my height of 5’10′ (6 ft in heels) and he was about 5’7 I think. He gave a wrinkled up nose to me, but I did not care-I was not there to make friends, but to win. The cast, (including myself) that I remember: Bobbi Miller-Moro (ex-cop and single mother of three), Anita Marks (ESPN reporter, The Anita Marks Show, and Female Quarterback for The Miami Fury), Levis Francis (Sentinel cheerleader), Krista (beauty queen-professional singer, and motor cross rider), Jes (a tall Latina model), Nancy (beautiful, sweet blonde girl from the south that wouldn’t hurt a flea) and others that are on the promo peice. Promo Peice of the Show: Bobbi Miller-Moro Anita Marks Levis Francis The competitions were mixed with treasure hunts (with skills that included a dollar compass, make a foot stint, and rapid, quick coordination) which included rappelling across water, scaling down cliffs, white water rafting races in thunderstorms into caves with bats, riding donkey’s, and racing Hummers to name a few. The intention was to break us down mentally, physically, and emotionally. With very little food, and amenities that included being eaten up every night with dime-size mosquitoes, and spiders that went thru any type of mesh, showers that were a thin hose, pump and a bag-¦tempers were high very soon, especially mine. With the blazing heat, and arduous events we were in survivor mode within a few days. I somehow had the role of the -˜bad girl-Shannon Dougherty type’, and I was teamed up with Nancy, the beautiful, sweet blonde girl from the south that wouldn’t hurt a flea, and Krista, the tom-boy, beauty queen-professional singer, and motor cross rider, and a professional dancer. I got along with only the dancer and was enemies with Scott and his fans which were Krista and Nancy. He spoke very rude to us women, including saying things like: -˜Shut your pie-hole’, which had me in his face in about a second. We were yelling at each other for ten minutes with about 13 camera’s on us and the entire camera crew watching. I was more than a little aggravated with many things. The lack of safety and non-union type hardships that were totally out of control; like when I got attacked by jelly fish and was laying at the foot of the medic trailer, outside in the rain with only B-12 shots to keep me alive-they refused to send me home. They thought I was trying to jump ship after winning 6 out of 6 competitions. I was covered with insect bites of every kind, from head to toe and I had cuts, scrapes, bruises, burns, rope burns, dehydration and anaphylactic shock from the jelly fish stings. Chris Corabi was our liaison, or friend-the guy we can go to for everything; just to hear: -œWhat part of Extreme don’t you understand?- followed by an outburst of laughter. Tony was one of the camera guys, or editor from the Survivor shows, and a handful of other professional camera guys and girls from Survivor show as well. My personal favorite, and later friend was one of the Field Producers and co-creators Denise (Miami Ink). She had the best sense of humor and I feel did the best interviews. The crew was about 500, with most of them coming from Mexico. There were mud slides, injuries, and moments were we were not sure if we would ever make it home. After two weeks with this 2 million dollar project we were allowed to leave messages for loved ones who wanted to make sure we were alive after signing away our life in a 23 page release form. We were supposed to have our weekly pay which was $1,000 directly deposited into our account. My roommate was counting on having that many coming in while I was in the boonies so she can pay rent and utilities. It came three weeks after we got home. I heard a lot of girls suffered financially for that set back. I was given an eviction notice and utilities were going to be shut off, and my mom thankfully covered the fees until I got back. We had opportunities to go into town to see how the natives lived and we were able to sneak snacks (real food). We were given 100 pesos a day for food if we wanted to buy, but it was rare that we were in town. One of the little breaks we got is going to a hotel were we all showered and slept on white sheets. We all loved it so much, we begged for more of that. But, to torment us more, they would the next day put us back in the mud to sleep on our sweaty cots and be bitten all night. I made some friends with the girls, but more enemies because of how extreme my character was. So I played it up. I went to the bathroom in the bushes and the ocean after we ran out of plastic bags. I did yoga on the top of a cliff as the sun rose by myself. I jumped into a river off of a 15 ft embankment and my top flew off, I fought with other members of my team, and saw all the camera people sleeping on my cots one day and I tore down the entire tent and threw all of the cots over the edge of the cliff. But Scott and I hated each other. I thought he was demeaning to women, and he thought I was just a bitch. Before our next competition he would train the girls on our team how to do all the activities, but he wouldn’t train me (which was weird since I was on his team), so I taught myself and ended winning all the competitions I was in anyway. The director Rod Spence and producers Dave Thorton and others pulled me aside and asked me to allow the other team to win so that it would be more interesting. Hell no, why? So they started rigging my games (wrong cordinences, etc) But, I won anyway. On the day of the fight with Scott, he started to yell, -œIt’s either me or Bobbi!- He was threatening to leave if I wasn’t thrown off the show. He was calling me a lesbian, and dyke (which I am not) and he really hated me. He was the trainer for Demi Moore in G.I Jane (loved that movie) and has done a number of reality shows. I thought he was full of himself. More than I was. The production team huddled and decided that he has to go. I never saw a man pack so fast. He packed all his things together and left in a huff. He walked down the hill and walked miles to the nearest town to hail a taxi. The camera crew followed him. So, now we had no team leader for the Blue team. Krista and I were vying for position. We were both tough as nails and both not wanting to give in to eachother. The prize we were all fighting for was $8,000, then it changed to $18,000, then I believe $80,000 after the show was over. The smaller prizes for each competition was a chance to get treated like a queen by the other exhausted, sweaty team and gloat while they served you. Then you get a photo shoot all glammed up on top of 35 ft water falls in next-to-nothing bathing suits, and the like. We were supposed to be able to keep all of those photo’s, to which I haven’t seen a single thing. That was what all the competition was about. One warm afternoon, we took a break and swam in the most beautiful aqua-lavender Gulf of Mexico. I floated for two hours under the dark grey skies, and unbeknownst to me was getting bit by small jelly fish. Within four hours, I knew something was wrong because I started to stiffen up. My joints started to hurt and I was starting to be consumed with how I was feeling. My first thought was because I played like a monster for the 6 episodes out of the 10, but this was different. I started to cry. I hung onto Rod the director’s arm as he walked me back to base camp. He said, -œOh, c’mon-your fine.- But, after the 15 min walk and me sobbing, he was silent. The medic laid me down and gave me B-12 shots. No one took me serious, and I knew something was very wrong. I balked, I complained, I whined, I begged to go home. We changed locations and I was walking around aimlessly looking for a solution, or a way out. I knew I had to leave Mexico, and go home. I immediately called home from the producer’s hotel room (our new accommodations). They let me rest there while everyone was unpacking. I called my new boyfriend Luis Moro, (now husband) and told him quickly and quietly what was happening. I felt as if I was held against my will. He wrote down the hotel information and phone numbers and I devised a game plan. I was going to call for a taxi myself. The night before I tried to get the front desk to call the police at 2am in Spanish but they said it would be worse for me, so I went back to my room. No one knew what was wrong with me, or cared, and I knew this was life or death as I was starting to run a fever. The producers finally came in and told me I could go, and gave me my cell phone back-but only if I walked off the show on tape, like if I was quitting. I had to put my back pack on and walk off after a fake altercation with the host and say that I was leaving. They filmed three takes on the beach with me walking away. -˜How much more of this hell do I need to endure?’ It started to become a nightmare that I could not wake up from. Back at the hotel, a taxi was waiting. I crawled in with swollen purple ankles, infected wounds, sandy, sweaty, pale and in shock. The driver looked at me strange and said something about the airport and I started to cry. Then I passed out. He woke me up at the airport and I walked like a zombie to the plane. As I sat on my way to my connecting flight in Mexico City, I had to count the entire way to keep myself from totally passing out. I did not think I was going to wake up. I had to have my swollen legs out stretched out in front of me in order to sit, because they could hardly bend from the pain. Once in Mexico City, I departed the plane and walked with determined purpose. I kept telling myself, I have to make because of my three babies. I cannot go down here in the middle of nowhere. I have to make it home. I kept repeating, and repeating phrases in my head to stay conscience. I arrived at LAX, and my dear, sweet boyfriend was waiting for me. He knew a little of what to expect but not what he saw. I looked at him and smiled weakly as he walked me to his car quietly I sat and started to shake. I went home and got in the tub and soaked as I reviewed my injuries. I still wasn’t sure what was wrong with me, but I was not myself. My jaw started to tighten up that night, and I thought maybe I was just overly sore. I was so stiff. I was thinking strange thoughts, like deliriously as I continued to itch more than ever in the warm water. My boyfriend came in and saw me covered with tiny red bumps and immediately went on line and discovered it was Jelly Fish poisoning. The scratching was re-infecting or re-stinging myself as I was scratching. He started to pour pineapple juice on me to break down the enzymes and nothing was working. I started to burn up that night, in the morning Luis was working and I drove myself to the Emergency Room exactly on the third day from returning from Mexico. They admitted me and while on the examining table, as I was telling them what happened I passed out. I woke up 8 hours later and they had saved my life. They told me I was suffering from anaphylactic shock, and considering how many bites I had that I could have died. They had given me an I.V steroid flush and sent me home. Days and weeks later, I would get phone calls from the girls (I called my friends boyfriend to say she was ok) as they would come home. They told me of the field of wheat that had just been cut down that they slept in the night I had left and the spiders where out of control and no one slept. They told me of the girls that got dry rot on their feet, and one went to the emergency room for dysentery. I believe four days after I left; two cast and four crew got a stomach virus and was sent to the hospital. I heard two flew home early. I also found out that from the producers down to the cast, they had said I had -˜quit’, that I -˜abandoned my team’, and all sorts of vicious rumors. Even after calls to the director Rod later, I don’t think he even believed me. Then I moved on with my life, until I got an email. Scott, my ex-team leader was one of the four American soldiers killed in Iraq. Here’s the report: -˜On (March 31st, 2004) Wednesday, the 38 year-old man was among four U.S. civilian military contractors burned to death, hanged and mutilated in Fallujah, Iraq by Iraqi beasts. An angry mob dragged his body and three others through the streets of downtown Fallujah. Two of the victims were strung on the side of a bridge.’ I realized then, that no matter what happened on the show, that Scott was a tremendously great man that left behind children. I included his bio and some information about him below. After speaking with Denise, and Rod I discovered the show was -˜shelved’. That the footage was beautiful, the show was dramatic and would have been a hit. No one knows why the show cannot sell, and in speaking with Chris Corabi last year, it was a mess and he has moved on. It is hard for me to let go of the amazing, trepidations, expedition that I was on in Veracruz, Mexico. I hope someday the show will be picked up, especially since it was in the can, and totally ready to air. To give tribute to Scott and let his memory live on. Scott Helvenston Bio- Date of Birth 21 June 1965, Ocala, Florida, USA Date of Death 31 March 2004, near Fallujah, Iraq. (gunshot wounds) Mini Biography Scott Helvenston was born in 1965 in Ocala, Florida and raised in Leesburg, Florida. In 1982, he received special permission to join the U.S. Navy and, at 17, he became the youngest Navy SEAL in U.S. history. After graduating BUD/S, he deployed with SEAL Team Four, served for 2 years, and later moved to San Diego, California, where he deployed with SEAL Team One. Since his early years, Scott always excelled at physical fitness and athletics. As a result, he applied and became an instructor at BUD/S, leading PT (Physical Training) every morning for 4 years. With a fond memory for his airborne training, Scott later became an AFF (Accelerated Freefall) Instructor for 4 years until he was medically discharged from the Navy in 1994 for back, wrist, and ankle injuries due to a partially collapsed canopy malfunction. With high aspirations, Scott recovered, resumed his fitness regimen, and became an actor and stuntman in Hollywood. His many credits include “Face-Off” and “G.I. Jane.” Scott was the man who got Demi Moore into that incredible physical shape for the film. In 1997, Scott founded Amphibian Athletics, a Navy SEAL Training and fitness company with the goal of teaching people the skills to excel in outdoor activities, and life, in general. His Navy SEAL Training Camps became quite popular and frequently were spotlighted on television and in the newspaper. Due to the success of the training camps, Scott drew from his PT background and designed a video workout series, allowing greater access to his fitness education. With 11 videos to his credit, Scott became quite well known in the fitness world. In 2003, after the United States led a coalition to remove Saddam Hussein from power, Paul Bremer was named the head of the Provisional Coalition Authority. With a demand for experienced operators in Iraq, Scott was asked to join the security team tasked with protecting Ambassador Bremer. After heading back East to sharpen all his combat skills, Scott deployed to Iraq. Then, on March 31, 2004, the news returned to the States that Scott was one of four American contactors who were ambushed, brutally murdered, and set aflame in Fallujah, Iraq, while an angry Iraqi mob cheered on live TV. Scott left behind two young children. In a short amount of time, Scott Helvenston accomplished many goals that we can all admire. In addition to his success as a Navy SEAL, he was a two-time, gold medal-winner in the pentathlon, and to this day, Scott remains the only human contestant on the popular TV program “Man against the Beast” to win, racing against three different chimpanzees on an obstacle course. Scott also represented the Navy SEAL Teams on the television program “Combat Missions.” He always seemed to be the last man standing. http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0375893/board/threads/ · Bio from Newspaper by snoopkel (Tue Dec 7 2004 14:05:10) Scott Helvenston on the cover of the Navy SEALs 1992 Calendar photo courtesy of Kathryn Helvenston-Wettengel First and foremost, Scott Helvenston was a father, son, grandson, brother, fiance and friend. He was the youngest-ever graduate of the Navy SEALs, a fitness buff and an actor. He was a world-champion pentathlon winner. He had worked with Demi Moore and John Seitz on the 1997 film G.I. Jane as Moore’s training instructor both on and off the set. He also served as a stunt man for the movie Face/Off. Other actors he worked with included Anne Bancroft, Hidalgo and Lord of the Rings’ Viggo Mortensen and Lucinda Jenney. Most recently, he was a principal star of the USA Television reality series Combat Missions and Man vs. Beast. On Wednesday, the 38 year-old man was among four U.S. civilian military contractors burned to death, hanged and mutilated in Fallujah, Iraq by Iraqi beasts. An angry mob dragged his body and three others through the streets of downtown Fallujah. Two of the victims were strung on the side of a bridge. Helvenston was working as a contract guard for Blackwater Security Consulting outside Fallujah when his convoy was hit with rockets and grenades. Blackwater provides security, training and guard services around the world. Blackwater President, Gary Jackson and two other company leaders are former SEALs. At the age of 17, Helvenston graduated from the Navy SEALs’ BUD/S program. Between 1982-1994, he was deployed by the SEALs four times, and served both in the elite special forces, and as a Free Fall instructor for four years. Scott Helvenston was excited about his contracting job in Iraq and considered the stint a new beginning in his life. Helvenston went to Iraq to earn $60,000 in three months and to get a taste of combat that he had never seen in his 12 years in the Navy, friend Mark Divine said. “Scott had a warrior mind-set,” said Divine, 40, a Navy SEAL reservist who was trained by Helvenston in 1991. “When you’re not in the game, you feel a little bit like a caged animal. Like training your whole life to be a pro football player and not getting to suit up for the game.” “This was a last hooray for Scott,” said Divine, who lives in Encinitas, a beach town north of San Diego. “It was his last opportunity to get back in the arena.” He didn’t worry about the dangers, said Divine, who talked with Helvenston two days before he left for Iraq. “His feeling was, ‘If your time is up, there’s going to be a bullet out there with your name on it.’ ” Even though Helvenston-Wettengel didn’t support the war in Iraq, she said her son believed in what the United States was doing. The savage attack in Iraq was not unusual, but a mob dragging bodies through the streets, even hanging two from a bridge, was a shock, even for those Iraqis who despise Americans. In Iraq, Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy operations director for the occupation forces, said, “We will respond. It’s going to be deliberate, it will be precise and it will be overwhelming.” Helvenston leaves behind his mother, Katy Helvenson-Wettengel of Leesburg, Florida, his younger brother, Jason, 32, his grandmother, Helen Helvenston of Ocala, Florida, his fiance, Kelly Kasun (who he was supposed to marry in Tahiti in June of 2004), his ex-wife, Patricia Irby, 40, and their two children, Kyle, 14, and Kelsey, 12 who live in Oceanside, California. Helvenston’s father, Stephen Helvenston, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida, was killed in a car crash when Scott was 7. Scott’s ex-wife, Tricia told The Orlando Sentinel “I want everyone to know he died a hero, and what he was doing was very heroic and courageous. He was a wonderful father and a wonderful person. He will be missed by many.” His brother Jason, who was only 1 when their father died, said about Scott, “He was a hero all his life. He was my hero all my life. And he was probably the best father I have ever known.” While his twelve years in the Navy made him tough, his family will always remember Scott’s gentle side. “Scott could command the respect of an entire Navy Seal squadron, and then he could pour his heart out to you and tell you he loves you,” said Jason Helvenston. Upon learning of his death, his family released the following statement about Scott: “He prided himself on strength, agility, speed, flexibility, balance, determination and toughness,” the statement said. “Scott never quit anything in his life. After he broke his legs in a parachute jump, he tried to walk away from the scene.” Scott Helvenston, who managed getting his kids off to school every day, was known for often taking them camping and surfing. This is one of the ways his friends in his home town of San Diego, California will remember him. “He was always really taking care of people, which is what he was doing there” in Iraq, said a family friend, Alice W. Brown, 51, of Del Mar. “Taking care of people Â-” that was Scott.” Brown described him as a giver, and a man of dignity and morals. When she and her family would meet him to go rock climbing, she recalled “He would have a whole pile of children. I used to tell him, ‘Scott, you ought to be teaching high school PE.’ Because he was like the Pied Piper’-¦. He just gave and gave and gave.” His ex-wife said Scott had a great sense of humor, was fun-loving and loved the outdoors. He inspired others to lead health-conscious, athletic, adventuresome lives. Through his Oceanside, California fitness consulting firm, Amphibian Athletics, he offered a SEAL-style workout for his customers. He had the perfect Hollywood image of a soldier which led to his success as a stuntman and as a trainer for movie and television actors. Unfortunately, the images we saw this week were no stunts. In a message he left for his mom on Tuesday morning at 6 am, the day before he died he said, “Mom, I love you and miss you. Don’t worry. I’m OK. I’m safe. I’ll be home in June. We’re going to have our quality time. I’m going to spoil you.” It is hard to erase the horrible picture portrayed on the front page of The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle and most major publications around the world earlier this week. But the image that should be remembered is the one his mother shared with the Orlando Sentinel of a healthy, adventuresome, buffed sportsman who lived life and lived life well. Scott’s immediate family will be joining his mother and grandmother in Florida for a memorial service in his honor. A memorial with full military honors will be held at the National Cemetery in Bushnell. America shares your pain, Katy, Jason, Helen, Kyle, Kelsey, Kelly and Tricia. We also celebrate and honor the person Stephen “Scott” Helvenston was, and the hero he will always be. ~Jennifer King Anita Marks http://www.theredhotsportschick.com/index.htm anitamarks@espn1300.com Bobbi Miller-Moro www.MoroFilms.com Powerful Mothers Blog www.ThankGodForMommy.com View Article http://www.amazines.com View Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXMu212i-K4 “Those who enjoy accountability usually get it; those who merely like exercising authority usually lose it.” - Malcolm Forbes Bobbi Miller-Moro is an award winning, history making filmmaker and artist with five children. Being an advocate of women’s rights, she is a spokesperson women and children and for eco-friendly solutions.

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Reality Show, Reality TV, Bobbi MIller-Moro, Valerie McCaffrey Casting, Chris Corabi, Survivor, Scott Helvenston, Navy Seal, survivalist, Veracruz, ,

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