What shapes a lifetime of service—and what happens when the weight of that service becomes too much to carry?

In Part 1 of this two-part episode of The Roundtable: Where Heroes Talk, Tom Lamog and Matthew Jones welcome Army veteran, retired firefighter, paramedic, Choctaw artist, and storyteller Robert "Shrek" Harrell.

Shrek shares his journey from growing up in rural Oklahoma and caring for his disabled mother to serving as a firefighter, paramedic, and Army firefighter. Along the way, he reflects on the experiences that shaped his life, the unseen burdens carried by veterans and first responders, and the artistic gift that has remained a constant throughout his journey. Throughout the conversation, Shrek also shares several of his original paintings and the stories and emotions behi ...