Kelly Rizzo grew to become the most recent recruit to voluntarily withdraw from Particular Forces: World’s Hardest Check season 2. Kelly walked away from the present throughout a brutal boat-carrying problem as she battled immense knee and again ache.
In an unique interview with HollywoodLife, the host and Bob Saget’s widow revealed she signed on to the present for numerous causes. She’s all the time had an “unbelievable appreciation” for the army and a fascination with the film G.I. Jane. “Everybody was telling me how robust I used to be or how robust I’m and that was one thing I simply type of wished to place to the take a look at,” she stated.
Nonetheless, throughout a problem within the October 16 episode, Kelly reached her “breaking level.” As she carried a heavy boat with fellow recruits, Kelly hit her restrict and determined to voluntarily withdraw from the present. Learn our Q&A under about Kelly’s Particular Forces journey and what’s subsequent for her.
Do you might have any regrets about leaving once you did?
Kelly Rizzo: Sure and no. I made a promise to myself and to my household that I used to be not going to simply give up. I wasn’t going to give up simply because issues acquired uncomfortable or simply as a result of one thing appeared scary or out of concern. I solely would give up if I used to be injured, or if I bodily reached my breaking level and my physique simply gave out. That’s actually what occurred. Trying again, there’s a part of me that’s like, oh, might I’ve possibly discovered yet one more ounce of power that would have gotten me slightly additional? As a result of if I had made it by way of that problem, by way of this horrific boat carry that was the worst factor anybody had ever been by way of.
If I might have made it by way of that, I might have actually finished nice at a few of these different challenges as a result of these had been actually up my alley. Like, the combating. I actually wished to struggle. I actually wished to get submerged within the helicopter or underwater. I wished to do all these issues, which is bizarre. These had been the issues I used to be trying ahead to as a result of I had seen season 1. So I used to be like, if I might have simply gotten by way of that, however on the time additionally, it wasn’t nearly me. I knew I used to be holding my crew again. Tyler Cameron was so fantastic. He was saying, ‘Kelly, simply get within the boat. We’ll carry you.’ I’m like, ‘That’s not proper. That’s not honest.’ I don’t need to be precise deadweight to my crew. I additionally bowed out as a result of I knew it was greatest for the crew as a result of it wasn’t honest to maintain holding them again.
You talked about that your again was in ache on the present. Had been you injured in any respect?
Kelly Rizzo: It began out with my knees. My knees had been in unbelievable ache. They had been swollen. I might barely stroll. The truth that essentially the most bodily grueling problem of actually anybody’s life adopted that… I virtually wished to depart as a result of my knees had been hurting so dangerous, and my again was killing me. I used to be involved and that’s the rationale why I virtually wished to give up that morning, however then the doc gave me a bunch of anti-inflammatories to not less than assist with the ache. I used to be scared that I used to be doing lasting injury. I’m like, is that this value it if I actually mess up my knees and I’m going to want surgical procedure or one thing? That’s how dangerous it was. After which in fact, they’re like, now carry this 1000-pound boat up a mountain within the river with an Olympian and two large robust males. After which me with my 44-year-old again. It was simply very grueling, and I didn’t have a long-term harm fortunately. However it did take me not less than a full week to even be capable of stroll usually.
What did you study your self whereas competing on the present?
Kelly Rizzo: I discovered that I used to be in a position to push myself additional than I assumed. Earlier than, if something ever acquired uncomfortable, I might give up, even in a exercise. I might all the time surrender when issues simply acquired slightly uncomfortable. Issues acquired very uncomfortable the primary hour we had been there, and I nonetheless pushed by way of. Clearly trying again, if I might do it once more, I might return in a heartbeat. I want I used to be in a position to push by way of that boat carry problem. I might have beloved to have made it farther as a result of I actually wished to be there. However on the similar time, I’m like, I do know I gave it my all and labored my butt off.
How do you assume Bob would have felt about how far you made it?
Kelly Rizzo: Actually right now I had this realization that I do know he would have been pleased with me for doing it. He would have thought I used to be loopy as a result of it’s one thing in one million years he by no means would have finished. He would have been like, ‘Nope, sorry. By no means will I sleep on a cot like that in a room full of individuals. No method.’ I do know that the DS had been type of getting in my ear saying Bob’s trying down on you. In that second, it did give me slightly further motivation to essentially maintain going as a result of I didn’t need to let him down. However now trying again I’m like, if Bob had been actually speaking to me, he would have been like, ‘Get the hell out of there. Get again to the lodge. Get a therapeutic massage, order a martini and a steak, and simply chill out. What are you doing to your self? You don’t want to do that.’ He would have been the primary one telling me to depart. I imply, sure, he would have been proud, however he additionally would have been like, ‘Why are you torturing your self?’
Grief ebbs and flows over time. I do know the previous two years have been tough in some ways with Bob’s loss of life. How do you’re feeling about the place you’re at in your grieving journey now?
Kelly Rizzo: I’m in a very good place as a result of I used to be in a position to get to a spot fairly early on. I had such unbelievable assist round me from Bob’s ladies, Bob’s buddies, and household. My household was simply unbelievable. I felt so held and supported since day one. After which I might say I simply acquired to a spot of final gratitude so shortly of simply being so grateful for the time I had with him as a substitute of being unhappy that I didn’t have extra time. I imply, sure, I’m unhappy I didn’t have extra time, however I didn’t have that remorse or guilt or life isn’t honest mentality as a result of I used to be in a position to simply really feel a lot gratitude for having him in my life so long as he was there and being there for him for so long as I used to be. It introduced me to a spot of peace with it fairly early on. So sure, in fact, it’s unhappy and I miss him, however I’m at peace with it.
Do you assume Particular Forces helped you kind of on this entire course of in any method? Simply the expertise of all of it?
Kelly Rizzo: It actually did get me out of my consolation zone. We’re put on this world with these people who find themselves strangers, however then they arrive out of it like expensive buddies. We needed to depend on one another as a result of it’s not a contest present. You’re solely competing towards your self, so you actually do study to lean on these different individuals who all have been by way of one thing intense and tragic or upsetting of their lives. Have a look at Savannah Chrisley and what she’s needed to undergo, or Bode Miller and his daughter. We’ve all had these moments of sharing these tough occasions in our lives, and also you understand that you simply’re not alone. You’re not the one particular person to have gone by way of one thing like this, and right here you’re with all these people who find themselves strangers, however you then bond over being there within the first place, and you then bond over these shared experiences. It was a very particular expertise that I’m so grateful that I acquired to have.
You may have a brand new podcast launching quickly known as Consolation Meals with Kelly Rizzo. What was the inspiration behind this new podcast?
Kelly Rizzo: I’m actually enthusiastic about it. It began out with me considering that possibly I ought to have these conversations about grief as a result of folks actually don’t discuss it a lot. It’s nonetheless a taboo subject. Folks assume it’s too upsetting. They don’t need to go there, though it’s one thing all of us are going to expertise sooner or later in our lives. However then I used to be like, okay, it doesn’t want to simply be about any individual who’s misplaced a beloved one. It may very well be nearly any tough expertise like possibly any individual went by way of a divorce, or they’d another tough expertise of their life that we are able to discuss by way of, that I do know goes to be a useful dialog for the general public to listen to. But additionally let’s have these tough conversations, however add some levity, add some laughter.
My husband was a legendary comic. A number of his buddies are comedians, and I’m going to have loads of them on the podcast. That’s the way you get by way of onerous occasions by not having these heavy subjects essentially be so heavy. How can we introduce slightly laughter, levity, and discuss life, love, and laughter whereas consuming my company’ favourite consolation meals? No matter their favourite consolation meals is I’m going to have that there for them able to go whereas we have now this dialog, so it type of brings them again possibly to childhood or to a cheerful place to allow them to really feel extra comfy speaking about one thing which may have been actually tough of their life.
