During their cross-country tour to talk to students about bullying, Bradley and Nikki Bozeman have seen a lot of new faces — and a 72-ounce steak.
After appearing on Glenn Clark Radio Feb. 19, Bradley was convinced to take on the challenge of finishing a 72-ounce steak (and sides) within an hour. So, before heading to Albuquerque, N.M., the Bozemans decided to make a stop at The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.
“I started off doing big chunks and eating fast [to try] to get down as much as I could as fast as I could,” Bradley said on Glenn Clark Radio Feb. 20. “Then I kind of changed my tactic up when I started getting full. I got to the halfway point and started cutting little slivers out of the steak so I could eat it kind of quickly and give myself a break.”
The 6-foot-5, 317-pound left guard would go on to finish the steak challenge, becoming only the 9,828th person to complete it. Luckily for Bradley, the steak was actually good.
“It was actually a really good-tasting steak,” Bradley said. “Usually, whenever you get the challenges like that it’s not really good-tasting food but that was really good.”
Though he felt like a champion after finishing the steak, the next morning was a bit different.
“I woke up [Feb. 20] and I felt kind of rough,” Bradley said. “There’s like four bricks sitting in my stomach right now. … I probably won’t eat much today.”
But before taking on a massive steak, the Bozemans spoke to about 1,100 students at Harry Truman Middle School (Grand Prairie, Texas) as part of their cross-country tour.
“We talked to like close to 1,100 kids for like five hours,” Nikki said on Glenn Clark Radio Feb. 19. “It was a long day, but it was cool. There were so many kids that were so engaging.”
One of those engaging students made a particular impression.
“[Feb. 18], we talked to this kid named Miguel,” Nikki said. “… A lot of the times with middle school kids they’re just too cool for school at that age, and so it’s nice there’s a kid that just wants to listen to whatever you have to say, is open and asks a lot of questions. And that’s what he was.
“I think he and Bradley talked for like 45 minutes. He just had so many questions about life, sports, coping, winning and losing. But he was just excited that Bradley was there and excited to talk to him.”
During their time at Harry Truman, they came across another student who said she uses theater as her outlet to release all the negative energy she has from being bullied.
“She raised her hand and she said, ‘I’ve been bullied and picked on for the last three years,'” Bradley said. “She said her [passion] was acting and theatre and you see the light turn on whenever she starts talking about theatre. Just a smile that goes on her face and she’s smiling ear to ear talking about theater things.”
Though the Bozemans partake in fun challenges during their off time, their main goal is to make a difference with those who have been and are being bullied. The Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation offers support to communities to help prevent bullying and create a safe school and community environment for children. When Nikki spoke in her hometown of Kennesaw, Ga., she said the audience connected with her.
“It was kind of surreal because I was telling a story and everything that happened either in that school, something to do with the neighborhood or across the street,” Nikki said. “Everyone was like, ‘Oh my gosh, either I live there or I have friends that live there.’ It was cool and I think it really resonated with them.”
To hear more about the cross-country trip, listen to the full interview Feb. 19 here:
To hear more about Bradley eating a 72-ounce steak, listen to the full interview Feb. 20 here:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox