Bike Vessel follows a father and son as they cycle from St. Louis to Chicago. Film director Eric Seals' father almost di | dG1fcGI5V0doNENIY0U
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Short filmTranscript
00:00This scar right here is from 1995, that was the emergency surgery that they did.
00:06This scar is also from 1995, this was my second open heart surgery.
00:12This scar here is where they opened my chest.
00:16I could always hear my chest pop like your ankles would pop.
00:23The first time that I noticed I had health issues,
00:26I was in a meeting and I started getting this flush feeling like I had drank too much coffee.
00:36I still talk to other black men who still don't trust the healthcare system.
00:39And I remember seeing on one of his notepads, am I going to die?
00:43This is the first time that I've talked about the different things my dad has gone through.
00:47You over there crying, that's not going to help him, so you need to get it together.
00:52We don't have a healthcare system in America.
00:55We have a disease detection and management system.
00:59We know that stress actually has a direct impact on heart health.
01:05Stress can also come from racism and discrimination.
01:10I saw myself spiraling downhill with my health.
01:13I decided to do something about it and I don't know what made me buy a bicycle, but I bought a bicycle.
01:18I bought a bicycle.
01:23We spent more money on this medication than I'm spending on bikes.
01:28We talk about a one-way trip from St. Louis to Chicago.
01:31I was cursing at Eric during the ride and I said, man, how did you come up with this?
01:37Watch your dog! Watch your dog! Dog! Dog!
01:40My son is always thinking about things that seem impossible.
01:43You shouldn't want to ever cuss your father out, but I want to cuss him out right now.
01:46Eric asked me early on, do I think I'm going to make this trip?
01:49Right now, it's not 100%.
01:52I think he's a living witness that you can turn things around at any time.
01:57My doctor, he said, Donnie, the disability asked me, when are you going to die?
02:02Because you're living beyond their expectations.
02:06And they were asking my doctor, why was I still alive?
02:16For more information, visit www.FEMA.gov