EXTRAORDINARY people from across the country will share their stories with Bernie Shakeshaft as he embarks on a new journey to find out what makes a hero tick.
Mr Shakeshaft, the founder of BackTrack in Armidale, has launched a new podcast catching up with the everyday Australians he finds truly inspiring.
He himself was named 2020 NSW Local Hero of the Year, but said he's hoping to find out what is it inside these people that makes them go above and beyond.
Upcoming guests on the podcast include two Australian divers who travelled to Thailand to help rescue a group of young boys trapped in a cave.
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"What are those guys made of, what pushes them to go above and beyond and put their lives on the line to help a bunch of kids they've never met?" Mr Shakeshaft said.
"I'm interested in how that comes out in everybody ... there must be something that pushes their buttons."
The idea for the podcast has been floating around for a while, but Mr Shakeshaft said the COVID-19 crisis prompted action.
"It's about hopefully inspiring people and getting them to look around and just see the good that's around them, and I think now is the perfect time for that with the virus and the lockdown," he said.
As well as bigger name guests like Will Smith and Eddie Woo, he also plans on chatting to some of the boys from BackTrack.
"A lot of those kids are my heroes - how are they still alive, with all the trauma and the toughness that they've been though and I think that's pretty interesting," he said.
"Everyday Heroes with Bernie Shakeshaft" drops weekly and can be found on platforms like Spotify and Soundcloud, as well as Google and Apple Podcasts.
The podcast is now three weeks into a 12-week "batch", with the option to review it down the track based on the community response.
To listen to the podcast, click here.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
