>> FRIENDS, >> DANIEL TO GET SEAN ELLIS HAS HE SHARED 2 GREAT LOVES COLLECTIVIST POLITICS AND RUM.

IT'S A BLEND THAT LAST YEAR RESULTED IN THE FOUNDING OF THE RUM BUSINESS.

CHICAGO CANKER OPERATIVE.

BUT THIS SUMMER, THE CROP ARTIST REJECT JURY WAS ALTERED BY A DEVASTATING TRAFFIC COLLISION.

PRODUCER ERICA GUNDERSON HAS THE STORY OF HOW THE SPIRITS OF PERSEVERANCE AND COMMUNITY ARE HELPING THEM FIND A NEW PATH FORWARD.

>> THERE'S THIS THING THAT YOU'RE REALLY INVOLVES MAKING SURE YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO PUT LIKE A LOT OF WORK INTO MAKING IT HAPPEN TO INTO MAKING THIS PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING IT OUT IN THE REAL WORLD IN LIKE A PROFESSIONAL SETTING OR LESS RIGHT IT'S INCREDIBLE.

ON A CHILLY FALL NIGHT AND MARINAS BISTRO IN RUM BAR IN UPTOWN.

>> THE MENU OF RUM COCKTAILS PUTS PATRONS A THE EVENT WAS A FOUNDERS LAUNCH PARTY FOR CHICAGO CAME CO-OPERATIVES LOCALLY DISTILLED FROM AND THE WARM RECEPTION WAS AN ESPECIALLY SWEET MOMENT FOR CO-FOUNDER, DANIEL TO GET OUT BECAUSE IT CAME SO CLOSE TO NOT HAPPENING AT ALL.

>> IN AUGUST, THEY GET IT WAS IN A DEVASTATING COLLISION RIDING HIS MOTORCYCLE.

>> ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE GYM.

A WOMAN'S BLEW A STOP SIGN ON AND I HAD LITERALLY A SECOND REACT, WHICH IS NOT ENOUGH.

SO YEAH, WE COLLIDED.

MY SPINAL CORD WAS SEVERED AT L ONE.

I HAD THE SURGERY DONE TOO.

YOU KNOW MY BACK IN PLACE.

BUT A COUPLE ROUNDS IN PLACE TO HOLD IT.

THERE.

>> THE COLLISION LEFT GET A PARALYZED FROM THE WAIST DOWN.

WE LOVE THAT WE ORIGINALLY MET WITH AND HIS CO-FOUNDER, C AT THEIR DISTILLERY BACK IN LATE MAY WHEN THEIR COMPANY WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD, THE WORST C&A 3RD PARTNER HAD SET THE COMPANY UP UNDER A COOPERATIVE OWNERSHIP MODEL WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE 2015 AND THE 2 THINGS THAT REALLY HEAD OFF OUR FRIENDSHIP WERE OBVIOUSLY BOOST >> AND DRINKING REALLY FUN LIQUOR AND EXPERIMENTING WITH COCKTAILS AND ALSO TALKING ABOUT POLITICS.

WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN EACH OTHER'S POLITICS IN OUR POLITICAL ACTIVISM.

>> AND WANTED.

>> TO INFUSE THAT PASSION INTO WHATEVER WE DO.

THE RAMEN SUGAR PRODUCTION HISTORY.

THERE'S A REALLY BAD HISTORY >> OF NOT JUST THAT LABOR PRACTICES, BUT SLAVERY RIGHT?

AND THE AMERICAS IN THE NEW WORLD IN GENERAL.

AND SO THIS OUR ATTEMPT AT DOING SOMETHING TOO ADDRESS THAT REALLY TERRIBLE, AWFUL HISTORY.

>> SEE, MANAGES THE MARKETING SIDE OF THE BUSINESS TO GET A SQUIRREL IS TASTEMAKER IN CHIEF.

>> AND SO HERE AND THIS VERA, WE HAVE OUR LAST THE SOLUTION.

THE SPURS ALSO FUN BECAUSE YOU GET TO SMELL IT WHEN IT ALL MIXES UP IN THERE JUST WALKED OUT.

WHAT'S THE BEST THING EVER?

>> BIG DREAM PLANS IS TO OPEN A TASTING ROOM IN THE CITY AND TO HAVE A DISTILLERY THAT IS CHICAGO.

YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE THING HAS BEEN INSPIRATION FROM THE GET-GO.

WE ARE NOT SHYING AWAY FROM THE ASPIRATION OF THE WHOLE THING.

FOUNDING A WORKERS CO-OPERATIVE MAKING ROOM IN CHICAGO.

>> BUT SUMMER 2023, CHICAGO KING CO-OP HAD 2 STYLES OF RUM IN PRODUCTION TODAY IS THEY'RE EXPANDING DISTRIBUTION AND PREPARING TO LAUNCH NEW PRODUCTS SAYS HE'S STAYING IN THE MIX SO.

>> RIGHT NOW INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF THE ROUND SINCE I CAN BE AS PHYSICALLY INVOLVED THAT LIKE TO BE.

BUT IT HAS DEFINITELY LIT A FIRE UNDER MY EYES OF LIKE.

LET'S LET'S GO.

LET'S YOU KNOW, LET'S LET'S DO THIS THING.

>> NOW, 4 MONTHS INTO HIS REHABILITATION AT THE SHIRLEY RYAN ABILITY LAB TO GET A SAYS THE SUPPORT HE'S RECEIVED MAKES HIM MORE MOTIVATED THAN EVER TO SEE THE CHICAGO KING COOPERATIVE ASPIRATIONS BECOME REALITY.

>> BUT THERE ARE MOMENTS WHERE I THOUGHT THAT I SHOULD HAVE DIED.

NOT TO MENTION ALL THE PANELS AND REMEMBER EXPRESSING THIS TO MY WIFE.

AND SHE LOOKED AT AND SHE WAS LIKE.

>> SURE.

>> BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE.

FIRST OFF.

SECOND OFF YOUR GOOD FROM THE WAYS LIKE?

YOU HAVE PLENTY OF FUNCTION.

WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS.

I'M JUST GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

MIKE, OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE BEEN HERE.

OUR CIRCLE OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING US MOMENTS THAT ARE ONLY SOMETIMES PUBLIC WHERE CRY REMINISCE AND HARMFUL BUT YOU KNOW, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN AS TO HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO.

STILL LIVE A LIFE THAT I WOULD LOVE TO LIVE.

SO, YEAH, THEY'RE GRATEFUL IS A GOOD WAY TO PUT IT.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, THE TEEN SAYS THIS IS ERICA GUNDERSON.

WHAT AN