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♪ GOOD EVENING, HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY AND WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT I'M PHIL PONCE, ON THE SHOW TONIGHT, WHAT IMPACT HAS THE COVID PANDEMIC HAD ON VETERANS?

WE TALKED WITH TWO VA HOSPITAL DOCTORS.

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♪ ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST IT TORE YELL CARTOONIST.

FESTIVALS ARE SET TO RETURN THIS SUMMER, WE HAVE A RUNDOWN ON WHAT TO EXPECT.

AND OUR OWN JAY CHEF SKI GETS FRIENDLY WITH A RATHER R RATHER LARGE IN SITTING.

LIVING VETERAN STRUGGLES WITH ANOTHER ENEMY, THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT HOW VETERANS FAIRED THE PAST YEAR, ARE DR. JEFFERY OKEN ACTING CHIEF OF STAFF AT EDWARD HYNES JUNIOR VA HOSPITAL IN MAY WOOD AND DR. SARA UNTERMANE DOCTOR IN CHICAGO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

DR. OKEN LET'S START BY TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE SO MANY CIVILIANS AND NONVETERANS HAVE SUFFERED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, REPORTS OF LONELINESS, DEPRESSION AND SO FORTH AND NEW STUDY ON MILITARY VETERANS, PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS AND SUICIDAL IDEATIONS ARE PREVALENT IN VETERANS WHO SURVIVED COVID 19.

DURING THE PANDEMIC DID YOU SEE MORE PATIENTS STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH.

>> WE DID.

SO THEY'RE GREAT THING ABOUT THE PANDEMIC AND ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE WE CAN PROVIDE THESE VIRTUALLY.

SO ALL OF OUR VETERANS WERE ABLE TO GET THE CARE AND ACCESS TO THE CARE THEY NEEDED.

SO IF THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS, THEY REACHED OUT.

WE COULD REACH OUT TO THEM, EITHER BY VA VIDEO CONNECT OR TELEPHONE.

WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT, SOME ARE COMING BACK HAVING FACE-TO-FACE VISITS BUT THERE'S OPTIONS FOR THE VETERANS TO GET THE CARE WHEN NEEDED AND AMOUNT THEY NEED IT.

>> AS I UNDERSTAND IT MOST OF YOUR, MOST OF YOUR CONNECTING WITH VETERANS HAD TO DO ZOOM AND TELEPHONE IS THAT JUST AS EFFECTIVE AS MEETING WITH VETERANS PERSONALLY?

>> YOU KNOW, IT IS.

ONE OF THE THING WE DO ENCOURAGE IS THE VIDEO VISIT WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE VETERAN.

MANY VISITS ARE SHORT VISITS, JUST DONE BY TELEPHONE BUT IF THEY NEED A MORE EXTENSIVE VISIT WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE SEEN AND TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION EYE TO EYE.

>> DR. UNTERMAN YOU'RE IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN TERMS OF PEOPLE PRESENTING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS?

>> SO WE'RE SEEING, WE WERE VERY CONCERNED ACTUALLY ABOUT AN INCREASED RISK OF MENTAL IT'S AND SUBSTANCE USE AMONG PATIENTS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WEREN'T ENGAGING IN CARE, BUT OUR VIRTUAL MODALITIES LIKE DR. OKEN WAS DISCUSSING, HAVE REALLY HELPED WITH CONNECTING OUR PATIENTS IN WAYS THAT WE HADN'T BEEN FOCUSING ON NEARLY AS MUCH PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH OUR PATIENTS IN THE PLACES THEY NEED AND AT THE TIMES WHEN THEY NEED.

WHICH IS REALLY HELPED CONSIDERABLY.

WE DID HAVE A PATIENT WHO CAME IN JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO WHO WAS AN OPIOID USER, AND HE CAME WITH SIGNIFICANT SIGNS OF WITHDRAWAL, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD FOCUSED ON DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF SUB OONE AVAILABILITY.

AND WE WERE WILL THE START THIS PATIENT IMMEDIATELY SET HIM UP WITH PRIMARY CARE, HAVE HIM COME BACK THE NEXT DAY FOR CHANGING HIS DOSE BASED ON HIS SYMPTOMS, AND WE WERE REALLY ABLE TO HOOK HIM UP INTO THE APPROPRIATE MODALITIES HE NEEDED TO HELP HIM.

WE LEARNED A LOT.

>> WHAT EXACTLY IS SUBOEX- ONE.

>> ONE OF THE MEDICATIONS THAT CAN BE USED TO HELP PEOPLE WHO DO USE NARCOTICS, SPECIFICALLY OPIOIDS, TO STOP NEEDING NONPRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS AND TO PREVENT THEM FROM HAVING SEVERE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS.

>> DOCTOR OKEN, NOW THAT THE CDC HAS ISSUED ITS SUGGESTION, ITS RECOMMENDATION ABOUT MASKS AND THERE'S A QUOTE RETURN TO NORMALCY TO A CERTAIN EXTENT ANY ISSUE USERS SEEING WHAT APPEARS TO BE A NEW PHASE.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS AT VA AND ALL MEDICAL CENTERS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE MANDATORY MASKING ON CAMPUS, WE DO HAVE CONCERN OBVIOUSLY AS THE MASK USAGE GOES DOWN, WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT MEANS VACCINATION IS UP.

HOWEVER, WE'RE STILL CONCERNED AND WE'RE STILL PREPARED IF WE DO SEE A SURGE IN COVID CASES BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN RECOMMENDATIONS BY CDC.

>> DR., EXCUSE ME FOR INTERRUPTING.

DR. UNTERMAN, ARE YOU SEEING VACCINE HESITANCY ON THE PART OF VETERANS.

>> WE'RE SEEING SOME VACCINE HESITANCY, WHAT WE FOUND IS MOST EFFECTIVE IS TO JUST KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT WITH THE VETERANS OVER AND OVER.

THIS ISN'T A ONE-TIME DISCUSSION THAT THEN YOU LEAVE.

THIS IS A MULTIPLE DISCUSSION, WHERE YOU AT EVERY SINGLE VISIT AND EVERY CONTACT WITH THE PATIENT DISCUSS WITH THEM THE POSITIVE REASONS TO RECEIVE A VACCINE, DISCUSS ANY CONCERNS THEY MAY HAVE, AND WE'VE SEEN MANY CASES OF VETERANS WHO INITIALLY WERE SKEPTICAL BUT OVER TIME COME TO THE CONCLUSION IT'S RIGHT THING FOR THEM AND FAMILIES >> DR. OKEN DURING THE HEIGHT OF PANDEMIC, SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE DELAYED MEDICAL CARE ON OTHER ISSUES, NOT JUST MENTAL HEALTH, BUT ARE YOU SEEING ANY SORT OF PENT UP DEMAND FOR HEALTHCARE ON THE PART OF VETERANS?

>> HUGE PENT-UP DEMAND, IT'S REALLY AMAZING, THERE ARE PROCEDURES THAT WERE PUT OFF, OTHER CARE NEEDS PUT OFF, OUR CLINICS ARE FULL.

WE ARE GETTING OUR VETERANS IN YOU KNOW, BOTH FACE-TO-FACE AS WELL AS VIRTUALLY, GETTING THE PROCEDURES THEY NEED DONE, YES, THERE'S A HUGE PENT UP DEMAND OUT THERE.

AND YOU KNOW, WE WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HERE AT HYNES WE WERE BEEN ABLE TO MEET THE DEMAND OUT AND OUR COMMUNITY CLINICS AND MAIN CAMPUS.

>> DR. UNTERMAN, WE BOTH ALLUDED TO THE USE OF TELEMEDICINE, DOES THE EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO CAUSE YOU TO THINK THAT SOME OF THESE CHANGES MIGHT BE PERMANENT, GREATERER RYE ALLIANCE ON TELEMEDICINE.

>> DEFINITELY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CLINICS BEING FULL, WHICH THEY ARE, WE'RE FULLY BACK OPEN AND READY FOR ALL BUSINESS IN EVERY SPECIALTY, WE ARE NOT GOING BACK TO THE OLD MODEL OF FACE-TO-FACE APPOINTMENTS, WE'RE GOING TO MAIN A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR APPOINTMENTS AS VIDEO APPOINTMENTS SO THAT THERE'S A GREATER FLEXIBILITY FOR OUR PATIENTS, AND IT REALLY HELPS BREAK DOWN BARRIERS, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE THAT HAVE TROUBLE COMMUTING TO FACILITIES, THEY MAY LIVE FAR, THEY MAY NOT HAVE GOOD TRANSPORTATION, THIS ALLOWS US TO MEET PATIENTS WHERE THEY ARE LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY.

SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR CARE.

>> DR. OKEN, ACCORDING TO MILITARY TIMES VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICIALS REPORTED NO NEW COVID 19 DEATHS LAST WEEK BECAUSE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ARE YOU SEEING FEWER COVID 19 HOSPITALIZATIONS?

>> YES.

I MEAN, THE NUMBERS HAVE CONTINUED TO GO DOWN, OUR VETERANS CONTINUE TO GET MORE VACCINATIONS, WHICH IS HELPING THAT AND I THINK THEY'RE VERY COMPLIANT AND THEY'VE BEEN THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC WEARING MASKS AND FOLLOWING SOCIAL DISTANCING.

SO WE'RE SEEING A DEFINITE DROP, IT'S NOT 0.

>> DR., WE'RE BEEN FOCUSING ON COVID AND IMPACT ON VETERANS, LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY RIGHT NOW IS MOST PRESSING HEALTH NEEDS VETERANS FACE?

>> WELL, IT'S HARD TO PUT YOUR FINGER ON JUST ONE.

I THINK ONE BIG ONE IS ACCESS TO CARE, TO INSURE THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING THE SPECIFIC TYPE OF CARE THEY REQUIRE IN THE TIME FRAME THEY REQUIRE IT AND WE'VE MADE HUGE STRIDES IN PROVIDING THAT CARE.

ANOTHER IS MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION, WHICH WE'RE DEEPLY IMBEDDED IN, AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST FOCUSES AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WORKING FOR US.

SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS >> AND THAT'S WHERE I'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT DR. OKEN AND DR. UNTERMAN, WE APPRECIATE IT GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR IMPORTANT WORK.

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>> UP NEXT, WE VISIT AN EXHIBIT FEATURING THE WORK OF CARTOONIST BILL MAULDIN.

WHO IS WELL-KNOWN ON WORK WITH SOLDIERS J.

>> WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT BLACK VOICES WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE PREVENTS A STRONG COALITION OF BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES >> AS A NATION I WANT US TO FIND A WAY TO COME TOGETHER.

>> GO DOWN THE BLOCK, GET IT FROM SOMEONE LOCAL AND KEEP THE MONEY IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> BLACK JOY AND BLACK EXPERIENCE IS MAGICAL.

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♪ >> AT 23 FOUGHT IN WORLD WAR II TANGLED WITH GENERAL PATENT AND WON THE FIRST PULITZER PRIZE, BILL MAULDIN CREATED FROM THE 1940'S TO 1990S, NEW EXHIBITION REMEMBERS THIS AMERICAN ORIGINAL WHO HAD STRONG CONNECTIONS TO CHICAGO.

PRODUCER MARK VITALI HAS THE STORY.

FOR ANY ISSUE FACING THE UNITED STATES, OR THE WORLD AT LARGE, BILL MAULDIN COULD SKETCH A STRONG OPINION.

FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, HE SAT RISED THE NEWS OF THE DAY AND DIDN'T PULL PUNCH'S THE PRITZKER MILITARY REASON OPENED ITS ARTWORK BY BILL MAULDIN.

>> YOU START LOOKING AT THESE CARTOONS AND GOING THROUGH HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF THEM AND THEY NOT ONLY APPRECIATION FOR THE ORIGINAL PIECES THEMSELVES BUT CERTAINLY FOR HIS HUMOR, FOR THE SUBJECT MATTER THAT HE'S COVERING, HE TEACHERED ON EVERYTHING.

IF IT WAS -- IF IT WAS IMPORTANT SOCIAL POLITICAL ECONOMIC TOPIC OF THE 1960'S, 70, 80'S, 90'S, HE PROBABLY TOUCHED ON IT AND DID IT IN SUCH A, YOU KNOW, SHARP BITING COMMENTARY THAT ONLY CARTOONISTS CAN DO SOMETIMES.

>> BORN IN NEW MEXICO, MAULDIN STUDIED AT THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS.

HE STARTED HIS ART YEAR WHILE FIGHTING IN EUROPE DURING WORLD WAR II.

THERE HE CREATED WILLIE AND JOE, TWO SOLDIERS WHO CAME TO SYMBOLIZE THE COMMON FIGHTING MAN.

>> ONCE HE'S IN ITALY THAT'S WHERE THE CHARACTERS WILLIE AND JOE EMERGE A DISTINCT CHARACTERS.

AND HE'LL CONTINUE TO DRAW THEM THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE WAR AND AFTER THE WAR.

THEY'RE REALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AVERAGE EXPERIENCE OF THE INFANTRY MEN.

>> MAULDIN'S POINT OF VIEW WAS POPULAR AMONG ENLISTED MEN AND PEOPLE ON HOME FRONT.

BUT THE SCRUFFY SOLDIERS WERE NOT APPRECIATED BY SOME MILITARY BRASS INCLUDING GEORGE PATON WHO HELD A PROTEST MEETING WITH MAULDIN THAT THE ARTIST DEPICTED.

>> HE CHEWED HIM OUT OVER THE CARTOONS AND TRIED TO GET QUESTIONS.

BUT MALL WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DRAW THROUGHOUT REST OF WAR AND EVEN ON THE RETURN HOME.

HE STUCK TO WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO REPRESENT WITH THESE CHARACTERS.

>> HE WON HIS FIRST PULL SIR PRIZE FOR THE WORLD WAR II WORK, IN 1959, MAULDIN WON A SECOND PULL SIR FOR THIS CARTOON AND BECAME AN EDITORIAL CARTOONIST FOR THE CHICAGO SUN TIMES FROM 1962 TO 1991.

PERHAPS HIS MOST FAMOUS IMAGE IS A GRIEF STRICKEN ABRAHAM LINCOLN REACTING TO JOHN F KENNEDY'S ASSASSINATION, THE MUSEUM AND LIBRARY ARE ON SECOND FLOOR OF THE HISTORIC MONROE BUILDING ON MICHIGAN AVENUE, CURATOR OF THE EXHIBITION HAS A CONNECTION TO THE ARTIST BECAUSE HE TOO WAS AN INFANTRY MAN >> I SERVED IN THE MARINES IN IRAQ AND THE EXPERIENCES HE REPRESENTS THROUGH WILLIE AND JOE AND WORLD WAR II ARE MANY SAME EXPERIENCES THAT I WENT THROUGH, THINGS LIKE THIS INFANTRY MEN CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH COMPLAINING ABOUT FOOD, COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WEATHER, THESE ARE THINGS THAT DON'T GO AWAY FOR THOSE IN MILITARY.

WHETHER YOU'RE A SOLDIER IN WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM, DESERT STORM, I THINK HIS CARTOONS WOULD SPEAK TO YOU.

YOU LOOK AT HIS ARTWORK NOW, AND THERE ARE SOME OF HIS CARTOONS THAT ARE RELEVANT JUST AS MUCH TODAY AS THEY WERE WHEN HE DREW THEM, YOU KNOW, WE SAY THAT THERE IS ALMOST A MAULDIN FOR EVERYTHING.

AND IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WE FIND A MAULDIN THAT ADDRESSES THE TOPIC.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, THIS IS MARC VITALI.

>> BILL MAULDIN DIED IN 2003 AND IS BURIED IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.

THE EXHIBIT OF HIS WORK IS CALLED DRAWN TO COMBAT AND IT OPENED AT THE IMPRESS ACCIDENT OCCUR MILITARY MUSEUM.

NEXT A PREVIEW OF THE SUMMER FESTIVAL.

STICK AROUND.

>> GO TO CHICAGO TONIGHT PODCAST AND SUBSCRIBE.

APPROXIMATE >>> STREET FESTIVALS, ART SHOWS, OUTDOOR CONCERTS, REMEMBER THOSE?

YOU'LL BE REMINDED OF ALL THE FUN WHEN THEY RETURN AT THE CHICAGO AREA PREPARES TO FULLY REOPEN.

WTTW NEWS REPORTER KRISTEN THOMETZ JOINS US WITH MORE.

KRISTEN?

>> HI, PHIL.

>> TELL US WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER.

>> YES, SO I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THIS SUMMER WE'LL LOOK MORE LIKE WE'VE KNOWN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

BUT THERE WILL BE SOME DIFFERENCES AT FESTIVALS.

YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE A LOT MORE HANDS SANITIZE STATIONS, THE MORE A LITTLE BIT OF SOCIAL DISTANCING, THERE WILL BE SOCIAL DISTANCING MARKERS AT SUN FEST AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO A FEST, PACK A MASK, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT VACCINATED YOU'LL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR ONE.

AND EVEN IF YOU ARE, SOME VENDORS MAY ASKING YOU TO PUT ONE ON WHEN YOU GO NO THEIR BOOTH.

>> DO WE KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW THESE ORGANIZERS ARE GETTING READY FOR FESTIVALS AMID A PANDEMIC?

>> SURE R ONE THING WE LEARNED PHIL IS THINGS CHANGE A LOT DURING THE PANDEMIC.

ORGANIZERS ARE MAKING MULTIPLE SCENARIOS FOR EACH FESTIVAL IN DAYS THINGS CHANGE AS HAS BEEN THE CASE.

SOME OF US POSTPONED THEIR COMING BACK TILL LATER IN THE SEASON AND SOME JUST CANCELLED ALTOGETHER.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DECIDED TO POSTPONE ONE MORE SEASON, HOW COME?

>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE REASONS, YOU KNOW, THESE EVENTS DO TAKE AWHILE TO PLAN AND SOME EVEN START RIGHT AFTER THE EVENT WRAPPED UP.

THAT'S PART.

OTHER IS ORGANIZERS TOLD ME SOME EVENTS AREN'T FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE UNLESS THEY'RE ABLE TO OPERATE AT FULL CAPACITY, WHICH IS WHY SOME HAVE PUSHED EVENTS TILL LATER THIS SUMMER AND JUST SAID, OTHERS SAID ALTOGETHER WE'LL WAIT UNTIL 2022.

>> MAKES SENSE, WE'LL BE GRATEFUL FOR THE ONES THAT ARE HAPPENING, KRISTEN, THANK YOU.

>> THANKS, PHIL.

>>> AND YOU CAN READ KRISTEN'S FULL SUMMER FESTIVAL GUIDE ON OUR WEBSITE, WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE ON WHICH EVENTS ARE SET TO TAKE PLACE THIS SUMMER.

IT'S ALL AT WTTW.COM/NEWS.

AND UP NEXT OUR OWN JAY CHEF SKI DETAILS AN UP CLOSE ENCOUNTER HE HAD WITH A VERY FRIENDLY INSECT.

STICK AROUND.

SHE HAVE >>> AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AT THE OSCARS WENT TO MY OCTOPUS AT THAT ABOUT A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP A MAN DEVELOPED WITH AN OCTOPUS, THAT GOT OUR OWN JAY SHEFSKY THINKING OF A ENCOUNTER OF HIS OWN, HERE IS JAY WITH ANOTHER LOOK.

>> THE STARTED LIKE A LOT OF MY FAVORITE DAYS IN A KAYAK ON ON A QUIET RIVER.

BUT SOON, IT WOULD GET A LOT MORE INTERESTING.

I WAS ALONE ON THE PAW PAW RIVER, BATTLING OUT OF BEEN TON HARBOR MICHIGAN.

WAIT, WHAT IS ON THAT LOG?

IS THAT A PRAYING MAN TIS?

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN A PRAYING MAN TIS IN PERSON.

IS IT TURNING ITS HEAD TO WATCH ME PASS?

I MUST BE IMAGINING THAT.

GOT TO GET A CLOSER LOOK, I TURN AROUND AND UP TO THE FALLEN TREE THAT IS THE PRAYING MAN TIS PURGE, THIS TIME, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT IT TURNS HIS HEAD TO FACE ME.

IT IS WATCHING ME.

THIS GIANT INSECT THAT MUST HAVE BEEN THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CLASSIC CARTOON ALIEN IS WATCHING ME.

AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE SCARED.

AT LEAST NOT ENOUGH TO FLY AWAY OR WALK AWAY OR WHATEVER IT WOULD DO.

I'M A LITTLE SCARED.

BEFORE I GET ANY CLOSER, I GOOGLE ARE PRAYING MAN TIS DANGEROUS?

I LEARNED WHILE THEY CAN BE QUITE ROUGH ON PREY, THEY'RE HARMLESS TO HUMANS.

I GET IN CLOSER.

HOPING TO GET A FEW SHOTS BEFORE I SCARE IT OFF.

BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM SCARED AT ALL.

IT SEEMS CURIOUS.

I KNOW.

I KNOW, I SHOULDN'T ANSWER TO THE CRITTER, AM I WRONG TO SAY THAT IT SEEMS EVERY BIT AS INTERESTED IN ME AS I AM IN IT?

SOON, I'M FEELING READY TO TAKE OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

WILL IT READ THIS GESTURE AS A SIGN I CAN BE TRUSTED?

DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

BUT THEN, AFTER HALF AN HOUR OF JUST LOOKING AT EACH OTHER, AN AMAZING THING HAPPENS.

IT BEGINS TO APPROACH.

TENTATIVELY AT FIRST THEN WITH A LITTLE MORE SWAGGER.

I'M GLAD I ALREADY CONFIRMED THAT IT'S NOT A THREAT TO ME.

BECAUSE IT'S COMING ABOARD.

THEN FOR ANOTHER HALF HOUR IT EXPLORES ME AND MY KAYAK.

THIS IS GOING TO BE WILD.

THERE'S PRAYING MANTIS ON THE BOTTOM OF MY SHOE I CAN'T SEE IT.

IT MAKES ITSELF AT HOME ON THE NEW PERCH.

AND SOON, IT'S READY TO MAKE THE MOVE TO MY HAND.

THAT IS THE WILDEST THING.

BUT NOW, I AM IN BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR TERRITORY.

BECAUSE WHILE I KNOW THAT THIS THING WON'T HURT ME, IT'S TOUGH TO KEEP MY COOL AS IT MOVES FROM MY HAND TO MY ARM.

EVEN THOUGH I GET IT BACK TO MORE COMFORTABLE TERRITORY, THIS GIANT INSECT STILL WANTS TO BE BETTER FRIENDS.

AND THEN AS IT EXPLORES ME, IT MANAGES TO FIND THE ONE PLACE I CAN'T FILM IT.

ON MY HAND THAT IS HOLDING MY PHONE.

THIS IS INCHES FROM MY FACE.

SITTING ON THE PHONE.

IT'S TAKING THIS PICTURE OF ME.

IT IS MAGNIFICENT.

WHEN HAVE I EVER SPENT THIS MUCH TIME THIS CLOSE TO A CRITTER I ENCOUNTERED IN THE WILD?

AND WHICH I THINK HAS COME TO TRUST THAT I MEAN IT NO HARM.

UNFORTUNATELY, I BETRAYED THAT TRUST.

AND I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT THE REST OF THE STORY HAPPENED OFF CAMERA.

HERE ARE PHOTOS FROM EARLIER AS I TELL YOU HOW IT PLAYED OUT.

THE PRAYS MANTIS SPENT SEVERAL MORE MINUTES ON MY HAND AND STARTLED ME QUICKLY WALKING UP MY ARM TOWARDS MY FACE, I INSTINCTUALLY FLICKED IT OFF.

IT LANDED IN THE WATER WHERE I WATCHED IT FLAIL AS THE CURRENT CARRIED IT DOWNSTREAM, I WAS HORRIFIED AND COULDN'T LET MY NEW FRIEND DROWN, I TOOK OFF AFTER IT.

EVENTUALLY USING THE KAYAK PADDLE TO GENTLY SCOOP IT OUT OF THE WATER.

SOMEHOW, WITH THAT PADDLE I MADE MY WAY TO THE SHORE AND HERE'S MY STUNNED FRIEND ON THE PADDLE.

BEFORE I RETURNED IT TO SAFETY.

AND THEN WATCHED IT QUICKLY TAKE OFF INTO THE BRUSH.

DID I TEACH IT THAT HUMANS CAN'T BE TRUSTED?

MAYBE THAT'S NOT A BAD LESSON.

AND WHAT DID IT TEACH ME?

SOMETHING PRETTY SIMPLE, REALLY.

THE BENEFIT OF QUIET PATIENT OBSERVATION.

FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, THIS IS JAY SHEFSKY.

>> BOY MEETS MANTIS LOSES, WE'VE HEARD THAT.

THERE ARE 2400 SPECIES AROUND THE WORLD THAT COME IN A WILD VARIETY A FEW OTHER FUN FACTS MANY SPECIES CAN TURN THEIR HEADS 180 DEGREES LIKE THE ONE JAY MET.

FEMALE HAVE BITE OFF THEIR HEAD AFTER MATING.

THE DARK SPOTS MOVE TO FOLLOW PREY, SOME CALL IT SUPER NATURAL POWERS TO THEM AND IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO EAT MANTIS AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO LOU FOR ALLOWING US TO USE THE PHOTOS.

THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS MONDAY NIGHT.

PLEASE JOIN IT TOMORROW LIVE AT 7:00.

STATE LAWMAKERS WRAP UP A WILL HAVE SESSION, A RUNDOWN WHICH BILLS MADE IT THROUGH AND WHICH DID NOT T. CORN ROWS TO BRAIDS, HEART OF HAIR BRAIDING WHY IT'S MORE THAN JUST A HAIRSTYLE.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND SALE.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY GOOD NIGHT.

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