How nearly 5 years of unbelievable pain changed everything you knew about Glenn Beck

November 10, 2014

Writer

Watch the full special for free on TheBlaze TV

Every person who has truly turned their life around can point to a moment when everything changed. It's a pivot point, a change in perspective. We all have many, but Glenn has been keeping one hidden for the past four and a half years - until tonight. What changed Glenn from a guy talking about politics and news to love and culture? Where did the "new Glenn Beck" come from?

For over four years, Glenn struggled with serious health issues. Stabbing pain in his hands and feet. Seizures. Ongoing issues with his vocal chords and eyesight. For years, the doctors couldn't explain exactly what was wrong or how to fix it. He had to make drastic changes to his life and his work. After a miraculous treatment he now has a clear bill of health, and with it a new perspective on his purpose in life. It's a long story, one he had kept hidden from all but a few of his closest confidants. But tonight, he told the full story to the audience and what has planned for the future.

Around the time of Restoring Honor, Glenn began to experience extreme pain in his extremities, as well as slight paralysis in his vocal chords and issues with his eyes. The doctors thought it was a painful form of neuropathy, but couldn't figure out how to solve the problem.

"My hands, feet, arms and legs feel like someone had just crushed them, or pushed broken glass into my feet," Glenn explained. "While I was at Fox the pain would get so bad that the crew worked out hand signals so they would know when to take the camera off of me."

"I went to doctor after doctor, each with a new finding and leaving me with more questions. I tried different diets, medications, and even moved to a warmer climate," he said. During a TBI test a year and a half ago, the results showed him functioning at a level that was below 10%. Doctors said if nothing changed, he would likely end up in a physical state comparable to Muhammed Ali.

The physical deterioration impacted all areas of his life. At work, Pat and Stu would have to carry on the radio show with no notice if he experienced an attack. In his personal life, Tania would have to help tie his shoes and button his shirt. Flying exacerbated the pain, and after one particularly bad episode Tania and Glenn's friends had to carry him into the hotel

"Out of it all, the worst part is what my wife went through," Glenn said. "It has taught me a ton and made our marriage amazing."

"My pivot point came one night shortly after returning home. We were all in the kitchen as a family and I had an attack. it put me on the ground with my family all around me. I saw their faces and the idea that I would someday not remember them nor would I remember my soon to be born grandchild hit me like I bag of bricks," Glenn said.

He found himself torn between a desire to dedicate what could be his final years of clarity to his family and the fact that the Lord hadn't told him to give up and stop. He always heard a quiet voice saying there was hope, that there could be a cure out there.

That hope became a reality at the Carrick Brain Center in Dallas, TX. After a few visits, the doctors found that Glenn was suffering from an auto immune disorder and adrenal fatigue. But they did more than diagnose the problem, they believed they could fix it. Glenn underwent a series of unconventional and experimental treatments. The tests were brutal and exhausting, but in the end Glenn took another TBI test and tested in 90% percentile.

"I have received a clean bill of health," Glenn said. For the past several years Glenn has been operating with essentially half a brain, but now "it is all back online."

Why does this matter? Why would Glenn reveal this intensely personal experience that his put his family, his friends, and his coworkers through incredible stress?

Many longterm viewers have noticed changes to the production of the show, but even more have noticed changes to the content of the show and to Glenn himself. Reaching out to those with different political viewpoints, bringing soccer balls and food to illegal immigrant children on the border, talking on and on about "culture" and "love" - several people in the audience have objected to some or all of these things over the past year. But these changes are a direct result of Glenn's health scare and his pivot point.

"When people were mad at me for thinking I didn't care anymore, I can't blame them. They expected me to be honest with them. For those who question why I have been saying we need to love one another, they didn't know that when you are faced with a real timeline of life, you begin to measure everything and its worth," Glenn said.

Glenn has come out the other end of this experience with a new perspective, a new message, and a new mission.

In the worst days of his health scare, Glenn looked for people who could replace him if the worst were to happen. Pat and Stu on radio, Dana and Buck Sexton on TV. But the hardest "role" to fill was that of the creative storyteller. Glenn has always been a creative force and a fountain of ideas and stories, and he needed to download those stories to someone who could take them and tell them in new and exciting ways if he couldn't do it.

During Restoring Love, he came across Ben McPherson, an artist and filmmaker who was managing one of the singers at the event. The two hit it off, and Glenn recruited him to come work at Mercury and head up the American Dream Labs. Ben agreed, and behind-the-scenes the two of them have been developing several film and television projects that embody the eternal theme of "love each other", but will be told in new and exciting ways.

"Maybe you didn't even notice, but I have been gone. And I am happy to say, I am back. But with all of this time - what do I spend it on? I have pivoted. I know what my life is about now and it isn't about money, fame, or division. It isn't about politics or a 5pm TV show that continues to highlight problems," Glenn said.

"I want to tell you what it is I need to accomplish in my lifetime," Glenn said. "We need to tell the stories of love and courage where the good guys win."

Over the three nights, Glenn will reveal more about the projects the American Dream Labs have been developing. They range from true history like the battle between Tesla and Edison, to new stories of Santa and "the greatest story ever told."

"What would you do tonight if you knew you wouldn't wake up in the morning?" Glenn asked. He charged the audience to unite on hope and courage, and he promised not to waste a moment of his second chance on life.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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