My Crazy Submission to TAL!!!

I want to submit this idea to This American Life. I think it’ll make a great 1 hour show (or at least 30 minutes of content). I’ve always been fascinated by this story and every person who has heard this story has also been captivated by it.

I have to reformulate and think some more about it, but I think I’m going to do it! Here’s my pitch:

Characters:

Johan: narrator, investigator, story teller, annoying friend asking his friends questions

Isiah: the brother who almost drowned

Vern: the first jumper

Josh: the second jumper

Nhia: the third jumper

Blong: the fourth jumper?/the “get out of the way guy!”

Adam: the non-jumper, the ghost whisperer

Vipat, Yij Geu, Mai Kao, and others: outside perspective

Ira Glass: show host

Location:

Greenville, IL

Conflict:
- Friendly peer pressure
- The drive and walk to the bridge
- The incident
- The struggle
- The shore
- The Angel
- The path
- The secret
- The perspectives
- The gratefulness

Why I want to do this:
Isiah’s getting married this summer, Josh and Mai Kao are coming back this summer, and most of the people closest to Isiah are already married. It’s a crazy story that I don’t want us to forget, I think it’s made a huge difference in whom we are and why we all still keep in contact with each other. It turned us from friends and relatives into Brothers.

If you don't know what this story is about, please feel free to ask me next time you see me. I'd love to share it with you.