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\u00a0A Conversation with ROBERT COZMO CONSULMAGNO,\u00a0 USMC, World Ranked Jiu Jitsu Fighter, PTSD & Bipolar Advocate & HIS MISSION to END STIGMA OF BIPOLAR \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0bY Calvin Schwartz\u00a0\u00a0 2-22-16<\/strong><\/p>\n

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$\"Robert$
Robert Cozmo Consulmagno, champion<\/p><\/div>\n
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I constantly marvel at the exigencies and mysteries of the universe. Just the other day, Einstein was proven correct again; scientists detected gravitational waves from the violent merger (not Wall Street but perhaps some parallel) of two black holes in deep space. My excitement comes from how the universe and synchronicity bring special people into my life.\u00a0 There has to be a reason. Sometimes I think it\u2019s the involvement of a special Saint. Last summer, on a warm humid night, I got a call from my friend Mike Marino, one of the funniest comedians in the country, also known as New Jersey\u2019s Bad Boy of Comedy. He invited me to come to Rumson, where his brother Paul Marino and his band were performing.\u00a0 I\u2019d meet several of Mike\u2019s Jersey City (roots) friends from the old neighborhood. The invitation appealed to me. I love roots, colorful people and anything Mike.<\/p>\n
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$\"Cozmo$
Cozmo winning medal at Boston Championship<\/p><\/div>\n
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At a table in the rear were Mike Marino, John Freda, (a former boxer) Joe Weber, Bob Mattis and Cozmo. From a short distance, Cozmo looked fiercely ripped and intense; you could tell he worked out or something akin. I sat next and within an hour, knew he was a special guy with a personal history that they easily make powerful dramatic movies about.\u00a0 Saying goodbye, I sensed a fast friendship forming. There was so much inside Cozmo that I wanted to learn about. \u00a0I sensed the ticking.<\/p>\n
Slow forward a few months. Cozmo and I stayed in touch via Facebook, Twitter and a cell phone. I learned from all his videos, television interviews and print material as well as in his own voice, his incredible painful journey from a tumultuous childhood through the Marines, into PTSD, bipolar<\/i> diagnosis and a world Jiu Jitsu ranking. He fights so well; productively channels all that strife and internal energy.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been watching Cozmo solely undertake a massive public relations program through social media to bring awareness to bipolar<\/u> disease.\u00a0 Quite impressively, he enlisted multi Emmy award winning \u00a0documentary film maker Glenn Holsten (OC 87 Recovery Diaries) to do a short video on Cozmo\u2019s life roots in Jersey City called \u201cCrazy Cozmo” \u2014 Veteran Marine With PTSD & Bipolar Disorder.\u201d\u00a0 This needs to be seen. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uMdOk8EgXtc<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
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$\"taking$
taking a Jersey stoop break during interview<\/p><\/div>\n
$\"during$
during filming of NJ Discover video with hosts Tara-Jean Vitale & Calvin<\/p><\/div>\n
Cozmo corralled a few high profile friends on social media also personally dealing with bipolar; Mauro Ranallo (WWE) and Carrie Fisher (yes, \u2018Star Wars\u2019). He is one of the most unrelenting, eloquent and sensitive people I\u2019ve ever met. He swept me up into his energy field (to end the stigma of bipolar) and moved NJ Discover and me to do a short profile video interview at our studio. Cozmo is riveting in life and on camera. Before anything else here, please go watch this NJ Discover video. Take 7 minutes and a few seconds.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jo960SxQOSY<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
After the release of this video, Cozmo intensified his campaign to end the stigma of bipolar. He asked if I could do a follow-up article to our video. This was his life\u2019s mission. I wanted to be there for him. But as a writer, my effectiveness has always been my personal involvement and commitment to a subject. Bipolar was ostensibly not in my life. It would be hard for me to dig into my intestinal lining. Then an epiphany arrived on a cumulous cloud that simultaneously covered a Middlesex County cemetery; it was a realization that a dear special unique cousin is buried (two years ago) nearby. An hour before they buried him, his son, my second cousin, told me that my cousin was bipolar. It hit me like a mallet on my cranial soft spot now hardened. The world was crystal clear and strangely painful because I never knew in the six decades we were living cousins that he suffered from bi polar. And then Cozmo\u2019s life mission to end the stigma of bipolar really hit me hard.<\/p>\n
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$\"Cozmo$
Cozmo during NJ Discover video in studi<\/p><\/div>\n
$\"last$
last summer with the guys meeting Cozmo with Mike Marino, John Freda, Bob Mattis, Joe Weber<\/p><\/div>\n
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Everything made sense now. The stigma of bipolar hugely affected the relationship I had with my cousin. There were times of unpredictability and erratic unexplained behavior. I was hurt, dismayed and pulled away from the cousin I loved so much; sometimes for a decade. My cousin was me. I was him. To be just like him, I changed my whole life career path. He was older and wiser and I had to do anything to be close to him. The stories I could tell. Not now.\u00a0 Then a few years ago, I got a call he was passing. We hadn\u2019t seen each other in years; more unexplained behavior on his part. I visited him for the last time. It was strained and awkward but I made him laugh. I was empty, sad and never could figure him out. I loved my cousin but he always pushed away. Now I know and understand. He was bipolar and it was a stigma so he could never confide in me. \u00a0I am so grateful to Cozmo for getting me to think, feel and grasp his life\u2019s mission; to end the stigma of bipolar. I remember when Michael Corleone touched the hand of his father Don Vito (The Godfather) in the hospital and said, \u201cI\u2019m with you now pop.\u201d\u00a0 And I said to Cozmo when I realized all this, \u201cI\u2019m with you now Cozmo.\u201d\u00a0 If only there was no stigma, and I knew all about my cousin, what wonderful life moments we could\u2018ve shared with transparent understanding.\u00a0 I\u2019ve taken a lot of time to develop all this stuff lining my stomach with emotion; it\u2019s to help Cozmo\u2019s cause.<\/p>\n
A few weeks ago, snow was flurrying around, Cozmo came and sat around my kitchen table and we talked his mission, emotions and deep feelings. It\u2019s my job now to harvest those words. It\u2019s not going to be a bumpy night but a fascinating look into an intense tough guy and where this mental stuff came from.<\/p>\n
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$\"Cozmo$
Cozmo in the gym<\/p><\/div>\n
$\"on$
on location during the interview<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cHow and when does all this turmoil in your life begin?\u201d\u00a0 I knew some of the general background. Cozmo\u2019s voice kicked up an octave. ” My biological father commited suicide by hanging himself. I\u2019ve seen my first step father beat my mother. They were together for many years but never married but he also forced himself on her. He even threw a TV stand at his own mother; the product of a violent environment. I\u2019ve seen him beat a guy over a parking spot. My first stepfather shot my second stepfather with a 22. Later the same day, he drove up to Mooanchie, New Jersey and killed himself inside of a Pontiac Bonneville with the same weapon. My first stepfather was the guy when my mother yelled, \u201cDad wants you,\u201d I started crying. I didn\u2019t know what was going to happen. That\u2019s where my problems dealing with people and authority figures came from. That\u2019s all I knew, how to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n
My wife, a former teacher, and preparer of lunch, asked, \u201cWhat about school.\u201d \u201cI actually was a good student.\u201d I wasn\u2019t surprised about that. His eloquence and grasp are wonderful intellectual gifts.\u00a0 \u201cI was the guy that would hang out with the international students. I hate to say I felt pity but I wanted to protect them. My best friend was from Taiwan. We\u2019d go to have lunch in a nearby cemetery to get away from the ghetto kids. He looked up to me. I was his protector. It made me feel better to help people.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI lived in this little cubicle. No one messed with me cause I knew who I was. Maybe that\u2019s part of bipolar.\u201d Cozmo talked about travelling the world. He loves castles; maybe that\u2019s why he\u2019s going to Prague in June.\u00a0 Suddenly he was talking about cutting two people out of his life because of negativity and hypocrisy. And he recently wrote President Obama in the White House three times. Cozmo wants to sit down and enlist his help to end the stigma of bipolar. He reasoned that his second term is winding down and that he\u2019d have more time now. Yes, if anyone can accomplish that, it\u2019d be Cozmo; I\u2019m a believer in him. \u00a0\u201cI\u2019m all about defying odds in life. I sent him a DVD with all my movies. Your NJ Discover interview was part of it too.\u201d<\/p>\n
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$\"Award$
Award winner<\/p><\/div>\n
$\"Cozmo$
Cozmo making headlines<\/p><\/div>\n
I love his stream of consciousness thought process; rapid fire and bipolar fire; I wondered. Next Cozmo expounded on entering Guinness Records for the AB-Wheel and trying for a \u00a0world record, being ranked second in the world in Jiu Jitsu. That should impress the President.\u00a0 It was shout out time for Cozmo\u2019s sponsor, Scramble Martial Arts, \u201cbased in the UK, bringing me on board and sponsoring an old guy. They love my story trying to end the stigma.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scramble links as per Cozmo: www.scramblestuff.com<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/scramblers\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
I asked Cozmo about his social media and growing friendship with WWE\u2019s Mauro Ranallo and fellow bipolar personality. \u201cI\u2019m really excited to meet Mauro and do his podcast. If you think I have energy, he is unbelievable. His retweeting is a by-product of his mania. He is living his dream on overdrive. People\u2019s twitter walls are bombarded.\u00a0 He flies all over the country. Vince McMahon from WWE hired him.\u201d Since Mauro was five years old, he wanted to work with WWE. Here is that one minute You Tube \u2018Smackdown\u2019 video of his joy and excitement of Mauro\u2019s first match as per Cozmo.\u00a0 Amazingly they met through twitter.\u00a0 When they do the podcast together, Cozmo can\u2019t wait to see the energy when two bipolar guys get together.\u00a0 \u201cHe is spinning positive light, man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0Mauro Ranallo:\u00a0\u00a0 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mZlaq_NUTWU<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
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$\"Fight$
Cozmo fight scene<\/p><\/div>\n
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It was just a matter of time before Cozmo talked about his great- grandfather Mickey Taylor, who was really Michael Consulmagno, but changed his name to the Irish version in order to get paid as a fighter. \u201cFive foot five 200 pound Italian guy; 175 fights; only got knocked out once; and mauled Max Schmeling who knocked out Joe Louis. He beat Schmeling so bad, he was sent out of the camp. He died young; heart problems.\u201d\u00a0 It was a good segue to talk about racism and what his great-grandfather experienced being an Italian immigrant. \u201cI get along with everyone but racism exists. My great-grandfather was feared in every boxing division. They ran away from him. But he had to hide his Italian heritage and blend in pretend Irish because of racism.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhat about bipolar; Are there tell-tale signs?\u201d \u201cI\u2019m not a doctor. But it\u2019s erratic speech; going off on a tangent, trying to get so much out.\u201d I thought to myself, how that was Cozmo but in a peculiar way, that seemed to endear him to me.\u00a0 \u201cI got fired by one company three times and brought back a fourth time.\u00a0 They couldn\u2019t deal with my antics. But I made them money. Maybe I have a little anger now because I\u2019m fighting so hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one talks about hyper sexuality and it\u2019s hard for me to be with one woman. \u00a0And going way back in my memory, there was something you could call sexual abuse. I remember my grandfather touching me inappropriately. My uncle got wind of it and we never saw him again. And no one talks about debt and erratic spending. I\u2019ve been in debt multiple times and got out. Funny everyone talks PTSD to me but not bipolar and I can control PTSD by controlling the triggers but not bipolar. I\u2019m pushing so hard because my story is 100% legit.\u201d\u00a0 He thought for a moment then fired away trying to define his bipolar for me. \u201cThe sleeping disorder; I broke two cribs as a kid. When my step-father pushed me down the stairs, I was in a body cast and maybe that led to PTSD. When I\u2019m in bed now, I have my head phones on and rock back and forth. Even after training, I still have energy. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s the bipolar.\u201d<\/p>\n
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$\"Upon$
Upon finishing the interview. Contemplation<\/p><\/div>\n
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Going off on a tangent, catching me by surprise, he mentioned his mother. \u201cThey used to call her the black widow. Two men committed suicide over her. When I tell this, it almost sounds like a fairytale and I\u2019m making it up.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cozmo chuckled sardonically for a moment.\u00a0 So I asked, \u201cDid your mother try to protect you from all your abuse by your father and step-father?\u201d\u00a0 \u201cBy the time she settled in with the third guy, she went after me, telling me to get out. She wasn\u2019t like that prior.\u201d I shook my head in disbelief. So did my wife. Cozmo picked up on the head-shaking. \u201cMy mother\u2019s brother was a real pimp; had the big hat with the feathers and purple outfit. He looked just like the Captain Morgan guy. He got one of the hookers pregnant and he died of heroin in California.\u201d<\/p>\n
Swirling around sensibilities, staring at a smiling Cozmo, I marveled at his calm adjustment to such trauma while he talked to us. I again thought what an amazing driven person, devoting his life for others, trying to end the stigma, but having endured so much. I thought about the universe; being grateful to have met Cozmo; a lot of things in perspective for me. I told him there is a movie waiting to be made.\u00a0 I wanted to just keep talking, absorbing him; many lessons about life now knowing Robert Cozmo Consulmagno.\u00a0 All the while we talked, my mind wandered erratically. I remembered to ask him about meds and bipolar. He was firm, emphatic. He took meds for a short period but got permission to stop; needed his mind and body to be clear, functioning and natural as best it could be. He does counseling a lot. A special human being was sitting next to me; a new friend for the long haul.\u00a0 I\u2019ve done my due diligence here, painting his picture and sharing the etiology of his dream to end the stigma of bipolar. Next was how to end this interview\/article.<\/p>\n
Here goes. \u00a0\u201cOne last question for you, Cozmo; \u00a0\u201cbefore I leave this earth, I won\u2019t be satisfied until I\u2026..\u201d\u201d He took just a second to answer, gently smiling, \u201cUntil I am the face of PTSD and bipolar.\u201d<\/p>\n
COZMO CONTACT INFO AND PLEASE CONTACT HIM:<\/strong><\/p>\n
supercrazycozmo(Twitter)<\/strong><\/p>\n
Website\u00a0 http:\/\/www.supercrazycozmo.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
Facebook:\u00a0\u00a0 https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/supercrazycozmo<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
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CALVIN SCHWARTZ CONTACT INFO:<\/strong><\/p>\n
Calvin Schwartz:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cal.schwartz.5<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Twitter:\u00a0 @earthood\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Instagram:\u00a0 cal_schwartz\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Linked In: \u00a0Calvin Schwartz<\/strong><\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t $\"Fb-Button\"$ \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>
<\/fb:like><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0A Conversation with ROBERT COZMO CONSULMAGNO,\u00a0 USMC, World Ranked Jiu Jitsu Fighter, PTSD & Bipolar Advocate & HIS MISSION to END STIGMA OF BIPOLAR \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0bY Calvin Schwartz\u00a0\u00a0 2-22-16 Robert Cozmo Consulmagno, champion I constantly marvel at the exigencies and mysteries of the universe. Just the other day, Einstein […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[389,391,396,395,394,393,390,154,388,387,392,397],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3407"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3407"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3407\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3426,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3407\/revisions\/3426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3407"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3407"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3407"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}