By: Alex Spindler

The Xavier Student Activities Council hosted a talk-back/lecture featuring four truly-inspiring men-for-others from a popular documentary series last evening.

“The Buried Life,” a reality program that premiered on MTV back in 2010, explored the life of four Canadian men — David Lingwood, Ben Nemtin, Duncan Penn and Jonnie Penn — who dropped out of college.

Feeling that their talents and service were wasted on academic labor, these men embarked on a journey across all of North America in a purple transit bus named Penelope in order to complete their list of “100 Things to Do Before You Die.”

Along the way, they not only checked milestones off their own bucket list but also helped others fulfill their dreams every step of the way.

The quartet sought inspiration for the title of their mission from an 1852 English poem, “The Buried Life,” discussing remorse for dreams never actualized.

Throughout its entire epic, the group has never let this inspiration leave its mind.

So, instead of just reusing an already established saying, they decided to formulate a different mantra for their mission, “What do I really want to do?”

The evening featured a presentation along with dual audience interaction emceed by two members of the “The Buried Life” group.

A slide show included a display of the numerous deeds that they have accomplished ranging from reuniting a lost son with his father to playing basketball with the President of the United States to even crashing a party at the Playboy Mansion.

Members of the student audience confessed many of their aspirations that they wish to accomplish before they die, showing just how similar people’s perspectives are on the brevity of life.

While MTV cancelled the original “The Buried Life” program back in 2012, the group recently announced its plans for a new show premiering soon. Although they are just a small motley crew of four, these talented and daring young men have proven just how much strength lies in the power of persistence.