JStew & Cori Chat With Ryan Holt Of Discovery’s ‘Naked & Afraid’

JStew: When I was a kid, I read the biography of Donn Fendler many times. To the point where one of my chief fears as a child was being lost in the woods. Honestly, it still sticks with me today in some ways. For instance, beyond my little 3 acre pittance, there's hundreds of acres of undeveloped woods. My wife likes to take our dog on treks into the back woods, and I finally asked her to start carrying marker tape with her, so she can start making a trail around. She already almost got turned around once. And not that it would be hard to find her, but it would certainly be inconvenient. But Ryan Holt is a man who doesn't fear the woods in any way. His story is amazing in every way. If you missed his interview this morning, definitely check it out below. He's a fascinating man with a vast knowledge of survival. It was great to chat with him.

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Cori: Like JStew, I also grew up reading books like "Lost On A Mountain In Maine" and "Hatchet" and was captivated by the idea of how someone would survive, out in the wilderness, on their own. I think that's why shows like "Naked And Afraid" appeal to some of us: we want to root human beings to survive! I started watching the show in 2015, and remember being fascinated and inspired by the different skills, techniques and sheer grit some of the participants displayed under the harshest conditions in the world. And when I heard there was a Mainer set to appear on the show, I was excited to see someone represent home. I like to think we're some of the toughest folks in the U.S., and wanted to see that play out on TV, and Ryan Holt did not disappoint. He went on to appear in several different versions of the Naked and Afraid franchise (you can check out his bio from The Discovery Channel, here) and has been very fun to watch.

The first thing we chatted with Ryan about is how he ended up on the show to begin with:

Going into his 5th appearance on the 'Naked and Afraid' franchise, we asked Ryan what was different this time around?

Aside from his appearance on "Naked And Afraid", Ryan has also made it his mission to help fellow Veterans, offering special retreats for those who have served. Based at his Human Nature Hostel here in Maine, through programs like Warriors Awakening and Operation: Semper Thrive, Holt shares his skills of survival and time outdoors to help Vets who may be struggling, and uses Nature as a healing tool.

We enjoyed getting to know Ryan, talking about his appearance on the show, and what he does with his free time, to give back. Go Ryan! We're rooting for ya!

By the way... just for fun, we did ask folks who they might like to be Naked and Afraid with. You responded in kind... Hahaha