What Almost Killed My Overlanding Adventures (And Nearly Me)

When I hit the trails, I never imagined I’d be facing something far scarier than rough terrain or bad weather. Out of nowhere, a sudden heart blockage stopped me in my tracks and led to open heart surgery. One day I was planning my next overlanding trip… the next, I was fighting just to have the chance to go on another one.

In this video, I open up about the reality of what happened, how quickly life can change, and how close I came to losing the adventures I love—and nearly my life. This isn’t just a story about overlanding; it’s a warning about paying attention to your health, even when you don't think anything can happen to you.

If you’ve ever taken your health for granted or ignored pain or symptoms, I hope my story makes you pause, reflect, and take care of yourself—because you never know when life might throw you a detour you never expected.

A huge thanks to my partners:

Top Oak (amazing roof top tents and awnings for budget prices): https://topoakoverland.com/?sscid=51k9_mt1ba&

Nitto (my Terra Grappler G3 tires are great for midwestern winters, wet weather, and all terrain use): https://bit.ly/41EJhbQ

Z1 Off Road (pretty much the spot for all things Nissan): https://www.z1offroad.com

All Dogs Offroad (amazing Nissan specific suspension options which I run on my truck): https://www.alldogsoffroad.com

ICECO Fridges (the best fridges for the money, hands down-Use code ALLTHINGSOVERLANDING for 12% off your order): https://icecofreezer.com/ALLTHINGSOVERLANDING

Moon Fab Awning (super flexible, non-permanently mounted awnings for all kinds of applications. This link will take you to more info on how I have it set up on my 3rd gen Frontier): https://moonfab.com/pages/experts/jason-fletcher

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Looking for budget light bars, rock lights, and LED strips for your rig? Check out Nilight and use code ATO for 5% off! https://bit.ly/3vuhN8F

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