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Earlier this year, I traveled to Rockport, Texas to chase redfish with legendary fly fishing guide Alvin Dedeaux and his crew at All Water Guides. The first day was tough fishing. Really tough. Why?
Besides the fact that I’m not great at fly fishing, there was next to no sun, a whole lot of clouds, and a whole lot of shadows. And if you’ve fished there before, you know that you need a lot of light just to spot the fish, let alone cast to them and catch them.
But one of the things you notice when you’re out there with Alvin is that he seems happy, regardless of the conditions. And that seems to apply to his life beyond fishing as well.
Alvin has lived a storied life. From discovering his passion for fly fishing as a kid to becoming frontman for a rock band with a record deal (Nirvana actually opened for them), and from meeting the love of his life and building a life together to establishing himself as one of the top fly fishing guides in Texas.
But last summer, the shadows hit all of a sudden when he lost his wife Lenée to cancer. The cancer came out of nowhere and she was gone within about a month of getting the news from the doctors.
Shortly after, I booked a call with Alvin to talk about a fly fishing trip and on the call learned that he had lost her. He was right in the middle of it and was trying to figure out the path through it, something I can't even imagine trying to navigate. Then in December and February I had the privilege of spending time with him down on the Gulf.
A few months back, I had the privilege of interviewing Alvin. Sure we talked about his journey but this really became a conversation about Lenée’s legacy and the transformational impact she had on him, their kids, their company, and their community.
What struck me about Alvin is the joy that he has in the face of all he’s been through over the past year, in spite of the shadows he’s been walking through.
Please give this one a listen and you’ll quickly see what I mean.
There’s a lot of laughter, some extraordinary stories, a powerful exploration of Alvin's narrative, and yes, there are some tears.
Thanks for telling your story, Alvin. You have taught me and inspired me. And I know your story will continue to help a lot of other people find joy in the journey, wherever they are.
