Bonus Episode: Heather Smith

daniel: Welcome back to the Takeaway Podcast. I'm your host, Daniel Messersmith. If you're just joining the show, welcome. Thank you for being here. And if you are a recurring listener, welcome back. And I hope you're having a great day. I'm hitting you all with a bonus episode. That's right. I had the opportunity to interview this person. They had a little bit of time and we got to sit down and chat for about thirty minutes and it was a good chat and now I'm sharing it with you. before I get into this introducing this person, I wanna let you all know If you could please hit that follow button on wherever you're listening and also rate the podcast, that would help immensely. If you're on YouTube, hit the subscribe button on YouTube, trying to get a lot a little bit more followers on there. Just want people to be aware, share, rate, like, all those good things. That would help so much. I want to introduce Heather. Heather is a good friend of mine. She actually came on the podcast. A while ago when I f first started the takeaway, and we got to talk about her time on the show Naked and Afraid. And that is a very famous show I know a lot of people watch and they like, and it's a very interesting survival show, and she got to be part of it. So we got to talk last time about her audition, as you could say, about being on the show and then her actually enduring all the challenges that she had to and what it was like. But this time she's back, and not just to talk about Naked and Afraid, although we do talk about that a little bit, we talk more about her charity work and how she's using her time and her influence and her platform to lend a helping hand to veterans, female veterans, and getting out there and collaborating with other people to help and make a difference. And that's an amazing conversation I got to have and I learned a lot. And I hope you guys really enjoy it and you guys take away a lot from From the conversation for me helping and doing charity work and having done charity work before, it's very near and dear to my heart, and being able to talk to Heather about these things was such a joy. So I hope you really enjoy this bonus episode, and I hope that it brings a smile to your face. And be sure to follow and also follow Heather on her social media, which will be in the description notes on the episode. Alright, guys, enjoy the episode. Okay, so hi Heather, welcome back to the takeaway. You've you've been on here one time before, and thank you again for coming on again at last minute and and sitting down and interviewing and talking to me, and taking the time out to do that. How have you been? Appreciate you reaching out. it's Very kind of you. w I wanna get into what you and I were talking about. You're you're doing this veterans based softball tournament you're doing. but for new listeners and people who haven't maybe listened to the podcast before and for old ones just to introduce you, I met you through social media. I was following you, you're outdoors person, you fish, something that we have in common, we like the outdoors, and then you were Also contestant on the show Naked and Afraid, and that interview was about how you got on there and and being on the show. Can you if you don't mind kinda talking about that a little bit and just getting like let people know who you are and and new listeners who who Heather is and and a little bit about being on Naked and Afraid, how you got that? Sure. Season fifteen, episode six, then I did twenty one days on castaways, then I did experience was you know something different. It was definitely the next level at test yourself and your abilities and you know it it's a it's a whole different experience. people Right. So there's actually a movie called It's not funny, but every f she called me today, she's like, Jeeze, it seems like, you know, every five minutes this guy had the worst string of luck and I like, No, that's really survival, like when you're out there There's no chemical pattern. Yeah, it seems like, you know, 'cause there it's off limits. Anything could happen. You know, my my best friend watches this show called I Shouldn't Be Alive and he is telling me about episodes about people who have been out in the middle of the ocean and being in stuck in the Amazon rainforest and you have nothing. Like you you have literally nothing but your mental, you know, strength and your your survival skills. so it's it's not a joke. It's definitely not something I take lightly. your process to get on that show, how did they approach you first? Or I don't know if I ever remember asking you this, but did they approach you or did you a voluntarily like, hey I wanna try this, I want to do something different, or did they find someone else from the show ask survival. Someone said you should do naked and afraid and I had honestly been pretty adamant that I wasn't going to do it. And then I said, yeah, why not? Yeah But it was maybe the first week of yeah, no, so yeah, maybe within six weeks of saying okay, I was I was literally out of Africa. Wow. Then like you said, that's not very normal for a lot of people that that process just moving that quickly. No, not at all. Not at all. So it's usually a lot lengthier process and and so they had me on a fast track is what they said and so my process went very quickly. Obviously I had a seven point two And so they Ow. Yeah, I I guess that just you know, a credits to just your your skill and you've been doing this a while, you know, being a a professional fisher and and a fishing guide and and being out in the water, that really helped you, you know, kinda get your get your foot in the door and be the first in line. Yeah. Mm. I think people might like that about those kind of people watching those kind of shows. You know, the the ones that just say what's on their mind and they're just there to do it and survive. I think people would kinda attach to those kind of people instead of the ones that are just there to just, you know, I don't know. Like you said. You can look at any of Well, I mean, hey, whatever, you know, whatever brings the fans, you know, and the the views. you obviously are you're busy with, you know, doing mom things, you know, you were telling me the other day you you're going to different sporting events and everything. Do you see maybe going back on that show in the future, or is that a done deal? Was that one time experience and you're like, That was great but W well I've had three times. three times, I'm sorry. two hundred and fifty years. I I did that this year. So my focus on is on charities. I my charity work by right. Shellw. She was invited to go with us. I can't do you remember her name? I do know Charter Blanc. be military. But anyway, she went with us. She was from Global Showdown this year. She went with us as well. I invited So my focus is on maturity, I feel in the county. So State playing softball, state of Texas, you know they came in second and we played University of Texas in Austin. Jerry. church and cheerleading. Well you seem like you got your hands full and a hands full and good things too. You know you got a lot of good things going on and I wanna get into the charity stuff now. I you were telling me about this this softball tournament. Can you go explain t what what you got going on over there, what that is and and what the the goal and intent is That sounds like a wonderful thing and doing that for our veterans and I mean, Lord knows they need that. You know, there's so many that kinda just get neglected, you know, and then they don't know what to do. Are you seeing like a lot of other resources too, more and more being available because of this tournament and these things you're doing? Seeing a lot of other people going, Hey, I wanna be part of this too and I wanna help out too 'cause you're seeing it become a such a big impact. that'll be fun. different issues that arise from from those that are in trauma and the trauma responses and Yeah, and I think using your platform too to to speak and help other people is very important. you know, even s you know, me I yeah, I did work with AFSP a couple of summers ago. for suicide prevention and going to those different events and just getting to hear people's story, it really humbles you. You know, you really kinda sta take a look in in that your own life. You're like, maybe it's not as bad as I thought, you know, 'cause you hear other people's story, what they've come through, what they're dealing with, and it gives you an opportunity to step outside of yourself and and I think with using your platform, social media, I think that's the positive side of social media is being able to help people and and reach out and and be that helping hand. We may not be able to solve all the world's problems, but we can help who we can that's in front of us. Mm-hmm. swept under the rug. So, yeah, there there's some horror stories. So many people with PTSD end up with addictions and that lead to eventual end of life, right? So, yes, these it's so important that, you know sacrifice for our country and then Yeah, and I mean maybe maybe this is a topic for nothing something else, but I just it bugs me every time I I listen to stories like that, people who are in the military who endure those things. and and maybe this is a I don't know. I just wanna ask it out loud though, is like why? you know, like why these things happen. You know, you're going out there, you're serving the country, you're you're doing what you think is right and then these things happen. You think maybe it's just lack of just good leadership or just an accountability or overseeing things. I I can't I've never served in the military so I can't make any comments about that, right? So that's also my line on that. Right, like that happens, right? And so that that's For me for example you know, I I just use volunteer work 'cause it's nowhere near what what the soldiers do for us. And so right now that you know think child brides are okay. I mean there's lot of things we can say why about, right? You know, so each society is different and to them it's normal. To to us it's you know an atrocity. I mean it's horrifying, right? Yeah, it's very true. with with everything you're doing, all your charity work and everything, what are some future things you hope to see happen? I mean, you you know you're doing a you're doing handful now, but as the person likes to look into the future and what do you hope to see maybe to do in the future and and what kind of groups do you want to work with or you know, hope that will reach out and that you can, you know, kind of play a part in serving and helping out? Yeah. you know, every year for so dogs that they use with law enforcement and with different operations that they use thing operations and these dogs actually can smell the glue that are on microchips that are used on like secret hard drives where they have So you know, find these files hidden in wall panels and like little secret secret drawers and desks and stuff when they raid these faces. Just you know, I want to see more children recovered. You know, I want to see I would love to see the you know the the numbers come down for human So And and they were so kind. So, there, you know, between that and my trip to D C I mean the calls are coming and I'm appreciative and and to be honest with you to be able to It's just my goal to make the world just a little bit better of a place to leave for my children and my grandchild. That's an amazing goal right there. I think that's what it's all about. And it all boils down to is leave your footprint, you know, emotional footprint on people and then you know, 'cause people remember that. and that's an amazing a goal. Heather, I that is don't wanna take up too much more of your time. thank you so much for doing this and I know it's a short kinda interview and but is there anything anything you wanna leave listeners? Where can they find you, I guess. Where can we find you, you know, and and social media wise and is there anything like that you wanna leave? time I I greatly appreciate it and I just wish everybody would you know just remember when they walk into a room you know Right. Very good. Thank you so much, Heather. And best of luck to you and all your charity work and everything. I wish you the best success. And to your family. and being able to be there for them. I think that's great and congratulations to that. And thank you for taking the time for this. Awesome. Thank you, Heather. You have a wonderful evening. You too. Thanks. Bye bye. Bye-bye.