Host Jessica Leigh Lebos is in the Ship Watch Loft of Tybee Marine Science Center with Captain Jimmy Armel, former Army Ranger and founder of the Knot Lucky Foundation (K-N-O-T), which offers free fishing trips for active-duty service members and veterans (and immediate family) to support healing, connection, and purpose.

Armel shares his own struggles after leaving the military, including alcoholism, brain damage, and suicidal crises, and explains how fishing and later ibogaine treatment led him to shut down his for-profit charter to run the nonprofit full time. He describes transformations he’s witnessed, including posting $75,000 bail for a fellow Ranger, housing him, and building a customized mental health plan.

The episode also covers launching from Savannah Boathouse, ocean-based restoration, great white shark satellite tagging with Gray Fish Tag Research, fundraising via an annual barbecue, and ways to donate at knotlucky.org.

Learn more about the voices and topics in this episode:

What's happening at Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Resources:

Become a MEMBER

Volunteer at Tybee Island Marine Science Center

Partnership and Donation Opportunities

Proudly produced by Dee Daniels Media Podcast Network

FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:30 Knot Lucky Mission

02:18 Veteran Struggles and Suicide

03:29 Jimmy’s Combat Trauma

05:08 Deployments and Brain Injury

06:38 Fishing as Lifeline

07:34 Second Spiral and Breakthrough

09:59 Veteran Transformations

11:43 Ocean Purpose and Stewardship

12:46 Great White Tagging Begins

14:36 How Shark Tagging Works

15:53 Tag Data and Biggest Sharks

16:42 Adrenaline and Close Calls

18:17 Supporting Not Lucky

20:48 Fishing as Healing

22:02 Water Connection Mindset

24:18 Purpose and Harvest

25:45 How to Join Trips

26:45 Plant Medicine Advocacy

28:03 Ibogaine and Recovery

29:52 Ryan Davis Spotlight

31:24 Fishing Research Thanks

32:48 Tybee Science Center Outro