I love moving water. The sound of it, the smell, the beauty that surrounds it. I have spent many hours standing in it watching a small fly of feather and wire dance in the myriad current changes. I know what it is like to feel the stress of every day life wash down stream. I also know that with the right set of circumstances, death dwells in moving water.

The second weekend in August had been marked on my calendar for weeks. One of my best friends and for sure one of my all time favorite fishing partners and I had planned a weekend getaway to go after the big brown trout of the South Holston. We set up camp, loaded our pontoons and headed up river.

After putting in up near the dam, I found myself in dire circumstances as my pontoon hit a tree that had fallen in the river. The pontoon was flipped and I went head first into the tree and became trapped within its branches. I was completely under water. Not exaggerating when I say that my life flashed before my eyes. Yet even though the situation was terrifying, the hand of providence did not deem it my time to leave and I managed to pull my head above water.

I’ll skip most of the story, but suffice to say that being trapped in a tree in 49 degree water after almost drowning is something that I do not want to do again. But I also made sure that as soon as I could, I would get back in the water.

Ironic, but my biggest fear used to be drowning. Now my biggest fear is dying without seeing my children grow to adulthood.

The pontoon was a loss, my rod was broken, my day was shot (as well as my friends), but I was given a very special gift in that moment of clarity when the weight of what just happened finally settled on me.

I am a blessed man, with family and friends that far exceed what I deserve.

It is also worth noting that we caught some very nice fish that weekend.