Friday, December 4, 2015

Soul of a Survivor Revealed on Outdoor Channel's "Fight to Survive"

The Soul of a Survivor is Revealed on Outdoor Channel's
"Fight to Survive" on Saturday, December 5 at 2 p.m. ET

DENVER, CO– Find out what it takes to be a survivor as three victims share their stories of survival in the season finale of Fight to Survive with host Craig DeMartino. Learn firsthand how the survivors had to draw on arsenals of knowledge and withstand excruciating pain while never giving up. Why do some perish and others make it home? DeMartino asks this question and more in this week's episode of Fight to Survive, exclusively on Outdoor Channel on Saturday, December 5 at 2 p.m. ET.

"You never think it could happen to you, but it can and it does," stated DeMartino as he introduces the first survivor story of Justin Harris and his younger brother, Jeremy. The Harris' were hiking in south central Utah in November 2013 – something they typically did. The temperature was dropping and the brothers were rushing to get out of the canyon before nightfall. But Justin rushed through a descent and fell, which resulted in his shin cracking in multiple places – and terrible howls of pain. "All that was in my head was to save my brother," explained Jeremy.

The next survivor story is a father-son fishing trip on Harrisonville Lake by Kansas City, Missouri gone wrong. A pop-up storm darkened the sky of an otherwise beautiful sunny day. "All I remember is I was getting ready to cast and then everything went black," said Christian Neal. Christian was struck by lightning and flattened on the boat while the force of the strike threw his father into the water. With his legs numb from the electrical shock, Gabe kept going under and Christian lay still on the boat's deck.

The final story occurred on an Alaskan hunting journey that ended in a fatality for best friends Adrian Knopps and Garrett Hagen. On day three of their 10-day trip, Hagen shot a bear. After dressing the bear, the men agreed Hagen would haul the meat to their skiff out in the open water and then return shortly for Knopps. Except Garrett never returned. "I kept looking through my spotting scope to see something – anything. After an hour, I knew he had died," stated Knopps. Now, Knopps was left out in the Alaskan wilderness with no gear or provisions and the tide was coming in fast.

"None of these guys expected a day in the wilderness to end with their lives in jeopardy," said DeMartino. "I talked with each about what they did next and their first steps that were critical to survival."

Host Craig DeMartino is no stranger to fighting to survive. In 2002, DeMartino experienced a horrific climbing accident as a result of a series of miscommunications with his partner and took a 100 ft. ground-fall. Barely escaping death, he survived with a shattered right and left heel, compound fractures of both ankles, a broken back, broken neck, broken ribs, punctured lung, and a rare nerve disorder called RSD brought on by the trauma. After many months and multiple surgeries, DeMartino chose to amputate his shattered right leg below the knee in hope of returning to climbing and getting his life back.

Check local listings or visit www.OutdoorChannel.com/ChannelFinder to find the network in your area.

About Outdoor Channel
Outdoor Channel has been taking viewers across America and around the world on unparalleled adventures since 1993. Dedicated to the outdoor lifestyle and conservation, the independent cable network is a division of Outdoor Sportsman Group and provides a complete spectrum of riveting hunting, fishing, shooting and adventure entertainment. Outdoor Channel is received by more than 40 million U.S. households – the largest outdoor TV footprint in the country – and is available in more than 50 countries internationally. Outdoor Channel can be viewed in HD and is accessible by broadband and mobile platforms. For program times and other information, visit www.outdoorchannel.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and download our iPhone and iPad app. #WhatGetsYouOutdoors



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Tom Caraccioli | Outdoor Sportsman Group | 212.852.6646 | tcaraccioli@thesportsmanchannel.com
Nancy Zakhary | Outdoor Channel | 212.986.6667 | nancy@braincomm.com