610 | Healing Waters with Beau Beasley - Memorial Day, Brian Mancini, Veterans' Stories

Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/610b

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Today, we're diving deep into what Memorial Day truly means and how we can honor the brave men and women who have served our country. We're joined by Beau Beasley, the author of "Healing Waters," a book that captures raw and heartfelt stories of veterans in their own words.

Beau's here to share some profound insights from his interviews, including the moving story of Brian Mancini and the challenges he faced while writing about 35 wounded veterans. We'll explore the powerful emotions and sacrifices behind these stories and discover why readers are so captivated by his book.

So, grab a comfy seat and get ready for an emotional roller coaster as we hear from Beau Beasley on this special day.

Episode Chapters with Beau Beasley on Healing Waters

2:10 - Beau tells us how the idea behind his book "Healing Waters" came to be. He had just finished writing his second book, "Fly Fishing Mid-Atlantic" when illustrator Alan Folger approached him with an idea for a new book about Project Healing Waters.

7:08 - He shares about Brian Mancini, a staff sergeant who was his roommate during a project event. He maintained a friendship with Brian, who eventually started a nonprofit and appeared on Oprah Winfrey's show. However, Brian's suicide devastated Beau, leading him to dedicate his book to Brian.

13:29 - Beau shares another story of a veteran named Walt Carey. He served in Korea as a forward observer and spent 29 years in the Navy. During the COVID pandemic, Walt became ill and was hospitalized, ultimately passing away in hospice. Beau recounts the emotional experience of being called to say his final goodbyes and later attending Walt's burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

16:09 - Beau elaborates that his book not only honors service members but also aims to raise funds for Project Healing Waters and inform people about the broader sacrifices made by military families.

19:10 - He explains why he believes Alan chose him to write the book. Beau is a retired firefighter who found solace in fly fishing, which helped him cope with the stresses of his job. He draws parallels between his experiences and those of veterans, highlighting the therapeutic benefits of the sport.

25:01 - I ask him about the challenges in writing Healing Waters. One of these was conveying the veterans' stories accurately while making sure they had control over their narratives.

41:15 - He tells us how he got the veterans to share their intense and emotional stories for his book. He explains that his background in the fire department helped build trust with the veterans, as they knew he had experienced traumatic events himself.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/610b