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Send us a text Few comeback stories are as awe-inspiring as Mike Brewer's journey from a hospital bed to the elite Red Bull Air Force team. After a devastating accident that left him weighing just 120 pounds on his 6'1" frame with a traumatic brain injury, Mike transformed his recovery into a relentless pursuit of excellence that ultimately caught the attention of one of the most prestigious extreme sports teams in the world. The mysterious Red Bull selection process culminated in a surprise announcement when team leader John DeVore presented Mike with his official helmet during a team debrief. "I had no idea until that helmet was in my hands," Mike reveals, describing the surreal moment that changed his professional trajectory. Within months, he was performing pyro jumps into the Hard Rock Hotel and landing in the starting grid at the Formula One Miami Grand Prix. What makes Mike's story particularly compelling is his approach to training and risk. Through the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center, he received customized training addressing his unique needs after injury. Instead of shying away from danger, the accident transformed him into a more methodical athlete: "Now it's more like, have I checked all the boxes? Am I prepared? Are all the variables accounted for?" This mindset shift allowed him to continue pushing boundaries while managing risk effectively. Beyond his professional achievements, Mike's involvement with charitable causes like 22 Jumps (22jumps.org) showcases his commitment to traumatic brain injury research and suicide prevention. Completing 22 base jumps in a single day – requiring nearly 11,000 feet of vertical hiking – demonstrates how he uses his platform for meaningful impact. Whether you're an extreme sports enthusiast or simply someone seeking inspiration to overcome your own challenges, Mike's philosophy sums it up perfectly: "Have as much fun as possible without ruining it for anybody else." Subscribe now to hear the full conversation and discover what it takes to transform setbacks into extraordinary opportunities. Support the show

Send us a text Ever wonder what it takes to become a world-class athlete before you can even drive? Emma Johnson and Gabriel Heller, the silver medalists at the Fifth FAI World Indoor Skydiving Championships in Belgium, reveal exactly how they pulled it off at just 14 and 12 years old. These extraordinary young competitors take us into the exhilarating world of dynamic two-way indoor skydiving, where they race through wind tunnels at breathtaking speeds while executing precisely choreographed patterns. With remarkable maturity, they describe their journey from last place after the first round to claiming silver on the world stage, demonstrating resilience rarely seen in competitors three times their age. What's truly fascinating is how they've balanced competitive flying with their education. While Gabriel maintains excellent grades at his private Christian school and plays basketball, Emma has been accepted into an early college program. Their time management strategies alone offer valuable lessons for anyone juggling multiple priorities. The duo shares intimate details of their mental preparation, from visualization techniques to managing pre-competition nerves. Their coach's advice to "get comfortable being uncomfortable" has become their mantra, pushing them to continually expand their capabilities. They also explain how they've overcome communication challenges and learned to harmonize their different flying preferences – Gabriel's love of speed versus Emma's artistic inclinations. Beyond their athletic achievements, Emma and Gabriel serve as ambassadors for Children of Fallen Heroes, a charity supporting kids who've lost parents in military service or as first responders. Their perspective on competition – where they'll help opponents understand rule infractions because "you want to make it a fair playing field" – reveals character far beyond their years. Want to learn how two teenagers conquered the skydiving world while most kids their age are playing video games? This episode will inspire you to push beyond your own perceived limitations, regardless of your age or chosen pursuit. Support the show

Send us a text Join us for an inspiring journey with Kurt Isenbarger, a renowned skydiver and former member of the Golden Knights, who takes us through his life filled with daring adventures and significant lessons. In this episode, Kurt shares his incredible experiences, from entrepreneurial beginnings as a young guy fishing for golf balls to rising through the ranks of elite skydivers. His engaging storytelling captures the essence of teamwork, resilience, and the bonds formed on and off the skydiving drop zone. Discover how Kurt balanced his thrilling skydiving career with his business endeavors, showcasing his passion for entrepreneurship and community service. Through his anecdotes, he provides insights into the world of skydiving competitions, the importance of camaraderie in high-stress environments, and his efforts in disaster response initiatives. Kurt’s unique blend of humor and thoughtful reflection can motivate anyone looking to pursue their dreams. Whether you’re exploring skydiving, business, or simply searching for inspiration, Kurt’s journey offers useful lessons for all. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from an exceptional individual! Remember to subscribe, share, and leave a review. Support the show

Send us a text Christopher "Ace" Acevedo. U.S. Army Parachute Team Veteran, National Skydiving Champion, Musician and Actor This was a wonderful conversation with my great friend and former teammate where we cover a lot of ground including his deployment to Iraq during the Global War on Terror, how he dealt with the transition of coming back to the U.S., his time on the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team and much more.  Support the show

Send us a text Ken Breeden, CW5 (Retired), is one of the most highly experienced aviators on the U.S. Army Parachute Team, "The Golden Knights."  With over 40 years of experience as an Army aviator, Ken has logged over 12,000 hours of flight time in various rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft and currently serves as a pilot and Chief Maintenance Officer for the Golden Knights.  It was an incredible honor to share a conversation with Ken on the podcast. I hope you enjoy his stories as much as I did.  Support the show

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Send us a text My next guests are nothing short of awe-inspiring. I was finally able to sit down and have a conversation with the incredibly talented Freestyle Skydiving team, XP Ascend. Using the term, “talented” however, would actually be somewhat misleading because Jason Brigmon and Jake Carlton, the dynamic duo who’ve turned XP Ascend into the international powerhouse it has become, have worked dilligently to forge their vision of excellence into a reality. Not only have they dominated the U.S. National and world stages of competition over the last two years, but through laser-focused dedication and a leaning towards innovation, they continue to break the barriers of what was previously thought possible in the world of multi-axis precision body flight.  Jake and Jason’s meteoric rise to success has done nothing to diminish their humility or approachability and has only enhanced their energetic and effervescent passion to raise the bar of body flight and to help skydivers of all ability levels improve their skills and collectively ascend to higher summits. Please welcome Jason Brigmon and Jake Carlton.  Support the show

Send us a text My next guest is Scott Festa. Scott is a former U.S. Army Green Beret Colonel, current business owner, Physician’s Assistant and adventure-philanthropist who creates intensive physical and mental endurance challenges  to raise money and awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  In this episode you’ll learn how Scott prepares physically and psychologically to take on these incredible challenges while being driven by the mantra, “No child deserves cancer.”  If you’d like to consider donating or finding other ways get involved, please visit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital website at stjude.org, that’s www.stjude.org. Support the show

Send us a text Kirk Verner is a current member of the US 8-way Formation Skydiving Team and is one of the original and founding members of one of the most successful 4-way teams in history - Arizona Airspeed.  With a skydiving career spanning just over 4 decades, Kirk has amassed an impressive list of achievements. He’s a 2x 4-way Formation Skydiving World Champion, 4x 8-way World Champion and 1x Indoor 8-way World Champion.  At almost 57 years of age, Kirk is one of the most relentless people I know and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. His mental and physical toughness are otherworldly and are matched by very few - of any age. Kirk has been an inspiration and role model for me since I was just 16 years old and I’m honored to be his teammate on the US Team for the 2023 and 2024 competition seasons.  Support the show

Send us a text When I think of tandem skydiving, the first person who comes to mind is none other than Mike Elliott. Mike was the tandem skydiving instructor who escorted former President George H.W. Bush on not just one but three separate occasions. In this podcast, Mike tells us all about those jumps, his military service starting as an Airborne Infantryman, Air Assault Instructor, Airborne School Instructor, and Army, "Golden Knights" demonstration Team Leader. Finally, we'll hear what motivated Mike to start the All Veteran Group and what has been most rewarding for him as President of that Organization. Mike is a great storyteller and he had me on the edge of my seat for the duration of this interview. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Support the show

Send us a text I hope you enjoy this special Father's Day Edition of A Champion's Journey Podcast featuring my biggest hero, my dad, Mike Davidson. He served 26 years in the U.S. Army as a Special Forces Airborne Ranger and Physician's Assistant. Still practicing medicine as a full-time P.A., he spends his spare time serving as coach, mentor, and pilot for members of the U.S. Naval Academy Parachute Team. Support the show

Send us a text Drew Starr is a four time World 8-way Formation Skydiving Champion and is the Team Captain for the U.S. Army Parachute Team’s Competition Section.  In addition to his four World Championship victories, he is also seven time  National Champion, current World Record holder for the highest single scoring skydive, highest scoring freefall average, and highest wind tunnel average in the 8-way Formation Skydiving event.  Drew’s prior military experience includes serving as the Noncommisioned Officer in Charge of the 82d Airborne Division’s 407th Support Battalion’s Intelligence Section and the Detainee Intelligence Team of the Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435.  Drew’s impressive list of consistent high-achievement manifested as a result of his strong character, forged through trial and adversity. Several times over and in many ways, his resilience was put to the test and each time he prevailed.  The qualities I admire most in fellow competitors are resilience and heart. Drew Starr has an abundance of both. I’m proud to have served with Drew as a teammate and even more proud to call him a friend. This conversation was a special one for me and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  Support the show

Send us a text Driven. Focused. Dedicated. Disciplined. Relentless. Inspiring. These are some of the words which come to mind when describing Lauren Modica. About to begin her senior year at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Lauren is setting herself up for a bright future with unlimited possibilities.  Interested in aviation from a young age, Lauren attended trade school for aviation maintenance during her last two years of high school. During that time, she also attended night classes at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology where she earned her Aviation Maintenance Powerplant license.  Lacking the financial means to pay for the required flight hours needed to earn a Private Pilot’s license, Lauren found an alternate solution: working as an office manager and mechanic’s apprentice at Long Island Aviators flight school. After achieving her goal of becoming a Private Pilot, she then earned her instrument rating and commercial pilot certificate.  Lauren’s decision to apply to the United States Naval Academy was largely driven by a strong sense of service influenced by her father, a New York City firefighter who was a first-responder during the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, and her mother who worked in the medical field. In addition to her academic obligations at the Academy, Lauren learned to skydive and became a member of the Naval Academy’s Parachute Team. Lauren has as amassed over 300 free-fall jumps and was recently selected to be the Parachute Team’s Captain for her upcoming Senior year.  Even with her academic and Parachute Team responsibilities, Lauren found the time in her schedule to successfully completed the Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor Course and somehow, manages to make time to consistently train for competitions as a triathlete.  Lauren’s next big goal is to become a Marine Corps fighter pilot and I have absolutely no doubt she will become one of the best.  Support the show