Tred Barta - Spinal Stroke

[fisherman66]

From Sport Fishing magazine

On his way to Alaska to tape his TV show, Tred Barta recently suffered a rare occurrence called a spinal stroke. He is currently paralyzed from just below the chest down. Prognosis is way up in the air at the moment. His message to everyone is… "Don't take a single second of your life for granted." Send him best wishes at tred.barta@bartaiso.com.

Tred's show is the only hunting show I bother to catch anymore. I don't always agree with his opinions, but I have the utmost respect for his techniques and willingness to be as real as possible. Godspeed in your recovery, Tred.

 

[B. Lahey]

That's too bad, that guy's a live one. Somehow I suspect it won't slow him down much, he'll just lash himself to a horse and learn mounted dangerous-game longbow hunting. It'll just give him a whole different class of records to go after...

"First paralyzed man to take a cougar with a knife, hand-catch a 500lb tuna, bear-hunt with a spear made out of a cheesegrater, etc..."

Get well soon Tred!

 

[dalegribble]

I am deeply sorry to hear of Treds health problem. I found his show by accident one day and it is a breath of fresh air on my hunting channel. I try to watch him every chance I get. I love his everyman approach to hunting, no hunting clubs, no tree stands and corn feeders for him. I have never met the man but he feels like a friend to me, at least someone you would love to go hunting with. Get well soon Tred you have a job to do and no one does it better. God speed.

 

[cdc2008]

A tragedy, reminds you to be thankful for every day spent with family, friends and the outdoors. Good Luck Tred!!!!!!

 

[simonkenton]

Thanks for that heads up, I hadn't heard.
That is one rare ailment, I was a Paramedic for 13 years and I never had heard of it.
I googled it up, it is bad news. Good chance he will not recover.

I have really enjoyed his shows on tv, he is a bad ass. Give the man a long bow and he will take on the world. I have seen him make kills with homemade arrows with flint points.

Hang in there Tred, I hope you will recover.

 

[bwheasler]

Get well Tred

Like him or not ,you have to like his enthusism. He'll tell like it is, and if you don't like change the channel. I loved his show and to have anyone have that twist of fate thrown in you lad is never easy. But, before that he lived every day as it was his last hunt and then it was. We should all do the same, don't wait, just do it.

 

[bcarver]

handmade bow

He took a grizzly bear with a authenic/handmade bow arrow at so close you could spit. It was super cool.

 

[VaFisher]

Saw this on a different forum for Dean.

Update: 'Encouraging signs' in Tred Barta's condition
Wed, May 20, 2009
An update on Tred Barta's condition (May 20) from Dean Travis Clarke:

Just got off phone with Tred Barta and wife Anni. He had packed to travel to Alaska for a bear hunt for his TV show. Put his bag in his truck, Returned to house and then on way back to truck felt loss of feeling in his left leg. Decided to walk up mountainside behind house to make sure he could handle the rigors of hunting in Alaska before getting on plane. Condition worsened, so he immediately went to doctor. Doctor ordered ambulance to take him to hospital where MRI, CT scan, etc determined he'd suffered a spinal "Stroke." Quite rare – afflicting approximately 12 of 100,000 people in the U.S. each year.

Within four hours, he had completely lost feeling in both legs up to a point halfway between his chest and navel.

Tred and Anni seem to be taking turns being supportive and dejected. Fortunately, they seem to balance each other that way. He will soon be transferred to Craig Rehab Center in Denver. Craig is a non-profit freestanding hospital that has been rated every year in the Top Ten Rehabilitation Hospitals by US News and World Report since the ratings began eighteen years ago. Craig Hospital .

Though last night was tough, today finds some encouraging signs. He has been able to respond to stimulus causing his toes to curl. The paralysis has lowered to about navel level. He seems to have regained some slight sensation in his right leg. Results of blood and spinal fluid tests also seem encouraging.

I will continue to keep in touch with him and will pass along news as warranted so as to not have EVERYONE contacting him all the time. He seems remarkably positive and upbeat this morning. Keep them in your thoughts and please live YOUR life as though this could happen to you tomorrow!

Dean Travis Clarke
Executive Editor

 

[fisherman66]

today finds some encouraging signs. He has been able to respond to stimulus causing his toes to curl. The paralysis has lowered to about navel level. He seems to have regained some slight sensation in his right leg. Results of blood and spinal fluid tests also seem encouraging.

That's fantastic news!!!

 

[Daryl]

Sad to hear of him having a spinal stroke, but I'm glad there's hope for recovery.

I've been through some rough times with health issues myself, and wouldn't wish something like that on anyone. I pray he recovers as well as I have; or even better.

Daryl

 

[Fat White Boy]

Sorry to hear about this. He is unique, that's for sure. I doubt if I could be around him any length of time but he is fun to watch....Hope has a full recovery and gets back in the field and back out to sea,,,

 

[Swampghost]

All of my best to Tred!

I always read the back page of Sport Fishing magazine first. I love the guy for not holding back on his opinions. IMHO, he's ususally correct.

He also gives back in major numbers. Over $2M to get kids into fishing, I don't know about the hunting side but would expect about the same.

We need more Tred's.

 

[Gbro]

I will echo the statement,

"Don't take a single second of your life for granted."

A friend and Co-worker had the very same stroke. He is wheel chair bound and takes life as it comes.
I have never seen his show and will have to do some searching to find it.
I will pray for him.