or


[05/14/13 - 09:11 AM]
This Memorial Day, National Geographic Channel Highlights the Journeys of Injured Soldiers Moving Forward and Fishing in "American Heroes Fishing Challenge"
The one-hour special premieres Monday, May 27 at 10:00/9:00c on the network.

[via press release from National Geographic Channel]

THIS MEMORIAL DAY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL HIGHLIGHTS THE EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEYS OF INJURED SOLDIERS MOVING FORWARD ... AND FISHING

A Documentary on How One Boy's Compassion Brought Soldiers Severely Wounded in Afghanistan to Compete in America's Oldest Fishing Tournament

American Heroes Fishing Challenge premieres Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Film Features Original Music by Seven-time Grammy Winner John Mayer

(WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 14, 2013) After seeing a story about severely injured veterans in Afghanistan, 11-year-old Jack Nixon said, "I wish those guys could fish. It would change their life; they would love it." With Jack's idea came the American Heroes Fishing Challenge. And lives changed.

In the one-hour special American Heroes Fishing Challenge, which premieres Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel, follow a group of recently wounded veterans from the war in Afghanistan working to jump-start the healing process ... by going fishing. For more information, see natgeotv.com and @NGC_PR on Twitter.

The film features original music by seven-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter John Mayer, who has dedicated himself to helping veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan readjust to life after deployment. Mayer says, "Seeing to it that we care for our returning veterans is quite possibly our biggest collective duty as a nation."

American Heroes Fishing Challenge climbs onboard fishing vessels to experience the "thrill of the catch" with severely wounded active duty military. They'll travel from Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir military hospitals to New England to compete with 3,000 others in the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby.

Some are just days out of surgery, while others are taking their first steps outdoors on new legs, but they stop at nothing in their efforts to win the annual fishing tradition. At sea, there are no doctors, no physical therapy appointments and no drama (except for the brash banter between competing teams!).

The line-up includes Spc. Dylan Waugh, a soldier who nearly died a few months ago in an IED explosion and is now gripping a fishing pole; 1st Lt. Army Ranger Nathan Rimpf, walking on sand for the first time since losing his legs; and Pvt. Colton Wiley, a young Army infantryman shot through the legs after only two weeks in Afghanistan, who now gets to see the ocean for the first time.

Wiley boasts, "I am gonna get out and do everything, even if I am in a chair forever. I'm determined I'm gonna win. I am going to catch that big fish, I promise." Waugh, in turn, explains, "Combat was my adrenaline - I loved everything about it. Fishin' and combat kinda go hand in hand. Game on." Rimpf, 24, of North Carolina, lost his legs in Afghanistan last July, but two months later he was onboard legendary captain Buddy Vanderhoop's "Tomahawk." He describes the experience and its impact on his life: "I've loved to fish my whole life. Walking down the dock on my new legs and climbing into that famous fishing boat gave me the profound sense that life could return to normal."

Jack Nixon's idea became reality when his parents, Bob and Sarah Nixon - also the filmmakers - worked with him to secure boat and fuel donations from enthusiastic Menemsha charter captains and garner the endorsement of Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. The Vineyard's Beach Plum Inn donated rooms, and others came forward with funding and transportation. The Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir military hospitals endorsed the experiment in "extreme" saltwater therapy. Soon, the American Heroes Fishing Challenge was underway, pairing wounded warriors with legendary charter captains who are competing for the winning fish.

Says Bob Nixon, the film's director, "Our goal was to capture the extraordinary can-do spirit of our military, while revealing how the challenges of a week of hardcore fishing on the Atlantic and the grateful embrace of an entire island jump starts their recovery."

As we follow their fishing exploits, the veterans share their stunning commitment to service, harrowing war experiences and their challenges on the long road to recovery.

American Heroes Fishing Challenge is narrated by comedian/actor and long-time Vineyarder Lenny Clarke, whose wife Jennifer Clarke is the award-winning captain of the "Femme Fatale," featured in the film.

American Heroes Fishing Challenge is produced by True Blue Films for National Geographic Channel. For True Blue Films, producers are Robert Nixon, Todd Wendel and Sarah Guinan Nixon. For National Geographic Channel, executive producer is George Verschoor; vice president, production and development is Kevin Mohs; and president is Howard T. Owens.

# # #

About National Geographic Channels

Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in 85 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 38 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.





  [may 2013]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[07/10/25 - 05:03 PM]
Meagan Good Returns to Lifetime to Executive Produce and Star in the Alluring New Thriller "I'll Never Let You Go" Alongside Antonio Cupo and Thomas Cadrot, Premiering August 16 on Lifetime
Good stars as Emily Westover, a poised and successful art gallery director whose life takes a dark turn after a brief, impulsive affair with a magnetic Italian artist, Carlo (Cupo).

[07/10/25 - 12:01 PM]
"Virgin River" Is Returning for Season 8
"On behalf of myself and the whole 'Virgin River' family, we're eternally grateful to Netflix and to the fans for allowing us to continue on this journey with these beloved characters," said showrunner Patrick Sean Smith.

[07/10/25 - 12:00 PM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: New York Mets to Visit San Francisco Giants on July 27
Karl Ravech will call the action with analyst Eduardo Pérez, analyst and five-time World Series Champion David Cone and reporter Buster Olney.

[07/10/25 - 11:04 AM]
Paris Berelc to Co-Star and Executive Produce Upcoming Tubi Original YA Romantic Comedy Film "Kissing Is the Easy Part"
Fawzia Mirza (The Queen of my Dreams) is set to direct the film, which is based on the popular Wattpad webnovel (currently at 31.9 million reads) of the same name by Christine Duann adapted by Rebecca Webb.

[07/10/25 - 10:30 AM]
HBO Orders Untitled American History Sketch Comedy Starring and Executive Produced by Larry David and Higher Ground
President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honor America's 250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation on this special occasion. ...But then Larry David called.

[07/10/25 - 10:10 AM]
Apple's Acclaimed Sci-Fi Series "Murderbot" Lands Season Two Renewal
The season one finale of "Murderbot" premieres globally this Friday, July 11.

[07/10/25 - 10:06 AM]
AMC Networks Returns to Comic-Con International with Dynamic Lineup of Fan-Favorite Series Panels, Screenings, A Shudder Fan Activation & More
Panels include a return to Hall H for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, featuring an exclusive first-look at the official trailer from the third season, premiering Sunday, September 7 on AMC and AMC+.

[07/10/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Marc Maron: Panicked" - Official Trailer - HBO Max
He's mining for gold in a river of panic.

[07/10/25 - 09:55 AM]
"The Great Food Truck Race" Hosted by Tyler Florence Returns with New Roster of Competitors and Epic Culinary Challenges
The new season premieres Sunday, August 3 at 9pm ET/PT and streams next day on HBO Max.

[07/10/25 - 09:39 AM]
Peacock Announces September 4 Premiere Date for "The Paper"
The series premieres on Peacock with four episodes on September 4, followed by two new episodes every Thursday through September 25.

[07/10/25 - 09:34 AM]
MGM+ Unveils "Let The Devil In" Premiere Date
Premiering August 31, the four-episode documentary series is about a decades-old tragedy that destroyed one family and ignited the darkest fears of a small New Jersey town.

[07/10/25 - 09:01 AM]
Prime Video Adds Broadcast Veterans to NBA on Prime Game Coverage Lineup
The broadcast team includes award-winning play-by-play announcers Ian Eagle, Kevin Harlan, Michael Grady and Eric Collins.

[07/10/25 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Starz Releases Key Art and Trailer for Timeless Romantic Drama "Outlander: Blood of My Blood," Premiering Friday, August 8
From the battlefields of World War I to the rugged Highlands of 18th century Scotland, two fated couples must defy the forces that seek to tear them apart, intersecting in surprising and unforeseen ways.

[07/10/25 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases Trailer and Key Art for Season Two of "Sausage Party: Foodtopia"
All eight episodes of the animated comedy will be served all at once in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on Prime Video August 13.

[07/10/25 - 08:13 AM]
Star Designer Bobby Berk to Host Newly Greenlit HGTV Series "Junk or Jackpot?" (wt) Produced by John Cena
Executive produced by actor, wrestler and entrepreneur John Cena, the six-episode season follows collectors as they discover the true monetary value of their massive and unusual collections.