Stink, Sweat, and Survival: An Ode to Jackson

I can't believe I just typed that sentence. I've written about him in more books and stories than I can count. He's been a fixture in my life, in my home, and in my prepping journey for years. If you've followed me for any length of time, you've probably laughed, cringed, and gagged right alongside me whenever his name popped up. He was gross, ridiculous, hilarious, inappropriate, and-most importantly-brilliant.

He died suddenly. No warning. Just like that.

He was at his desk, like he often was, watching an episode of Fear the Walking Dead for the fourth or fifth time, he told me he liked to "keep an eye on what the idiots on TV get wrong." He had a half-eaten plate of nachos next to him, and sometime during the night, he had a heart attack. Just... gone.

I found out the next morning. I was expecting a call about a water filter we were going to build together, maybe a rant about some new solar battery he thought was overrated, but instead I got the kind of news that makes your whole body go cold.
This wasn't supposed to happen. We had more books planned. More projects. More ridiculous stories to share. And maybe a few more very loud, very smelly "survival experiments" that would clear a room. But now, this is the book I have to write. The one I never imagined I'd be writing.

This won't be easy to read. It won't always be clean, or tidy, or pretty. But that's Jackson for you. And I owe it to him to tell this right.

This book is a tribute. A thank you. A messy, smelly, heartfelt goodbye to the most unforgettable man I've ever known. I'll share stories, lessons, and a few of the survival tricks he drilled into me and my family whether we wanted them or not. You'll laugh, maybe tear up a bit, and you'll definitely need to brace yourself for some strong mental images.

So buckle up.

Hold your nose.

And join me in remembering the legend.

This one's for Jackson.