Crabbing Saved My Life—and Became My Mission

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, we meet Tia, a Charleston native whose journey from bartending to global recognition began with a personal health crisis. After years in the food and beverage industry, Tia’s decision to quit smoking triggered an unexpected and debilitating decline in her health. Conventional medicine offered no solutions, but a chance encounter with two holistic healers changed everything. Through an elimination diet and profound lifestyle changes, Tia not only reclaimed her health—she rediscovered her roots.

Tia's reconnection came through the act of crabbing, a practice tied to her Gullah Geechee heritage. What began as a way to stay active turned into a viral Airbnb experience—“Casual Crabbing with Tia”—and a new mission to educate, preserve, and heal. Her story captures how the water became both a source of joy and transformation. She now champions oyster shell recycling and envisions a nonprofit dedicated to marine restoration. Tia's passion, vulnerability, and vision remind us that explorers come from everywhere—and often, they return home to find themselves.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.