Capt. Tred Barta, TV host, outdoorsman, columnist, paralyzed Monday

Sport Fishing magazine ^ | Wednesday, May 20, 2009 | Staff

[Damifino]

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.

[Damifino]

Update: 'Encouraging signs' in Tred Barta's condition- 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

[FReepaholic]

Whoa, I've never heard of that before. Hope he recovers.

Sheesh, something else to worry about getting, alongside MRSA, H1N1, etc.

[mrsmel]

Prayer for him.

[12Gauge687]

This is sad. He’s a riot to watch. He’s bombastic in that Long Island sort of way but has a great heart and love for the outdoors. He has been a strong proponent of the availability of public lands for hunting and fishing.

Although I think he’s stuck in a rut with his recurve bow and traditional stalking of game, it’s great that tradition does matter to him.

One of my guides in Texas said Tred was a hoot off camera.

[freeplancer]

Prayers for him, even though I can’t stand him. I’m into more humble people.

[Damifino]

Tred's day job is selling luxury jets.

One of the funniest lines from one of Tred's shows was after he missed a relatively easy shot (I think it was at a Coyote).

Tred: I missed. How could I miss?

Hunting guide: (perfectly straight face) Because you're an airplane salesman.

[BobL]

“Doctor ordered ambulance to take him to hospital where MRI, CT scan, etc determined he’d suffered a spinal “Stroke.””

Wait, what right did he have to get to the head of the line? It’s 62 days for an MRI, even longer for a CT Scan...and he just jumps ahead?

What the h3ll is going on? It certainly sounds like he BOUGHT OUT SOMEONE in power.

...oh never mind, we don’t have Socialized Medicine yet.

[BallyBill]

He's going to recover, The Barta Way!

You go Tred and get yourself better. Him and Ted Nugent should control the Game and Wildlife Resources for the USA.

[STONEWALLS]

...hope he gets better....I’ll miss his show....I couldn’t believe it when he went pheasant hunting with his bow and killed a limit...skewered those birds in mid air!

[BallyBill]

All that flying probably had something to do with this, air bubble, clot or whatever that is that happens when you fly to much. Remember it almost got Dan Quayle.

[12Gauge687]

I remember that show. Let’s all hope for the best. We outdoorsfolks need proponents like Tred. I enjoyed the program in which he went waterfowl hunting with a bow.

[RedMonqey]

My Prayers for him...

[sarge83]

Happened to me when I was 19. I spent two years learning to walk again and still have lingering effects nearly 25 yrs. later. My prayers go out for this gentleman.