FLAME with Brad Hook Led by a Wolverine to Water: Adventures on the Trail with Wing Williams
What if you could make a treaty with mosquitoes… and they actually stopped biting you?
In this episode, author and adventurer Wing Williams joins Brad Hook to share stories from his “howling twenties”: thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail, learning to walk through forests without bug spray or fear of poison ivy, following a wolverine to an unseen mountain spring — and eventually facing the darkness of addiction, spiritual warfare and a brutal near-death experience.
Wing is the author of CINEREAL: A Memoir, a raw, poetic account of his life from wild adventure to the depths of alcoholism and spiritual torment, and finally to freedom in Jesus Christ. At 40, he now lives within the constraints of a traumatic brain injury while carrying a joy and clarity that only came after surrender.
In this conversation we explore:
The “treaty with mosquitoes” and what it taught Wing about presence and respect for the natural world
Walking through poison ivy and poodle dog bush without reaction — and what our ancestors may have known that we’ve forgotten
How thru-hiking thousands of miles taught him to achieve massive goals through tiny, repeatable steps
The hidden side of addiction: drinking to quiet demons, secret habits and the illusion of control
The murder attempt that left him in the snow with a traumatic brain injury and a voice saying, “Move or you will die”
How repeated detoxes, deep shame and relentless grace led him to finally surrender his life to Jesus
What CINEREAL means, and why ashes, gray matter and rebirth all belong in his story
Finding beauty even in the worst moments — and why a single ray of light can keep a soul alive
If you’ve ever chased adventure, battled addiction, wrestled with faith, or wondered how to keep walking when life feels impossible, this episode will stay with you.
Connect with Wing Williams
Website: https://wingwilliams.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinerealamemoir
Pick up CINEREAL: A Memoir via Wing’s site, your local bookstore, or your preferred online retailer.
Connect with Brad Hook
To connect with Brad Hook, visit https://bradleyhook.com or head to:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradhook
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tikkkl
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyhook/
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