On this episode of Staying Alive, hosts Jon Gabrus and Adam Pally sit down with six-time USA Memory Champion Nelson Dellis to talk about his Alzheimer’s charity, memorizing cards underwater, getting 50 meters from the summit of Everest, and, perhaps most exciting to the fellas, the science of card counting. Plus Pally can’t remember a single line from a two hour play he starred in, yet Gabrus can still recall the first 30 prepositions in order from seventh grade.

Follow Nelson @nelzor on Insta, website NelsonDellis.com

Nelson’s Alzheimer’s charity Climb4Memory

Nelson’s mountaineering company Ax Ventures

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This episode was recorded March 13, 2025 at SiriusXM studios in New York City

Special thanks to Jared O’Connell and Casey Holford

Staying Alive is produced by Devon Torrey Bryant and Anne Harris

Engineered and edited by Devon Torrey Bryant, who also wrote the music

Associate producer and video editor is Maddie McCann

Executive produced by Jon Gabrus, Adam Pally, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Bernie Kaminski, and Rich Korson

Keywords for this episode: Kickball, memory palace, Alzheimer’s, Shake Shack, hippocampus, amygdala, Montegrappa, My Girl 2, blackjack, craps, Bringing Down The House, Dorf On Golf, Thomas Middleditch, Kilimanjaro, Hillary Steppe, Crossfit, Peloton, Burning Man