Episode 41: Joeski, Part 2 – What Doesn’t Kill You

Guest: Joe Skorupski

Host: Mike Ruhl

Description:

In Part 2 of this conversation, the story continues from the Alaskan wilderness... but quickly turns in an unexpected and deeply personal direction. Not long after returning from one of the greatest hunts of his life, Joe began a battle that nearly cost him everything. What follows is a raw and emotional account of surviving liver failure, undergoing a transplant, and finding strength through family, friends, and sheer will.

Joe opens up about the grueling physical and mental toll of waiting for a donor, the shock of a rare diagnosis, and the long road to recovery. This is a story about resilience, perspective, and gratitude.

Topics Covered:

Final days and drama of the Alaska float hunt

Life-threatening health collapse and rare liver disease

Misdiagnoses, dry runs, and weeks of uncertainty

The gift of a transplant—and what comes after

Finding meaning in survival, service, and second chances

What matters most: family, community, and the drive to live fully

Teaser:

If you’ve ever questioned what you’re capable of enduring, Joe’s story offers a stunning reminder. And next week, we’ll shift gears with the first of our Norway fishing episodes—travel tales, family memories, and big fish from the far north.