Episode
#192 | Appalachian Trail at 72: Vietnam Veteran Rand Timmerman on Grief, Sobriety & Survival
- Podcast
- Talks with Gallagher
- Published
- May 10, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3301
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
In this episode of Talks with Gallagher, Rand Timmerman shares how, at 72 years old, he set out to hike the Appalachian Trail despite an artificial knee, a limp, and major physical limitations. He explains how the journey began as a way to help his brother process the devastating loss of his wife and became a deeper story of endurance, healing, and purpose. Rand opens up about serving as a Marine combat veteran in Vietnam, building a long career as an attorney, walking through alcoholism and recovery, and facing near-death moments on the trail. He also recounts powerful spiritual experiences during the hike, including a terrifying storm in the Smokies that left him praying for his life and changed him from the inside out. This conversation covers grief, trauma, brotherhood, addiction recovery, faith, resilience, and what it means to keep moving forward one step at a time. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/talks-with-gallagher--6106098/support . Visit talkswithgallagher.com for more information and support the future of this podcast. Want to be a guest on Talks with Gallagher? Send John Gallagher a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/talkswithgallagher