# Seven Lives & Counting: A Journey of Taps #0046

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/whereabouts-tales-stories-of-belonging-and-immigrant-experiences-7144981/seven-lives-counting-a-journey-of-taps-0046
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/whereabouts-tales-stories-of-belonging-and-immigrant-experiences-7144981/seven-lives-counting-a-journey-of-taps-0046.md
Podcast: [Whereabouts Tales | Stories of Belonging and Immigrant Experiences](https://stenobird.com/podcast/whereabouts-tales-stories-of-belonging-and-immigrant-experiences-7144981)
Published: 2025-11-21T17:37:01+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/paul-puscas/episodes/Seven-Lives--Counting-A-Journey-of-Taps-0046-e3b9dv7
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/fe6afdfc/podcast/play/111506855/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-10-22%2F412947544-44100-2-01af139b091be.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/whereabouts-tales-stories-of-belonging-and-immigrant-experiences-7144981/episodes/seven-lives-counting-a-journey-of-taps-0046
Duration seconds: 5558

## Resource

In this episode, I had the immense pleasure of diving deep into the extraordinary journey of Wells Jones, a man who, as I playfully suggested, seems to have lived several lives already. From the moment he started sharing his story, I was captivated, and I know you will be too. Imagine jumping out of a plane over the South Pole, surviving the extreme conditions of Antarctica, and then walking into an acting school in New York City – that’s just a glimpse into Wells’s remarkable path. Wells's incredible adaptability and courage were forged early. Born on an army base and growing up in a bustling household of six kids after losing his father at a young age, he shared a profound insight from his mother: "I think you can do this." This simple belief became a guiding principle, acting as a recurring "tap on the shoulder" throughout his life, akin to the famous Churchill quote he shares (0:08, 0:58:18). This philosophy of embracing opportunities, even when unprepared, truly resonated with me. His decision to join the Navy was a quest for adventure, leading him to the breathtaking and brutal landscape of Antarctica as part of the Antarctic Parachute Rescue Team (0:20:59, 0:26:38). Wells vividly describes precision skydiving, crevasse rescues, and facing unimaginable conditions—like jumping from a C-130 into -59 degree Fahrenheit winds, a moment where he literally felt his hand freeze and thaw in 60 seconds (0:34:57). The raw struggle against nature and the reliance on primitive gear (0:37:04) offered powerful lessons in focus and responsibility. From the sub-zero training grounds, Wells pivoted to the stage, embarking on a fascinating acting career (0:43:13). He shares how a tough instructor taught him to "stop thinking too much and just be yourself" (0:45:53)—a lesson in auth…

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