Catfish tournament hosted at Red Star Landing for Veterans

CAPE GIRARDEAU Mo. (KBSI) – A retired veteran travels the world helping other veterans release stress doing a fun activity together.

Anthony Brown is from North Carolina, and he has traveled to several states with his boat and his dog to host a fishing tournament free of charge for veterans.

“If they don’t know about it, we can’t get them out there for that real therapy and it’s free of charge. You can get on that boat right there in that seat or bring your boat if you have drinks, you can bring them. I may not be cooking something that day, who knows. The purpose of that trip is not only for that veteran or first responder but for me too.”

Brown explains the joy he gets when he sees other veterans be successful on the water no matter the fish’s size.

“When I get a veteran or a first responder on the boat and I see a smile over a 5-pound catfish just as big as a smile over 50-pound catfish it rejuvenates me, and I know that that veteran or that first responder has Released for about eight hours nine hours.”

Brown struggled with mental health when he was in the Navy, and he wanted to find a hobby to relax him that he could share with others.

“The awareness piece is what I’m big on. I was retired for mental health. That’s the way it was and going back is getting them on the water therapy.”

Brown made lots of new relationships this weekend and plans to be back to Red Star Landing.