Terry Fossum

Fossum was born in Mission, Texas but raised in McAllen, Texas as one of three brothers, during which time he joined the Boy Scouts of America, where he became an Eagle Scout. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University while serving in the Corps of Cadets, following which Fossum became an officer in the U.S. Air Force.[1]

After the Air Force Fossum founded the Terry L. Fossum Learning Center in Rwanda; the Terry L. Fossum Scholarships for Underprivileged Youth in McAllen, Texas; and providing agricultural training for Malawi, Africa.

Fossum appeared on the 2017 reality television series Kicking and Screaming, a show that paired survival experts with “wilderness impaired partners”.[2] He and his partner Natalie Casanova won the competition, splitting the $500,000 grand prize.[3] This then led to several million dollars in donations for the Scouts following the series airing.[4]

In 2021, Fossum received the Best Supporting Actor and Fan Favorite award at the Christian Film Festival for his role in the movie Agape.[4] Also in 2021, Fossum published a self-help book titled The Oxcart Technique: Blueprint for Success.

Fossum has continued to be involved in the Boy Scouts of America, first as a scoutmaster, and eventually as the vice president for programs for the Washington State's Inland Northwest Council.[5] Fossum was married before but then divorced. Today he is married to a woman who has three sons, whose scoutmaster he became.