Amber Hargrove doesn’t just talk about survival; she lives it. A 12-year U.S. Army veteran with two combat tours and a fierce drive for adventure, Hargrove has pushed herself beyond the bounds of the imaginable, from the deserts of Iraq to the swamps of the Everglades. But her most remarkable transformation didn’t come from the battlefield or the wilderness. It came through rediscovering herself as a wife, mother, and woman with no fear of failure.
Raised by a single mother in poverty, Amber learned early on how to fish, build forts, and start fires. These skills planted the seeds of the survivalist she’d one day become.
“We didn’t have much,” she recalls, “but we had each other and the outdoors.”
That upbringing blossomed into a career of adventure. After leaving the military, Amber applied for the Discovery Channel reality show “Naked and Afraid,” unsure if the producers would take her. They did, and spent more than 187 days in the wild, earning the distinction of most days in the wilderness for any woman on the show.
But it wasn’t just adrenaline or animal encounters that drew her in. The greatest challenge was the test of her spirit. “If you have no fear of failure, you’re unstoppable,” she said.
Hargrove’s survival stories are both wild and raw. She’s wrestled alligators, eaten cottonmouth snake eggs, and built waterproof shelters in driving rain. But one of her most painful moments came not from the wilderness, but from a betrayal of trust.
After falling sick on day 16 of a 21-day challenge, she discovered her partner hadn’t been boiling the parasite-laden water.
That lesson stayed with her.
“I had to spend two weeks in the hospital. It was humbling. And unforgettable,” she recalled.
Beyond the camera, Amber’s strength is rooted in her family. After years of prioritizing her career, she met her husband, a bladesmith, who helped anchor her in faith, family, and purpose.
“I wasn’t a great mom at first,” she admits. “But he encouraged me to spend more time with the kids, and I realized the hardest job I’ve ever had is being a mom.”
Amber now teaches her daughters and neighborhood kids how to fish, build shelters, and develop self-confidence. Her oldest is entering the Air Force ROTC program; her youngest joins her in shallow waters near baby alligators, fearless and full of trust.
“I want to raise strong women who don’t fear failure, just like I had to learn,” she revealed.
By day, Amber works as an HVAC supervisor and occasionally surprises customers who recognize her from television. By night, she’s in the forge with her husband designing knives, including their first collaboration together, dubbed the Barracuda. And what’s next? She hopes to host her own survival show.
“I want to keep pushing my limits,” she said. “Because you never know what you’re capable of until you’re tested.”
Amber Hargrove is more than a survivalist. She’s a mom, a mentor, and a warrior, offering inspiration for women who refuse to settle for less than the best.
Based on the video here:
Raised by a single mother in poverty, Amber learned early on how to fish, build forts, and start fires. These skills planted the seeds of the survivalist she’d one day become.
“We didn’t have much,” she recalls, “but we had each other and the outdoors.”
That upbringing blossomed into a career of adventure. After leaving the military, Amber applied for the Discovery Channel reality show “Naked and Afraid,” unsure if the producers would take her. They did, and spent more than 187 days in the wild, earning the distinction of most days in the wilderness for any woman on the show.
But it wasn’t just adrenaline or animal encounters that drew her in. The greatest challenge was the test of her spirit. “If you have no fear of failure, you’re unstoppable,” she said.
Hargrove’s survival stories are both wild and raw. She’s wrestled alligators, eaten cottonmouth snake eggs, and built waterproof shelters in driving rain. But one of her most painful moments came not from the wilderness, but from a betrayal of trust.
After falling sick on day 16 of a 21-day challenge, she discovered her partner hadn’t been boiling the parasite-laden water.
That lesson stayed with her.
“I had to spend two weeks in the hospital. It was humbling. And unforgettable,” she recalled.
Beyond the camera, Amber’s strength is rooted in her family. After years of prioritizing her career, she met her husband, a bladesmith, who helped anchor her in faith, family, and purpose.
“I wasn’t a great mom at first,” she admits. “But he encouraged me to spend more time with the kids, and I realized the hardest job I’ve ever had is being a mom.”
Amber now teaches her daughters and neighborhood kids how to fish, build shelters, and develop self-confidence. Her oldest is entering the Air Force ROTC program; her youngest joins her in shallow waters near baby alligators, fearless and full of trust.
“I want to raise strong women who don’t fear failure, just like I had to learn,” she revealed.
By day, Amber works as an HVAC supervisor and occasionally surprises customers who recognize her from television. By night, she’s in the forge with her husband designing knives, including their first collaboration together, dubbed the Barracuda. And what’s next? She hopes to host her own survival show.
“I want to keep pushing my limits,” she said. “Because you never know what you’re capable of until you’re tested.”
Amber Hargrove is more than a survivalist. She’s a mom, a mentor, and a warrior, offering inspiration for women who refuse to settle for less than the best.
Based on the video here:
