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An Alaska Fisherman's Guide to Tragedy and Redemption | INDIE ALASKA

Boat Captain looks off in the distance. Boat moves on water. Man holds halibut.
In this Indie Alaska episode, Jody Mason, a halibut fishing charter guide, tells the story of his boat accident from 2019 in Whittier, Alaska.

Jody Mason has been a halibut fishing guide out of Whittier, Alaska for over 20 years with his company, Alaskan 4 Star Charters. After a traumatic boating accident in 2019, Jody was overwhelmed by the community response that helped him get a new boat in time for the 2020 fishing season.

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Story by Valerie Kern
Video by Valerie Kern and Hannah Lies
Drone footage by Jake Sloan
Cell Phone video by Whittier Harbor Master Employees
Photos by Dennis C. Jones
Music by FirstCom Music

Originally from the Central Coast of California, Valerie joined Alaska Public Media in July 2017. She creates original video content for the station's TV and digital platforms while also overseeing the Production Department. Before moving to Alaska, Valerie worked as an ENG Editor at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also served in the U.S. Air Force as a TV and Radio Broadcast Journalist where she traveled around Europe, Africa, The Baltics, Australia, and the Southern United States reporting on military events, exercises, and missions. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, yoga, and traveling.