Bare and Afraid kicks off its newest season on March 9, taking a groundbreaking flip in a serious approach amid the Discovery present’s 12-year run.
Viewers will witness historical past because the first-ever double amputee survivor, Mandy Horvath, takes on the brutal wilderness of Belize’s dense and unforgiving jungles — a problem that goes past the wild, serving as a testomony to sheer willpower, willpower and resilience.
“Inform me that I can’t and I’ll present you that I can,” reads Mandy’s tattoo, which, because it seems, isn’t simply her motto — she’s confirmed it, step-by-step, in one of many harshest environments on earth.
Mandy was in a tragic accident that severed each of her legs, however she nonetheless managed to change into the primary feminine bilateral amputee to achieve the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
At this time, she’s making historical past as soon as once more as the primary feminine double amputee to tackle this brutal survival problem.
“Ten years in the past, my life was modified without end,” Mandy says at first of the episode, as she formally surrenders herself to the wild. “I used to be struck by a locomotive, severing my limbs from my physique. I’ve died thrice and got here again from that.”
Because the solar set on the Belize rainforest, Mandy discovered herself not simply combating for survival, however grappling with a deeper, extra profound private battle — one which many may by no means actually perceive.
It’s one factor to enroll in a brutal survival problem, and it’s one other to enroll with out two limbs. This, together with the excruciating challenges of being within the wild, meant Mandy’s journey would take a look at each ounce of her energy and resilience.
“This place does include loads of stress, however I do take it very critically. It is deeply private to me,” Mandy tells PEOPLE solely when requested the way it feels to be breaking these phenomenal obstacles and being such an inspiration within the course of.
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“I acquired to do some video for a 14-year-old paraplegic woman final week simply saying ‘Hey’ and thanking her for her assist. It is necessary to me that younger girls that discover themselves in these traumatic conditions have one thing to carry onto.”
Having that sense of course, or a ‘North Star,’ if you’ll, was particularly elusive for Mandy. She recollects “struggling with none form of roadmap” after her accident. “Individuals repeatedly advised me to have a look at [Paralympic medalist] Amy Purdy and all of the issues that she’s doing,” she says.
Whereas Mandy believes Purdy is “proficient in her personal proper,” she was “extra within the outdoor — rising up looking, foraging and fishing.”
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“I didn’t have anyone telling me, ‘You’ll be able to nonetheless go on the market, it’s [just] going to be somewhat completely different,'” she says.
It is no secret that venturing off right into a distant jungle for 21 days is daunting, however there have been moments within the premiere that really showcased the rigorous efforts that go into this survival problem. Watching the episode, you may perceive why Mandy referred to it as “her Everest.”
From the swarming mosquitoes to the exhaustion and nausea from the dearth of energy, you may be stunned to find her motivation.
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She and “one of many crew members had a short interplay” whereas she was “utterly lined in bugs,” throughout which he recalled how a number of the “larger legends on the present” consistently complained concerning the bugs and the way he thought-about them “p—-es” for “bitching about it.”
“I checked out him and I used to be like, had been you simply in a roundabout approach calling me a p—y?” One thing about this “set her again on observe,” she says with fun when requested what the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel was for her. “For me, it was only one extra day and repeating that till I used to be finished.”
You’ll suppose surviving the Belize jungle as a double amputee can be sufficient of a problem, however as a lady navigating the forest in these circumstances, there have been further hurdles.
With no legs, Mandy additionally confronted a better danger of an infection and different medical problems, together with potential gynecological points, making each step of the journey much more tough. “I did not even have any points with that; manufacturing allowed me to make use of wipes [to avoid] bacterial infections and UTIs,” she recollects. “I additionally used tampons all through the problem to ensure there wasn’t dust and particles,” which she says was “truly very efficient.”
“Each climb that I’ve ever finished, I take advantage of tampons after I’m climbing. I realized on my first ascent of Pike’s Peak that it’s a necessity, truly,” she provides.
This makes her journey all of the extra inspiring, particularly as a lady, however it nonetheless wasn’t simple. When requested if there was something particular she endured that viewers received’t get to see, she revealed what turned out to be the beginning of her journey, contemplating it occurred upon assembly her accomplice, Jonny.
“Earlier than Jonny picked me up, I acquired bit proper by my butthole by a large leaf cutter ant and it broke pores and skin,” she reveals. “So, two minutes after assembly my accomplice, I am like, oh my God, this hurts. Are you able to examine it?”
To say this problem required placing her ego apart can be an understatement.
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The silver lining? The teamwork and camaraderie between her and Jonny had been actually heartfelt. Given Mandy’s tragic expertise, the concept of belief was one thing she naturally struggles with as overtly mentioned within the episode.
“They may not have put me with anyone higher,” she says. “I used to be fearful of assembly him for months as a result of I’m a really strong-willed persona, and if anyone had been unfavourable in direction of me, I’d’ve not been so nice to work with.”
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Regardless of his lack of expertise in primitive bushcraft, Mandy admitted to studying lots from her accomplice. “I realized to have extra belief in myself, but in addition, I realized a fantastic deal about working as a staff and battle decision from Jonny. I feel that these two collectively mixed are the important thing to our total relationship.”
“Jonny and I are actually good buddies,” she says when requested if their innate connection in Belize was the identical off-camera. “We have met up a number of instances for the reason that problem. Each time I’m going again house, we meet up. In order that was very pure.”
Leaning on somebody in the course of the jungle is definitely a bonus, however Mandy and Jonny’s mutual synergy and respect are simple. “I do not suppose that both of us would’ve been profitable with out one another. I wanted him and he wanted me, and we definitely leaned on one another in instances of stress and want,” she says.
When requested if she would do all of it once more, Mandy’s reply may shock you. However along with her energy and sheer willpower, it’s not onerous to consider she says “Sure” with out hesitation. “Watch with an open thoughts,” she provides, “and perhaps don’t decide a ebook by its cowl.”
Mandy’s journey is considered one of adversity and triumph, a testomony to the energy of the human spirit. Her resilience and willpower aren’t outlined by the constraints others might even see, however by the unstoppable drive that fuels her each step of the way in which.
Bare and Afraid premieres Sunday, March 9, at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel with two new episodes. It’s going to even be obtainable to stream the following day on Max and Discovery+.
