Robin Barber and Brandon Dix star on tonight’s episode of Naked And Afraid as survivalists ready to spend 21 days without food, water, or clothing in Mexico. The episode is titled “Garden Of Evil” and the synopsis reads: A Navy Vet and a military mother face a panther, poisonous sap, and freezing rain in Mexico’s Cayo Venado. For more information on each of the two survivalists, read on below.
1. Barber Is A U.S. Coast Guard Nurse
(YouTube/Discovery)
Robin Barber is a U.S. Coast Guard Nurse and doctoral student. Her skills in the wilderness are related to her career as they are Health and Wellness knowledge (healing plant remedies) in the wild, Medical first aid and EMT, fire making, and water sourcing. Barber joined the military when she was eighteen years old spent nine years as a health specialist for the U.S. Coast Guard, according to her Discovery bio. She is now in the reserves, stationed in San Francisco, and competes in marathons, triathlons, and military wilderness challenges. In addition, she is studying to get her Doctor’s license in healthcare administration.
2. Dix Was In The United States Navy
A predator circling the camp? Not an ideal way to spend night 1 >> http://t.co/23SAU1n4xZ pic.twitter.com/lab1rdwTt3
— Naked and Afraid (@NakedAndAfraid) June 20, 2015
For five years, Dix was in the United States Navy and he was an Aircrew Survival Equipment Technician. This entailed rigging parachutes and other life-saving equipment. Dix’s Discovery bio gives all the details on his time in the Navy, stating:
His first command was the USS Saipan Iha-2, which was deployed twice. He took part of the decommissioning of the amphibious assault ship in 2007. That same year he transferred to Vp-45, when he was again deployed. When Brandon returned from that deployment, he volunteered to deploy with another command, which was completed at the end of 2008. He picked up the rank of E-5 and was honorably discharged in 2009.
Dix is currently an animal control officer.
3. A Poisonous Tree Causes Real Danger For Brandon Dix
Oof… that's got to hurt! The burn has begun >> http://t.co/RK8M9pKrqv pic.twitter.com/rULDDa7RE2
— Naked and Afraid (@NakedAndAfraid) June 20, 2015
Unfortunately, while on Naked And Afraid, Dix and Barber build their shelter under a Chechen tree, which is a poisonous tree. Barber realizes and tells Dix they need to move their shelter because touching it could create a black hole in their skin. Dix ends up getting some of the sap on himself, which is almost impossible to wash off with water. It acts as an acid and eats at the skin. If the blisters that the sap causes goes untreated, they can become infected and Dix could go into septic shock.
4. Brandon Dix Has A Radio Show On Wildlife
(YouTube/Discovery)
Dix resides in his hometown of Jonesboro, Arkansas with his wife and two sons, where he has his own radio show. Using his knowledge of hunting and animal-handling, Dix has a wildlife show with two radio stations each week. Every show, Dix tries to educate listeners on dealing with wildlife situations in a non-lethal way.
5. Barber Grew Up With Five Sisters
Welcome to the Garden Of Evil >> http://t.co/x5WJNtFnKa pic.twitter.com/DXQYRRBhXQ
— Naked and Afraid (@NakedAndAfraid) June 21, 2015
Barber hails from a small town in North Dakota, where she was raised with five sisters. Her father often brought his daughters into the wilderness to dive into loving nature. Barber’s Discovery bio reads:
He taught Robin how to drive his four wheeler, speed boat, and snowmobile, which encouraged her to develop a love for the feeling of adrenaline. She learned safety with knives, camping boundaries with tents and predators, building fires, waterways and currents, cleaning guns and shooting bows and arrows.
Robin Barber enjoys the simple way of life, which she feels today’s society lacks.