Carter's Story
Making the best out of a tragedy.
Carter Viss grew up in Denver, Colorado. He spent his childhood catching all kinds of fish, reptiles, amphibians, and insects near his house and owned several saltwater aquariums. His love of fish was always meant to be as the last name "Viss" is translated to the word "fish" in Dutch. This passion for all aquatic animals led him to earn a Marine Biology degree at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. Carter immediately fell in love with the area and especially enjoyed exploring the beautiful nearshore reefs off of the beach.
On Thanksgiving Day 2019, while snorkeling on the Breaker’s Reef (his favorite spot), he was struck by a large boat. He lost his right arm on impact, both of his legs were severely lacerated and his left wrist was badly broken. After making a full recovery, he has dedicated his life to helping individuals involved in similar incidents and changing boating and diving safety standards to prevent future incidents. Fueled by his lifelong passion for nature and the outdoors, Carter strives to make our beautiful oceans safer for humans and marine life.
