Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 155 is my conversation with Crazy Alberto Knie, a Saint Croix Rods pro staff angler whose dedication borders on legendary. Alberto shares a remarkable near-death experience from a car accident in Manhattan, where he died for a few minutes and saw his life flash before him. He describes what he saw, how it changed everything, and why I have always believed that crazy is just a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated.
Listen now: Megaphone · Spotify.
Crazy Alberto Knie is a passionate angler on the Saint Croix Rods pro staff. He is known for pursuing whatever fish turns his crank at any time of day or night with great precision, and for a level of dedication to fishing that earned him his nickname.
Alberto was in a car accident in Manhattan where he actually died for a few minutes. He experienced his life flashing before his eyes, including images of his mother carrying him and his brother fishing, and felt himself floating in the air before coming back to life.
Alberto describes seeing specific visions during the minutes when his heart stopped, including his mother carrying him as a child and his brother fishing, along with the sensation of floating upward and watching from above before he returned.
Tom's point is that people who lack dedication often label highly committed people as crazy rather than recognizing the discipline behind it. Alberto's relentless approach to fishing, especially after his accident, is dedication, not craziness.
Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 155 with Crazy Alberto Knie is available on Megaphone, Spotify, and the Tom Rowland Podcast feed across Apple Podcasts and other platforms.
This conversation hit me differently than most. When someone has literally died and come back, they carry a perspective the rest of us can only try to understand. I have always said that crazy is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated, and Alberto embodies that completely. I wanted listeners to hear his story not just for the drama of the accident, but for what it taught him about how to spend the time we are given.
Press play in the player above to hear it.
Alberto rarely shares the details, but he walks through what happened during those minutes in Manhattan, the visions of his mother and brother, and the sensation of floating above the scene. Hear it in the episode.
Alberto pursues whatever fish turns his crank at any hour with precision. We get into whether that is crazy or simply what real commitment looks like. Listen to that section of the conversation.
Coming back from death reset Alberto's priorities. He explains how it killed his excuses about weather, timing, and comfort. Listen to the full story.
Alberto's reputation is built on showing up when others will not. He talks about the mindset that comes from understanding time is finite. Worth hearing in full.
Listen to the full conversation: Megaphone · Spotify.
Alberto's dedication to fishing is not separate from his near-death experience, it is a direct result of it. When you see someone on the water at odd hours in tough conditions, you can call it crazy, or you can recognize it as a refusal to waste time.
This one will make you think about excuses and how you spend your days. Listen on Megaphone or Spotify.
Crazy Alberto Knie · Saint Croix Rods · Manhattan · Tom Rowland (host)
The Tom Rowland Podcast brings you long-form conversations with the most accomplished anglers, hunters, conservationists, and outdoor professionals in the game. Listen to every full-length Tom Rowland Podcast interview.
Crazy Alberto Knie is a passionate angler on the Saint Croix Rods pro staff who survived a near-death car accident in Manhattan, where he died for a few minutes before coming back to life. The experience, which included vivid visions of family and the sensation of floating above the scene, reshaped his perspective on living. He is known throughout the fishing community for extreme dedication, pursuing whatever fish turns his crank at any time of day or night with great precision.
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