Team Never Quit Kegan "SMURF" Gill: The Fighter Pilot Who Survived The Fastest Ejection In History, Surviving The Sound Barrier & PTSD (Rebroadcast)
Dec 24, 2025
02:01:37
Fighter Pilot Survival: Kegan Gill's Battle Beyond the Battlefield
In this extraordinary episode, Marcus and Melanie meet with retired U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot Kegan Gill, whose story is nothing short of miraculous. Kegan survived a catastrophic ejection from his aircraft during a training mission over the Atlantic Ocean, where he ejected directly into the sound barrier. The injuries he sustained in that moment were severe enough to kill most people – his limbs torn apart and a traumatic brain injury among them. But Kegan's ordeal was only beginning.
Plunged into the icy waters of the Atlantic with his parachute still attached, his wetsuit torn, and his arms unable to move, Kegan was forced to endure a two-hour battle with hypothermia as rescue teams raced to find him. Miraculously, his hypothermic state prevented fatal blood loss. Following this harrowing experience, Kegan faced months of grueling recovery, eventually achieving a perfect Physical Fitness Test score and returning to flight duty.
However, Kegan’s journey didn’t end with physical recovery. He began experiencing severe psychotic episodes due to his brain injury, leading to a stint in a VA Mental Health Facility. Pharmaceutical treatments only worsened his symptoms, and he endured dehumanizing treatment from caregivers who misunderstood his unique needs.
Now, Kegan is finding renewed hope through alternative treatments for brain health. Through the Warrior Angels Foundation, he has discovered the power of nutraceutical and hormonal interventions, offering a glimmer of healing. Beyond his personal health battles, Kegan is a dedicated father and husband, working tirelessly to support his young family.
Join us as Kegan opens up about his incredible journey of survival, resilience, and healing. His story is as inspiring as it is shocking – a testament to human strength and the will to overcome even the darkest of circumstances.
Tune in to hear a story of grit, determination, and the relentless pursuit of healing against all odds.
In This Episode You Will Hear:
• When I was about 10 years old, my family had a friend that had a Cessna, and he took me up on this lawnmower with wings, and we went buzzing around, and it felt like a freakin’ rocket ship. I absolutely loved being above the earth, and I felt so free. (6:36)
• In May of 2012, I graduated as a winged aviator, and I got those wings pinned on my chest. (23:40)
• [Marcus] It’s an absolute transition into a different human being the minute those wings touch your chest. (24:02)
• [In flight school] you showed up there, and you had your wings, and you thought you made it. They made it very clear you have not made anything yet. (26:40)
• It just so happened on this day there was a 16 foot, 3,500 pound Great White Shark named Mary Lee directly under my airspace, and my buddy pointed out,
“Hey man, Today would be a terrible day to eject,” and an hour after having that conversation, I found myself out on what turned into a pretty freaking wild experience. (36:23)
• [Melanie] Q: Is it common to eject?” [Keegan] A: It happens more than you hear about in the news. We lose a few naval fighter jets every year to mishaps. (37:16)
• When you show up at flight school, they say “Look to your left and look to your right. One of you is gonna have a serious mishap or be dead choosing this job. Are you sure you wanna be here?” (37:49)
• You think you’re invincible, and you don’t really think anything of it. (38:04)
• Keegan tells the detailed story of that fateful day. (Starting at 41:21)
• When I punched out, I got the initial blast from the ejection seat, and then immediately impacted the sound barrier with my body. At that speed, the human body is not aerodynamic. (50:58)
• The aircraft impacted the water so fast, it just vaporized. (52:50)
• They ended up wheeling me in, and treated me for severe hyperthermia. They took my core body temperature. I was at 87 degrees. [Marcus] “That should’ve killed you.” (60:13)
• One of the more senior guys takes me into his office and he goes: “Congratulations, Lieutenant Gill. If you can figure out how to get your body working again, we’ll get you back in a Super Hornet. (68:14)
• My brain was just not working the way it was supposed to from TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). (75:04)
• I had a deep sense of betrayal from all that thought I had served. To see the treatment, it seemed like everything I was fighting for was a joke. (89:53)
• I’ve had a number of psychedelic-assisted therapies that have been really helpful. (95:54)
• Ibogaine has been studied pretty thoroughly at this point. It’s showing that it triggers neuro-regeneration. (102:21)
Support Kegan:
- IG: kegansmurfgill
- https://kegangill.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabtNw03Fww-lVt1LHf5b2iWrga-lLxSr_uJYqbNYUMN_NKoEMDqtfBd-Cw_aem_v5m2wI-nx5AKPUoeOA77pA
Order His Book Here --> https://ballastbooks.com/purchase/phoenix-revival/
- IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13
- https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit
Support TNQ
- IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13
- https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit
Sponsors:
- Tractorsupply.com/hometownheroes
- Navyfederal.org
- mizzenandmain.com [Promo code: TNQ20]
- masterclass.com/TNQ
- Dripdrop.com/TNQ
- ShopMando.com [Promo code: TNQ]
- meetfabiric.com/TNQ
- Prizepicks (TNQ)
- cargurus.com/TNQ
- armslist.com/TNQ
- PXGapparel.com/TNQ
- bruntworkwear.com/TNQ
- shipsticks.com/TNQ
- stopboxusa.com {TNQ}
- ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]
- kalshi.com/TNQ
- joinbilt.com/TNQ
- Tonal.com [TNQ]
- greenlight.com/TNQ
- drinkAG1.com/TNQ
- Hims.com/TNQ
- Shopify.com/TNQ
In this extraordinary episode, Marcus and Melanie meet with retired U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot Kegan Gill, whose story is nothing short of miraculous. Kegan survived a catastrophic ejection from his aircraft during a training mission over the Atlantic Ocean, where he ejected directly into the sound barrier. The injuries he sustained in that moment were severe enough to kill most people – his limbs torn apart and a traumatic brain injury among them. But Kegan's ordeal was only beginning.
Plunged into the icy waters of the Atlantic with his parachute still attached, his wetsuit torn, and his arms unable to move, Kegan was forced to endure a two-hour battle with hypothermia as rescue teams raced to find him. Miraculously, his hypothermic state prevented fatal blood loss. Following this harrowing experience, Kegan faced months of grueling recovery, eventually achieving a perfect Physical Fitness Test score and returning to flight duty.
However, Kegan’s journey didn’t end with physical recovery. He began experiencing severe psychotic episodes due to his brain injury, leading to a stint in a VA Mental Health Facility. Pharmaceutical treatments only worsened his symptoms, and he endured dehumanizing treatment from caregivers who misunderstood his unique needs.
Now, Kegan is finding renewed hope through alternative treatments for brain health. Through the Warrior Angels Foundation, he has discovered the power of nutraceutical and hormonal interventions, offering a glimmer of healing. Beyond his personal health battles, Kegan is a dedicated father and husband, working tirelessly to support his young family.
Join us as Kegan opens up about his incredible journey of survival, resilience, and healing. His story is as inspiring as it is shocking – a testament to human strength and the will to overcome even the darkest of circumstances.
Tune in to hear a story of grit, determination, and the relentless pursuit of healing against all odds.
In This Episode You Will Hear:
• When I was about 10 years old, my family had a friend that had a Cessna, and he took me up on this lawnmower with wings, and we went buzzing around, and it felt like a freakin’ rocket ship. I absolutely loved being above the earth, and I felt so free. (6:36)
• In May of 2012, I graduated as a winged aviator, and I got those wings pinned on my chest. (23:40)
• [Marcus] It’s an absolute transition into a different human being the minute those wings touch your chest. (24:02)
• [In flight school] you showed up there, and you had your wings, and you thought you made it. They made it very clear you have not made anything yet. (26:40)
• It just so happened on this day there was a 16 foot, 3,500 pound Great White Shark named Mary Lee directly under my airspace, and my buddy pointed out,
“Hey man, Today would be a terrible day to eject,” and an hour after having that conversation, I found myself out on what turned into a pretty freaking wild experience. (36:23)
• [Melanie] Q: Is it common to eject?” [Keegan] A: It happens more than you hear about in the news. We lose a few naval fighter jets every year to mishaps. (37:16)
• When you show up at flight school, they say “Look to your left and look to your right. One of you is gonna have a serious mishap or be dead choosing this job. Are you sure you wanna be here?” (37:49)
• You think you’re invincible, and you don’t really think anything of it. (38:04)
• Keegan tells the detailed story of that fateful day. (Starting at 41:21)
• When I punched out, I got the initial blast from the ejection seat, and then immediately impacted the sound barrier with my body. At that speed, the human body is not aerodynamic. (50:58)
• The aircraft impacted the water so fast, it just vaporized. (52:50)
• They ended up wheeling me in, and treated me for severe hyperthermia. They took my core body temperature. I was at 87 degrees. [Marcus] “That should’ve killed you.” (60:13)
• One of the more senior guys takes me into his office and he goes: “Congratulations, Lieutenant Gill. If you can figure out how to get your body working again, we’ll get you back in a Super Hornet. (68:14)
• My brain was just not working the way it was supposed to from TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). (75:04)
• I had a deep sense of betrayal from all that thought I had served. To see the treatment, it seemed like everything I was fighting for was a joke. (89:53)
• I’ve had a number of psychedelic-assisted therapies that have been really helpful. (95:54)
• Ibogaine has been studied pretty thoroughly at this point. It’s showing that it triggers neuro-regeneration. (102:21)
Support Kegan:
- IG: kegansmurfgill
- https://kegangill.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabtNw03Fww-lVt1LHf5b2iWrga-lLxSr_uJYqbNYUMN_NKoEMDqtfBd-Cw_aem_v5m2wI-nx5AKPUoeOA77pA
Order His Book Here --> https://ballastbooks.com/purchase/phoenix-revival/
- IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13
- https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit
Support TNQ
- IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13
- https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit
Sponsors:
- Tractorsupply.com/hometownheroes
- Navyfederal.org
- mizzenandmain.com [Promo code: TNQ20]
- masterclass.com/TNQ
- Dripdrop.com/TNQ
- ShopMando.com [Promo code: TNQ]
- meetfabiric.com/TNQ
- Prizepicks (TNQ)
- cargurus.com/TNQ
- armslist.com/TNQ
- PXGapparel.com/TNQ
- bruntworkwear.com/TNQ
- shipsticks.com/TNQ
- stopboxusa.com {TNQ}
- ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]
- kalshi.com/TNQ
- joinbilt.com/TNQ
- Tonal.com [TNQ]
- greenlight.com/TNQ
- drinkAG1.com/TNQ
- Hims.com/TNQ
- Shopify.com/TNQ