A Life Full Of Adventure
I grew up in Fort Pierce Florida which is still my hometown. We moved to Fort Pierce so my dad could Captain a Boat called the "Cow Creek" for a local ranch. After working for the ranch, he then went on to work on the R/V Johnson for the Harbor Branch foundation. My weekends consisted of me and my brother tagging along as he would Captain the "Blue Seas 2" and the "Miss Fort Pierce" to pick up a few extra dollars. Those research trips during the week paid off big time on the weekends for sure! When I was around ten years old, my grandad purchased a shrimp boat and converted it a sword fishing boat. He named it the "Aladdin". My passion and love for the sea started at an early age, where I would spend weeks during the summer off the Carolina coast sword fishing. My old saying "if the fish didn’t bite neither did we" was true, but we always managed. When I started high school, my father took a different path in the private yacht world, and went to work for Jim Moran. Jim owned the "Galant Lady" fleet, and mostly ran out of Ft. Lauderdale, and over twenty plus years running private yachts for the Hubbard Family out of Minnesota.
Although I could have easily got a boat job I decided the traveling and always being gone was not for me. I graduated High School and visited Paris Island college, or better known as the United States Marine Corps, as a Forward Air Observe (0861) for 4th Anglico Reserve Unit. At the age of 20 I started my Law Enforcement Career with Fellsmere Police Department and later joined the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office in March of 1991. During my 32-year career I had the great pleasure of working with some of the finest Law Enforcement professionals to ever wear the badge. I wore many badges and served in a variety of units to include Road Patrol, Criminal Investigations, School Resource Unit and the Special Investigations Unit. I held the rank of Detective, Sgt and retired as a Lieutenant. Between the blood, sweat and yes tears, I served on two specialty units that included SWAT for a few years and then the Underwater Search and Recovery Team. I was a member for over 25 years total and retired as the acting Dive Team Commander. I had the pleasure of working with some great men and women who served our community, risked their lives daily, and did it with honor and integrity. I lost a few brothers during my tour but gained a lifetime of friendships. I remember telling my troops “don’t let the job define you and try to make people around you better than you are and never forget family first!” Thanks for the memories and the brotherhood!
I am truly blessed as I am married to my soul mate, Stephanie, and I am the proud father of three amazing young men and two great step sons, who are all grown up and doing awesome with their professional careers. Now I am on to my next Chapter in life. In 2012 I started my professional art career part time but put it on pause to watch my three sons who were active in 4H livestock programs, youth and high school sports. This next chapter for me is all about giving back through my artwork and taking people who love to fish to catch that trophy or trophy experience. As a Charter Captain and a professional artist, I look forward to be involved with non-for-profit veteran organizations, Gold Star families, and youth organizations. My goal is not to receive but give back to those who have suffered the most, and to honor those families who gave so much for our freedoms of our fine country. A portion of each art sale, clothing or fishing charter will be given to those selected organizations!
God Bless and see you on the water!
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Captain JT Wills
