Craig is still rebuilding his life. He climbs that mountain every single day. That’s the beauty of it – the strength we find to push through.
Cape Town, South Africa (14 October 2025) – Not long ago, Craig had life all lined up. He was a commercial fixed-wing and rotary-wing pilot and senior flight attendant, spent time on stage as an award-winning DJ, and had a home that reflected his success.
Life was good, but a new and very difficult chapter of change was fast approaching.
A rough patch turned absolutely everything upside down. Professional setbacks piled up, and personal battles floored him. He lost his job, his home, and most of his belongings. With nowhere else to go, he became homeless, living out of his car.
What mattered was making it through and finding a reason to keep going. Craig turned to the one constant that had always given him peace – the Mother City’s peaks.
When there’s a mountain ahead of you, how do you move forward? You climb it.
Cape Town’s mountains became his escape, and eventually, a means to rebuild his life. Selling off the last of his DJ gear, he qualified as an Adventure Mountain Guide. Now, he guides individuals and groups through hidden and technical trails for a living. He’s been doing it for years.
“There’s a moment up there where the noise of life fades away, and you discover a strength you didn’t know you had,” Craig says.
The hikes are always beautiful, and often challenging. But that’s the thing – when you’re out there with Craig, you’ll discover the reward in overcoming difficult things.
He has slowly worked towards a new chapter, one that reinforces his strength every single time he climbs.
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After experiencing what loss in its many forms can cause, Craig has also made it a mission to give back by volunteering for the City of Cape Town’s Metro Rescue Wellness Programme. His vision is to eventually be able to share the beauty of nature with underprivileged groups in Cape Town.
Craig’s next personal hurdle is to secure stable housing. He has launched a BackaBuddy campaign to aid in reaching that goal. Funds raised will also help him upgrade his gear and further his training to improve his guiding even further.
As humans, we tend to hang on to the stories that have clearly defined, linear chapters. We love a happy ending. We often forget, though, that the journey is just as important. That’s why we’re highlighting Craig’s story. He still climbs that ‘mountain’ every single day. There’s something about the commitment and faith it takes to choose to do that.
That’s the juice, the good stuff, the means to a fulfilling chapter that can’t be knocked down.
“My journey from the cockpit to the mountain isn’t about leaving my past behind,” he reflects. “It’s about how every experience—whether flying a plane, mixing music, or facing hardship—prepares you for your true calling. I want to show people that no matter what you’re going through, you can keep climbing. Your summit is waiting.”
If you’d like to support Craig, you can donate towards his BackaBuddy or reach out to him on social media to book a hike!
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