Influencer ‘happy to be alive’ after serious skydiving accident: ‘I’m pretty banged up’
Holston posted a photo of himself lying on a hospital gurney with his right leg wrapped in bandages and wearing a neck brace following the accident. @therealtarzann/Instagram
Popular wildlife influencer Mike Holston, known online as “The Real Tarzann,” said he’s “happy to be alive” after a serious skydiving accident.
Holston shared a photo on Instagram Saturday showing himself on a hospital gurney, his right leg heavily bandaged and wearing a neck brace, with a message to his more than 16 million followers.
“Yesterday I had a skydiving 🪂 accident. I’ll probably be out for a few weeks!” he wrote. “Will make a full update video on what went wrong in my bio! I’m pretty banged up at the moment, in some pretty good pain, but just happy to be alive.”
Despite the injuries temporarily sidelining him, Holston told fans he’s already planning his comeback. “I know a lot of y’all want to see me down, but don’t count on it too long 😎 enjoy while you can!” he added.
Details about the accident remain limited, but in Instagram Stories, Holston gave fans updates on his condition. “Gettin’ there. Getting better,” he said. “I was f–ked up for like three hours. I couldn’t even breathe. My chest was killing me.”
Addressing questions about what caused the crash, he called it a “small mistake” on his part. “All is good! If I wasn’t too banged up I’d gear up and go again for another jump,” he said. “Small user error, but nonetheless stoked to get back to it in no time.”
Holston reassured followers that he’s okay. “Thank God all is well. They didn’t get me off this Earth today,” he said. “Nothing to worry about. Just another rough day in the office. I love you all and hopefully we’ll see you soon.”
The influencer, who also has over 1.3 million YouTube subscribers, is known for his outdoor adventures and wildlife videos. He previously faced backlash for stunts during a trip to Australia, where he tangled with crocodiles, including chasing a freshwater croc through shallow water and wrestling a young saltwater croc — the latter leaving him injured.
Those videos drew criticism from conservation groups, including Community Representation of Crocodiles (CROC), which called the stunts “illegal” and “dangerous.” Bob Irwin, father of famed wildlife expert Steve Irwin, condemned Holston’s actions, saying tourists who disrespect wildlife should be “booted out the door” and warning that social media posts like these can have “disastrous consequences for both people and wildlife.”
Holston later defended himself in video comments, emphasizing that he did not encourage viewers to imitate the stunts and that the crocodile was safely released “after a few up-close looks and photos.”
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