Broussard on the mend after Sabine

T-Roy Broussard rests at home with an IV after pushing his body to the limit at last week's event on Sabine River.

T-Roy Broussard went all out to win the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on his home water. On the Sabine River he came close, finishing just 11 ounces behind winner Carl Svebek III.

Broussard had another near miss with his health. During the tournament he pushed himself too hard. The cast member of Swamp People on the History TV network paid the price but is on the mend.

“I got about five hours of sleep in two days, got dehydrated and all that threw me into the gutter,” he said. “By Friday (Day 2) I was just worn out.”

That was an understatement. After the tournament concluded on Saturday, Broussard went home and slept for 16 hours, something he’s never before done. After waking up he went to see a doctor after not feeling any better.

Broussard was diagnosed with Stage 3 Kidney Disease, one of the five stages in the renal disorder. His wife Dana, a nurse practitioner, administered two IVs to her husband. He is now at home resting, drinking lots of Gatorade and enjoying quality time with family.

“Quit isn’t in my vocabulary and I just pushed it too hard, hit my breaking point.”

He continued, “My wife kept on me about getting rest, staying hydrated, all of that, but I just pushed myself to run at 150 percent, like I do at everything from alligator hunting to bass fishing.”

That high level of driven intensity is a trait of his chosen livelihood. There is only one speed, wide open, when it comes to making a living off the land like Broussard does.

Alligator hunting—he’s done it for three decades—is documented on the show. Other jobs are demanding. Broussard is a captain for the Port Arthur Fire Department. He also runs Texas Swamp Stompers, an outfitting business for gator hunting.

Broussard is on the mend physically and mentally. He admitted that neglecting his body affected his performance on the water, but it doesn’t get all the blame.

“I just didn’t execute well enough to win,” he said. “Carl did and he deserved to win, it was his time and not mine.”

“To finish ahead of all those local sticks and do well on my home water, something that’s not easy to do in tournaments, made me appreciate where I did finish,” he added.

Broussard has plenty of time to recover. Don’t expect him to let up.

“I will be more determined than ever to improve,” he continued. “But my stubbornness cost me, and I will take a step back, realize that everybody has limits.”

He gets that chance at the final event of the Central Open season at Grand Lake in early October.