Adopted at 12, Sent to Afghanistan… and Ended Up a World-Record Scuba Diver in Phuket

What happens when a kid who never quite felt at home is adopted, sent to war, burns out in the kitchen as an executive chef… and then decides to break a Guinness World Record underwater in Phuket? 🌊🔥 In this episode, Barrington Scott—Guinness World Record holder for the fastest scuba dive and full-time deep diver in Phuket, Thailand—sits down with April Jackson to unpack a life story that sounds completely unreal… but isn’t. We talk about: Growing up feeling “out of place” and being adopted as a child Why he joined the U.S. Marines and what Afghanistan really did to his mind and body The invisible weight of PTSD and coming back to “normal life” when nothing feels normal How he lied his way into a restaurant kitchen and rose to executive chef The moment he walked away from it all and chose the ocean instead Training his body and mind to break a Guinness World Record in scuba diving What life in Phuket is actually like beyond the postcard beaches How facing death repeatedly changed the way he now lives, loves and chooses peace If you’ve ever felt lost, stuck in the wrong life, or secretly dreamed of burning everything down and starting over abroad, this conversation will hit hard. 💬 Tell us in the comments: What part of Barrington’s journey shook you the most—the war, the kitchen grind, the world record, or the decision to start over in Thailand? — 🎧 About the show – “How Did You Get Here?” Hosted by entrepreneur & former Miss Jamaica, April Jackson, this podcast dives into the real, unfiltered stories of people who left the script—swapping comfort for courage, and choosing a life “elsewhere”. New episodes every week from around the world. 📌 Subscribe for more stories on: Reinvention & second chances Life abroad, expat realities & culture shock Trauma, healing and mental resilience Work, identity and building a new life from zero 👍 If this episode moved you, like, comment and share it with someone who needs proof that it’s not too late to change everything.