Chris Thrall

It’s exhausting talking with Chris Thrall. He manages to achieve more in a month than this mere mortal could get done in a year.

The File sat down with Chris in his beautiful home town of Plymouth to hear about his personal growth and how he has used that positive experience to bring inspiration to many, including Angels singer Robbie Williams.

We met in a bar near to the sea with warships moored off the coast and a real sense that we were in a place with a proper naval heritage. It was a fitting backdrop to hear of Chris’s personal battles and the positive things that have happened because of them.

Chris was born in South-East London. At age eighteen he joined the Royal Marines Commandos. Following active service in Northern Ireland and training in Arctic warfare and survival, he earned his parachutist’s ‘wings’ and operated as part of a high-security detachment on board an aircraft carrier.

After leaving the forces to run a successful business in Asia, Chris found himself homeless, suffering acute mental illness from crystal meth addiction and working for Hong Kong’s 14K triad family as a nightclub doorman in the infamous Wanchai District. This really is the story of a turnaround which has been a source of comfort for a lot of people.

The tale of fall and rise is not a new one, yet this one still has the power to motivate change and Thrall has grasped that opportunity with both hands. He counsels people who are going through similar falls but want to get better, he has written books and he puts together a weekly YouTube podcast called Bought The T-shirt. which has featured amongst others, the aforementioned Lancashire crooner Robbie Williams. Have a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laNDDa-re78

Chris’s work extends beyond chats with celebrities and makes a hugely meaningful contribution to the lives of those going through their own version of a personal hell. It is often ex-forces veterans with PTSD or any ex-serviceman who are searching for a plan for life but he works with all sorts who are struggling.

Following on from running the length of the UK unsupported to raise awareness of veteran mental health, completing the legendary Marathon des Sables in the second toughest year on record and entering the record books whilst rowing the Atlantic in 2025, Chris will now summit Mount Everest starting in April 2026.

This year he is leading 12 men to the Arctic Circle in Sweden to undergo a week of ski and survival training. You can get more information on his face book page at facebook.com/christhrall

I wanted to take a moment to comment on learning from crisis. In Chris’s story, he has taken a very bad situation which led to substance abuse and homelessness and gone on a learning path which has enabled him to pass what he has learned on to others. He has and is doing things which are an active contribution to the recovery or welfare of others. There is nothing passive about Chris. He chose to take action and the actions he has taken and continues to take have a profoundly positive impact on those he comes into contact with.

“I think this is what we all want to hear: that we are not alone in hitting the bottom, and that it is possible to come out of that place courageous, beautiful, and strong.”

Chris’s book Eating Smoke is a very worthwhile read. Somebody you know might need it now, If the book isn’t enough then Chris would be happy to listen. You can get in direct contact at comms@christhrall.com

The perceived shame of a “fall” in life can act as a barrier to re-birth and growth. Chris’s story shows there is always hope and he guides us to that. That’s helpful for all of us.