ARANSAS PASS, Texas — This month, Smoke on the Water returns to Aransas Pass for its third year, blending barbecue, bands, and community, all in support of a deeper cause.
Behind the smoke and celebration is Marine Corps veteran Douglas Gresenz, founder of the Redford Ranch Foundation, whose journey from combat to crisis to healing is at the heart of it all.
From Service to Struggle
Gresenz’s story begins in 2006, when he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, following in the footsteps of his father. A year later, he deployed to Haqlaniyah, Iraq, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Like many veterans, his toughest battles came after returning home.
In 2013, Gresenz lost his best friend and Marine Corps brother, LCpl Christopher Harlan, to suicide, a turning point that would shape the rest of his life. Struggling with PTSD and a mild traumatic brain injury, he sought help through the VA and was prescribed a long list of medications. Instead of bringing healing, he said the pills left him numb, detached, and at his lowest point, he almost lost the will to live
What ultimately saved him was connection,to the outdoors, to the water, and to people who refused to give up on him. Fishing, kayaking, and other natural therapies gave him back a sense of purpose and hope. That became the seed for what would grow into the Redford Ranch Foundation, named after his late service dog.
“I’m blessed and fortunate to live here.”
Today, Gresenz has taken yet another step forward in his healing journey. After years of chronic pain, he made the difficult choice to undergo an elective amputation in late 2024. Now, just months into life with a prosthetic, he says the difference has been remarkable.
“I’m in so much less pain now. I feel like a happier person, a nicer person. Before, even doing things I enjoyed came with consequences. My ankle would swell up like a grapefruit, and I’d be miserable afterward. Now I get to focus on getting stronger, on being better at the things I love.”
The Redford Ranch Foundation
Founded in 2022, the Redford Ranch Foundation provides holistic, non-clinical therapies to veterans, first responders, and their families. The non-profit has serves through fishing excursions, equine therapy, hunting trips, kayaking, and other outdoor activities.
“My little saying is, if it’s not a doctor’s office or a pill, I’m willing to figure out how to facilitate it. Gresenz explained. "We’re filling that gap. I’m not against doctors or anything like that, but there’s a larger problem with pills being the only answer. We’re trying to provide another answer, a long-term path for healing.”
But Gresenz’s mission doesn’t stop with what the ranch offers today. He has already purchased five acres of land in Aransas Pass, where he hopes to build a 20,000-square-foot wellness center. The facility would include therapy rooms, vocational training areas, fitness spaces, a dining hall, guest housing, and communal gathering areas designed to foster connection and healing.
“It’s definitely not a small undertaking,” he admitted of the estimated $10–20 million project. “But what’s the cost of not building it? We lose 22 veterans a day, depending on what survey you look at. I don’t know how to put a dollar on that.”
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Smoke on the Water: More than an Event
That vision takes center stage this month at the third annual Smoke on the Water festival, the foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year.
Held September 26 and September 27 at the Shrimporee Grounds in Aransas Pass, the event is expected to draw its biggest crowd yet.
Highlights include:
- State Championship Barbecue Competition
- Live music from Jacob Isaacs, America Allen, and the Johnny Kaiser Band
- Kid Zone & Touch-a-Truck with fire trucks, police cars, and face painting
- Vendor market featuring local artisans and food trucks
- Special guest speaker: Marine veteran Zach Tidwell, who is blind, sharing his story of resilience
Proceeds will support veterans, first responders, youth programs, and the Aransas Pass Fire Department.
Healing Together
For Gresenz, Smoke on the Water is more than a festival. It’s a living example of how communities can rally together to save lives.
“There are people who care. We just need to connect them with those who need help,” he said. “People who have meaningful relationships, who have passions and goals, they don’t take their lives. That’s what saved me, and that’s what we want to give to others.”
Smoke on the Water is September 26 and September 27 at the Shrimporee Grounds in Aransas Pass. For more information click here.
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Hofmann at michelle.lorenzo@kristv.com
