To say Ryan is addicted to fossil hunting is an understatement. From the moment he wakes up in the morning to the moment he goes to bed at night, his world revolves around fossils. Whether he’s hunting them, cleaning them, sorting them, or just straight up admiring them, fossils are never far from his thoughts.

While Ryan started at a young age sifting for teeth in Venice, Florida with his family, it wasn’t until many years later that he turned his interest into a career. After retiring from the Army, Ryan decided to take a leap and follow his passion. Since his first day diving for teeth, Ryan hasn’t taken more than a few days ‘surface interval’ - currently splitting his time between North Carolina and Florida, going wherever the teeth take him.

It’s not only the fossils that Ryan loves, but the nature of the dives themselves. Each dive is unique and you never know what you are going to encounter or find down there. It is a hunt after all and nothing is guaranteed. Once you sink below the surface, nothing else matters, just the thrill of the hunt and the hope that you’re going to be the first human to ever find and touch a piece of history.

Ryan has been checking things off his ‘Fossil Bucket List’ one by one - from a Columbian mammoth tusk to a dire wolf tooth, from a mammoth tooth in the jaw to a 6.8” megalodon tooth; there’s always something more to be found.

Ryan also loves introducing people to the world of fossil hunting and sharing the experience with others. Some of his favorite days are when his mom or a friend comes out on the boat with him and they can share in the hobby together.

Now it’s your turn to take home your very own tooth - direct from diver to you.