Captain Rick Roberts has spent over four decades on the waters of Central Florida as well as North and South Carolina, guiding family and friends into unforgettable fishing experiences. His love for the ocean was passed down from his father, a Navy Commander, and remains the heartbeat of his life.
Rick is more than a captain. He’s a guide, a steward, and a man devoted to honoring those who’ve served. His dream is to create not just a non-profit, but a legacy – a fleet of vessels dedicated to healing, connection, and community for veterans and first responders.
A community built on gratitude, respect, and service.
Commitment, Integrity, Compassion, and Honor.
To provide resources, support, and opportunities that improve the lives of our veterans and service members, while fostering a community of care and appreciation.
— Those Who Served Foundation
For Captain Rick Roberts, the water has always been more than just a place to fish. It has been a sanctuary. A classroom. A space where healing flows as freely as the tide.
He grew up on the inshore waters of Central Florida, fishing at his father’s side. His father, a Navy Commander and his greatest mentor, taught him that the water is more than recreation – it’s a place where burdens lift, where stories are shared, and where presence becomes prayer.
When his father passed away, Rick carried the legacy forward. He built a career as a fishing guide, spending more than 40 years helping families and friends create unforgettable memories on the water. Every trip mattered. Every laugh, every catch, every shared silence was sacred.
Yet beneath it all, Rick felt a deeper calling.
As he guided families, he kept returning to one truth: those who have given so much, our veterans and first responders, deserve the same healing.
So Rick began offering free trips. Just one day of peace, one day of laughter, one day where the weight of service could lift.
The response was overwhelming. Each time he posted an opening, hundreds of veterans and first responders applied. Many shared stories of PTSD, isolation, or the grief of losing a fellow brother or sister in service. Some had not smiled in years.
Rick could only take four at a time. Reading through 200-300 requests, knowing most would not fit on the boat, was heartbreaking. Even harder were the requests from wheelchair-bound veterans, who Rick’s current boat couldn’t safely support. The thought of leaving them behind became unbearable.
And so, Those Who Served Foundation was born.
Those Who Served Foundation is more than a nonprofit. It is Rick’s life work, his father’s legacy, and a movement to honor every hero who has given themselves in service.
Our mission is simple yet profound: Casting lines. Building bonds. Honoring service.
Through fishing charters, family cruises, and (soon) wheelchair-accessible vessels, we provide sacred time on the water for veterans and first responders. Every trip restores peace, rebuilds joy, and reconnects our heroes with community.
Because healing doesn’t happen in hospitals alone. Sometimes, it happens on a boat, with the sun on your face, the line in your hand, and a friend beside you who understands.
We dream of a fleet of wheelchair-accessible boats, so no hero is ever left ashore. We envision chapters across the nation, where waterways everywhere become pathways to healing.
This foundation is built on a promise: No hero forgotten. No hero left behind.
Your questions matter to us. If you’d like to know more about our fishing trips, volunteering, or how to support Those Who Served Foundation, fill out the form below — our team will be glad to help.
Your questions matter to us. If you’d like to know more about our fishing trips, volunteering, or how to support Those Who Served Foundation, fill out the form below — our team will be glad to help.
