Hello, I’m M.D. Creekmore—author, YouTuber, and lifelong advocate for self-reliance, personal freedom, and living well with less.
I grew up in Appalachia under difficult circumstances. My family was what most people would call dirt poor, and at different times we lived in cars, tents, makeshift shelters, and one-room shacks.
Those experiences taught me early that security doesn’t always come from money. It comes from useful skills, adaptability, determination, and knowing how to make the most of what you have.
When I was around 14 or 15, a friend gave me a book about wilderness survival. That book changed the direction of my life.
I began spending countless hours in the woods learning practical skills such as hunting, trapping, shelter building, and living off the land. Around the same time, I started training in Shotokan Karate, which helped me develop discipline and confidence.
In my early twenties, I studied the work of survivalist writers including Kurt Saxon, Ragnar Benson, Mel Tappan, and Howard Ruff. I later trained as a certified gunsmith, studied firearms and defensive tactics, and briefly worked in law enforcement.
Over time, though, I came to understand that self-reliance is about more than preparing for disasters.
It’s about reducing dependence, avoiding unnecessary debt, learning useful skills, protecting your freedom, and building a life that can remain stable when the world around you isn’t.
That led me to begin sharing what I had learned through books, articles, websites, and videos.
I’ve written five books on preparedness and self-reliance, published hundreds of articles, and contributed to publications including The Backwoodsman, American Survival Guide, and Survivalist Magazine. My work has also been featured by the Daily Mail.
Today, my main focus is The View From Appalachia, where I talk about modern life, money, freedom, public behavior, self-reliance, and the everyday changes affecting working people.
Practical Resources
The Appalachian Freedom Files — hundreds of preparedness and self-reliance resources stored on a USB drive for offline access.
My Books on Amazon — five books covering preparedness, survival, food storage, simple living, and financial independence.
Watch on YouTube and Follow on Substack…
For videos about modern life, personal freedom, self-reliance, and the view from here in Appalachia, visit The View From Appalachia on YouTube.
My life has included plenty of hardship, mistakes, setbacks, and unexpected turns. I don’t claim to know everything. I just share what I’ve learned from starting with very little, becoming more independent, and trying to build a freer and more resilient life.
Thanks for stopping by.
