About The Founder

Meet Teal Ray Lybarger, a small-town guy from DeWitt, Missouri who has faced a number of challenges in his life but remains resilient and determined. Growing up in DeWitt in the 80s, he was always drawn to the woods and nature, where he spent his days climbing trees and damming up creeks. His love for nature was instilled in him by his grandfather Nathan, who hand-dug a pond with an island and built a cabin on it for him when he was just 10 years old.

With a passion for computers, Teal attended Devry after high school and went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and an associate in health science from the Community College of the Air Force. He joined the Air Force in 1990 and was shipped to the Netherlands for 3 years where he ran the flight line for F-15 fighter jets and became a proud father to his daughter Natalie. He now has four children in total and two grandsons as well. 

Teal continued to serve in the Air Force, undergoing cross-training to become a medic. He was an EMT instructor, a self-aid and buddy care instructor, and American Heart Association CPR instructor. He went to the Air Force Medical School in Texas and completed his clinical training in Los Angeles, California. During his time in the Air Force, he traveled to 14 countries and was part of a humanitarian mission to Honduras in 1997, where he flew an Apache helicopter to remote villages in the mountains to give immunizations to infants.

After his second divorce, he found himself starting over in the Lake of the Ozarks with nothing but a popup camper and a dream. He worked hard and became a contractor for Lowe's, eventually managing 15 Lowe's stores with 13 employees.

However, on September 19th, 2021, Teal faced a life-altering accident when he knocked a 22-foot log onto his head, resulting in a severe injury that required two surgeons and 6 hours of surgery to put him back together. Despite being told that the trauma was too much for the brain, he miraculously survived, although he was left totally incapacitated and had to move in with his parents until he could get back on his feet.

Unfortunately, Teal faced further challenges in 2022 when he contracted Covid, became a diabetic, and has been suffering from ongoing nausea and an upset stomach. Despite numerous tests and treatments, his GI doctor has been unable to find a solution for his condition.

Despite all these obstacles, he remains determined to get back on his feet and is now turning to The Lazy Oaks to help him in his journey. He is seeking funding to complete the creation and completion of The Lazy Oaks project, which he believes will be a step towards a better future for not only himself and his family, but the community at large. With your support, Teal is confident that he will be able to overcome these challenges and reach his full potential.

6 hrs surgery and 3 metal plates to put my face back together.