Born in Wharton, Texas, Lester Smith struck oil for the first time on his seventh birthday. Since that time, he has proven that he has such a nose for crude, he has been compared to a truffling pig—and worse.

But Lester doesn’t sweat the small stuff: he’s a survivor. He’s seen the oil industry through its bleakest days, and he’s gone seventeen rounds with two types of cancer. Each time he gets knocked down, he comes back fighting harder.

He has learned to never give in, but to give back, in ways small and large, and to love every moment he has. A two-time national ballroom dancing champ, Lester’s learned to put his own spin on everything he does, and what he does best is pay it forward.