Fuelling dreams: little Kaaro’s inspiring story
For more than four years, Tactical Foodpack has proudly supported a young Estonian athlete named Kaaro. Today he is just […]
For more than four years, Tactical Foodpack has proudly supported a young Estonian athlete named Kaaro. Today he is just eight years old, but his story, strength and determination are already extraordinary. He is living proof that limitations do not define boundaries. They can become the very force that shapes a unique and powerful path.
Born a fighter: a story that started early
Kaaro’s journey began faster than expected – literally. Even before birth, doctors predicted an energetic child. He arrived one month early and, on his third day of life, was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart condition: Tetralogy of Fallot.
His first year included heart catheterization and two open-heart surgeries, countless hospital stays, medications, and strict medical supervision. Yet from the very beginning, doctors were amazed by his strength. He was described as “the most muscular baby on the ward” and a child who “didn’t look sick at all.”
Thanks to the outstanding work of pediatric cardiologists and heart surgeons at Tartu University Hospital, Kaaro today lives without daily medication and needs only annual checkups. Competitive endurance and team sports are restricted, but that never stopped him. Instead, it shaped his path into something extraordinary: extreme sports.
From tiny skis to international freestyle slopes
At just 13 months old, Kaaro received his first tiny skis. His mother loved alpine skiing, and soon the small hills in Tartu, Estonia, became his training ground. From the very first day, it was clear – this child was born for the slopes.
By age three, he was already jumping with skis. At four, he hit his first box in freestyle skiing. Snow-free seasons brought rollerblading, skateboarding, and wakeboarding. This year, he even competed in the Estonian Junior Wakeboard Championships (U16).
In freestyle skiing, Kaaro now competes regularly in the Moe Ski Tour in Finland, where his runs receive outstanding feedback from judges. Even though official rankings are not yet awarded for his age group.
The family travels often for training. They hike. They bike. At four years old, Kaaro completed the 21-kilometer Tartu Bike Marathon on a small, single-gear bicycle. He still talks about Iceland – a hiking trip he hopes will happen next summer.
Outdoor food that keeps up with extreme energy
With such an intense training and adventure-filled lifestyle, nutrition is not optional – it is strategic.
On ski slopes and during long outdoor days, Kaaro’s family relies on Tactical Foodpack’s freeze-dried meals to restore energy quickly and cleanly. For them, outdoor food must be:
✓ fast to prepare
✓ nutritionally balanced
✓ lightweight
✓ and genuinely delicious
Freeze-dried food fits perfectly into their training rhythm. Less time spent preparing food means more time for movement, focus, and recovery. High-quality of the food offers the young athlete real meals made from real ingredients, without preservatives or artificial additives. It delivers exactly what the body needs after demanding physical effort.
Kaaro’s personal favorites? Rice pudding for energy and comfort, and cheese snacks for quick fuel between runs.
More than sport: a Mind for numbers and nature
Beyond sports, Kaaro has two other great passions – mathematics and mushrooms.
For him, mathematics is an art form. He builds long equations for fun – square roots, percentages, negative numbers, nested brackets. His parents admit they struggle to keep up. For him, numbers are not abstract. They are a way of organizing the world.
In nature, he is just as remarkable. He recognizes an impressive number of mushroom species, studies field guides at home, and helps identify unknown finds in the forest. Most importantly, he follows the golden rule: if unsure, never eat.
This balance of physical courage and intellectual curiosity is what makes Kaaro truly unique.
Strength, courage and shared joy
Sometimes resilience looks loud. Sometimes it looks like a child clicking into skis, again and again, because staying still was never really an option. Kaaro’s story reminds us why Tactical Foodpack exists in the first place. Our roots lie in performance, endurance, and real-world demands. Whether in the wilderness, on expeditions, during training or in everyday family adventures.
Good food is shared joy. And seeing a young athlete like Kaaro grow, explore, and thrive with our outdoor food as part of his journey is awesome. We believe this is only the beginning.
If you wish to cheer little Kaaro’s adventures and challenges, follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaaroveide.ee/