In 2001, when he was 16, Blake and his father survived a plane crash in the mountains of Colorado. He received burns on 35% of his body and was hospitalized for three months and underwent physical therapy for over a year. The journey through the physical challenges, disfigurement and PTSD associated with his injury, ignited in him a deep desire to heal himself and help others, ultimately leading him to certify as yoga instructor and to later receive a master's degree in Social Work. He has volunteered in many capacities for over a decade with the UNC Jaycee Burn Center's Aftercare Program and the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, among many other organizations. His small Blake Tedder Burn Endowment funds healing initiatives for burn survivors in North Carolina.