Episode #43 - Michael Spivey - Paralympic Snowboarder
Michael Spivey is a Paralympian who was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina and grew up in Abilene, Texas. Michael is a third-generation marine. He survived an IED explosion without a scratch in 2008. However, in 2010 he was in the middle of a second IED explosion that caused him to lose part of his left arm. He found snowboarding in 2011, and a mere six years later he placed in the World Championships in banked slalom and border cross and participated in the 2018 Paralympics. He is currently training to make the US Team for the Beijing Paralympics. You can follow Michael’s journey at michaelspiveyusa.com, on Instagram @spvy005, and on Facebook @ Michael Spivey athlete.
Episode #42 -Dani Aravich - Paralympian - Track & Field
Dani Aravich was born and raised in Boise, Idaho. She was born without her left forearm. Sports have been a constant in her life since she was a child. She competed in D-1 Track and Cross Country at Butler University. She struggled with knee issues and chose to focus on her studies and leave the team for the remainder of her undergraduate career. Dani is a summer and winter athlete.
She competed in the Tokyo Paralympics in the 400m and is training to make the Winter Paralympics in Nordic skiing and Biathalon. You can follow Dani’s journey on Facebook – Dani Aravich, Twitter - @theonearmdan, and Instagram - @theonearmdan.
Episode #41 - Isaac Jean Paul - Paralympian - Track & Field
Isaac Jean-Paul was born in Evanston, Illinois. He has a visual impairment called juvenile retinoschisis which affects his peripheral and central vision. He played able-bodied sports growing up, his favorite being basketball. After not making his college basketball team at Lewis University, he turned his attention to track & field and became a five-time American-American in the high jump from 2014-2016.
He graduated with a degree in Sociology in 2016. He became involved in para-athletics in 2017. He’s won multiple medals at the World Championships in the long jump and high jump and took home the bronze in the long jump at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Episode #40 - Channing Cash - Adaptive Athlete
Channing Cash is an adaptive athlete from Laos and was injured by a runaway bull when she was three years old. When she was five years old, she relocated to the United States and grew up outside of Chicago in Rockford, Illinois.
In 2015 she left her corporate job and moved to Southern California to pursue an active and inspired lifestyle. She spends her time outdoors, mountain biking, rowing, surfing, hiking, and canoeing. She has competed for Team USA in para-canoe and is currently training for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Episode #39 - Darlene Hunter - Wheelchair Basketball
Darlene Hunter was born and raised in Walled Lake, Michigan. She acquired her spinal cord injury at the age of 4. She is an accomplished wheelchair racing athlete and attended the University of Arizona on a track scholarship. She graduated in 2004 with a degree in psychology.
She received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas, Arlington. She went on to receive a Ph.D. in family studies from Texas Women’s University. She is currently a professor at The University of Texas, Arlington. She is a three-time wheelchair basketball Paralympian winning a gold medal in Rio and a bronze in Tokyo. She is a disability advocate, especially for women and their participation in wheelchair basketball.
Episode #38 - Chuck Aoki - Wheelchair Rugby
Chuck Aoki is a thirty-year-old rugby star for the US Paralympic team. He was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN. Chuck has hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type 2. It’s a rare disease that affects the nerves that serve the lower legs and feet and the lower arms and hands.
Chuck has used a wheelchair for much of his life. He attended Metro State in Minneapolis for his undergrad and attended the University of Minnesota for his master’s degree in public policy. He is now a Ph.D. student in International Relations at the University of Denver. He played wheelchair basketball for eleven years before switching to rugby. He is a three-time Paralympian and has won two silvers and a bronze medal. You can follow Chuck's journey on Instagram @chuckaoki and Twitter @aoki5chuck.
Episode #37 - Matt Scott - Wheelchair Basketball
Matt Scott was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He was born with spina bifida. He began playing wheelchair basketball when he was 14 years old. He played through high school and at The University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, and was recruited to be on the US National Wheelchair Basketball Team. Matt played professionally overseas for twelve seasons. Matt has won multiple medals at the World Championships and is a five-time Paralympian who has brought home a bronze medal and two golds, including one from the 2021 Tokyo Games. You can follow Matt's journey on Instagram @mattscottfly.
Episode #36 - Cameron Clapp - Adaptive Surfer
Cameron Clapp is an adaptive surfer and athlete. He was born in Coupeville, Washington, and raised in San Luis Obispo, California. Cameron grew up surfing and skateboarding on the central coast of California. At fifteen, he was in a train accident that resulted in Cameron becoming a triple-amputee. Cameron didn’t let his accident stop him; he is a marathon runner who likes kayaking, skiing, golf, and much more. Cameron is also an actor, and recently graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in sociology, and is currently a global ambassador and community care coordinator for Hangar Clinic. He is a tireless advocate and peer visitor for the disabled community and supports a wide range of non-profits, including Operation Surf, Challenge Athletes Foundation.
Episode #34 - Sarah Kirwan - Wheelchair Basketball Athlete and Coach
Sarah Kirwan is a wheelchair basketball player, coach, and manager. She was born and raised in Sioux Falls, Iowa. In her youth, she was an athlete and a musician. She played a variety of sports and played the saxophone. She attended the University of Iowa on a volleyball and music scholarship, majoring in English, Journalism, and Mass Communications.
She received her master's from Cal State LA in Public Administration. She currently spearheads her consulting firm, Eye Level Communications, which focuses on disability, diversity, and inclusion. She also hosts her own podcast – Incluse This! She was diagnosed with relapsing, remitting MS in 2011, and in 2019 when was diagnosed with superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome.
You can follow Sarah’s journey at www.eyelevel.works on Instagram, @eyelevel.works, and Facebook, @eyelevel.works.
Episode #33 - Rob Balucas - Para-triathlete
Rob Balucas is an elite para-triathlete who has qualified for the Ironman World Championships in Kona in the fall of 2022. He plans to compete in his first full-length at the Ironman California this October in Sacramento. Rob was born in Fresno, California, but raised in Seattle, Washington. He earned his black belt in karate at the age of 14. He attended Pepperdine University and currently owns a creative boutique agency. In his early 30’s he began training for triathlons in the bay area. One afternoon while training, he crashed cycling on a notorious curve and broke his spinal cord. He quickly figured out how to continue his love for triathlons as a paraplegic.
You can follow Rob’s journey on Instagram – robbalucas, Twitter - @robbalucas, Facebook – Rob Balucas, and at robbalucas.com
Episode #32 - Rich Dahl - Paragolfer and Entrepreneur
Rich Dahl is an adaptive athlete and entrepreneur. He was born and raised in Inglewood, CA. He graduated from Tuskegee University. In 2017 he was shot and paralyzed in an attempted robbery in Jacksonville, Fla. He enjoys cycling, boxing, and golf. He promotes his lifestyle brand “Walking Rich” through pop-up stores and social media.
You can follow Rich’s journey on Instagram – Walkingrich, Twitter - @walkingrich, Facebook – Walkingrich.
Episode #31 - Giovanna Dubuc
Giovanna Dubuc was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a congenital amputee, born without her left forearm and hand, and is a passionate paraclimber. She placed first in the youth adaptive division at the national championships in 2019 and came in second in 2021, competing in the adult brackets. She is a junior in high school and travels the country speaking about disability, diversity, equity and inclusion, and is passionate about environmental and social justice issues. She is also an accomplished violinist and started playing in the second grade.
Episode #30 - Matthew Brewer
Matt Brewer is a bilateral above knee amputee and an adaptive multi-sport athlete. His immediate task is training to make the 2026 US Paralympic Team in alpine sit skiing. He was born in Linwood, CA, raised in Huntington Beach, CA, and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Matt grew up surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and riding BMX bikes. He is a cancer survivor and a recovering addict. He took 2nd place in the 2019 Spartan Para Elite World Championships.
Episode #29 - Oscar Loreto Jr.
Oscar Loreto is an adaptive skateboarder. He was born a congenital amputee missing his left foot, left hand, and fingers on his right hand. He’s been skateboarding since he was fifteen, and he travels the country to push the growth of adaptive skateboarding. He graduated from California State University Long Beach with a degree in Documentary filmmaking and is a proud husband and father of two.
Episode #28 - Cody Jones
Cody Jones is a Paralympic javelin thrower, a public speaker, and a children’s book author. He grew up in Simi Valley, CA, and was born with cerebral palsy. Cody played baseball, primarily one-handed in high school, which led to a vast amount of media attention and a meeting with the US Paralympic Track & Field. He participated in the Paralympic Games Rio in 2016 and was a gold medalist in the Javelin at the US Para Track and Field National Championships in 2017 and 2019. Cody was also a bronze medalist in the 2019 Parapan American Games.
Episode #27 - John Kremer
John Kremer is a Paralympic Sitting Volleyball player. John was born in Middletown, Ohio, and currently lives in Buford, Georgia, with his wife and kids? He served nine years in the US Navy as an explosive ordinance disposal technician, first class. In 2010, he lost both of his legs below the knee when he stepped on a land mine. He’s competed at the Warrior Games in 2013 and 2014, along with the 2014 Invictus Games, helping the US sitting Volleyball team to a silver medal. He competed in the Rio Paralympics and won a silver medal at the 2019 Parapan-American games.
Episode #26 - Nick Rogers
Nick Rogers is a congenital double amputee from Lisbon Falls, Maine. He’s competed in two World Championships, winning a bronze in the 400 and 100 meter. He is a two-time Paralympian. He is an ambassador for the Never Say Never Foundation and volunteers for Camp No Limits.
Episode #25 - Lex Gillette
Lex Gillette grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and lost his sight at the age of eight. He’s an elite track athlete, has competed in five Paralympic games, and is a four-time silver medalist. He has also competed in multiple world championships, winning nine medals – four gold, two silver, and three bronze. He is the only totally blind athlete to eclipse the 22-foot barrier in the long jump. He is a singer-songwriter, a motivational speaker, and an athlete mentor for Classroom Champions.
You can follow Lex's journey at these social media handles;
@Lexgillette - Twitter and Instagram
Lex Gillette - Facebook
and Lexgillette.com
Episode #24 - Rudy Garcia-Tolson
Rudy Garcia-Tolson was born with multiple congenital disabilities and endured fifteen surgeries by the age of five before he told his parents he wanted a double leg amputation. At the age of eight, he had the goal of becoming a Paralympian, and eight years later, he made it happen startlingly when he swam for gold at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. He is a five-time Paralympian and has won two gold, two silver, and a bronze medal. He has also won 6 medals at the World Championships. Rudy was the first double above-knee amputee to compete in an Ironman Triathlon in 2009. He is a tireless advocate for the disabled community through his work with the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
You can follow Rudy's journey on Instagram - @rudygarciatolson; Twitter - @RudyGTcaf; Facebook - Rudy Garcia- Tolson, or his website www.thinkrudy.com.
Episode #23 - Haven Shepherd
Haven Shepherd was born in Vietnam and raised by her adoptive parents in Carthage, Missouri. She is a double amputee losing her legs at 14 months when a bomb detonated that was set by her parents in an attempted murder/suicide. Haven qualified for 2020 and is headed to Tokyo to represent Team USA. She competed in the 2018 and 2019 World Para Swimming Series and had multiple first-place finishes. Haven is a motivational speaker, a CrossFit athlete, a model, and a dedicated advocate for the disabled community.
You can follow Haven's journey on her Instagram - @havenfaithshepherd.