I JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE 🚀🪂 QUADRIPLEGIC SKYDIVING AT 14,000 FEET
Because if you’re going to live life on the edge, make sure it’s properly harnessed. Skydiving has been on my bucket list since forever—but I didn’t get the chance before I broke my neck in a shallow water dive and became a C6 quad, paralyzed from the chest down with limited arm and hand movement.
And yet… I still jumped.
With my legs hanging out the door of that plane, 14,000 feet in the air, I had one thought:
👉 “I’ve arrived.”
MEET THE DREAM TEAM
I met the All Veterans Group last year when we went racecar driving together (because… obviously). Their motto? “We want to make the world a better place.” And they mean it. This nonprofit is made up of active duty service members, veterans, patriotic civilians, and their families. They:
🪂 Jump into stadiums at events around the country
🪂 Create unforgettable experiences
🪂 Help people with disabilities live their wildest dreams
With the help of the Golden Knights and a top-notch engineering crew, they designed a custom harness just for me:
✅ Protected pressure-sensitive areas (huge when you’re paralyzed)
✅ Locked in my arms so they didn’t go flying
✅ Allowed my legs to be lifted safely during landing
It was so effective, they’re now working on a patent.
WHAT SKYDIVING FELT LIKE AS A QUADRIPLEGIC
Honestly, it’s hard to put into words—but I’ll try:
🌀 Like falling into freedom
💨 Like fear turning into laughter mid-air
🌤️ Like weightlessness… in every way
🧠 Like shutting off the noise and turning on wonder
We freefell for 90 seconds at 120 mph before the chute opened. And then? Quiet. Peace. Absolute joy. I couldn’t stop smiling. I even convinced my boyfriend to jump with me (He’s a keeper!)
I’M AN ADRENALINE JUNKIE… WITH A SPREADSHEET
Yes, I chase wild experiences—but always with precision. I research, plan, and partner with people who prioritize safety and accessibility. Before the jump, someone told me:
💬 “You’ll always have one more landing in life than you do takeoffs.” It made me laugh… but it also stuck with me. There are moments in life when the only thing between you and joy is a leap—one made with courage, trust, and a really good team.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Who knows. But here’s what I do know:
💡 I live with intention
💡 I appreciate every moment I can do something extraordinary
💡 I say yes to things I once thought were impossible
If sharing this helps even one person take their own next bold step—whatever that looks like—then every second of that freefall was worth it.
(Behind the Scenes Video coming soon)
THE 10-10-10 RULE: THE BRAIN HACK THAT SAVED MY BUTT (LITERALLY)
Let’s face it: your brain is dramatic.
Not theater-kid-in-high-school dramatic. More like toddler-who-dropped-their-Fruit-Roll-Up-in-a-sandbox dramatic.
Every day, your decisions are being pulled in a three-way battle between:
🧠 The impulsive part that wants dopamine right now
🧠 The responsible part trying to avoid long-term chaos
🧠 And the existential part that wonders, “Will this matter when I’m 85 and crocheting revenge sweaters in a retirement home?”
That’s why you need the 10-10-10 Rule.
WHAT IS THE 10-10-10 RULE?
This isn’t just another productivity hack invented by a tech bro who drinks kale for breakfast and has never known the betrayal of a soggy burrito.
This is neuroscience—disguised as a life raft.
Whenever you’re about to make a decision that might involve drama, cake, or texting someone whose name you should’ve deleted long ago…
Ask yourself:
How will this choice affect me in…
- 🔟 10 minutes
- 🔟 10 months
- 🔟 10 years
It gives your brain a timeout. A little pause button. A moment to stop the emotional toddler from hijacking the steering wheel of your life.
YOUR BRAIN ON EACH TIMELINE
read more…HOW TO FLY WITHOUT BREAKING YOUR $40,000 WHEELCHAIR (OR YOUR SPIRIT)
There are a few things I wish someone had handed me early in life:
📝 A how-to guide on being paralyzed with style
📉 A manual on avoiding airport catastrophe
🎁 And maybe a coupon for lifetime bubble wrap
I didn’t know what I didn’t know—until I learned the hard way. And by hard, I mean metal-on-metal-cargo-hold hard.
As a full-time wheelchair user paralyzed from the chest down (with limited arm movement), I’ve been through the “congrats-your-chair-is-now-art-supplies” phase of air travel way too many times.
Over the years, I’ve worked with engineers, wheelchair techs, caregivers, and fellow flying wheelchair warriors to build what I call my Cirque du Soleil of chair loading. It’s a high-stakes dance starring my caregiver and some very expensive hardware.
🎥 The video below? It’s part choreography, part survival ritual.
THE ONE PROBLEM 😬
Even with all that prep? There’s still a 50/50 chance something breaks. Why?
COMPASSION CRISIS: PLEASE PAY ATTENTION
(Could this be you? Or someone you love?)
I wish I could say this is one of my usual dark humor posts. It’s not. It is, however, one of the most necessary things I’ve written in a while—for all of us, as human beings navigating a system that often forgets the human part.
72 HOURS AGO, EVERYTHING SHIFTED 🕰️
My wildly energetic, sharp-as-a-tack 79-year-old German mother hit a wall. She had chills, a high fever, violent shaking, and looked like a truck hit her. We thought it might be a UTI—easy mistake to make given the symptoms. We got her antibiotics. They didn’t help. We went to urgent care. More meds. No improvement. By the next morning, her fever spiked to 107°F. I rushed her to the emergency room.
We spent seven hours in the ER together. I didn’t leave her side. I was her advocate. Her voice. Her bodyguard in a wheelchair. The diagnosis? A severe strain of rhinovirus. A virus—no easy fix. No magic meds. We just have to monitor her breathing, hope it doesn’t progress, and let her rest. That’s the backstory.
But that’s not what this post is about.
WHAT I WITNESSED IN THE ER 💔
While we were waiting for blood test results, I watched something that made my stomach turn.
read more…THE TIME HAS COME… MEET MY “PERSON” 💕
A few weeks ago, I made a post about dating as a divorced, 40-year-old quadriplegic woman. Toward the end of it, I mentioned someone special—a human who’s been in my life for nearly a year and a half now.
We made the intentional decision to keep our relationship offline for a while. Just the two of us. Quietly getting to know each other without the noise of likes, comments, or unsolicited opinions.
But now? The cat is officially out of the (adorably judgmental) bag. 🐈
MEET DAN.
Dan Gizzi and I met on Match, both of us dipping our toes into the wild world of online dating. There were zero expectations.
Dan says he was just hoping for a few good meals. I was experimenting with what dating could even look like as a divorced woman with a disability, still learning where I stood with it all.
And then… something unexpected and beautiful happened.
WHAT STARTED AS DATING TURNED INTO FRIENDSHIP—AND THEN PARTNERSHIP.
Over time, we began building a real connection. Not just as romantic partners, but as friends who truly see one another.
We are very different—and weirdly perfect for each other. Dan is calm, thoughtful, intelligent, creative, and the best kind of cheerleader. I, on the other hand, am basically an Energizer Bunny with WiFi: always talking, always building, always moving, and notoriously difficult to slow down.
He does that. Gently.
WE BALANCE EACH OTHER.
BEING BRAVE TODAY
(Because Some Moments Take Time to Face)
Signing up for the National Storytelling Competition made me revisit a photograph I’ve never shared before
I blocked off four-hour chunks for book editing. Progress update? Still on round one… with three more to go. Turns out, writing is way easier than editing. Worse? Reading your own thoughts out loud, knowing the world will soon have a front-row seat to your inner monologue.
This week, I revisited the section about the moment I broke my neck—specifically the 22-hour journey through a hurricane as my dad rushed me to emergency surgery. He knew I was on a time clock. I didn’t. He watched his daughter die in real time.
I tell my story all the time, but reading those words again? Tears. Streaming. Down. My. Face.
GRIEF IS FUNNY LIKE THAT
IF YOU OPPOSE AN ACRONYM—BE SPECIFIC. ✋🔤
Lately, I’ve seen a lot of bold statements about getting rid of DEI. But let’s be clear—if you’re against something, name it.
Stop hiding behind letters. Spell it out:
“I OPPOSE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.”
And while you’re at it, let’s get specific:
🔹 DIVERSITY? Too many different perspectives making decisions?
🔹 EQUITY? The idea that barriers should be removed so more people can access opportunities?
🔹 INCLUSION? Making sure people aren’t shut out just because they don’t fit the mold?
DEI ISN’T JUST AN ACRONYM—IT’S ABOUT BELONGING. 🏡✨
And here’s the kicker: Companies that fail to create a sense of belonging lose over 💰 $300 BILLION 💰 a year in employee turnover. Because when people don’t feel valued, they leave. And when they leave, organizations lose talent, innovation, and institutional knowledge.
HERE’S WHERE IT GETS PERSONAL. 🦽💬
I’m a quadriplegic. A full-time wheelchair user navigating a world that wasn’t designed for me. So when someone says they’re against DEI, I hear:
❌ “Making spaces accessible is too much of a hassle.”
❌ “People like you should just figure it out on your own.”
❌ “Opportunities should stay limited to those who already have access.”
If that’s your stance—fine. But own it. Because if you can’t say the words “I OPPOSE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION” out loud, maybe, just maybe, it’s worth reconsidering why you’re saying it at all.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? LET’S TALK SPECIFICS—NOT JUST ACRONYMS. 🔎💡
“FROM BED-BOUND (Literally) TO BREAKING BARRIERS—WHAT SUCCESS REALLY MEANS.” 🔥🚀
Thank you to Los Angeles Magazine for featuring my TEDx talk as one of the top 30 impactful talks of this century! A huge congratulations to my fellow TEDx’ers!!
I woke up to a friend sending me the article, and for a solid minute, I thought I was being punked. (Where’s Ashton Kutcher when you need him?)
But it got me thinking… how do we define success?
RE-FRAMING SUCCESS 🏆
Is it:
💰 The size of your paycheck?
📛 A fancy job title?
📊 How many views you get on your TEDx talk? (👀)
Most of us have an invisible scoreboard in our heads, constantly tallying the ways we should be winning. But real talk:
Who created that scoreboard? And does it even matter?
HERE’S THE THING ⚡
We’ve become victims of our own success.
🔹 We get anxious about being anxious.
🔹 We get stressed about being stressed. (Quick, where’s the vodka or that 11 p.m. commitment to a sugar spiral?)
🔹 We’re on a treadmill to nowhere, sprinting toward a finish line that doesn’t exist.
It’s like trying to win a race where the prize is… a never-ending email chain. Or worse—a reply all disaster.
read more…LIFE & LOVE as a 41 Year Old DIVORCED QUADRIPLEGIC 💔♿❤️
Life loves a good plot twist, doesn’t it? I never imagined becoming a quadriplegic—or a divorcee, for that matter—but here I am, navigating uncharted territory with all its messy beauty.
Honestly, it’s probably for the best that we can’t predict the future. Would we even know how to move forward if we could see all the challenges ahead?
DATING AS A 40-SOMETHING QUADRIPLEGIC: THE REAL TALK
Over the last 18 months, people—both disabled and able-bodied—have asked me what it’s like diving into the dating world at my age, with my wheelchair in tow. Spoiler alert: It’s complicated.
Let’s be real: online dating isn’t easy for anyone. But throw in the fact that I’m a quadriplegic woman in her early 40s, and it gets… interesting.
Here’s the thing, though: my wheelchair weeds out the wrong people instantly. And I love that. Why? Because I don’t waste time on those who can’t see beyond the physical. Sure, there are a few duds (and some guys with, um, questionable intentions), but I’ve met genuinely awesome humans along the way.
THE LEARNING CURVE OF LOVE (AND “ARE WE DATING THE SAME GUY?”) 🤔
Did you know there’s a website called “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” It’s like a telenovela meets public safety tool, where women compare notes to weed out serial daters or players. Fascinating, right? Thankfully, I haven’t needed it—but it’s wild to see the stories!
WHAT 41 YEARS (AND A FEW CURVES) HAVE TAUGHT ME
Here’s what I’ve learned about dating in my 40s:
* I know who I am.
* I know what I value.
* And I know what I won’t compromise on.
The insecurities that used to keep me up at night? They’re still there—but I no longer let them define me. Yes, being in a wheelchair comes with challenges (bladder, bowel, muscle spasms—oh my! 🫠), but it’s my life. And I no longer feel the need to hide those parts of me.
Now, I’m looking for a partner who accepts me fully: quirks, insecurities, and all. Someone to laugh with, grow with, and—let’s be real—argue with now and then.
THE CONFIDENCE SHIFT: I’M FINALLY IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT (METAPHORICALLY) 🚗
When I was first injured, I didn’t understand why anyone would want to date someone in a wheelchair. But now? I’m in control. I’ve embraced my life and all its beautiful complexity, and I’ve found confidence I didn’t know I had.
THE BIG REVEAL (KIND OF 😉)
Am I dating right now? Yes, but I did have to kiss a handful of frogs along the way. After all, in the beginning, dating is a numbers game. I’ve been seeing a wonderful gentleman for a while now … Stay tuned on that one… ❤️
FINAL THOUGHTS
This post isn’t just about love—it’s about authenticity. Life is messy, and that’s okay. We’re all more than just our jobs, titles, or LinkedIn profiles. So here’s to showing up, imperfections and all, and sharing the full spectrum of who we are—because that’s where the real connections happen.I