Breaking Boundaries – Intentional Shark dive as a C6 Complete quadriplegic

I had the distinct pleasure to work with the beautiful 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Thresher Aquatics, down in South Florida.

In particular, this Shark Dive, with Thresher Aquatics and Shark Junkie — I attempted something they have never attempted before. They took me, a complete C6 quadriplegic on a shark feed dive. As far as we are aware and we have checked the Guinness world book of records … I am the first to do this in the world.

I even applied for the Guinness world book of records and will wait to see if we can make this a reality.

There is no other feeling in the world like getting out of your wheelchair and feeling the weightlessness of the water. Then add scuba diving, then add sharks … My complete heaven.

So many of us work so hard to save up for retirement to then live our lives. I live in a different world. I live in a world where the astounding amount of secondary complications, such as a simple urinary tract infection, can kill me within 72 hours.

I refuse to wait to live my life. I work incredibly hard and I almost work even harder at making sure each moment/memory is an experience of a lifetime. I am living my story because I don’t want to find myself years down the road regretting chances I didn’t take.

I’ve been invited by Shark Junkie (@thesharkjunkie) and Thresher Aquatics (@thresheraquatics) to join them to a trip to Bimini in the Bahamas for a shark dive with Tiger sharks and hammerheads. I’m so excited.

Anyone who is in a wheelchair or has significant mobility impairment simply has to check them out because they are the most incredibly professional, fun, and life-changing team.

I found my new hobby and it invigorates me to work harder every day.

TEDx Speech Success – PROUDEST of Professional & Personal ACHIEVEMENTS!

As of May 20, 2024  — As I eagerly await my TEDx to come out globally I’ve been reflecting on this incredible experience over the last several months of my life.


Delivering a TEDx speech has hands down been one of the most incredible and profound experiences I’ve had with speaking professionally in my life to date.

Joining the TEDx family has been my distinct honor and privilege. I’m so blown away on the dozens of hours and over 200 times I practiced a 15-minute speech. So much respect for the thousands who have come before me.

I’m frequently asked what it takes to be a speaker with respect to preparation and back-end business processes?

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The Next Phase in HEALTHCARE EQUITY Legislation

(Partnering with the North Carolina Medical Society & Legislators)


It was such an honor to be invited back to speak with the top doctors, legislators, advocates, and folks advancing healthcare equity in the state of North Carolina. The North Carolina Medical Society is one of the oldest professional organizations in the state dating back to 1855. I spoke with them last year on health insurance advocacy from the patient perspective.

Last week I spoke to these top leaders on understanding the process of prior authorization, navigating the health insurance appeals system, and sharing many of my personal stories & different healthcare equity initiatives I worked on over the years.

We are working with the state this year to amend the prior authorization laws as they are just needlessly complex and do not have any patient’s best interests in mind (not to mention even doctors are confused/removed by and from the process).


We are pushing for systemic change while simultaneously trying to navigate within a broken system. This is a team collaborative effort where we will need multiple stakeholders across many different industries to weigh-in, work together, and share insights.

Here’s to the start of a beautiful partnership and collaboration! Much work ahead. We are ready!

Here’s a fantastic interview I did with the amazing part of Randy Aldridge is the communications and marketing. Randy is marvelously funny while still talking about very serious issues!

MY BODY IMAGE EVOLUTION AS A QUADRIPLEGIC

I don’t meet many people who love their bodies. It could be their thighs, their boobs are too small, and their belly is too big. We all have our insecurities. This life. This also has nothing to do with the onset of social media, although it’s made insecurities for millions worse, but what constitutes beauty has been dictated by different societies for thousands of years.

In the 1920s, it was beautiful to be voluptuous … In the mid-90s being an anorexic stick figure was apparently attractive. Who dictated these trends? Well, another topic for another time.

I decided to do a little experiment with my caregiver the other day with a tasteful sexy photo shoot in my bed. Who did I make this photo shoot for? ME (I also didn’t feel like spending $500 on a boudoir photo shoot, although that might be fun one day as a present myself)

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going beyond your limits: (in-person) podcast

I’m excited to share an episode of Hustle + Gather, “Going Beyond Your Limits.”

I had the distinct pleasure to be a host on Courtney and Dana’s podcast live where we get raw and real about life. We chat about the good, the bad, and the ugly — more than that we talk about the opportunity presented in life when we all go through Challenging times.

Podcast Description:

“Get ready to be inspired and entertained as Ali Ingersoll takes you on an unforgettable roller coaster ride of resilience and redemption! Join Courtney and Dana as they dive deep into Ali’s whirlwind life journey, from globe-trotting adventures to jaw-dropping escapades that’ll leave you on the edge of your seat. Ali shares her epic tale of overcoming obstacles, breaking bones, and breaking barriers—proving that laughter truly is the best medicine, even in the face of life’s craziest curve-balls. So grab your popcorn and buckle up for a wild ride of laughter, inspiration, and a whole lot of heart!”

LISTEN:

CLICK HERE to Choose your listening platform; Or choose below

Google Podcast

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

SELECTED as a TEDx SPEAKER

BEST 41ST Birthday Present EVER!

On my birthday, March 1, I received the most exciting news! I was selected to be 1 of 10 TEDx speakers at University of North Carolina (UNC) in Pembroke out of hundreds of applicants. Since I started speaking years ago this is been a dream of mine. A big one.

With the help of so many supportive people in my life I applied in February. One of my 2024 goals for the year! I will be speaking on April 20. For those who are not speakers, it’s quite incredible the dozens and dozens of hours speakers put into 1 hour of speaking – the prep, research, practicing, iterating, etc. It’s exhaustive, but incredibly exhilarating for so many of us with just the thought of being able to hopefully help one other person with whatever you may be speaking on.

TEDx speeches range between a strict 15 – 20 minute time frame. One of the hardest things for speakers to do actually. We love to talk. Trying to get our life stories and messages across in 15 minutes … Not an easy feat!

This is my purpose. To help other human beings overcome incredibly adverse challenges in their life or in their professions through the use of psychology and neuroscience.

The title for my discussion is: “KEEP MOVING FORWARD: Embracing Adversity to Make You Stronger”

This is not just about my personal story, it’s going to be centered around how we move forward in life, practically speaking, when things don’t always go our way.

TEDx Talk Description:

Ali Ingersoll is living proof that we all have the power to keep moving forward despite the circumstances surrounding us.  Becoming paralyzed after a tragic accident at just 27 years old, she would endure years of painful hospital treatments and diagnoses that would nearly end her life.  However, she would eventually discover how to embrace her physical paralysis differently and transform her new physical reality to uncover hidden and extraordinary opportunities. 

In Ali’s TEDx talk, she’ll share her story and reveal her idea worth spreading which serves as a testament to the power of resilience and boundless potential that lies within each of us.  As long as we take 100% responsibility to persevere, our next chapter in life will reveal itself as it should even if it may not be immediately obvious in the moment.  Ali’s message will inspire us that whatever obstacles or adversity we may be faced with each day, there is always opportunity to KEEP MOVING FORWARD.   

Biography for TEDx talk:

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DISABILITY REPRESENTATION AND SEXUALITY – PART 2 – THE VIDEO

Watch YouTube Videohttps://youtu.be/yL0UUi8IoQE

A few weeks ago I spoke about disability, sexuality, safe bedroom positions, and more.  Well, with the help of my fantastic caregivers, we made an instructional video of several safe positions for those you to explore further.  We had a blast and there were many laughs and a lot of bloopers. 

There are, of course, many more positions, but we thought we would start out with these ones.  For anyone that does try these, please note that I am not advocating for you to try something that does not work for your body.  Practice responsibly!

I remember when I was starting out on my intimate journey with a disability I had no idea what I was doing.  As a result, I ended up breaking my tailbone in half and spending 8 weeks in the hospital because they did not talk about sexuality, safe sex, or anything of that nature.  I had to figure it out by myself – the hard way of course.  If this video just inspires one person or couple to try something new, be a little bit more brave, or learn something interesting you didn’t know — it’s a win-win for me.

I find courage is contagious.  I mustered up the courage to make this video and if you don’t want to watch it then you don’t have to click on it.  I see so much negativity towards people’s posts or comments.  It’s easy to do this from behind the screen, so if it is not for you – perfectly okay.  Please just keep scrolling 🙂

UNSTOPPABLE Mindset PODCAST

It was such an honor to be on Michael Hingson – Author, Speaker, Podcaster, Website Accessibility Consultant podcast called the Unstoppable Mindset.

Where there are visible challenges there are boundless invisible opportunities right in front of us each and every day. We each have a story. We each have a journey. How we get there will likely never work out the way we had originally anticipated. It’s about mindset, the journey, being the scientist in your life through constant growth mindset experimentation, and so much more.

Enjoy! I know I had such a blast hearing Michael’s back story as well. Most important, I made a great new friend who is an awesome human being.

ONLINE DATING PROFILE TIPS

black-and-white photo of Ali wrapped in sarong Beach wrap from waste up with a sexy biting finger pose

Online dating can be akin to navigating new territory in the 1800s in the wild wild West.  You are searching for gold and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which spans across hundreds of miles.  Sound familiar?

How many times have you swiped left to find your person only to go on so many bad dates that you probably have a list going by now?  I know I do.

Since becoming divorced in December of 2023, I started to join the online dating world the last several months.  Do you think of online dating as the wild wild West?  Well, try adding a physical disability with a wheelchair to your photos.  I feel as though I have now become a solo astronaut on their first mission to Saturn.  The fact of the matter is, we all see difference.

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