Walk and Roll Live-Disability Stories

Myles Pearson is a British Paralympian whose journey in wheelchair rugby is defined by talent, resilience, and fearless honesty. Born with Arthrogryposis and raised in Lytham St Annes, Myles first made his mark in wheelchair tennis—reaching the world top 25 as a junior—before discovering wheelchair rugby at just 15 years old. By 17, he became the youngest athlete ever to represent Great Britain in wheelchair rugby, earning a silver medal at the 2011 European Championships and competing on the world stage at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Known for his creativity and playmaking ability, Myles has gone on to help Team GB capture European gold and compete against the world’s top nations. Beyond competition, Myles is a powerful advocate for accessibility, inclusion, and authentic storytelling in disability sport. From blogging about life in wheelchair rugby to speaking candidly about relationships, identity, and independence, he brings a refreshing voice to the conversation. This episode of Walk and Roll Live explores elite sport, life beyond the medal podium, and what it truly means to belong—on and off the court. Walk and Roll Live   

In this episode of Walk and Roll Live, we travel to rural Uganda to shine a light on the powerful work of Training Of Rural Women in Uganda (TORUWU). For more than two decades, TORUWU has been empowering women, children, and families through education, income-generating programs, healthcare, and disability support. We explore how TORUWU supports children with disabilities through physiotherapy and inclusive education, helps women gain economic independence, and strengthens entire communities through grassroots solutions. This conversation is filled with inspiring stories, real-world challenges, and a hopeful vision for what happens when opportunity, dignity, and inclusion come together. If you’re passionate about disability advocacy, global community development, and stories of resilience, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Walk and Roll Live 

In this episode of Walk & Roll Live, we’re joined by Michelle Steiner, advocate, writer, photographer, and founder of Michelle’s Mission. Michelle lives with an invisible learning disability and grew up being told there were limits to what she could achieve. Today, she’s a college graduate, published writer, paraeducator, and a passionate voice for disability awareness. Through her writing, advocacy, and photography, Michelle works to encourage, empower, and educate people with and without disabilities. We talk about what it’s like to navigate a world that often overlooks invisible disabilities, the importance of self-advocacy in education, and how art and nature have played a powerful role in Michelle’s personal growth and healing. Michelle also shares insights from working with students with disabilities and offers encouragement to listeners who may be feeling unseen or discouraged. This is an honest, thoughtful conversation about resilience, identity, and making the invisible visible. Walk and Roll Live 

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Walk and Roll Live, Doug and Addie welcome Avriel, a former railroad executive whose life took an unexpected turn following a back surgery that resulted in a T5 spinal cord injury. Avriel takes us back to his roots—growing up in Charleston, moving to Atlanta as a teen, and taking a bold leap to New York City at just 18 years old to work on the trading floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange. After finding his footing, he built an impressive 16-year career with Norfolk Southern, rising through the ranks to become a Terminal Superintendent and leading teams in one of the most demanding field-management environments in the railroad industry. In 2022, everything changed. Following surgery, Avriel experienced paralysis for several months and began a long, grueling road of recovery and rehabilitation. He shares candidly about the fear, uncertainty, and determination that carried him through months of intensive physical therapy as function slowly returned. Forced to step away from field leadership, Avriel redefined his professional identity, transitioning into a headquarters role focused on Network Design and Optimization—bringing new perspective, empathy, and problem-solving skills shaped by lived experience. Beyond career and recovery, Avriel opens up about rediscovering photography, a first love that became a source of healing, expression, and connection. Through the lens, he now captures organic moments and helps others see themselves—and their stories—more clearly. This episode is an honest conversation about resilience, identity, disability, creativity, and finding purpose after trauma. It’s a must-listen for anyone navigating life-altering change, spinal cord injury recovery, or the challenge of rebuilding after the unexpected. Walk and Roll Live 

In this powerful episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, host Doug Vincent welcomes Mike Kent, a stroke survivor whose life changed in an instant after a routine surgery in Paris went catastrophically wrong. What was meant to be a simple nose operation in 2019 resulted in a massive hemorrhagic stroke, an induced coma, and doctors giving Mike just 90 minutes to live. Eight weeks later, he woke up unable to move the right side of his body, unable to recognize his own life, and uncertain whether he wanted to go on. Spending six months in a wheelchair, Mike began the slow, painful, and deeply human process of rebuilding—learning to walk again, write again, think again, and ultimately believe again. Today, Mike helps disabled professionals break free from anxiety and reclaim their sense of purpose after medical trauma. In this raw and honest conversation, he shares the emotional realities of stroke recovery, identity loss, mental health, and what it truly means to rebuild a life from the inside out. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating disability, recovery, medical trauma, or searching for hope without sugarcoating the journey. Walk and Roll Live 

Diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis at just 10 months old, RaeAnne Lindsay has spent her life navigating disability — and transforming that lived experience into powerful advocacy. In this episode of Walk and Roll Live, host Doug Vincent sits down with Ms. Wheelchair USA 2024 to explore her remarkable journey: from nearly 18 years of childhood rehab, surgeries, and summer camps at Shriners Hospital in Chicago, to earning her Master’s in Social Work, and now serving as a Research Coordinator at Vanderbilt University, focusing on Section 504 plans and accessible housing. RaeAnne opens up about the promise she made to herself as a child — that no disabled kid should ever have to endure the trauma she experienced — and how that promise fuels her advocacy today. We dive into her national platform, “Inclusive Playgrounds Are for Everyone,” what true inclusion looks like, and the emotional moments that affirmed her mission was making a real difference. This conversation also explores disability representation, leadership, pageantry, healing through advocacy, and why visibility matters — especially for disabled children who are still learning what’s possible. Whether you’re a parent, educator, policymaker, advocate, or someone early in your own disability journey, this episode is filled with insight, heart, and hope. Walk and Roll Live 

As we close out 2025, Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories takes a moment to reflect on the conversations that moved us, challenged us, and inspired us throughout the year. In this special year-end wrap-up episode, host Doug Vincent revisits powerful stories from guests who shared their lived experiences with disability — stories of survival, resilience, self-advocacy, and transformation. From navigating life after injury or diagnosis, to breaking down barriers, educating others, and redefining independence, these conversations remind us that disability is not the end of the journey — it’s often the beginning of a new one. This episode highlights memorable guests including Rebeca Valenzuela, Walt Escamilla, Ryan Chavarria, Robert Soto, Donald Allison, Anna Keibler, Kat, Bob Millsap, Willie Stewart, Carl Vereen, and voices from the adaptive sports and Paralympic community. We also look ahead to 2026, where Walk and Roll Live will continue amplifying diverse disability voices, exploring real-life transitions, sharing advocacy tools, and fostering understanding across the full disability spectrum — including visible and invisible disabilities. Whether you’re living with a disability, supporting someone who is, or simply seeking authentic human stories, this episode celebrates where we’ve been — and where we’re rolling next. Walk and Roll Live 

On this episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, hosts Doug Vincent and Addie Rich welcome author and mental health advocate Anna Keibler for a powerful and honest conversation about living with mental illness as a disability. Anna shares her journey with bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, including a moment of crisis that led her to seek emergency psychiatric care and ultimately change the course of her life. She speaks openly about the realities of parenting while managing serious mental illness, the stigma surrounding mental health disabilities, and the courage it takes to ask for help. Her time in treatment became the catalyst for her writing career, leading to multiple published books and international recognition. What began as survival has become purpose—writing a legacy for her children and using her voice to help others feel less alone. Walk and Roll Live  This episode is a meaningful conversation about mental health, disability, resilience, and the power of choosing life.

In this powerful episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, Doug Vincent and Addie Rich sit down with U.S. Army veteran Daniel Palacios, whose life changed forever after a tragic motorcycle accident left him paralyzed at the T5–T6 level. Daniel takes us through his journey—from serving his country at Fort Bliss, to navigating loss and a life-altering injury, to rebuilding his world through the support of family, the Long Beach VA community, and fellow veterans. Today, Daniel channels his strength and experience into service. Through organizations like PVA and the Triumph Foundation, he dedicates himself to supporting newly injured veterans, ensuring no one faces their recovery alone. Join us as Daniel shares his honesty, resilience, camaraderie, and his mission to uplift others walking a similar path. Walk and Roll Live 

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, hosts Doug Vincent and Addie Rich sit down with Donald Allison, who shares his lifelong journey from growing up in Fontana, California, to living today in Yucca Valley near Joshua Tree National Monument. Donald opens up about the early signs of a rare and progressive muscle disease called Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM)—a condition that first affected his hands, then his mobility, and ultimately placed him in a wheelchair. Diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic, Donald explains what it’s like to live with constant muscle weakness, chronic pain, immune system complications, and the everyday challenges of personal care and independence. He also pays tribute to the pivotal role his mother played in his life, including the legacy she left behind to ensure he could continue living safely in his home after her passing in 2021. This episode is a raw, honest, and educational look at life with a rare neuromuscular condition, filled with resilience, vulnerability, and the power of family and adaptability. Walk and Roll Live 

In this powerful episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, Doug Vincent and Addie Rich sit down with Chris Pecson from Reno, Nevada, whose life changed in 2015 after a devastating street bike accident left him with a complete T-6 spinal cord injury. Chris opens up about the day of the crash, the realities of early rehabilitation, and the powerful mindset shifts that helped him move forward. Now working as a part-time delivery driver and preparing to start college in 2026 as a computer science major, Chris shares how he rebuilt his independence, discovered new passions, and found purpose beyond the injury. His story is one of resilience, growth, and the courage to chart a new future. Whether you're part of the disability community, a supporter, or someone needing a reminder that life can be rebuilt after unexpected change, Chris’s journey will leave you inspired and hopeful. Walk and Roll Live

On this episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, Doug and Addie sit down with legendary adaptive sports coach Carl Vereen, founder of the Rolling Cubs Junior Wheelchair Basketball Team. Carl shares his incredible journey from coaching championship teams in Michigan to creating new opportunities for youth athletes with disabilities here in the Inland Empire. Since founding the Rolling Cubs in 2018, Carl has built a powerhouse program that competes in the West Coast Conference under the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. His leadership has already helped two athletes continue their athletic careers at the University of Arizona. With multiple national championship coaching roles, decades of experience, and honors such as the Community Leadership Award and the David Ruback Legacy Award, Carl brings unmatched passion and insight to the world of adaptive sports. Join us as Carl talks about empowering young athletes, building confidence, creating champions, and growing the next generation of wheelchair basketball stars. This is a story of resilience, mentorship, community, and the life-changing impact of adaptive sports. Walk and Roll Live 

At just five years old, Suhrab Zarifi’s life was forever changed when a bomb blast in war-torn Afghanistan left him paralyzed. What could have been a story of loss became a story of unbreakable spirit. In this moving episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, hosts Doug Vincent and Addie Rich sit down with Suhrab to reflect on his childhood, the challenges of growing up with a disability in Afghanistan, and the incredible resilience that carried him through decades of struggle and hope. Suhrab shares what it was like to rebuild his life from the ruins of conflict, the love and support that kept him moving forward, and the message of courage he hopes will reach others living with disability or trauma. His story is a reminder that even in the darkest circumstances, the human spirit can roll forward with strength, faith, and grace. Walk and Roll Live 

When a construction accident took his left arm in 1980, Willie Stewart thought his best days were behind him. What followed instead was a transformation few could imagine. From quitting life to conquering it, Willie became a world-class endurance athlete, a Paralympic medalist, and a beacon of resilience for adaptive athletes everywhere. In this compelling episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, hosts Doug and Addie sit down with Willie Stewart, a Challenged Athletes Foundation ambassador whose story redefines the meaning of strength. Hear how he turned loss into purpose, overcame mental barriers, and went on to complete the world’s toughest endurance races — including the Ironman, Leadville 100, and Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon — all with one arm and an unstoppable mindset. Willie’s message is clear: the only real disability is the one in your mind. Whether you’re an athlete, an advocate, or someone searching for motivation, this episode will leave you ready to take on any challenge that comes your way. Walk and Roll Live 

In this illuminating episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, Doug and Addie sit down with leaders from the San Francisco Disability Business Alliance (SFDBA) — the first organization in the Bay Area dedicated entirely to supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities. From helping people with disabilities start and grow their own businesses to breaking down barriers in access to capital and inclusion, SFDBA is proving that disability and entrepreneurship go hand in hand. Discover how they’re empowering individuals to build independence, economic freedom, and community impact — one small business at a time. Join us as we explore the programs behind their success, including the Future Entrepreneur Cohort and Boost Awards, and hear real stories of resilience, innovation, and opportunity. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, advocate, or simply someone who believes in equal access to success, this episode is packed with insight, hope, and empowerment. Walk and Roll Live 

In this powerful episode of Walk and Roll Live, Doug Vincent and Addie Rich sit down with lifelong educator Rita Duran and her devoted daughter to share a story of perseverance, purpose, and love. After 38 years of teaching and a life filled with running marathons, supporting students, and giving back to her community, Rita’s world changed following a life-altering accident that forced her into medical retirement. But her story didn’t end there — it evolved. Today, Rita continues her journey of recovery through physical therapy at Casa Colina, finds strength through PossAbilities, and shares her love of literacy by visiting schools to read to students. With honesty and warmth, she opens up about overcoming self-isolation, rediscovering joy, and the powerful bond she shares with her daughter — her greatest advocate and inspiration. Join us for a moving conversation about resilience, rediscovery, and the enduring power of purpose. Walk and Roll Live 

In this uplifting episode of Walk and Roll Live, hosts Doug and Addie sit down with Jeff Mitchell, a man whose life took a dramatic turn but whose determination and positivity never wavered. Jeff shares his journey from a successful career and active lifestyle to facing a life-altering injury that changed everything — except his spirit. With honesty and humor, Jeff talks about the early days of recovery, learning to adapt, and how he found new purpose through community, advocacy, and faith. His story is a reminder that even when life doesn’t go as planned, you can still roll forward and make every day meaningful. Join us as we explore Jeff’s resilience, his advice for others facing challenges, and his message of hope for anyone redefining what independence looks like. Walk and Roll Live 

In the latest episode of Walk and Roll Live, hosts Doug and Addie welcome members of the Workpower team—Angel, Brandi, Linda, and Neshama—for the debut of Workpower Leadership & Communication Strategies for Employers. Developed as part of Kidpower International and supported by Ability Central, this free online resource is designed to help employers and workplace leaders strengthen communication, inclusion, and leadership for people with and without disabilities. Hear firsthand from Workpower ambassadors about the challenges and successes people with disabilities experience in employment—and how practical, empathy-driven strategies can create thriving, connected teams. Walk and Roll Live 

In September, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Rehabilitation Act into law. While much of the Act focused on vocational training and services, one section—Section 504—quietly broke new ground. It became the first U.S. civil rights law to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities in federally funded programs. In this week’s episode of Walk and Roll Live – This Week in Disability History, we explore the origins of the Rehabilitation Act, the hard-fought battle to implement its protections, and how Section 504 laid the foundation for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Subscribe now to follow the series and learn more about the pivotal moments that shaped disability rights.

In this powerful episode of Walk and Roll Live, we sit down with Bob Millsap to hear his incredible story of perseverance through unimaginable challenges. From losing his fiancée at a young age, to building a life and family with his wife Shelly, to navigating career highs and devastating setbacks, Bob’s journey is one of resilience and faith. After nearly losing Shelly to a freak explosion, becoming her caregiver, and later surviving 53 days in the hospital with Covid-19, Bob now faces long-term health conditions with determination and courage. Through his book Shake Yourself Free and his ongoing writing, Bob shares how he has found meaning and purpose in the midst of pain. His story will inspire anyone facing adversity to keep moving forward with hope. Walk and Roll Live