In this episode of Girls with Grafts, Rachel sits down with Mike Lopez, burn survivor, amputee, and grappler who's turned his lived experience into a mission. 💪 From growing up as the youngest of eight in a tight-knit family to navigating the physical and emotional challenges of his burn injury, Mike shares how vulnerability became a key part of his healing.

Together, they dive into what it means to look confident vs. feeling confident, how body image has evolved throughout Mike's journey, and why embracing authenticity has been so powerful. 💛 He also opens up about using his Make a Move vlog to spotlight stories of everyday resilience, and offers meaningful advice for those attending Phoenix World Burn Congress for the first time!

#BurnSurvivor #GirlsWithGrafts #Podcast #SurvivorPodcast #BurnSurvivorStories

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Meet Our Guest 

Martin Michael Lopez is the youngest of eight and a proud uncle to more than a dozen nieces and nephews. Rooted in family and shaped by their resilience, Mike carries his values with humility, knowing he’s had access to opportunities his loved ones did not.

His life changed forever after surviving a devastating car crash caused by a close friend. The accident left him in a coma, resulted in the loss of his left eye and hand, and caused burns over 30% of his upper body. Despite the odds, Mike left the hospital in just three months and went on to earn a degree in Economics from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo - juggling surgeries, recovery, and self-discovery along the way.

The traditional 9-to-5 world didn’t align with his values, but the burn community did. Inspired by mentor Dr. Ruth Rimmer, Mike began sharing his story to help others - showing up not for attention, but in service.

Today, he is a competitive grappler and the creator of Make A Move, a vlog series amplifying the voices of amputees, burn survivors, and others reshaping their communities. Through these stories, Mike is challenging assumptions and spotlighting the strength found in adversity

Links 

 👉 Follow Make a Move: https://linktr.ee/makeamove.mml

 👉 Learn more about Mike’s journey: https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/from-the-ashes-my-journey-to-make-a-move 

 👉 Learn more and register for Phoenix World Burn Congress: https://events.phoenix-society.org/event/PWBC2025 

 👉 Learn more and get peer support through Phoenix SOAR: https://resources.phoenix-society.org/phoenix-soar 

Podcast Sponsor 

Today’s podcast is powered by one of our fire prevention partners, Telgian! Telgian is committed to providing effective and innovative fire protection, life safety and security programs. Learn more by visiting www.telgian.com.

Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at info@phoenix-society.org.