Sylmar, CA
Many who have experienced serious accidents speak of their lives as if they
had occurred in two parts: the before and after. As a personal trainer,
marathon runner, and skydiver, Jeremy lived his “previous life” with reckless
abandon, his first love always being the thrill of a challenge. Unfortunately,
no challenge would prove greater than on May 24, 1997, when a devastating
skydiving
Many who have experienced serious accidents speak of their lives as if they
had occurred in two parts: the before and after. As a personal trainer,
marathon runner, and skydiver, Jeremy lived his “previous life” with reckless
abandon, his first love always being the thrill of a challenge. Unfortunately,
no challenge would prove greater than on May 24, 1997, when a devastating
skydiving accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. In his competitive
fervor, he brought himself to the brink of death, for which he takes full
responsibility. His life experience since then has become a mission to inspire
others, especially when dealing with the seemingly impossible.
As an avid skydiver, he was well trained, experienced, and fiercely
competitive. On that fateful day, in an attempt to race a fellow skydiver to
the ground, he purposely closed the end cells of his parachute, which
naturally collapsed the entire canopy. He plummeted to the ground from
1,200 feet.
With multiple life-threatening injuries, he slipped in and out of a drug-
induced coma for one month. As doctors made grim predictions that he
would never breathe on his own, speak, or walk again, his family and friends
prepared for what seemed like the inevitable – that is, everyone but his
mother, Lynn.
Into the second month of hospitalization, he experienced a spiritual and
emotional epiphany, which he attributes to his mother who visited him every
day. Unbelievably, he began to regain his mental and physical abilities.
Doctors described his recuperation as nothing short of miraculous. He was
released in 2-1/2 months and immediately returned to his clientele as a
personal trainer.
The damage to his body did not prevent him from returning to
competitive sports either. With borrowed racing equipment, he began
competing as a wheelchair athlete in the 1998 Los Angeles Marathon. He has
since competed in dozens of marathons, triathlons, and countless duathlons,
5K and 10K races. In Colorado, he relearned downhill skiing as a disabled
skier. June 7, 1999 (two years and two months from the day he “hit the
ground”) marked the successful completion of his participation in the 56-
day,
3,600 mile Transcontinental Triathlon from Santa Barbara, California, to New
York City. As one of only two wheelchair triathletes on the US National Team,
he has participated in three World Championships. This year he won the
silver medal at the World Triathlon Championships in Portugal.
In his words, “I have come to cherish life and recognize things I used to
take for granted, such as simply taking a breath on my own. Every morning
when I wake up I say, “‘Thank you!’”
In addition to his return to competitive sports and personal training, he
is drawn to share his life experiences as a motivational speaker at corporate
events, schools, and other venues where he has the opportunity to encourage
and inspire his audience, whether children or adults.
“My desire through my speaking engagements is to demonstrate how we
can transform a seemingly tragic moment in our lives and create something
powerful from it.”
