Huntsman World Senior Games Active Life

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/113534/open_sms] Rob Henderson is dual-licensed recreation therapist and addiction counselor who specializes in behavioral health service delivery: both private practice and professional trainings and development. With a career spanning clinical, administrative, and academic roles, he has served communities across the South- and Mountain-West United States. Rob is the president and founder of four behavioral health organizations: A.R.E., a recreation and adventure therapy provider; RITE Trainings, a behavioral health training organization; Recovery Park Homes, a recovery residence for women and children; and Foundation 4 Therapeutic Recreation, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to adventure-based healing for underserved populations. Beyond his professional work, Rob is an experienced backcountry guide and adventure enthusiast. He shares his passion for the outdoors and music with his wife, Heather—his closest friend and business partner—alongside their large, lively family, often found exploring nature or enjoying homegrown jam sessions. To learn more about Rob, visit https://www.ritetrainings.org/ .

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/113534/open_sms] Rosemary “Rosy” Spraker is an accomplished marathoner, advocate, and mentor who found her passion for running in 2005 while raising funds for cancer research in honor of her late father. Growing up running in the Colorado mountains with six sisters and three brothers, she developed a love for endurance and competition. Inspired by Kathrine Switzer, Rosy is determined to complete 25 consecutive Boston Marathons and is one of only 88 people worldwide to have finished all seven World Marathon Majors. She recently set a new personal record with a blazing time of 3:31:21 at the inaugural Every Woman’s Marathon at age 60 and won first place female in the Antarctica Marathon at the age of 61. A decorated senior athlete, she earned gold medals in the Virginia and Maryland Senior Games and four golds and two silvers in the National Senior Games for 5K and 10K road races. A retired IT Management Consultant and Electrical Engineer, she now dedicates her time to inspiring others. As a certified 261 Fearless Coach, she launched a local chapter in the Washington, DC area, empowering women through running. She continues to serve as the Board President of 261 Fearless Club DC Metro, even while she now lives in Newbury, Ohio, with her husband, Lesley. You can learn more about 261 Fearless at 261fearless.org.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/113534/open_sms] This is part 2 of our conversation with Matt Blanchard. In this episode Matt describes what happened after a second car accident derailed his progress from the previous 15 years of recovery. He thrives in serving others in many ways, including through his organization St. George Adaptive Sports. Matt Blanchard is a Utah-based motivational speaker, devoted husband, and proud father of three. His journey is one of resilience, redemption, and the belief that life happens for him, not to him. In 2006, a rollover accident left Matt paralyzed from the waist down with a T-12 total spinal cord injury. Through relentless determination and daily therapy over a span of 15 years, he defied the odds and learned to walk again. Even beyond the physical challenges that the accident had imposed, Matt had other mountains to climb in his recovery. He struggled with an opiate addiction, which he overcame—only to face another life-altering moment in 2021 when a head-on collision with a drunk driver resulted in another spinal injury and broken bones that erased all the physical progress he had made since the previous accident. Yet, Matt views paralysis as a gift, shaping him into the man he was meant to be. As the founder of St. George Adaptive Sports, he empowers individuals with disabilities through recreation. A sought-after speaker, Matt inspires others to "DIG IN, DIG DEEP, and GET IT DONE." To learn more about Matt, visit his website at https://blanchardinspires.com/.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/113534/open_sms] Matt Blanchard is a Utah-based motivational speaker, devoted husband, and proud father of three. His journey is one of resilience, redemption, and the belief that life happens for him, not to him. In 2006, a rollover accident left Matt paralyzed from the waist down with a T-12 total spinal cord injury. Through relentless determination and daily therapy over a span of 15 years, he defied the odds and learned to walk again. Even beyond the physical challenges that the accident had imposed, Matt had other mountains to climb in his recovery. He struggled with an opiate addiction, which he overcame—only to face another life-altering moment in 2021 when a head-on collision with a drunk driver resulted in another spinal injury and broken bones that erased all the physical progress he had made since the previous accident. Yet, Matt views paralysis as a gift, shaping him into the man he was meant to be. As the founder of St. George Adaptive Sports, he empowers individuals with disabilities through recreation. A sought-after speaker, Matt inspires others to "DIG IN, DIG DEEP, and GET IT DONE." To learn more about Matt, visit his website at https://blanchardinspires.com/.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/113534/open_sms] From as early as 6 years old, Paula Franetti had the dream to be in the Olympics to experience the thrill of being her very best. This far-reaching Olympic experience fostered an active childhood playing a variety of neighbor pick-up sports until women’s basketball became available in high school 10th grade. Paula’s life revolved around the pursuit of excelling at basketball both in high school and college. When competitive basketball ended after college, Paula sought to excel at running, competing regularly in road races including marathons and half-marathons. Paula first learned of the National Senior Games when Pittsburgh hosted the 2006 Games. Not old enough to compete, she volunteered, and her pursuit of being an Olympic basketball player was re-ignited. Five National Games and two Huntsman World Senior Games later, Paula’s pursuit of being her very best came to a screeching halt when a speeding driver nearly killed her. Facing a projected 2-year recovery, Paula met her greatest challenge of finding a way to become her very best again by relying on her past to start over. To learn more about her story, you can visit https://reboundplanner.com/ or purchase her book on Amazon.com entitled "Driving Force: How One Woman Rebounded from Life-Altering Injuries and You Can Too."