If you're feeling stuck in life and you cannot find the energy to blast through the obstacles in your way, this is the episode for you. Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting Jacqui Kapinowski knows that there is only one word to describe her, unstoppable. Jacqui has survived two bouts of bacterial meningitis, a stroke, thyroid cancer, throat cancer, and currently lives with Stiff Person Syndrome, SPS, a rare neurological disease effecting one in one million people. Jacqui has not only overcome and continued to contend with these challenges, she has thrived.
Jacqui is a two-time American Paralympian having competed in curling in the 2010 Winter Paralympics and Rowing in the 2016 Summer Paralympics. If that weren't enough Jacqui has competed in a combined nine world championships in curling, triathlon, wheelchair racing, and rowing. She has also competed in 90 marathons, 19 as a runner and 71 as a wheel chair race or hand-cyclist. It may be possible that she is the only woman to have competed in the Boston and New York City Marathons in the Running and Wheelchair categories. Understandably, she was a 2022 inductee into the Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame.
Somehow after all her athletic endeavors, Jacqui still found the time and energy to create Shifting Gears United, an organization which provides adaptive sports programs, equipment, coaching, training, and educational clinics in order to change the lives of individuals with various disabilities.
Shifting Gears United
https://shiftinggearsunited.org/
Freedom Coast Ride - November 11, 2023 Registration
https://shiftinggearsunited.org/freedom-coast-ride-registration/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey everybody, I'm Kimberly Dobbs.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
And I'm Jacob Miller.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
And we'd like to welcome you to another episode
of Intuitive Choices.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Kim and I are mental health therapists working in
Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Each week, we invite a guest to speak about how their
own intuitive choices have ledthem to live a more meaningful
life.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We hope that this conversation encourages you to
make meaningful choices in yourown life.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Alright, off we go.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Hey guys, we'd like to welcome you back to another
episode of Intuitive Choices.
I'm Kim.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
And I'm Jacob.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
And today we have with us such an extraordinary
woman I'm going to break downthat word really quickly and say
Extraordinary Human being.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Above and Beyond.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I mean, just like this is the coolest.
Is she smiling?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Big smile.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Yeah, we have her with us, jackie Kapunowski, and
she is a two-time Paralympianfor curling and rowing.
She is the president andfounder of Shifting Gears United
and the Freedom Coast ride,which we'll sort of get into a
little bit in a minute, butfirst we're just going to do a
huge thank you and welcome toour gal here, jackie.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Thank you so much for joining us.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Thank you for having me be part of your podcast this
morning.
I'm truly honored.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Jackie, I think if we took the time, we could
actually spend the entire hourof the podcast just like listing
your accolades, which wouldkind of like take away from the
episode itself.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
I was looking at your Wikipedia page and it said but
I'm not that kind of person.
No, that, yeah, that please.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah, we could be that for you.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I was looking at your Wikipedia page and it said that
you Correct me if I'm wrong orif this is wrong, but it says
that you're the only woman toever compete in the Boston
Marathon as both a runner and ina wheelchair.
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Oh, there's many of the marathons.
I'm the only woman to run inwheelchair race and that was my
goal because I was at 90marathons.
So one of my friends suggestedyou got to go to 100 and go back
to the ones that you ran, butmy disease just progressed.
So there's New York, there'sBoston, marine Corps, new Jersey
(02:22):
Marathon Wow, oh God, I can'tremember all of them.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
It's just like a total athlete to your bones,
like through and through.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Yeah of course.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I was a runner, like Harry's mom used to say where's
she running to?
I look at myself as like theforest gun, before even forest
gun moving, because I never,ever, missed the day of running
in my life.
It didn't matter if it wasraining, snowing, what the
(02:56):
weather was.
I ran seven days a week.
So I'd run all week before Imeet my girlfriend early in the
morning and then we go to work,and then on weekends I tried to
get her to sign up and do amarathon.
It was always because I'm adistance girl.
I love to run.
I could just run and run.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Can we give people some context?
Because you just said and thenyour disease progressed.
So give us an idea of what isthe disease or what is it, maybe
even before that.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Jackie can you listen to like where are you from?
Oh good, thank you.
Now, where are you fromoriginally?
Just like kind of like whereare you from originally?
Brief a little life story inthe beginning and then maybe
tell us a little bit about thedisease.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I am from New Jersey originally.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Very proudly from New Jersey, clearly.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Very proudly from New Jersey and I've been living
down in Florida approximatelyabout 15 years.
I came down my parents liveddown the street, so my dad just
turned 95.
Congratulations.
Oh awesome, so I could takecare of my mom and dad and be
with them.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
You mentioned Harry, that's your husband.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
He's a North retired fireman from North New Jersey.
Wow, he is the greatest man inthe world that God.
God gave me the greatest giftwhen he gave me Harry.
I used to.
I took care of his mom.
I left my job and I took careof her and we moved her in our
home and I thank her every dayfor raising the sisters the same
(04:35):
way.
He's just just such a good souland just I'm so blessed, truly
blessed.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Incredible.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Incredible.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
So, Jackie, it sounds like your your athletic career
began as a runner, but when didit begin?
In what ways did it start totake form?
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Well, I ran, I ran a little bit in school.
My parents moved down, moved usfrom up North to the Jersey
Shore my senior year.
So that was really tough.
I've kind of been in, yeah.
So I didn't spend much time inschool, I was more, and I would
make excuses because my family'sfrom Scotland.
(05:19):
I always tell a little fib thatmy family was away.
But I missed 62 days of absence.
Just to give you an idea of mysenior year.
I just didn't seem like I fitin.
But I just would just go runand run and run.
Just I would just put on mysneakers and just run every day.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Sounds like that was something that was really
therapeutic for you.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Very therapeutic and it's tough when you're that age
and you know you're grown up,you're grown up with, you know
all of your friends, your wholelife and then to be removed from
that.
Yeah, and do your last year ina strange place, a different, it
was a different environment,totally down the Jersey Shore
(06:05):
from up North.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
By up North.
Where are you talking about?
Speaker 3 (06:09):
I was from Bridgewater, New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
And it was.
You know, I've done a littlestreet with three houses and
farms.
Wow, you know, there was nostores, or the Bridgewater Mall
wasn't there, there wasn'tanything back then.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Those moves in high school are really alienating,
disorienting.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Yes, it is.
And being the middle child, soyou know my siblings already
graduated that and that was atough move.
I was kind of a little mad atthem for a while with that yeah.
I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
So what did you find in running?
What did running give you?
Speaker 3 (06:53):
It gave me peace, it gave me commitment, it gave me a
clear mind.
I just love to run.
Yeah, I just love the beauty ofgetting up when it's dark and
watching the sunrise.
And every day it's like youknow, even though you're running
(07:14):
the same route, like every dayyou see something, even though
you live there and you think yousee everything but God's beauty
, like, oh, I never noticed thatbefore.
Yeah, so I just love beingoutdoors.
I do not like doing any sports.
(07:35):
When someone says, oh, go trainindoors on your trainer, I
cannot do that.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
So, jackie, can you tell us a little bit more about
your disease, like how did itprogress so?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I don't know, but I still believe I am the only
person in the world to havebacterial meningitis twice and
survive.
The second time I had it, mydad took me to the hospital.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
I was a little….
How old were you when you…?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I believe I was 20 the first time and then 24, 25
the second time I got it, andthat's when my dad didn't think
I was coming out of the Comorraat the hospital.
He, you know later I don'tremember anything, of course,
but when he told the story.
It's sad, you know, but Isurvived.
(08:26):
You know I had to learn how tospeak again and the
rehabilitation was a lot, but wedid not know from the
meningitis because I just wentback to my life.
You know what I'm saying.
I was still running, everythingwas great in life, until one
(08:48):
morning I just could try to getout of bed and it fell Like my
legs would just give out and Isaid to Harry wow, that's odd
and I couldn't like just likeambulate, my legs and….
Speaker 1 (09:10):
I can't even imagine.
I just am trying to like in mymind, just even try to think
about you and how important justrunning was and is, and
ambulating just in general, howimportant that is.
And then to just wake up andnot be able to use your legs.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Yes, it was really hard because then, you know, I
went to many Hospitals and youknow I went.
I applied to the Mayo Clinic.
You know, jf Kennedy, IPrince-Termont.
I found I went to the best ofthe best hospitals and started
(09:53):
having a lot of seizures which Inever had before, so I had to
stop driving.
But it took them four years todiagnose the disease.
I mean they, they diagnosed mewith everything and finally they
just did this test and cameback positive and they tell me
(10:16):
that I have stiff.
Back then it was called stiffman syndrome because there was
more men and women and I think,like a number 22 in the world,
it's one in one million andthere's no cure for it.
Celine Dion just came out Lastyear that she you know she'll no
longer be singing, she'sdiagnosed with the same disease
(10:36):
and when I saw it on TV and I donot watch TV at all, someone
had me on Listen to it and Ijust cried for her because here
I've lived with it for 25 years.
So I just feel bad for herchildren and knowing what she's
gonna have to go through becausethe spasticity and the disease
(10:59):
is just.
You know, I've had so manybroken bones from the spasms and
Wow my fingers, my spine, sothey'll just glue it because
they can't put, like, any metalor anything in me because this,
the spasms are so severe.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
So what is stiff?
Person syndrome?
So what?
What are the?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
There's.
If you Google it, there isreally nothing really too much
on it.
It's just a progressive disease.
They don't really know.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
The muscles.
I guess it's of the muscle, themuscle in the nerves Mm-hmm,
wow, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
and so now that's where, in December, I Couldn't
swallow anymore, I couldn't eatI I lost 50 pounds so fast and
an ambulance, apparently, tookme to the hospital and I I don't
(12:01):
honestly remember anything.
My priest says it's a goodthing that I don't remember.
Then Harry says that also.
But I was in ICU and then Iguess I went to the next 24
seven care unit and then into aregular room.
Yeah have this feeding tubewhich no one has addressed as of
(12:24):
today, and I've had it sinceDecember.
So I'm just kind of winging itmyself.
And as an athlete I tried touse my mind of what my nutrition
is, so I just tried to put, youknow, beet juice and whatever
is healthy in there, liquidvitamins.
It's just been a bit of a painin the In the butt you've.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
You've had to readjust so many times in your
life to so many things and itit's.
Even just listening, right,jacob, like we're just sitting
here and I'm just You're alwaysfighting the fight, it seems
yeah, yes, I am yeah and youknow, and I think what's what
I'm taking away from this is,you know, people say all the
(13:09):
time like, oh, it'll get easier,or it gets easier, it doesn't
get easier.
What are you talking about?
And that's not the point.
How could you say that tosomeone?
It gets easier, you know, andand I and so Jackie, since it
doesn't get easier and in factit's getting for you.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
It's.
It's getting harder, it'sprogressively getting.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
More difficult.
Where do you find your strength?
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I Think that I have just been a fighter my whole
life, that I just am mentallystrong.
I've got a husband who is rightby my side.
Matt Does everything andanything for me.
(13:56):
He just puts me on thispedestal and just thinks the
world of me.
He just before I was gettingready, I didn't do anything.
It make it up every morning andthe first things out of his
mouth is Wow, you're sobeautiful.
And that 15 minutes later it'slike it's like oh honey, I've
(14:18):
been here for 35 years.
He has won the first words outof his mouth as well.
Look how beautifully you are.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Yeah, how did you?
How did you meet your husband?
Speaker 3 (14:30):
I Met him down the Jersey Shore.
I was out with my girlfriendand this is so unbelievable her
older sister.
They have a Brought me voice.
Like I do, I've had Cancer.
So, my, my, I had thyroid andthroat cancer when I was over in
London on the triathlon team,but I didn't know I had cancer.
(14:53):
I just thought it was, um, likeI had a Bronchitis or something
like that from Hyde Park, fromthe ducks and the the feces in
there.
So when I came home and I gotdiagnosed with cancer, that was
another whole thing.
I don't get why.
I don't want to get sidetracked.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You were asking me husband yeah, jersey, sure I'd
also need to acknowledge that,like you, also dealt with cancer
, you know.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
And a stroke.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Okay, but but yes, let's, let's, let's circle back
to to Harry.
So you met him down the JerseyShore.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Oh yeah, I'm sure so my, my girlfriend, sue she has a
really raspy voice and herolder sister, so her, their,
their father was a norc policeofficer.
So Harry and all his singlebuddies were at the, the
restaurant, at the bar, havingtheir beverages, and came over
(15:53):
to my girlfriend and After youknow about her last name and of
course they knew each other fromfrom norc and then, um, hey,
harry asked me.
Harry asked me out, for heasked me my name.
I told him what was Sarah there?
(16:15):
And exactly, yes, we wanted togo out on a date and I said no,
thank you, but it what I did iseventually we went to.
He had a home with his buddies,because they were all single
and just kind of hung out, andand what happened was I had
(16:36):
tickets for Billy Joel.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Miller favorite mine and take us favorite ever.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Okay, go ahead.
I just went to that when I wasat their house.
I'm like, oh, I have tickets,but Harry didn't have off.
But I think he went to hiscaptain in chief and he goes you
take off, and he goes, you donot let.
You do not Let this one go, youdo not let her go.
And that's how it started is.
(17:06):
We went to Nassau anymore, andso I guess I took him on Sarah
and Sarah and took Harry.
Okay, and from there it wasjust love, just pure love.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
I, you know I'm thinking about, you know, just
Having this, this disease, thisprogressive disease, basically
losing the ability to run, inthat, something that was so
cathartic and therapeutic foryou, and, and, and, and.
You know, what did you then dowith your?
(17:45):
How did how did you then cope?
Like right, if this is yourprimary way of of coping and it
was therapy for you, runningthen like.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
So now I was in my late 20s I'd say 29, where I was
starting to use the walker, andbecause I didn't, I asked my
doctor.
I said do you mind if I go andjust get a second opinion?
So I went to the University ofPennsylvania because I couldn't
get in the Mayo Clinic at thatpoint.
(18:15):
I already went to John Hopkinsand other hospitals and I went
down there because there was aspecialist for this disease
because it is so rare, and thedoctor basically told me that
I'm in really good hands andI'll never forget it's embedded
(18:36):
in me that drive home fromPhiladelphia back to New Jersey.
The two of us were like soquiet, but it was like a knife
in my gut because I'm like whatdoes it mean?
And I'm not going to be able torun anymore.
It wasn't even about running.
(18:56):
Just have the quality of life,of being a woman and doing my
job and being a mom and justeverything.
So when it came time for thewheelchair and that came through
the door, I wouldn't get offthe couch.
I let it sit there and I go.
I can't, harry.
(19:17):
I said I'm not, I can't.
And he goes what are you goingto do?
I said I'll crawl and he's likeno, jackie, he goes, we'll
figure it out.
But before this I qualified torun Boston Marathon, right, and
as an elite runner I'm always ina corral with the women.
(19:41):
So if there are any other racesthat I've done, I'm usually in
the eight corral.
And I was so absorbed, I guess,with my own self that I never
even realized or knew aboutwheelchair racing.
So here as a runner I qualified.
(20:06):
So I called the director of theBoston Marathon and told her
about my disease and how Iqualified at Grandma's Marathon
and all this stuff.
But I said I'm not a runneranymore.
They let me push my walker andthen they were explaining to me
to become a wheelchair racer.
(20:26):
I'm like, well, what iswheelchair racing?
And then they're telling me youhave to qualify.
I go, you make people inwheelchairs qualify.
Like I couldn't wrap my brainaround that at all.
So I always came down toFlorida to see my parents at
Thanksgiving, the first week ofDecember.
(20:48):
They always had the PalmBeach's Marathon.
So the director of thedisability division, my dearest
friend Kevin Spina, when Icalled him he was speechless.
When I asked him if I couldpush my walker and he's like
you're a walker.
And I was like, yeah, I saidI'm a runner and I had this
(21:11):
disease, but I'm not like in awheelchair, but just a little
bit, and I didn't know how toexplain it.
So there's like $500 forwheelchair racing, which still I
don't know about wheelchairracing.
So I go, I don't race for money, I said, I race for the sport.
So I pushed my walker at thePalm Beach's Marathon.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
So you pushed a walker for 26.2 miles.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
Yeah, many and a few.
How many times?
Boston, new Jersey, PalmBeaches.
I ended it with New Jerseybecause that was my home and I
knew that was the end and it wasa real struggle at that point
when I crossed the finish lineof Boston with my walker, it was
amazing.
(21:59):
It was the front page of theBoston Globe and the tape
literally fell off my sneakers.
But the West Palm line, withKevin and I was always down here
visiting my parents.
They'd been down here for 36years, 37 years, I don't know
(22:19):
exactly the number.
The community raised money andpurchased my very first racing
wheelchair and all they asked isthat if I would come back and
race as a wheelchair racer.
And I said of course, but Ididn't really still understand
(22:43):
what that meant.
So then I was educated, learnedabout, got fitted and got my
first racing wheelchair.
And within 10 days of justgetting this chair I said to my
husband and I said to my coachQuinn, I want to do a marathon
(23:08):
and see if I can qualify for theBoston Marathon.
So I said it's just inPennsylvania, but it was Erie,
pennsylvania, which you knowit's closer to.
Ohio, yeah so.
I think it was like a nine 10hour drive here.
I think I'm going to likePhilly you know what I'm saying.
Not realizing I'm going.
And when I arrived and sawthese, the wheelchair racers,
(23:31):
the men and women, I had to goin my car and I just I cried, I
prayed, I go, oh no, I can't dothis.
I saw an area no way, no way,and he's like you're going to do
this.
So I had this gentleman thatwas my bike guide.
(23:51):
So this chair is brand brandnew.
So the rubber I don't know ifyou know about how the push
rings are they have rubber onthe outside.
I guess the manufacturer didn'tlook very good.
So the so it's punching off themetal.
So I asked the bike gentlemancan you tell my husband, can you
go find him and tell him thatthe rubber's off the chair and
(24:13):
I'm punching on the metal andthe bicyclists came back and
said how you, how you'rewheeling the wheelchair right,
yeah, so I'm pushing like offthe special gloves and there's
rubber like on the underneaththe middle of the ring, so it's
first time protection.
But I guess, coming on themanufacturer it was just came
(24:36):
off.
So I just had the, the metal,but it was hurting my arm.
So I said can you just go tellmy husband?
So the gentleman the bicyclistscame back and he said your
husband said keep pushing andyou don't stop.
I was like oh, so short, I beateverybody and I call for Boston
(25:00):
after like 10 training sessionswith my coach.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Incredible.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Incredible but it's such a different.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
I'm trying to wrap my head around to like and I
finished fourth in Boston.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Oh, like you're just you.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
It's such a, but it's not even like okay, there's the
level that I imagined to in indoing a, doing a marathon in a
wheelchair as opposed to runningit.
You still have to have theendurance level, sure, but your
legs I imagine there's so muchmore muscle in your legs that
that that facilitate carryingyou through a marathon and in
your arms and the experience hasto be so different, shifting
(25:40):
from one to the other.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
So like horrible.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
What horrible yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
You know, I was just in like I just did the.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
I wanted to see if I could do a half Ironman with a
feeding tube and not beingfueled, right, so I just yeah, I
know I'm Jacob, right, like shejust says it so nonchalantly,
like yeah, I just wanted to likego walk down the street and
just, and so what you're?
Speaker 2 (26:08):
saying is, when people typically do do an
Ironman, they're they eatsomething throughout the way.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
There's like those goo packets or they're drinking
things Right.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
So what you're saying is you wanted to see if you
could do the Ironman halfIronman half.
Ironman, my apologies Half.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Ironman.
I did an Ironman when I hadcancer.
Chocolate milk sponsored me.
I called them.
When I got diagnosed was onteam USA, so I did Ironman.
So I had that already done.
I did Ironman in Florida 10years ago.
So I'm just 10 years cancerfree.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Have you ever thought about yourself as one of the
most athletic athletes, athleticpeople in human history?
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Like on the face of the planet Never.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I think you have to be.
Yeah, I think you'd have to.
No, no, no, no.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Well, the sports hall of fame.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
No.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
I really would say different.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
I'm like God the sports hall of fame.
When we got that email, youknow, we like they sent it to
the wrong person.
So I wrote them back.
I go oh, this is Jackie.
I said I think you have thewrong person.
I said, but thank you very much.
And they wrote me back therelike no, it's you know you.
(27:17):
And when I flew out to Coloradoand when they read my resume,
like because I don't, I neverput on any of my medals or I'm
just, I'm just not that kind ofperson.
It's in my heart.
You know what I'm saying.
I don't deal with the medals orthe podium or I just do it to
see how far I can just pushmyself.
(27:39):
All the time I'm very hard onmyself and I just always want to
push the boundaries.
And I was supposed to do thishalf ironman a few years ago and
the disease has kind of gottenthe way.
And what happened was I love toswim.
(27:59):
So I met this woman when I wasjust swimming and I come to the
edge of the pool and she just isgetting herself ready.
She's got this bright, bigsmile, she's like a ray of
sunshine, and I go wow, I go,you're so happy, and you know,
and she goes oh, I'm doing theAugusta half ironman.
I go, you are, I go where and Igo, it must be closed down.
(28:20):
And she goes no, and you know Ididn't get into anything about
it.
So I just went about my swimand I came home I didn't read
anything, I didn't say anythingto Harry because I know that he
would not be on board with this,you know, because of the
feeding tube and all this.
So this was just in thebeginning of June, so I just did
the race Sunday.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
I just saw it on Facebook and I literally was in
tears.
But can you tell the?
Speaker 3 (28:45):
story.
Can you believe I came in thirdfor the, the, the pro women?
I was behind.
You know what I am.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Yes, I can't believe that you came in third, because
you're a powerhouse.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
I was just floored by that like because on the, on
the, but let me finish.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Yeah, yeah, when I came home.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
I registered but I never read any of the course or
the elevations.
Or because you're in the backcountry of Georgia, you know
what I'm saying.
Yeah, and you know Florida.
Here the Blue Heron Bridge isthe big bridge.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Indian town, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
It's also all totally flat in Florida.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I went home, and so it tookme a couple of days to tell
Harry what I did.
So I eventually told him thatyou registered that you're like
I'm going for me just doingthings like this and I just
started training and thisgentleman, josh, one of our
volunteers for shifting gears,united we would drive our car
(29:44):
down to West Palm at Parker caron Flagler and then I would
cycle, you know, flagler overthe fly over Blue Heron Singer
Island.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
And then I would go to the AGA prosperity.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Donald Ross, indian town and then repeat it come
back and then do it all overagain, holy cow.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
Uh-huh.
So it's been my whole morningjust on my bike, just because I
would get and I had to put myhead, like when you're climbing
that bridge on the eighth timeyou know I was I had my head
like like, like I had to saveHarry, like if I didn't save
Harry he was going to die, or ifthe bridge was so steep I would
sing.
(30:22):
I was singing to myself thewheels on the bus so I would
keep my arms going because Iwould literally be like, oh my
God, like walkers were justgoing by me on the Blue Heron
bridge, like I'm doing likethree miles an hour.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
I just want to.
I just want to interject reallyquickly because, Pete, our
audience isn't going to knowwhen you say you were bike.
You were on a bike, you were ona bike ride, so you were using
a hand cycle.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
My hand cycle, yeah, okay.
So I was hand, cycling justslow, slow, as people are
exercising in the morning,walking faster than I can get
over the bridge, and you knowthey're like, oh, yeah, you're
like, oh, you know yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Jackie, why, why, how is it that you can just embrace
the moment and continue to pushyourself in life in these
athletic events?
And, like all of the honest I,I was a polevolter in college,
in high school and in college.
That's impressive Look it wasdivision three.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Listen, we're talking to you.
It's cool, but here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
After I graduated.
I remember my last track meetit was it was.
It was in May 2015.
And frankly I know heightedwould mean like I didn't clear
anything it was like the lasttrack meet in my life.
I was like I was.
I'm still bummed about it.
To be honest, it's like a whilelater and I have not been able
to exercise regularly since Igraduated college because, I'll
(31:43):
tell you, because I lovedpolevolting so much and it's not
something I can do on a regularbasis.
It's expensive, I always wantedto do that, but.
But like I can't find themotivation to keep myself
exercising since I ended mypolevolting career and I'm just
like I'm going to put you on thespot what can you tell me to
get me to start exercising again?
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Because I want what you have when one door closes,
another one opens.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Thank you, but, but it's so simple.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
I can't get to.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
I'm not going to like I'm going to.
I'm going to ask you to put I'mpushing back at you because I
need you to help awaken in methat whatever used to be a
little bit of an athlete, thatlike, because I can't pole vault
anymore, I don't want to doanything.
And there's so many times inyour life where those doors
closed and you kept going.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
So is this?
I don't have the grit that youhave, or I can't figure out how
to inspire myself the way youhave I do.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Okay, no, because you just we talked about it earlier
.
We have choices that we canmake.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Right, that's not a recording.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Yes, so you could choose what you'd like to do.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Oh my God, I'm just schooling your right now.
That's what I would like her todo.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
That's why I'm asking her to do it so if you are in a
situation and what I was taughtright, and you're struggling
with something.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
So here you are with your, your career and it ended,
and and I get what you're, whereyou're coming from, right.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
But a very wise man in priest taught me.
He says you know, jackie, ifsomething in your life and you
feel like you're at that momentof of moving forward or making a
change, he goes, all you haveto do is turn your head a
quarter and just look adifferent direction.
(33:23):
And every time I am out and I'mstruggling, I turn my head a
quarter and you see God's beautyand what the life he has given
me and the opportunities and theblessings so we can do.
Anyone can do anything theywant to do.
(33:47):
It's just your choice, yourmind and your decision.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
So so what I hear?
Speaker 2 (33:55):
you tell me is I'm stuck because I want to be stuck
, and just exactly right.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Yeah, that's exactly what she said.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
I don't want to want to be stuck.
Is that fair?
Speaker 3 (34:05):
I did have a coach what you have to do is just you
know, if you, whatever you'dlike to do, you know when I say
to anyone and it doesn't matterwhether you're in a wheelchair
or walking or whatever you knowwhat the hardest, the hardest
part is is putting on yoursneakers and tying your laces.
(34:26):
Once you do that and you getout the door, because once you,
you're out there, whatever yoursport or whatever, whatever it
is in life that you're doingafter you finish, the feeling of
accomplishment.
Even if it might not be the besttime at the best time, you're
just out there and you did it.
You did it for you.
(34:46):
You have to do your own race.
You're not competing against meor Kim or anyone.
You're just doing it for thelove of your heart and your soul
, to make you feel good.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
So what I hear you saying in that is something that
I try to talk to my clientsabout, which is moving from a
perfectionist's mindset to agrowth-oriented mindset.
So the perfectionist says it'sonly worth it if I get the gold
medal and you're saying no, no,no, no.
The growth that you embody byboth training and competing,
that's the win in and of itself.
Is that what you're saying?
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Right, Because you think about it.
What is the margin of gold,silver and bronze?
Only three right.
Yeah, and you have everybody.
So I know we all want that,even myself when I'm on Team USA
, but the honor of justrepresenting your country is
just honor enough and being thebest version of you.
(35:41):
That's the reward.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Do you feel like you have that mindset?
You carry that with you becausewhen you wake up in the morning
and your body hurts or yourbody doesn't want to move the
way you need it to move or dothe things or show up for
shifting gears United Event orFreedom Coast Ride that you have
coming up, do you feel like youalways have that mindset?
(36:07):
And if you don't, how do youget back there?
Speaker 3 (36:13):
A lot of time.
I honestly I just have to likeright now, my my plate is so
full with so many things goingon.
I was just asked for shiftinggears.
You know, we're asked to hostthe abilities expo, which I
cannot believe that we're goingto be doing this Huge on on
(36:34):
October 13.
I have that.
I have this spectacular eventfor the kids, halloween coming
up.
We have the Veterans Day paradethat we're involved with.
I have the Freedom Coast ride.
I have dance rehearsal for theholiday parade this afternoon.
(36:56):
On Tuesdays, I take pianolessons.
So that's my piano lessons fromone to two.
Wow, so I was jamming thismorning so I just started, you
know a few months ago, but Ilove it.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
So you have this full it really sounds like your life
is is full of meaningfulexperiences that you
intentionally, like that oneseemed to just drop into your
life like magic.
And also that you that youcultivate on your own, like the
piano lessons.
But certainly back to thequestion around like do you
(37:31):
always, are you able to alwayshave that mindset when you wake
up in the morning, like I'm justgoing to like choose to just go
for it, even if you're having ahard day, like your body's
hurting or you're feeling crappy.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
I'm very strong will because of all the adversity
that I have been through since ayoung age, you know, since my
20s and I'm going to be 61 inNovember.
You know again, you havechoices, so I can have a choice
(38:06):
to stay home and do anything,but like this.
God has gave us this beautifullife to live and you know we're
all created differently and Ijust believe that you know these
opportunities that just keepcoming to me and people reaching
(38:29):
out like like, for instance,for you reaching out to do this
podcast today, like I am sohonored.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
I'm honored that Jackie, what's the beauty that
you mentioned?
You know, like I, if I'msitting with a client who has a
more pessimistic mindset, oranyone has more pessimistic
mindset, they said what are youtalking about?
What beauty, like, look at this, look at Jackie.
You know she's this amazingathlete and they and pardon me
for this, but they could say,like what could she have been
(38:56):
without the meningitis and theSPS and the stroke and all these
things?
You know they like that wouldhave been beautiful, like this
is nice and you're shaking yourhead no you wouldn't change
anything?
No, I think so where's thebeauty come from?
Because the beauty clearlydoesn't mean an easy life and
the beauty doesn't mean anexpected life.
(39:17):
So what's beauty?
Speaker 3 (39:20):
The beauty is the people that have come into my
life and the opportunities thatI get to be involved with, with
helping others, like I love tohelp others.
The beauty is your heart, ofgiving, of just giving what you
(39:43):
can, and I am so blessed thatI'm able to do that.
You know I don't make a lot ofmoney I live off my disability
but you know I can pay my billsand if I take a couple hundred
dollars a week and buy cold cutsand some fruit and juice boxes
and stuff like that and can justhelp, you know I can't fix the
(40:08):
world.
I wish I could.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
I think it's like it really comes back to choice.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
That you are really choosing.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
You're choosing to see things and experience things
as beautiful, right?
Because obviously there couldbe not so great things.
That's what we're talking about, just right Things could be
hard.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
Everybody has adversity.
We all have adversity,everybody, everybody Right, so
it doesn't matter.
Okay, what do you want to dowith that adversity?
Do you want to sit home, sit ona couch and feel sorry for
yourself, or do you want to makea difference?
Speaker 2 (40:48):
I say what do you want to do with that adversity?
I love that.
That is like to me as such aquote, because people think
adversity is something that'syou see, you just use the
adversity as a point foropportunity.
That's what you say Opportunity.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
I wouldn't change anything in my life, nothing.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Nothing I always say when people talk about my
blindness and I've probably saidthis on another episode, a
different episode, I don't knowbut that every day I choose.
I can either choose toparticipate in life every day or
I can choose not to.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
And you choose to.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
Every day I choose to participate and go look.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
And you live such a full life.
I love watching you and I amjust floored by it's like I even
hear you say that about me.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
I'm just like what I mean.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
thanks, You're such an inspiration.
I always say how did you do it?
I can't wrap my brain around it.
Speaker 1 (41:51):
It's all about, I think, just living our lives and
just the fullest.
Speaker 3 (41:55):
That's exactly it.
And just you know, get you know, be involved in your community
and try to help someone.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
that Anyone just helps anyone.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
Just you know, because you don't know.
You know what's going on withsomebody else.
You know, unless they share itwith you.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
You know, you don't have a clue and it's so
cup-filling, to just connectwith human beings on a deeper
level.
Speaker 2 (42:24):
I want to ask you one question, if it's all right,
about your faith and belief,because you mentioned your
priest a few times.
I can see you wearing yourcross, and is that something
that you had from a young age,something you came to later on?
What's your belief done for youin your life?
Speaker 3 (42:42):
I was born a Catholic and now I am baptized as a
Episcopalian.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
And I go to the Good Shepherd Church right down the
road here, which is amazing.
Father Derek is young and mydad was a Franciscan priest and
Scotland.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Whoa Wow.
So you grew up with a faithstructure.
You know God was present inyour life.
Speaker 3 (43:10):
Always.
He's present in all our lives.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
Yes, so I grew up the only Jew in a neighborhood of
Catholics myself.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
And yeah, and you know I belong to the Jewish
Community Center of the HundredWomen and.
I brought a platter in andyou'll love this, being Jewish
and I said, oh, I'll bring aplatter in.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
Oh my God, I brought in.
I know where this is going.
I knew what I was actuallythought of.
I know where this is going, soI had prosciutto and all that
kind of stuff on it.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
I mean, you're Jewish , I guess you don't eat pork.
And I kept saying, isprosciutto pork, is prosciutto
pork?
Speaker 1 (43:47):
I did so I thought that counts.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Jackie.
Speaker 1 (43:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
I love that story.
I screwed that one up big time.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
I love that story, yeah, kim you want to ask about
the organizations.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean gosh,Jacob and I could talk to you
all day and I feel like we stilldidn't even touch on so much of
your life.
But I think it is important tomention or go into a little bit
more detail about yourorganizations, your Shifting
(44:15):
Gears United, as we mentionedearlier, and the Freedom Coast
ride that you do.
So tell us what these twomissions are about.
Speaker 3 (44:24):
So when I retired in 2016, and I knew I was done
because I finished in the Bfinal at the MC only sport I
didn't medal in and I was in mymid-fifth no in 2016.
And I came home and it wasreally hard.
(44:46):
I was stuck.
Speaker 1 (44:47):
What sport was that?
Speaker 3 (44:49):
I was rowing.
I stopped rowing because mydisease kind of progressed.
So that was right after the2010 Paralympics and Vancouver.
I didn't feel like I had apurpose.
I didn't know what to dobecause all I've done was be an
athlete and compete andrepresent our country.
(45:09):
So I was involved with othernonprofits and helping out and
volunteering and coaching andmentoring and it just came to me
that, wow, I should startsomething and all of a sudden
like wow, we all shift gears inlife, right?
(45:31):
And so that's how I came upwith the name of Shifting Gears,
because we all shift gears andyou're united as one.
But that's how I came up withit.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Gears in a system that's beautiful.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
Yeah, so it was born on 9-11, 2019, which it was
unbelievable because of myhusband being a fireman from up
north.
All the dates are just yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
What does Shifting Gears?
Speaker 1 (46:00):
do.
Yeah, what does it do for thecommunity?
Speaker 3 (46:03):
We have hand cycling, we have running, we do
triathlons All adaptive, alladaptive.
The kayak program is verypopular Kayaking, swimming.
So on Saturdays we do bricktraining.
So usually we do hand cycle andthen we go to the pool and
(46:23):
everyone swims afterwards.
But I just Just many adaptiveprograms wheelchair racing.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
So in a lot of ways, you created an organization that
brings the thing that you loveso much, which is athleticism
and sports camaraderieconnection, right.
Holiness, Holiness oh, I lovethat, Holiness.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
Holiness, you know sustainability.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
And what you did is you created an organization that
brings that all together for acommunity that otherwise might
not necessarily have the accessor with a lock right that you
might have had.
And then you and so you'reopening up all of this
opportunity.
That's what an incredible,that's man.
That's incredible.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
I'm very proud of it and I can't believe it's five
years.
I don't know where the fiveyears went.
Speaker 2 (47:20):
Wow, jack, besides the shifting gears, what was the
?
Speaker 1 (47:23):
other the Freedom Coast Ride.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
What's the Freedom Coast Ride?
Yeah, what is the Freedom CoastRide, and how does that work?
Speaker 3 (47:28):
So the Freedom Coast Ride is established just to be
all-inclusive.
It's our annual fundraiser, soit's very hard to bring in money
and get money to keep itrunning.
So this is our annualfundraiser.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
That's, the funders are four shifting gears.
Speaker 3 (47:50):
Yes, and the money goes back to and everybody comes
together.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Whether you are a person who's able-bodied or a
person who might be a handcyclist or doesn't matter right,
it's a ride from.
Speaker 3 (48:02):
It doesn't matter.
E-bikes, everybody.
It's just a day so wellorganized.
Speaker 1 (48:06):
From where to where?
Where do you guys?
Speaker 3 (48:08):
ride.
So it's a 40 and 70 mile course.
We go from West Palm.
The 40-miler goes to theJupiter Juno-Mersinski, right up
along the beach.
There's exactly 20 miles andthen it goes straight back.
The 70-miler's continue onbeing the Route 1 bridges closed
.
They go down Indian Town A1Aand over to Cato's on a Jupiter
(48:32):
Island down to Bridge Road.
That's 35 and a half milesright on Bridge Road there as
you hit Martin County, and thenon back.
So it's an out and back course.
So you have three fully reststops where Cardinal, newman,
benjamin, the Boy Scouts, thoseare all.
They all carry the rest stopsthat are fully stocked.
Publix.
I just got their donationyesterday for the bananas and
(48:55):
oranges and When's the next ride?
It's coming up right.
In a week we're having it onVeterans Day.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
I wish I could go.
Yeah, we had to, but we'regoing to have to.
Speaker 3 (49:07):
I was going to say to you, kim, I have a gentleman
here that does, because I have ayoung lady.
She's not riding right now.
His wife actually has ALS, thatvolunteers and he helps out on
the tandem bikes, if that'ssomething you want to think
about, and I would sponsor yourhotel room.
Speaker 2 (49:28):
Oh, my God.
Speaker 3 (49:29):
Jackie, If you guys wanted to come down and I would
sponsor your hotel.
I can't sponsor yourregistration, but it's only $75.
Speaker 1 (49:35):
No, no, you don't even need to sponsor my hotel.
That's very, very generous.
I love events like this.
We'll talk off the air about itfor sure.
Speaker 2 (49:45):
It has really been such an absolute pleasure to
meet you.
You have no idea.
And now I just have.
Speaker 3 (49:51):
Well, like life, I'm honored.
Speaker 2 (49:53):
I'm just going to carry in my head First off.
You're really going to helpkeep me going, jackie personally
, so I appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (50:01):
I'm glad, thank you.
Speaker 2 (50:03):
Hopefully I can get back into doing some sort of
athletic something along the way, because I can't think of a
reason not to anymore.
So I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (50:10):
It's all about it.
It's all about it.
It's your partner, right nextto you.
Speaker 3 (50:12):
He's so athletic, he could be your inspiration right
there.
All you got to do is, like Isay, turn your head.
Just turn your head A quarter.
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (50:20):
Oh my gosh, what a full circle moment.
We want to thank you for justhaving this beautiful
conversation with us.
For all the people that arelistening, it's just, it's been
an honor honestly an honor, anda privilege.
So if you want to know moreinformation about Jackie's
organization, shifting GearsUnited, you can find it on.
(50:42):
We're going to post it right.
Put it in the show notesabsolutely yeah, and we're going
to put this on social media sohopefully we can generate some
traffic for you, jackie, okay.
Speaker 3 (50:52):
That sounds wonderful and I just want to thank you
both so much.
It was such an honor and I knowit was so much and going all
over.
Speaker 1 (50:57):
No, it was good, great stuff.
No, don't even.
Speaker 3 (51:00):
I mean parts of you lived a full.
Speaker 1 (51:03):
No, we're crazy.
Speaker 3 (51:03):
Life of mind.
Speaker 1 (51:04):
You've lived a beautiful, full life, and you've
chosen to do that, and that'sthe entire point of this podcast
.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (51:13):
Just like you, kim.
Okay, thanks so much, jackie.
Speaker 3 (51:15):
Thanks Jacob, Thanks Kim, have a beautiful day.
Speaker 2 (51:18):
You too.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
Thank you for this opportunity.
Speaker 2 (51:20):
I'm grateful Absolutely.
Thank you for joining us, okay.
Speaker 3 (51:22):
You got it.
See you soon, see you All right, bye-bye.
Speaker 2 (51:31):
We hope you enjoyed watching the wrap up of the
video.
Thanks, guys.
Okay, thank you, you're welcome.
Speaker 1 (51:37):
And I hope that.
You hope you enjoyed watchingit.
Okay, thanks, gil.
Thanks, take care, thanks, bye,bye you.
Hey everybody, I'm Kimberly Dobbs.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
And I'm Jacob Miller.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
And we'd like to welcome you to another episode
of Intuitive Choices.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Kim and I are mental health therapists working in
Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Each week, we invite a guest to speak about how their
own intuitive choices have ledthem to live a more meaningful
life.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We hope that this conversation encourages you to
make meaningful choices in yourown life.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Alright, off we go.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Hey guys, we'd like to welcome you back to another
episode of Intuitive Choices.
I'm Kim.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
And I'm Jacob.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
And today we have with us such an extraordinary
woman I'm going to break downthat word really quickly and say
Extraordinary Human being.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Above and Beyond.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I mean, just like this is the coolest.
Is she smiling?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Big smile.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Yeah, we have her with us, jackie Kapunowski, and
she is a two-time Paralympianfor curling and rowing.
She is the president andfounder of Shifting Gears United
and the Freedom Coast ride,which we'll sort of get into a
little bit in a minute, butfirst we're just going to do a
huge thank you and welcome toour gal here, jackie.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Thank you so much for joining us.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Thank you for having me be part of your podcast this
morning.
I'm truly honored.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Jackie, I think if we took the time, we could
actually spend the entire hourof the podcast just like listing
your accolades, which wouldkind of like take away from the
episode itself.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
I was looking at your Wikipedia page and it said but
I'm not that kind of person.
No, that, yeah, that please.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah, we could be that for you.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I was looking at your Wikipedia page and it said that
you Correct me if I'm wrong orif this is wrong, but it says
that you're the only woman toever compete in the Boston
Marathon as both a runner and ina wheelchair.
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Oh, there's many of the marathons.
I'm the only woman to run inwheelchair race and that was my
goal because I was at 90marathons.
So one of my friends suggestedyou got to go to 100 and go back
to the ones that you ran, butmy disease just progressed.
So there's New York, there'sBoston, marine Corps, new Jersey
(02:22):
Marathon Wow, oh God, I can'tremember all of them.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
It's just like a total athlete to your bones,
like through and through.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Yeah of course.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I was a runner, like Harry's mom used to say where's
she running to?
I look at myself as like theforest gun, before even forest
gun moving, because I never,ever, missed the day of running
in my life.
It didn't matter if it wasraining, snowing, what the
(02:56):
weather was.
I ran seven days a week.
So I'd run all week before Imeet my girlfriend early in the
morning and then we go to work,and then on weekends I tried to
get her to sign up and do amarathon.
It was always because I'm adistance girl.
I love to run.
I could just run and run.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Can we give people some context?
Because you just said and thenyour disease progressed.
So give us an idea of what isthe disease or what is it, maybe
even before that.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Jackie can you listen to like where are you from?
Oh good, thank you.
Now, where are you fromoriginally?
Just like kind of like whereare you from originally?
Brief a little life story inthe beginning and then maybe
tell us a little bit about thedisease.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I am from New Jersey originally.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Very proudly from New Jersey, clearly.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Very proudly from New Jersey and I've been living
down in Florida approximatelyabout 15 years.
I came down my parents liveddown the street, so my dad just
turned 95.
Congratulations.
Oh awesome, so I could takecare of my mom and dad and be
with them.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
You mentioned Harry, that's your husband.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
He's a North retired fireman from North New Jersey.
Wow, he is the greatest man inthe world that God.
God gave me the greatest giftwhen he gave me Harry.
I used to.
I took care of his mom.
I left my job and I took careof her and we moved her in our
home and I thank her every dayfor raising the sisters the same
(04:35):
way.
He's just just such a good souland just I'm so blessed, truly
blessed.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Incredible.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Incredible.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
So, Jackie, it sounds like your your athletic career
began as a runner, but when didit begin?
In what ways did it start totake form?
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Well, I ran, I ran a little bit in school.
My parents moved down, moved usfrom up North to the Jersey
Shore my senior year.
So that was really tough.
I've kind of been in, yeah.
So I didn't spend much time inschool, I was more, and I would
make excuses because my family'sfrom Scotland.
(05:19):
I always tell a little fib thatmy family was away.
But I missed 62 days of absence.
Just to give you an idea of mysenior year.
I just didn't seem like I fitin.
But I just would just go runand run and run.
Just I would just put on mysneakers and just run every day.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Sounds like that was something that was really
therapeutic for you.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Very therapeutic and it's tough when you're that age
and you know you're grown up,you're grown up with, you know
all of your friends, your wholelife and then to be removed from
that.
Yeah, and do your last year ina strange place, a different, it
was a different environment,totally down the Jersey Shore
(06:05):
from up North.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
By up North.
Where are you talking about?
Speaker 3 (06:09):
I was from Bridgewater, New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
And it was.
You know, I've done a littlestreet with three houses and
farms.
Wow, you know, there was nostores, or the Bridgewater Mall
wasn't there, there wasn'tanything back then.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Those moves in high school are really alienating,
disorienting.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Yes, it is.
And being the middle child, soyou know my siblings already
graduated that and that was atough move.
I was kind of a little mad atthem for a while with that yeah.
I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
So what did you find in running?
What did running give you?
Speaker 3 (06:53):
It gave me peace, it gave me commitment, it gave me a
clear mind.
I just love to run.
Yeah, I just love the beauty ofgetting up when it's dark and
watching the sunrise.
And every day it's like youknow, even though you're running
(07:14):
the same route, like every dayyou see something, even though
you live there and you think yousee everything but God's beauty
, like, oh, I never noticed thatbefore.
Yeah, so I just love beingoutdoors.
I do not like doing any sports.
(07:35):
When someone says, oh, go trainindoors on your trainer, I
cannot do that.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
So, jackie, can you tell us a little bit more about
your disease, like how did itprogress so?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I don't know, but I still believe I am the only
person in the world to havebacterial meningitis twice and
survive.
The second time I had it, mydad took me to the hospital.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
I was a little….
How old were you when you…?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I believe I was 20 the first time and then 24, 25
the second time I got it, andthat's when my dad didn't think
I was coming out of the Comorraat the hospital.
He, you know later I don'tremember anything, of course,
but when he told the story.
It's sad, you know, but Isurvived.
(08:26):
You know I had to learn how tospeak again and the
rehabilitation was a lot, but wedid not know from the
meningitis because I just wentback to my life.
You know what I'm saying.
I was still running, everythingwas great in life, until one
(08:48):
morning I just could try to getout of bed and it fell Like my
legs would just give out and Isaid to Harry wow, that's odd
and I couldn't like just likeambulate, my legs and….
Speaker 1 (09:10):
I can't even imagine.
I just am trying to like in mymind, just even try to think
about you and how important justrunning was and is, and
ambulating just in general, howimportant that is.
And then to just wake up andnot be able to use your legs.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Yes, it was really hard because then, you know, I
went to many Hospitals and youknow I went.
I applied to the Mayo Clinic.
You know, jf Kennedy, IPrince-Termont.
I found I went to the best ofthe best hospitals and started
(09:53):
having a lot of seizures which Inever had before, so I had to
stop driving.
But it took them four years todiagnose the disease.
I mean they, they diagnosed mewith everything and finally they
just did this test and cameback positive and they tell me
(10:16):
that I have stiff.
Back then it was called stiffman syndrome because there was
more men and women and I think,like a number 22 in the world,
it's one in one million andthere's no cure for it.
Celine Dion just came out Lastyear that she you know she'll no
longer be singing, she'sdiagnosed with the same disease
(10:36):
and when I saw it on TV and I donot watch TV at all, someone
had me on Listen to it and Ijust cried for her because here
I've lived with it for 25 years.
So I just feel bad for herchildren and knowing what she's
gonna have to go through becausethe spasticity and the disease
(10:59):
is just.
You know, I've had so manybroken bones from the spasms and
Wow my fingers, my spine, sothey'll just glue it because
they can't put, like, any metalor anything in me because this,
the spasms are so severe.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
So what is stiff?
Person syndrome?
So what?
What are the?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
There's.
If you Google it, there isreally nothing really too much
on it.
It's just a progressive disease.
They don't really know.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
The muscles.
I guess it's of the muscle, themuscle in the nerves Mm-hmm,
wow, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
and so now that's where, in December, I Couldn't
swallow anymore, I couldn't eatI I lost 50 pounds so fast and
an ambulance, apparently, tookme to the hospital and I I don't
(12:01):
honestly remember anything.
My priest says it's a goodthing that I don't remember.
Then Harry says that also.
But I was in ICU and then Iguess I went to the next 24
seven care unit and then into aregular room.
Yeah have this feeding tubewhich no one has addressed as of
(12:24):
today, and I've had it sinceDecember.
So I'm just kind of winging itmyself.
And as an athlete I tried touse my mind of what my nutrition
is, so I just tried to put, youknow, beet juice and whatever
is healthy in there, liquidvitamins.
It's just been a bit of a painin the In the butt you've.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
You've had to readjust so many times in your
life to so many things and itit's.
Even just listening, right,jacob, like we're just sitting
here and I'm just You're alwaysfighting the fight, it seems
yeah, yes, I am yeah and youknow, and I think what's what
I'm taking away from this is,you know, people say all the
(13:09):
time like, oh, it'll get easier,or it gets easier, it doesn't
get easier.
What are you talking about?
And that's not the point.
How could you say that tosomeone?
It gets easier, you know, andand I and so Jackie, since it
doesn't get easier and in factit's getting for you.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
It's.
It's getting harder, it'sprogressively getting.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
More difficult.
Where do you find your strength?
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I Think that I have just been a fighter my whole
life, that I just am mentallystrong.
I've got a husband who is rightby my side.
Matt Does everything andanything for me.
(13:56):
He just puts me on thispedestal and just thinks the
world of me.
He just before I was gettingready, I didn't do anything.
It make it up every morning andthe first things out of his
mouth is Wow, you're sobeautiful.
And that 15 minutes later it'slike it's like oh honey, I've
(14:18):
been here for 35 years.
He has won the first words outof his mouth as well.
Look how beautifully you are.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Yeah, how did you?
How did you meet your husband?
Speaker 3 (14:30):
I Met him down the Jersey Shore.
I was out with my girlfriendand this is so unbelievable her
older sister.
They have a Brought me voice.
Like I do, I've had Cancer.
So, my, my, I had thyroid andthroat cancer when I was over in
London on the triathlon team,but I didn't know I had cancer.
(14:53):
I just thought it was, um, likeI had a Bronchitis or something
like that from Hyde Park, fromthe ducks and the the feces in
there.
So when I came home and I gotdiagnosed with cancer, that was
another whole thing.
I don't get why.
I don't want to get sidetracked.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You were asking me husband yeah, jersey, sure I'd
also need to acknowledge that,like you, also dealt with cancer
, you know.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
And a stroke.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Okay, but but yes, let's, let's, let's circle back
to to Harry.
So you met him down the JerseyShore.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Oh yeah, I'm sure so my, my girlfriend, sue she has a
really raspy voice and herolder sister, so her, their,
their father was a norc policeofficer.
So Harry and all his singlebuddies were at the, the
restaurant, at the bar, havingtheir beverages, and came over
(15:53):
to my girlfriend and After youknow about her last name and of
course they knew each other fromfrom norc and then, um, hey,
harry asked me.
Harry asked me out, for heasked me my name.
I told him what was Sarah there?
(16:15):
And exactly, yes, we wanted togo out on a date and I said no,
thank you, but it what I did iseventually we went to.
He had a home with his buddies,because they were all single
and just kind of hung out, andand what happened was I had
(16:36):
tickets for Billy Joel.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Miller favorite mine and take us favorite ever.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Okay, go ahead.
I just went to that when I wasat their house.
I'm like, oh, I have tickets,but Harry didn't have off.
But I think he went to hiscaptain in chief and he goes you
take off, and he goes, you donot let.
You do not Let this one go, youdo not let her go.
And that's how it started is.
(17:06):
We went to Nassau anymore, andso I guess I took him on Sarah
and Sarah and took Harry.
Okay, and from there it wasjust love, just pure love.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
I, you know I'm thinking about, you know, just
Having this, this disease, thisprogressive disease, basically
losing the ability to run, inthat, something that was so
cathartic and therapeutic foryou, and, and, and, and.
You know, what did you then dowith your?
(17:45):
How did how did you then cope?
Like right, if this is yourprimary way of of coping and it
was therapy for you, runningthen like.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
So now I was in my late 20s I'd say 29, where I was
starting to use the walker, andbecause I didn't, I asked my
doctor.
I said do you mind if I go andjust get a second opinion?
So I went to the University ofPennsylvania because I couldn't
get in the Mayo Clinic at thatpoint.
(18:15):
I already went to John Hopkinsand other hospitals and I went
down there because there was aspecialist for this disease
because it is so rare, and thedoctor basically told me that
I'm in really good hands andI'll never forget it's embedded
(18:36):
in me that drive home fromPhiladelphia back to New Jersey.
The two of us were like soquiet, but it was like a knife
in my gut because I'm like whatdoes it mean?
And I'm not going to be able torun anymore.
It wasn't even about running.
(18:56):
Just have the quality of life,of being a woman and doing my
job and being a mom and justeverything.
So when it came time for thewheelchair and that came through
the door, I wouldn't get offthe couch.
I let it sit there and I go.
I can't, harry.
(19:17):
I said I'm not, I can't.
And he goes what are you goingto do?
I said I'll crawl and he's likeno, jackie, he goes, we'll
figure it out.
But before this I qualified torun Boston Marathon, right, and
as an elite runner I'm always ina corral with the women.
(19:41):
So if there are any other racesthat I've done, I'm usually in
the eight corral.
And I was so absorbed, I guess,with my own self that I never
even realized or knew aboutwheelchair racing.
So here as a runner I qualified.
(20:06):
So I called the director of theBoston Marathon and told her
about my disease and how Iqualified at Grandma's Marathon
and all this stuff.
But I said I'm not a runneranymore.
They let me push my walker andthen they were explaining to me
to become a wheelchair racer.
(20:26):
I'm like, well, what iswheelchair racing?
And then they're telling me youhave to qualify.
I go, you make people inwheelchairs qualify.
Like I couldn't wrap my brainaround that at all.
So I always came down toFlorida to see my parents at
Thanksgiving, the first week ofDecember.
(20:48):
They always had the PalmBeach's Marathon.
So the director of thedisability division, my dearest
friend Kevin Spina, when Icalled him he was speechless.
When I asked him if I couldpush my walker and he's like
you're a walker.
And I was like, yeah, I saidI'm a runner and I had this
(21:11):
disease, but I'm not like in awheelchair, but just a little
bit, and I didn't know how toexplain it.
So there's like $500 forwheelchair racing, which still I
don't know about wheelchairracing.
So I go, I don't race for money, I said, I race for the sport.
So I pushed my walker at thePalm Beach's Marathon.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
So you pushed a walker for 26.2 miles.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
Yeah, many and a few.
How many times?
Boston, new Jersey, PalmBeaches.
I ended it with New Jerseybecause that was my home and I
knew that was the end and it wasa real struggle at that point
when I crossed the finish lineof Boston with my walker, it was
amazing.
(21:59):
It was the front page of theBoston Globe and the tape
literally fell off my sneakers.
But the West Palm line, withKevin and I was always down here
visiting my parents.
They'd been down here for 36years, 37 years, I don't know
(22:19):
exactly the number.
The community raised money andpurchased my very first racing
wheelchair and all they asked isthat if I would come back and
race as a wheelchair racer.
And I said of course, but Ididn't really still understand
(22:43):
what that meant.
So then I was educated, learnedabout, got fitted and got my
first racing wheelchair.
And within 10 days of justgetting this chair I said to my
husband and I said to my coachQuinn, I want to do a marathon
(23:08):
and see if I can qualify for theBoston Marathon.
So I said it's just inPennsylvania, but it was Erie,
pennsylvania, which you knowit's closer to.
Ohio, yeah so.
I think it was like a nine 10hour drive here.
I think I'm going to likePhilly you know what I'm saying.
Not realizing I'm going.
And when I arrived and sawthese, the wheelchair racers,
(23:31):
the men and women, I had to goin my car and I just I cried, I
prayed, I go, oh no, I can't dothis.
I saw an area no way, no way,and he's like you're going to do
this.
So I had this gentleman thatwas my bike guide.
(23:51):
So this chair is brand brandnew.
So the rubber I don't know ifyou know about how the push
rings are they have rubber onthe outside.
I guess the manufacturer didn'tlook very good.
So the so it's punching off themetal.
So I asked the bike gentlemancan you tell my husband, can you
go find him and tell him thatthe rubber's off the chair and
(24:13):
I'm punching on the metal andthe bicyclists came back and
said how you, how you'rewheeling the wheelchair right,
yeah, so I'm pushing like offthe special gloves and there's
rubber like on the underneaththe middle of the ring, so it's
first time protection.
But I guess, coming on themanufacturer it was just came
(24:36):
off.
So I just had the, the metal,but it was hurting my arm.
So I said can you just go tellmy husband?
So the gentleman the bicyclistscame back and he said your
husband said keep pushing andyou don't stop.
I was like oh, so short, I beateverybody and I call for Boston
(25:00):
after like 10 training sessionswith my coach.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Incredible.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Incredible but it's such a different.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
I'm trying to wrap my head around to like and I
finished fourth in Boston.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Oh, like you're just you.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
It's such a, but it's not even like okay, there's the
level that I imagined to in indoing a, doing a marathon in a
wheelchair as opposed to runningit.
You still have to have theendurance level, sure, but your
legs I imagine there's so muchmore muscle in your legs that
that that facilitate carryingyou through a marathon and in
your arms and the experience hasto be so different, shifting
(25:40):
from one to the other.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
So like horrible.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
What horrible yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
You know, I was just in like I just did the.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
I wanted to see if I could do a half Ironman with a
feeding tube and not beingfueled, right, so I just yeah, I
know I'm Jacob, right, like shejust says it so nonchalantly,
like yeah, I just wanted to likego walk down the street and
just, and so what you're?
Speaker 2 (26:08):
saying is, when people typically do do an
Ironman, they're they eatsomething throughout the way.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
There's like those goo packets or they're drinking
things Right.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
So what you're saying is you wanted to see if you
could do the Ironman halfIronman half.
Ironman, my apologies Half.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Ironman.
I did an Ironman when I hadcancer.
Chocolate milk sponsored me.
I called them.
When I got diagnosed was onteam USA, so I did Ironman.
So I had that already done.
I did Ironman in Florida 10years ago.
So I'm just 10 years cancerfree.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Have you ever thought about yourself as one of the
most athletic athletes, athleticpeople in human history?
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Like on the face of the planet Never.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I think you have to be.
Yeah, I think you'd have to.
No, no, no, no.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Well, the sports hall of fame.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
No.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
I really would say different.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
I'm like God the sports hall of fame.
When we got that email, youknow, we like they sent it to
the wrong person.
So I wrote them back.
I go oh, this is Jackie.
I said I think you have thewrong person.
I said, but thank you very much.
And they wrote me back therelike no, it's you know you.
(27:17):
And when I flew out to Coloradoand when they read my resume,
like because I don't, I neverput on any of my medals or I'm
just, I'm just not that kind ofperson.
It's in my heart.
You know what I'm saying.
I don't deal with the medals orthe podium or I just do it to
see how far I can just pushmyself.
(27:39):
All the time I'm very hard onmyself and I just always want to
push the boundaries.
And I was supposed to do thishalf ironman a few years ago and
the disease has kind of gottenthe way.
And what happened was I love toswim.
(27:59):
So I met this woman when I wasjust swimming and I come to the
edge of the pool and she just isgetting herself ready.
She's got this bright, bigsmile, she's like a ray of
sunshine, and I go wow, I go,you're so happy, and you know,
and she goes oh, I'm doing theAugusta half ironman.
I go, you are, I go where and Igo, it must be closed down.
(28:20):
And she goes no, and you know Ididn't get into anything about
it.
So I just went about my swimand I came home I didn't read
anything, I didn't say anythingto Harry because I know that he
would not be on board with this,you know, because of the
feeding tube and all this.
So this was just in thebeginning of June, so I just did
the race Sunday.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
I just saw it on Facebook and I literally was in
tears.
But can you tell the?
Speaker 3 (28:45):
story.
Can you believe I came in thirdfor the, the, the pro women?
I was behind.
You know what I am.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Yes, I can't believe that you came in third, because
you're a powerhouse.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
I was just floored by that like because on the, on
the, but let me finish.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Yeah, yeah, when I came home.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
I registered but I never read any of the course or
the elevations.
Or because you're in the backcountry of Georgia, you know
what I'm saying.
Yeah, and you know Florida.
Here the Blue Heron Bridge isthe big bridge.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Indian town, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
It's also all totally flat in Florida.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I went home, and so it tookme a couple of days to tell
Harry what I did.
So I eventually told him thatyou registered that you're like
I'm going for me just doingthings like this and I just
started training and thisgentleman, josh, one of our
volunteers for shifting gears,united we would drive our car
(29:44):
down to West Palm at Parker caron Flagler and then I would
cycle, you know, flagler overthe fly over Blue Heron Singer
Island.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
And then I would go to the AGA prosperity.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
Donald Ross, indian town and then repeat it come
back and then do it all overagain, holy cow.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
Uh-huh.
So it's been my whole morningjust on my bike, just because I
would get and I had to put myhead, like when you're climbing
that bridge on the eighth timeyou know I was I had my head
like like, like I had to saveHarry, like if I didn't save
Harry he was going to die, or ifthe bridge was so steep I would
sing.
(30:22):
I was singing to myself thewheels on the bus so I would
keep my arms going because Iwould literally be like, oh my
God, like walkers were justgoing by me on the Blue Heron
bridge, like I'm doing likethree miles an hour.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
I just want to.
I just want to interject reallyquickly because, Pete, our
audience isn't going to knowwhen you say you were bike.
You were on a bike, you were ona bike ride, so you were using
a hand cycle.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
My hand cycle, yeah, okay.
So I was hand, cycling justslow, slow, as people are
exercising in the morning,walking faster than I can get
over the bridge, and you knowthey're like, oh, yeah, you're
like, oh, you know yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Jackie, why, why, how is it that you can just embrace
the moment and continue to pushyourself in life in these
athletic events?
And, like all of the honest I,I was a polevolter in college,
in high school and in college.
That's impressive Look it wasdivision three.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Listen, we're talking to you.
It's cool, but here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
After I graduated.
I remember my last track meetit was it was.
It was in May 2015.
And frankly I know heightedwould mean like I didn't clear
anything it was like the lasttrack meet in my life.
I was like I was.
I'm still bummed about it.
To be honest, it's like a whilelater and I have not been able
to exercise regularly since Igraduated college because, I'll
(31:43):
tell you, because I lovedpolevolting so much and it's not
something I can do on a regularbasis.
It's expensive, I always wantedto do that, but.
But like I can't find themotivation to keep myself
exercising since I ended mypolevolting career and I'm just
like I'm going to put you on thespot what can you tell me to
get me to start exercising again?
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Because I want what you have when one door closes,
another one opens.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Thank you, but, but it's so simple.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
I can't get to.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
I'm not going to like I'm going to.
I'm going to ask you to put I'mpushing back at you because I
need you to help awaken in methat whatever used to be a
little bit of an athlete, thatlike, because I can't pole vault
anymore, I don't want to doanything.
And there's so many times inyour life where those doors
closed and you kept going.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
So is this?
I don't have the grit that youhave, or I can't figure out how
to inspire myself the way youhave I do.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Okay, no, because you just we talked about it earlier
.
We have choices that we canmake.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Right, that's not a recording.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Yes, so you could choose what you'd like to do.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Oh my God, I'm just schooling your right now.
That's what I would like her todo.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
That's why I'm asking her to do it so if you are in a
situation and what I was taughtright, and you're struggling
with something.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
So here you are with your, your career and it ended,
and and I get what you're, whereyou're coming from, right.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
But a very wise man in priest taught me.
He says you know, jackie, ifsomething in your life and you
feel like you're at that momentof of moving forward or making a
change, he goes, all you haveto do is turn your head a
quarter and just look adifferent direction.
(33:23):
And every time I am out and I'mstruggling, I turn my head a
quarter and you see God's beautyand what the life he has given
me and the opportunities and theblessings so we can do.
Anyone can do anything theywant to do.
(33:47):
It's just your choice, yourmind and your decision.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
So so what I hear?
Speaker 2 (33:55):
you tell me is I'm stuck because I want to be stuck
, and just exactly right.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Yeah, that's exactly what she said.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
I don't want to want to be stuck.
Is that fair?
Speaker 3 (34:05):
I did have a coach what you have to do is just you
know, if you, whatever you'dlike to do, you know when I say
to anyone and it doesn't matterwhether you're in a wheelchair
or walking or whatever you knowwhat the hardest, the hardest
part is is putting on yoursneakers and tying your laces.
(34:26):
Once you do that and you getout the door, because once you,
you're out there, whatever yoursport or whatever, whatever it
is in life that you're doingafter you finish, the feeling of
accomplishment.
Even if it might not be the besttime at the best time, you're
just out there and you did it.
You did it for you.
(34:46):
You have to do your own race.
You're not competing against meor Kim or anyone.
You're just doing it for thelove of your heart and your soul
, to make you feel good.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
So what I hear you saying in that is something that
I try to talk to my clientsabout, which is moving from a
perfectionist's mindset to agrowth-oriented mindset.
So the perfectionist says it'sonly worth it if I get the gold
medal and you're saying no, no,no, no.
The growth that you embody byboth training and competing,
that's the win in and of itself.
Is that what you're saying?
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Right, Because you think about it.
What is the margin of gold,silver and bronze?
Only three right.
Yeah, and you have everybody.
So I know we all want that,even myself when I'm on Team USA
, but the honor of justrepresenting your country is
just honor enough and being thebest version of you.
(35:41):
That's the reward.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Do you feel like you have that mindset?
You carry that with you becausewhen you wake up in the morning
and your body hurts or yourbody doesn't want to move the
way you need it to move or dothe things or show up for
shifting gears United Event orFreedom Coast Ride that you have
coming up, do you feel like youalways have that mindset?
(36:07):
And if you don't, how do youget back there?
Speaker 3 (36:13):
A lot of time.
I honestly I just have to likeright now, my my plate is so
full with so many things goingon.
I was just asked for shiftinggears.
You know, we're asked to hostthe abilities expo, which I
cannot believe that we're goingto be doing this Huge on on
(36:34):
October 13.
I have that.
I have this spectacular eventfor the kids, halloween coming
up.
We have the Veterans Day paradethat we're involved with.
I have the Freedom Coast ride.
I have dance rehearsal for theholiday parade this afternoon.
(36:56):
On Tuesdays, I take pianolessons.
So that's my piano lessons fromone to two.
Wow, so I was jamming thismorning so I just started, you
know a few months ago, but Ilove it.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
So you have this full it really sounds like your life
is is full of meaningfulexperiences that you
intentionally, like that oneseemed to just drop into your
life like magic.
And also that you that youcultivate on your own, like the
piano lessons.
But certainly back to thequestion around like do you
(37:31):
always, are you able to alwayshave that mindset when you wake
up in the morning, like I'm justgoing to like choose to just go
for it, even if you're having ahard day, like your body's
hurting or you're feeling crappy.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
I'm very strong will because of all the adversity
that I have been through since ayoung age, you know, since my
20s and I'm going to be 61 inNovember.
You know again, you havechoices, so I can have a choice
(38:06):
to stay home and do anything,but like this.
God has gave us this beautifullife to live and you know we're
all created differently and Ijust believe that you know these
opportunities that just keepcoming to me and people reaching
(38:29):
out like like, for instance,for you reaching out to do this
podcast today, like I am sohonored.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
I'm honored that Jackie, what's the beauty that
you mentioned?
You know, like I, if I'msitting with a client who has a
more pessimistic mindset, oranyone has more pessimistic
mindset, they said what are youtalking about?
What beauty, like, look at this, look at Jackie.
You know she's this amazingathlete and they and pardon me
for this, but they could say,like what could she have been
(38:56):
without the meningitis and theSPS and the stroke and all these
things?
You know they like that wouldhave been beautiful, like this
is nice and you're shaking yourhead no you wouldn't change
anything?
No, I think so where's thebeauty come from?
Because the beauty clearlydoesn't mean an easy life and
the beauty doesn't mean anexpected life.
(39:17):
So what's beauty?
Speaker 3 (39:20):
The beauty is the people that have come into my
life and the opportunities thatI get to be involved with, with
helping others, like I love tohelp others.
The beauty is your heart, ofgiving, of just giving what you
(39:43):
can, and I am so blessed thatI'm able to do that.
You know I don't make a lot ofmoney I live off my disability
but you know I can pay my billsand if I take a couple hundred
dollars a week and buy cold cutsand some fruit and juice boxes
and stuff like that and can justhelp, you know I can't fix the
(40:08):
world.
I wish I could.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
I think it's like it really comes back to choice.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
That you are really choosing.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
You're choosing to see things and experience things
as beautiful, right?
Because obviously there couldbe not so great things.
That's what we're talking about, just right Things could be
hard.
Speaker 3 (40:32):
Everybody has adversity.
We all have adversity,everybody, everybody Right, so
it doesn't matter.
Okay, what do you want to dowith that adversity?
Do you want to sit home, sit ona couch and feel sorry for
yourself, or do you want to makea difference?
Speaker 2 (40:48):
I say what do you want to do with that adversity?
I love that.
That is like to me as such aquote, because people think
adversity is something that'syou see, you just use the
adversity as a point foropportunity.
That's what you say Opportunity.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
I wouldn't change anything in my life, nothing.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Nothing I always say when people talk about my
blindness and I've probably saidthis on another episode, a
different episode, I don't knowbut that every day I choose.
I can either choose toparticipate in life every day or
I can choose not to.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
And you choose to.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
Every day I choose to participate and go look.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
And you live such a full life.
I love watching you and I amjust floored by it's like I even
hear you say that about me.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
I'm just like what I mean.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
thanks, You're such an inspiration.
I always say how did you do it?
I can't wrap my brain around it.
Speaker 1 (41:51):
It's all about, I think, just living our lives and
just the fullest.
Speaker 3 (41:55):
That's exactly it.
And just you know, get you know, be involved in your community
and try to help someone.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
that Anyone just helps anyone.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
Just you know, because you don't know.
You know what's going on withsomebody else.
You know, unless they share itwith you.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
You know, you don't have a clue and it's so
cup-filling, to just connectwith human beings on a deeper
level.
Speaker 2 (42:24):
I want to ask you one question, if it's all right,
about your faith and belief,because you mentioned your
priest a few times.
I can see you wearing yourcross, and is that something
that you had from a young age,something you came to later on?
What's your belief done for youin your life?
Speaker 3 (42:42):
I was born a Catholic and now I am baptized as a
Episcopalian.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
And I go to the Good Shepherd Church right down the
road here, which is amazing.
Father Derek is young and mydad was a Franciscan priest and
Scotland.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Whoa Wow.
So you grew up with a faithstructure.
You know God was present inyour life.
Speaker 3 (43:10):
Always.
He's present in all our lives.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
Yes, so I grew up the only Jew in a neighborhood of
Catholics myself.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
And yeah, and you know I belong to the Jewish
Community Center of the HundredWomen and.
I brought a platter in andyou'll love this, being Jewish
and I said, oh, I'll bring aplatter in.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
Oh my God, I brought in.
I know where this is going.
I knew what I was actuallythought of.
I know where this is going, soI had prosciutto and all that
kind of stuff on it.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
I mean, you're Jewish , I guess you don't eat pork.
And I kept saying, isprosciutto pork, is prosciutto
pork?
Speaker 1 (43:47):
I did so I thought that counts.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Jackie.
Speaker 1 (43:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
I love that story.
I screwed that one up big time.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
I love that story, yeah, kim you want to ask about
the organizations.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean gosh,Jacob and I could talk to you
all day and I feel like we stilldidn't even touch on so much of
your life.
But I think it is important tomention or go into a little bit
more detail about yourorganizations, your Shifting
(44:15):
Gears United, as we mentionedearlier, and the Freedom Coast
ride that you do.
So tell us what these twomissions are about.
Speaker 3 (44:24):
So when I retired in 2016, and I knew I was done
because I finished in the Bfinal at the MC only sport I
didn't medal in and I was in mymid-fifth no in 2016.
And I came home and it wasreally hard.
(44:46):
I was stuck.
Speaker 1 (44:47):
What sport was that?
Speaker 3 (44:49):
I was rowing.
I stopped rowing because mydisease kind of progressed.
So that was right after the2010 Paralympics and Vancouver.
I didn't feel like I had apurpose.
I didn't know what to dobecause all I've done was be an
athlete and compete andrepresent our country.
(45:09):
So I was involved with othernonprofits and helping out and
volunteering and coaching andmentoring and it just came to me
that, wow, I should startsomething and all of a sudden
like wow, we all shift gears inlife, right?
(45:31):
And so that's how I came upwith the name of Shifting Gears,
because we all shift gears andyou're united as one.
But that's how I came up withit.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Gears in a system that's beautiful.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
Yeah, so it was born on 9-11, 2019, which it was
unbelievable because of myhusband being a fireman from up
north.
All the dates are just yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
What does Shifting Gears?
Speaker 1 (46:00):
do.
Yeah, what does it do for thecommunity?
Speaker 3 (46:03):
We have hand cycling, we have running, we do
triathlons All adaptive, alladaptive.
The kayak program is verypopular Kayaking, swimming.
So on Saturdays we do bricktraining.
So usually we do hand cycle andthen we go to the pool and
(46:23):
everyone swims afterwards.
But I just Just many adaptiveprograms wheelchair racing.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
So in a lot of ways, you created an organization that
brings the thing that you loveso much, which is athleticism
and sports camaraderieconnection, right.
Holiness, Holiness oh, I lovethat, Holiness.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
Holiness, you know sustainability.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
And what you did is you created an organization that
brings that all together for acommunity that otherwise might
not necessarily have the accessor with a lock right that you
might have had.
And then you and so you'reopening up all of this
opportunity.
That's what an incredible,that's man.
That's incredible.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
I'm very proud of it and I can't believe it's five
years.
I don't know where the fiveyears went.
Speaker 2 (47:20):
Wow, jack, besides the shifting gears, what was the
?
Speaker 1 (47:23):
other the Freedom Coast Ride.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
What's the Freedom Coast Ride?
Yeah, what is the Freedom CoastRide, and how does that work?
Speaker 3 (47:28):
So the Freedom Coast Ride is established just to be
all-inclusive.
It's our annual fundraiser, soit's very hard to bring in money
and get money to keep itrunning.
So this is our annualfundraiser.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
That's, the funders are four shifting gears.
Speaker 3 (47:50):
Yes, and the money goes back to and everybody comes
together.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Whether you are a person who's able-bodied or a
person who might be a handcyclist or doesn't matter right,
it's a ride from.
Speaker 3 (48:02):
It doesn't matter.
E-bikes, everybody.
It's just a day so wellorganized.
Speaker 1 (48:06):
From where to where?
Where do you guys?
Speaker 3 (48:08):
ride.
So it's a 40 and 70 mile course.
We go from West Palm.
The 40-miler goes to theJupiter Juno-Mersinski, right up
along the beach.
There's exactly 20 miles andthen it goes straight back.
The 70-miler's continue onbeing the Route 1 bridges closed
.
They go down Indian Town A1Aand over to Cato's on a Jupiter
(48:32):
Island down to Bridge Road.
That's 35 and a half milesright on Bridge Road there as
you hit Martin County, and thenon back.
So it's an out and back course.
So you have three fully reststops where Cardinal, newman,
benjamin, the Boy Scouts, thoseare all.
They all carry the rest stopsthat are fully stocked.
Publix.
I just got their donationyesterday for the bananas and
(48:55):
oranges and When's the next ride?
It's coming up right.
In a week we're having it onVeterans Day.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
I wish I could go.
Yeah, we had to, but we'regoing to have to.
Speaker 3 (49:07):
I was going to say to you, kim, I have a gentleman
here that does, because I have ayoung lady.
She's not riding right now.
His wife actually has ALS, thatvolunteers and he helps out on
the tandem bikes, if that'ssomething you want to think
about, and I would sponsor yourhotel room.
Speaker 2 (49:28):
Oh, my God.
Speaker 3 (49:29):
Jackie, If you guys wanted to come down and I would
sponsor your hotel.
I can't sponsor yourregistration, but it's only $75.
Speaker 1 (49:35):
No, no, you don't even need to sponsor my hotel.
That's very, very generous.
I love events like this.
We'll talk off the air about itfor sure.
Speaker 2 (49:45):
It has really been such an absolute pleasure to
meet you.
You have no idea.
And now I just have.
Speaker 3 (49:51):
Well, like life, I'm honored.
Speaker 2 (49:53):
I'm just going to carry in my head First off.
You're really going to helpkeep me going, jackie personally
, so I appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (50:01):
I'm glad, thank you.
Speaker 2 (50:03):
Hopefully I can get back into doing some sort of
athletic something along the way, because I can't think of a
reason not to anymore.
So I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (50:10):
It's all about it.
It's all about it.
It's your partner, right nextto you.
Speaker 3 (50:12):
He's so athletic, he could be your inspiration right
there.
All you got to do is, like Isay, turn your head.
Just turn your head A quarter.
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (50:20):
Oh my gosh, what a full circle moment.
We want to thank you for justhaving this beautiful
conversation with us.
For all the people that arelistening, it's just, it's been
an honor honestly an honor, anda privilege.
So if you want to know moreinformation about Jackie's
organization, shifting GearsUnited, you can find it on.
(50:42):
We're going to post it right.
Put it in the show notesabsolutely yeah, and we're going
to put this on social media sohopefully we can generate some
traffic for you, jackie, okay.
Speaker 3 (50:52):
That sounds wonderful and I just want to thank you
both so much.
It was such an honor and I knowit was so much and going all
over.
Speaker 1 (50:57):
No, it was good, great stuff.
No, don't even.
Speaker 3 (51:00):
I mean parts of you lived a full.
Speaker 1 (51:03):
No, we're crazy.
Speaker 3 (51:03):
Life of mind.
Speaker 1 (51:04):
You've lived a beautiful, full life, and you've
chosen to do that, and that'sthe entire point of this podcast
.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (51:13):
Just like you, kim.
Okay, thanks so much, jackie.
Speaker 3 (51:15):
Thanks Jacob, Thanks Kim, have a beautiful day.
Speaker 2 (51:18):
You too.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
Thank you for this opportunity.
Speaker 2 (51:20):
I'm grateful Absolutely.
Thank you for joining us, okay.
Speaker 3 (51:22):
You got it.
See you soon, see you All right, bye-bye.
Speaker 2 (51:31):
We hope you enjoyed watching the wrap up of the
video.
Thanks, guys.
Okay, thank you, you're welcome.
Speaker 1 (51:37):
And I hope that.
You hope you enjoyed watchingit.
Okay, thanks, gil.
Thanks, take care, thanks, bye,bye you.
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