9. Rebecca Koltun: Life After the Fall

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In March 2021, Rebecca Koltun’s life changed in an instant. A catastrophic skiing accident left her paralyzed from the neck down—but that’s not where her story ends. From hospital beds to speaking stages, Rebecca has become a living testament to resilience, humor, and the power of showing up anyway. In this episode, Rebecca shares how she rebuilt her life post-injury, what drives her every day, and why laughter is one of her greatest survival tools. It’s a raw, real, and unexpectedly uplifting conversation about independence, identity, and finding joy when everything feels broken. Whether she’s cracking jokes, chasing new goals, or reshaping what’s possible after paralysis, Rebecca reminds us: your spirit is never out of reach. 

Connect with Rebecca here: 

• Instagram: ⁠@rebecca_koltun

• Her paintings: ⁠@madebymouth

• Tiktok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@notparalyzedjustlazy⁠ 

• Koltun Strong Foundation: ⁠Walk-Run-Roll 5k⁠ 

Mahalo for joining us, Rebecca 🤙🏽 Let’s dive into her extraordinary story- 

1. Intro to Rebecca – 00:01:15:13 

2. The skiing accident and initial recovery – 00:03:03:13 

3. Facing emotional lows and early mindset challenges – 00:05:48:21 

4. Support from family and friends during hospitalization – 00:07:13:08 

5. Starting to regain positivity through rehab – 00:10:02:26 

6. Communication struggles and learning to speak again – 00:11:16:06 

7. Creating funny and educational content on social media – 00:21:11:25 

8. Using dark humor as a healing tool – 00:23:17:11 

9. Medical scare while traveling and defining resilience – 00:25:08:21 

10. Future goals, art, and balancing work with disability benefits – 00:33:05:16 

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Credits: Hosted & Executive Produced by Thomas Craig VIII. Guest Appearance by John Pendleton. Produced by Voice & Video- Bill Lanzaratto, Audio Engineer by Mickey. Edited by Lizi Bronson. Graphics by Jeff Lee. Special Thanks for their invaluable work, Rosie Flores 

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the participants and do not necessarily represent those of "The Sick Burn Podcast," its affiliates, or any organizations we are associated with. This podcast for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice.

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