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July 4, 2025 66 mins

Today’s guest, Lyubim Kogan, is a five-time first-generation immigrant, Winter Olympian, NYU Stern grad, and 9/11 survivor. From Wall Street to war zones, Lyubim’s life has been anything but ordinary.

He’s the founder of Wings4Heroes.org, where he helps amputee veterans rediscover joy and purpose through paragliding adventures. A bestselling co-author with Steve Forbes and speaker at the UN alongside Brian Tracy, Lyubim shares powerful lessons on resilience, service, and what it truly means to keep a promise — especially when the path ahead is uncertain.

Want to be a guest on Stories from Real Life? Send Melvin Edwards a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/storiesfromreallife.

www.podcastreallife.com

👉 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wings4heroes/above-it-all-or-how-no-one-can-take-away-your-dreams

Takeaways

Lyubim Kogan's journey as a five-time immigrant showcases resilience.

The importance of community support for immigrants is crucial.

Pursuing dreams can lead to unexpected paths in life.

Wings for Heroes aims to support wounded veterans in need.

Apathy is a significant threat to societal compassion.

Personal stories can have a global impact.

The journey of an immigrant often involves cultural assimilation.

Kogan emphasizes the importance of keeping promises to veterans.

Volunteering and donating blood can make a difference.

Every individual can contribute to a greater cause.



Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe
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