The QuadCast

The QuadCast

My name is John McAleavey, and on August 19, 1992 I suffered a Central Cord Syndrome injury to my cervical spine at the C-3/4 level following a fall down my basement steps. I was told early on that no two SCI’s are the same, and while that may be true, many of the struggles we're left with are. So let's talk about them. The QuadCast Podcast is mainly aimed at the disabled community, but is really for ANYONE looking to be inspired. You'll hear from fellow SCI'ers, to highlight their personal stories of struggle and triumph, doctors, therapists, and others who work on behalf of our community to share any new developments or breakthroughs in the fight. I hope that by talking/sharing/commiserating/LAUGHING, we will fully understand that no one is alone in this. Think of the QuadCast as a 30 to 45 minute session of OT/PT for the soul!

Episodes

July 4, 2026 47 mins

This episode is a first for me here at The QuadCast. It features an "actual long time listener" of this podcast, one who understands exactly what living with a spinal cord injury is like.

I had the absolute pleasure speaking with Richie Redsicker, learning all about him, his injury, remarkable family, and his life in general. I know you will enjoy getting to know him as much as I did! Speaking of which, you can do that even more b...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Matt and Jen Hellstern are my guests this week on the QP. Find out how a seemingly innocuous fender bender one day on the way to work changed their entire family's life forever! They share their personal experiences of navigating a new normal following Matt's SCI. From the confusion of how it all came to be, to hours and hours of PT and OT, his participation in numerous clinical trials, and more.

You will hear what an amazingly r...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Cristina Cortez
Author, Poet, Independent Researcher, Advocate & Speaker 

Cristina Cortez is a first-generation Latin-American BIPOC author, poet, memoirist, disability advocate, public humanities educator, and interdisciplinary scholar whose work explores the intersections of disability, identity, memory, mythology, travel, literature, and cultural inheritance through poetry, memoir, hybrid nonfiction, and publi...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Summary

In this heartfelt interview my guest, Steve Zutty shares his inspiring journey through spinal injuries, rehabilitation, and the importance of resilience, family, and community support. You'll hear how he navigates life's challenges with humor, determination, and a positive outlook. You're going to LOVE Steve, this is a fun episode!

Takeaways

  • Importance of long-lasting friendships and family support
  • Challenges and experienc...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

The boys are back! John McAleavey, Barry Munro, and Sasha Rabchevsky, (3 Men & A SCI), are thrilled to have Dr. Trevor Dyson Hudson, Director of The Center For Spinal Cord Injury Research, Kessler Foundation join the band for a frank discussion on the alarming lack of knowledge in SCI care among emergency room personnel, and medical professionals in general. We highlight the challenges faced by those of us living with spinal co...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Ian Mackay is my guest on the latest edition of The QuadCast. He chronicles his journey from growing up in beautiful San Diego county to how he endured his life-changing cycling accident.

In spite of his SCI, Ian has truly made his mark on the world. You'll learn how he worked with Apple on their iPhone's voice recognition system, which not only impacted his independence and connection to nature, but opened amazing opportunities f...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

The latest episode of The 3 Men & A SCI Podcast has dropped. In this edition, John McAleavey, Barry Munro, and Sasha Rabchevsky, had the pleasure of speaking with Matthew Roderick, Executive Director of The Unite 2 Fight Paralysis Foundation.

Their conversation delves into the SCI landscape, the impact of advocacy and activism, understanding the difference between the two, engaging the SCI community in advocacy, and the importan...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Kenny Salvini is my guest on the latest edition of the QP. Following his spinal cord injury, the result of a skiing accident, he took six years to process his new life/situation. However, meeting a fellow quad, one who had been injured for many years and was married, showed him what was still possible. Kenny is now married himself, has a young daughter, and is the cofounder of the Here and Now Project. Their mission is to connect a...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

The latest episode of the QP features an amazing young man, Owen Weiss. He is a wheelchair athlete, educator, and storyteller, whose life changed after a rare spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) led to three spinal surgeries. He recovered fully from the first two, but following the third (after walking himself into the operating room), he woke unable to move his legs, and with major loss of sensation from the waist down.

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
February 9, 2026 53 mins

Terry McGhee's life has been defined by service; service to his family, his fellow soldiers/officers, and his country. He was kind enough to chronicle all of this and much more in the latest episode of the QP.

You'll learn about Terry's childhood and upbringing, his career in the NYPD, involvement in counterterrorism operations, and the life-changing spinal cord injury he sustained during a deployment overseas. Terry highlights his ...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
February 1, 2026 55 mins

Vanessa Osman is a voice-over artist, actress, model, writer, peer-mentor, quadriplegic, and my guest ,on the very first episode of 2026. She is a dynamo, I can't wait for you to hear her story!  

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
The boys are back! Barry Munro, John McAleavey, and Sasha Rabchevsky, three men with over 100 years of lived experience with spinal cord injury, have teamed up to share our knowledge on all things SCI related. Today's episode is dedicated to bladder management. We chronicle how each of us manages our situation (they're completely different), while also highlighting areas of need, concern, hope, and progress on the horizon, regardi...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
October 6, 2025 41 mins
Welcome to 3 Men & A SCI — where lived experience challenges convention, and science meets reality. We’re Barry Munro, John McAleavey, and Sasha Rabchevsky — three men living with chronic spinal cord injury, and who’ve spent decades immersed in the world of SCI: as researchers, advocates, educators, and survivors. This podcast was born from a simple truth: those living with SCI are too often talked abo...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
So, how many of you out there are the subject of an Amazon Prime Docuseries? Me neither. My guest today, Torsten Gross is, and on today's episode of the QuadCast, you will hear all about it. He is a motivational speaker, brand ambassador, husband, dog dad, chief marketing officer, mountain biker, scuba diver, racecar driver, and did I mention C6 quadriplegic? As if that weren't enough he is also the co-founder of the Just Hands F...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
I had the wonderful opportunity of speaking with Maggie Goldberg, President and CEO of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, for this week's episode of The QuadCast. Following a C2 injury at 16 years old, one that she fully recovered from thank goodness, Maggie seemed destined to work on behalf of the paralysis community. She started at the Reeve Foundation in 2000, and has held numerous positions over the years: Senior Vi...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
June 26, 2025 57 mins
Erawadi Singh grew up sleeping on a sofa in the living room of her family's one-bedroom apartment in one of New Jersey's most difficult neighborhoods. Determined to give back, she would complete her schoolwork on the floor of her parents' bedroom, earning academic scholarships for higher educational pursuits while working to contribute to school tuition and helping care for her grandmother as she suffered from Alzheimer's dementia....
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Stacey Frigerio Mahdavian graduated from UMass Amherst in 1989. She planned to work as a camp counselor that summer and then travel a bit. Unfortunately, life had another idea. On a gravel road in the middle of nowhere Wyoming, the car in which she was riding, fishtailed and then flipped four times. In between the third and fourth flip, she was thrown 100 feet from the car and sustained a spinal cord injury at L1 and L2. At the tim...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Ian Ruder, editor-in-chief of New Mobility, is a writer, editor, connector, who prides himself on bringing a well-rounded, people-first approach to all of his work. As the Editor of New Mobility, he works to ensure the voice of people with mobility-related disabilities are authentically represented in all of their content. A wheelchair user himself, he's a passionate advocate for the community who draws great plesasure from meeting...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
March 12, 2025 63 mins
Imagine being on vacation in a foreign country, having an amazing time sightseeing, trying new foods, and immersing yourself in the culture. Then in a split second, everything changes and you are a C-6 quadriplegic. Well, that is exactly what happened to my guest this week, Laura Taylor, following an automobile accident in Spain. Her injury has certainly not stood in her way however, as she is thriving today. Laura creates weekly ...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
February 25, 2025 57 mins
When Jenny Smith was 16 years old, she sustained a C6-7 spinal cord injury, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down. After completing her master’s degree in counseling psychology, she distributed wheelchairs for eight years in developing countries. For over 13 years, she supported cross-cultural workers as they served overseas By coming alongside people with spinal cord injuries and chronic physical conditions, Jenny hopes...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

    Betrayal Weekly

    Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.

  • Help
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • AdChoicesAd Choices