Michael Orris

In the Spring of 2009, I suffered a near-fetal injury in a bicycle accident while training for an Ironman competition. The accident left me with a severe TBI that required months of hospital stays and rehabilitation, including learning to recognize my family again, read and write. My presentation is how I, the former captain of Michigan States swim team, made a remarkable journey from the hospital bed to a full recovery, and then a battle through cancer and back. It is a story about how I rebuilt my career, family and ultimately my life. The presentation takes audiences on an emotional journey of fear, triumph and joy. The message arms the audience members with life skills that can easily be incorporated into their daily lives to help navigate challenges and experience more joy in their daily lives.