December 07, 2022

Mike Shoreman: First Athlete with Disabilities to cross all five Great Lakes

49 minutes

From a paddle boarding coaching career to becoming physically and mentally unbalanced. That’s the life-changing call for this week’s Team Never Quit guest, Mike Shoreman. Marcus and Mike discuss the affliction of the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, and Mike’s relentless never quit the pursuit of a “normal” life. His mission to prove everyone wrong not only resulted in walking again, but getting back on the paddle board despite his vertigo, and becoming the first person with a disability to cross from one country to another by paddle board while raising funds and awareness for youth mental health programs and services. He crossed all 5 Great Lakes. Mike encourages all people to change their personal struggles into their greatest weapons and develop confident versions of themselves.

In this episode you will hear:

My Chicken Pox from when I was a kid re-activated as Shingles. My symptoms developed over five days, and all the nerves in my face shattered and it looks like I had a stroke.

I lost my independence, my business, and my identity.

I had a significant mental crisis and breakdown.

It was so easy to say “I’m fine.” I did that for months but I wasn’t fine.

As my physical recovery improved, so did my mental state.

I was forced into mental health treatment. I wasn’t eager to go and get it.

Mental health is the most underfunded of all healthcare systems.

That first crossing set everything in place that we needed to know.

Lake Huron and Lake Michigan gave me the most fight.

It took me 28 hours to cross. My feet “pruned” and I couldn’t stand. The Canadian Coast Guard and paramedics came to be sure I was okay.

The thing that set in was - Who this is for?

I was going 2 1/2mph to 3mph for 28 hours. I was literally going to the bathroom on myself every 10 minutes.

I had to say to myself “You’ve been through tougher than this and this isn’t going to last forever.

Men & women of service are deeply inspirational.

Nothing in life is permanent.

Life is a series of peaks and valleys.

Resilience is built.

Support Mike

Mike's Book

https://www.instagram.com/mike_shoreman/

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https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/

https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/

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By Marcus Luttrell

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