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 for the entire disabled community.

He battled years of depression until finding a way to get outside again. Ian began traveling bike paths in his local area of Port Angeles, WA and kept going just a little farther. In 2016 he rode his power wheelchair across the state of Washington from North to South. The 2016 Ride garnered a great deal of media attention, and Ian became a spokesperson, encouraging the mobility challenged to get outside and advocating for outdoor accessibility - complete, connected trails and routes for ALL abilities. Ian's Ride was born, and today his non-profit has many events on their schedule.

Takeaways

• Adaptation to life-changing circumstances
• Impact of mobile technology on independence Accessibility technology empowers independence
• Outdoor adventures for people with disabilities
• Community impact of nonprofit organization

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Childhood
• 05:59 Hobbies and Cycling Accident
• 12:12 Rehabilitation and Mental Health
• 18:00 Mental Struggle and Recovery
• 25:53 Working with Apple on Accessibility Technology
• 32:07 Creating a Nonprofit Organization and Community Impact