S7 E5 - Attitude Is Everything, Featuring Ian Mackay

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.TakeawaysAdaptation to life-changing circumstancesImpact of mobile technology on independence Accessibility technology empowers independenceOutdoor adventures for people with disabilitiesCommunity impact of nonprofit organizationChapters00:00 Introduction and Childhood05:59 Hobbies and Cycling Accident12:12 Rehabilitation and Mental Health18:00 Mental Struggle and Recovery25:53 Working with Apple on Accessibility Technology32:07 Creating a Nonprofit Organization and Community Impact