Cover Stories
The Ultimate Fighter Season 14
Tate invited motivational speaker Kenny Salvini to talk to her team. A former skier, Salvini is now paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair after a botched jump. The team seemed to latch on to his words, and his story inspired them to push harder to achieve their goals and to appreciate their natural gifts.
Life on the Road: Accessible RVs
With a growing number of accessible RV and motorhome options, more wheelchair users are trying out a mobile existence. Fresh off his first extended road trip, Kenny Salvini checks in with Gabby Richards and other mobile homeowners to report on the appeal, options, benefits and drawbacks of the RV lifestyle.
In this year’s Sex, Wheels & Relationships issue, we focus on the beginnings of two journeys affected by spinal cord injury. Kenny Salvini opens up about the long road he and his wife traveled in hopes of having a child together via in vitro fertilization, and he talks with others who’ve been down the same path. Ali Ingersoll documents the ups and downs of her first year of marriage and the added emotions and logistics that come with being a quad.
Doing Life: Pushing Beyond Fear
Living a fearless life after a spinal cord injury doesn’t mean living with a lack of fear. In fact, it’s the opposite. It’s having fears and choosing to go forward despite them. Kenny Salvini talks with other wheelers about how doing life post-SCI requires a special kind of fearlessness tailored for the unique challenges we face.
Two airlines broke Kenny Salvini’s wheelchair over the course of one year, and in doing so they set him on a mission to find out why accessible air travel is so difficult. What he found is a history of failed policy, an industry blinded by money – and a growing voice for change.
Other Stories
Three Years into the Pandemic: A New System for Support
The empty streets and toilet paper shortages of 2020 seem like ancient history, but three years later the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic still surround us and profoundly affect our everyday lives.
Five Pro Tips for Flying With a Power Wheelchair
Former professional wakeboarder and avid international traveler, Ben Leclair, and others share tips on how to maximize your ability to travel safely and independently.
Engracia Figueroa’s Death Shows How Dangerous Flying as a Wheelchair User Can Be
This is by far the most heart-wrenching and infuriating story I’ve had to write, as Engracia Figueroa’s death should have been completely avoidable… And it could’ve easily been me. We’ve been calling for systemic change in air travel for decades, what else is it going to take?
When Bill Miller rolls into the bowling alley, heads inevitably turn, but it’s not because the C1-2 quad is bowling while using his ventilator. It’s because of the high scores he racks up. Kenny Salvini profiles the man behind the device that opened up the lanes to people of all abilities — the IKAN Bowler.
Why I Was Wrong About Dr. Phil’s Caregiver Episode
Time for me to eat some crow, my friends. I jumped on the viral bandwagon of outrage directed at Dr. Phil before I actually watched the show in question.
Ian Mackay has put thousands of miles on his sip-and-puff power chair, crisscrossing the Pacific Northwest to raise awareness of the need for accessible trails. Kenny Salvini profiles the dreadlocked pioneer.
Families Like Ours: The Power of Connection
What happens when four families with high-level quad dads meet in person for the first time? Kristen Sachs and Kenny Salvini capture the special gathering.
Todd Stabelfeldt: Titan of Tech
Talk about tech cred. Todd Stabelfeldt was part of Nintendo’s R&D program as a boy. Now some call him “the quadfather of tech.”
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
There’s more than one way to get from here to there. Kenny Salvini breaks down the accessibility of the most popular transportation options.
Getting the Equipment You Need and Learning to Self-Advocate
How do you succeed in getting the equipment you want and need? Connections, politeness and tenacity.
King 5 – A Different Love Story
King 5 – Doing Life 10 Years Post-Injury
KOMO 4 – Airlines
King 5 –A Valentine’s Day love story
Kenny Salvini 