This special Christmas episode of We’re Not Stumped is a heartfelt reflection from host Mike Bolland on resilience, community, and gratitude during the holiday season.
Instead of an interview, Mike takes a few minutes to acknowledge the realities many people in the limb loss and disability community face during the holidays — from accessibility challenges and family dynamics to grief, growth, and adapting to change — all with warmth and a touch of humor.
Mike also shares what this podcast has taught him over the past year and gives a heartfelt shout-out to some incredible guests who trusted him with their stories, including Jessica Cox, Brooke Brown, Steven Vine, Kelly Grey-Parker, and Neomi Flores.
If you’re navigating a difficult season, missing someone, or simply need a reminder that you’re not alone — this episode is for you.
🎄 Merry Christmas from the We’re Not Stumped community.
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What happens when you begin losing your vision as a child—and refuse to let it define your future? In this inspiring episode of We're Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland welcomes Kathy Nimmer, recipient of the prestigious Helen Keller Achievement Award, author, speaker, and retired high school English teacher who spent nearly three decades educating and inspiring students while living with blindness. Kathy shares her remarkable journey of progressive vision loss caused by a rare retinal degenerative disease, the challenges she faced along the way, and the resilience that helped her build a life filled with purpose, achievement, and impact.
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Ever since announcing his return to competitive bowling, Mike Bolland has been getting one question after another from friends, bowlers, podcast listeners, and people discovering his story for the first time. In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike answers the top three questions he keeps hearing: 🎳 How did he start bowling? 🎳 Why did he walk away from the sport? 🎳 Why is he coming back now at 61 years old? Mike shares the story behind becoming the first person with limb loss to compete on the PBA Tour, the life experiences that pulled him away from bowling, and how volunteering with Arizona Disabled Sports unexpectedly helped inspire his comeback journey toward the PBA60 World Championship.



