What happens when life takes you in an unexpected direction? For William Person, it meant going from college track and field to becoming an Olympic bobsledder — despite once thinking the sport was “stupid.”
In this compelling episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland dives deep into Will’s remarkable story — from athletic triumphs to the unseen mental and physical toll of high-impact sports.
Will shares:
✅ An Unexpected Start – How a Canadian team discovered him at ASU and convinced him to try bobsledding—only for him to win a medal in his first week.
✅ The Hidden Dangers – The connection between bobsledding and CTE, the effects of repeated high G-forces, and the lack of medical safeguards for athletes.
✅ Cognitive & Emotional Struggles – How memory lapses, confusion, and the loss of a teammate shaped his journey toward healing.
✅ Advocacy & Recovery – Will’s mission to raise awareness about mental health, his success with oxygen therapy, and his vision to open a treatment facility for athletes and veterans in St. Louis.
This episode goes far beyond sports—it’s a story of resilience, healing, and the fight for athlete safety.
👉 Tune in to hear how William turned pain into purpose, and why his advocacy could change the future of mental health in athletics.
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
In this episode of “We’re Not Stumped,” we explore three stories that highlight resilience, courage, and safety: Top Books by and about amputees for 2024, the inspiring story of a high school football player who bravely rushed to save his mom in a car accident, leading to the amputation of his leg and a major recall of 70,000 lounge chairs due to safety concerns, including risks that could cause amputations.
In this episode of "We're Not Stumped," host Mike Bolland sits down with Jakob Kepka to discuss his remarkable journey. Jakob's life took a drastic turn after a workplace injury in 1979, leading to years of treatments, including repeated Cortisone shots, and ultimately six knee replacements between 2001 and 2013. Listen in as Jakob shares his story of resilience, overcoming physical challenges, and how he's turned his experiences into a mission of hope and inspiration called the "Hoperaising Expedition".
