Host Mike Bolland sits down with Alexia Michitti—a public speaker, athlete, and entrepreneur born without a right hand. Together, they reflect on their shared experiences of limb difference and Alexia’s powerful journey of resilience, determination, and innovation.
Alexia shares how she’s breaking barriers in sports and beyond—from representing the U.S. in the first Women’s Amputee Soccer World Cup, to filing a patent for adaptive clothing through her brand Em13race (https://em13race.com/), to finding her voice as a motivational speaker. She opens up about life without a prosthetic, her role models, and her passion for inspiring children with limb differences to embrace their uniqueness.
💡 What you’ll hear in this episode:
- Alexia’s journey of resilience and self-identity
- Competing on the world stage at the Women’s Amputee Soccer World Cup
- Why she chooses life without a prosthetic
- The launch of her adaptive clothing brand, Embrace 13
- The importance of empowering kids and families with limb differences
- What’s next for Alexia in speaking and brand growth
✨ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to We’re Not Stumped for more stories of resilience, advocacy, and community!
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
In this episode of the We're Not Stumped podcast, host Mike Bolland sits down with Janne Kouri, entrepreneur, founder of NextStep, and co-founder of Lencaro Finnish Long Drink. Janne shares the incredible story of how a spinal cord injury from a swimming accident in 2006 changed the course of his life. After spending two months in the ICU battling paralysis, pneumonia, and a 104-degree fever, he traveled more than 2,000 miles to receive groundbreaking activity-based rehabilitation that wasn't covered by insurance—but changed everything. That experience inspired him to create NextStep, a nonprofit rehabilitation center that helps people living with paralysis access advanced therapy long after traditional insurance benefits end.
Access to the resources, support, and equipment needed after limb loss can change a person's life—but for many, those essentials remain out of reach. In this episode of We're Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland spotlights Amputee Aid and A Leg Forever, two organizations dedicated to helping people with limb loss reclaim independence, confidence, and hope. While each organization has its own unique mission, both are committed to removing barriers by providing financial assistance, equipment, peer support, and other critical resources that help individuals move forward after amputation. Mike discusses why a supportive community can make all the difference during recovery and beyond. Whether you're living with limb loss, supporting someone who is, or simply looking for stories of compassion, advocacy, and resilience, this episode highlights how generosity and community can create lasting change.
What does it really take to learn to walk again after an amputation? In this episode of We're Not Stumped, Mike Bolland welcomes physical therapist John Lottes, DPT, Clinical Supervisor at First Step Physical Therapy and an adjunct professor who specializes in prosthetic rehabilitation. John shares how an unexpected career path led him to working with individuals with limb loss and explains why the biggest hurdle in recovery often isn't physical—it's confidence. Together, Mike and John discuss the importance of celebrating small victories, building trust with your rehabilitation team, and developing the mindset needed to regain independence.
