In this deeply moving episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland welcomes Scott Martin, a bilateral hand amputee, soccer coach, and author of the upcoming memoir Play From Your Heart. Scott opens up about the life-altering infection in 1993 that led to the loss of both hands and parts of his feet, and the emotional aftermath that followed. He speaks honestly about denial, detachment, and the five-year struggle with depression that tested his identity, confidence, and purpose.
Despite unimaginable challenges, Scott refused to step away from the game he loved. He continued coaching soccer using adaptive equipment, determination, humor, and grit—doing everything he could to show up for his players while still processing his trauma internally. Eventually, his journey intersected with advanced prosthetics research, leading him to Johns Hopkins to test cutting-edge myoelectric prosthetic technology. Scott offers powerful insight into what works, what doesn’t, and why technology must always stay grounded in real human needs.
Scott also shares the emotional turning points that helped him heal, including his mother’s unwavering encouragement and the mindset shift that allowed him to rebuild his life. His story eventually led him back to the soccer field, where he coached a youth team to a state championship and rediscovered purpose, leadership, and community. That experience inspired his book, Play From Your Heart, which speaks to the disability community, the soccer world, and anyone who has ever had to rebuild life after loss.
This conversation is about resilience, identity, mental health, disability advocacy, and what it truly means to adapt and keep moving forward. Scott reminds us that healing takes time, purpose can look different than we imagined, and strength often shows up when we need it most.
If you’re part of the amputee or limb difference community, a caregiver, an athlete, or someone navigating your own life challenges, Scott Martin’s story will stay with you long after you listen.
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Mike Bolland shares the story behind Enable Review — a new community-powered platform created to help people with limb loss, limb difference, and caregivers find prosthetic, orthotic, and rehabilitation care they can trust. After hearing powerful stories from guests and listeners, Mike explains why real patient experiences matter — and how Enable Review puts those voices front and center. Enable Review isn’t about ads or marketing. It’s about lived experience. If you’ve worked with a prosthetist, orthotist, physical therapist, or rehab clinic, we invite you to be part of our early community. https://enablereview.com/
Host Mike Bolland sits down with Risa August — cancer survivor, author, patient advocate, and TEDx speaker — to talk about transforming adversity into impact. Risa shares her journey after being diagnosed with acromegaly, the life-altering treatments she endured, and how she rebuilt her life with courage, mindset, and purpose. From losing her identity to riding 1,845 miles from Canada to Mexico, Risa proves that resilience can create extraordinary new beginnings. This conversation is about more than survival — it’s about finding purpose, shifting your mindset, and helping others rise after life’s greatest challenges.
In this powerful and reflective episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland welcomes Terry Tucker, author of Four Truths and a Lie, for a deep conversation about mindset, mental toughness, and what it truly means to live a significant life. Terry shares the philosophy behind his latest book, which challenges common definitions of success rooted in money, status, and material achievement. Instead, he invites listeners to rethink success through the lens of service, responsibility, and impact on others. At the heart of his message is one foundational truth: if you don’t control your mind, it will control you.
