What happens when you survive COVID… but wake up to a completely different life?
In this powerful episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Brianna Heitzman, a certified employment specialist with Down Syndrome of Louisville, whose life was forever changed after a severe battle with COVID-19.
After being placed on a ventilator and ECMO, Brianna faced an unimaginable outcome—the loss of her legs. But her story doesn’t end there.
This is a conversation about resilience, identity, and rebuilding a life with purpose.
Mike and Brianna dive into:
• Her near-death experience and long road to recovery
• The emotional and physical realities of limb loss
• Learning to adapt and regain independence
• Navigating prosthetics and ongoing challenges
• The ERTL procedure and what it means for recovery
• How her experience shaped her work helping others with employment and benefits
• Her involvement with the Moving Forward Amputee Network
Brianna’s journey is raw, real, and deeply inspiring—a reminder that even after life-changing trauma, there is still a path forward.
🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more powerful stories from the limb loss and disability community.
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
In this episode of "We're Not Stumped," host Mike Bolland engages in a heartfelt conversation with amputee Nick Pryor, the inspiring Athletics Program Manager at Ability360. Nick opens up about his journey from a small town in Dunkirk, Indiana, [...]
Listen as host Mike Bolland picks three limb loss/amputee headlines for the week and discusses them in these 'Headlines" episodes. Headline #1: Michael Palin says he still talks to his late wife: ‘It’s a bit like losing a limb’ [...]
On this episode of "We're Not Stumped," we welcome Ashley Ramirez, an inspiring individual whose life took an unexpected turn on November 1st, 2023. A severe car accident left Ashley as an above-knee amputee on her left leg. Now, [...]
