Over the past few weeks, I was fortunate to be featured by ABC15 and Arizona’s Family as I prepare for my return to PBA competition after more than 30 years away from the sport.
The television stories were fantastic, but as anyone who has ever done an interview knows, there’s always more that doesn’t make the final cut.
In this special solo episode of the We’re Not Stumped podcast, I share some of the stories, organizations, and experiences that didn’t make it into the TV segments, including:
• The mission behind the We’re Not Stumped podcast
• Joe & Marie Bolland’s Helping Hands and supporting people with limb loss and limb differences
• Enable Review and helping people make informed prosthetic care decisions
• Why this comeback is about much more than bowling
The bowling ball may have opened the door, but the real story is about service, community, resilience, and making the most of the opportunities life gives us.
Have a stump and a smile!
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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.
Host Mike Bolland welcomes Whitney Lavender — Miss Wheelchair Tennessee 2026, author, advocate, and host of the Wits Grit podcast — for an inspiring conversation about resilience, purpose, and overcoming unimaginable challenges. After a devastating fall led to a diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Whitney faced years of severe pain, countless treatments, and ultimately bilateral leg amputations. Rather than allowing adversity to define her, she rebuilt her life and discovered a new purpose through advocacy, storytelling, and empowering others. Whitney’s story is a powerful reminder that our greatest challenges can sometimes reveal strengths we never knew we had.
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.
