In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland introduces the first part of his personal “Triple A’s” philosophy: Alone, Advocacy, and Attitude. Today’s focus is on that first word—Alone—a stage that many people experience after limb loss but rarely talk about openly.
Mike, a congenital amputee and cancer survivor, shares what it means to feel alone physically, emotionally, and socially after amputation—and why that feeling doesn’t have to last forever.
He explores practical, real-world solutions that help amputees take their first steps toward healing, including:
- The power of peer support and community
- How therapy and mental health resources can help
- Adaptive sports and creative outlets to rediscover purpose
- Navigating prosthetics, rehab, and daily independence
- Rebuilding identity and reclaiming confidence
Whether you’re newly navigating limb loss or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder that you’re never truly alone. Hope, connection, and healing are all within reach.
🦾 Part 1 of Mike Bolland’s Triple A’s: Alone. Advocacy. Attitude.
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What does it take to turn a life challenge into a lifelong passion for sports and coaching? On this episode of We're Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland talks with Marc Burkom, a double below-knee amputee born with fibular hemimelia who has built a life around athletics, coaching, and helping others reach their potential. Marc shares how his parents made the difficult decision to amputate his feet when he was just two months old — a choice that allowed him to grow up active in sports like soccer, baseball, and basketball. Today, Marc works in coaching education and advocates for expanding opportunities for adaptive and amputee athletes. In this conversation, Marc and Mike discuss growing up with prosthetics, the role sports played in building confidence, coaching amputee soccer, adaptive sports like amputee basketball, and how prosthetic technology has evolved over the years.
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.
What happens when lived experience meets entrepreneurship? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Owen Kent, an entrepreneur living with muscular dystrophy who is reshaping the future of assistive technology. After facing limited access to effective rehabilitation tools, Owen co-founded a company to develop a simple, home-based exoskeleton designed to make recovery more accessible. From customer discovery and design thinking to universal design principles, Owen shares how building technology for underserved communities requires more than innovation — it requires empathy.
