Our #CMEquality speaker Adam Gorlitsky might be one of the most inspiring people we’ve ever met. At the age of 19, Adam was in a tragic car accident that left him paralyzed from the belly button down. But instead of giving up, he’s finding a way to give back. Through his organization I GOT LEGS, Adam is working to empower others in his situation and prove that walking should be a right, not a privilege.
Get to know the man behind the exoskeleton in our Speaker Q&A:
What do you love most about what you do?
What I love most about what I do is that I get to incorporate all my passions into I Got Legs. At my core, I’m an athlete, filmmaker/storyteller, and social entrepreneur. Having those three things be at the core of I Got Legs as well is a pretty special thing that not many people get to experience.
Did you always know you were going to start your own organization?
I grew up in a creative, and entrepreneurial household, so creating my own organization and blazing my own trail in life is the only way I know how to operate. It’s in my DNA.
How do you start your day? I start my day with an omelette, a shower, emails, Facebook, Instagram, more emails.
Tell us about your proudest moment or accomplishment.
I have two moments that stand out. The first one is when ReWalk (the exoskeleton manufacturer) flew down on the 10-year-anniversary of my car accident (December 30, 2015) and presented me my own exoskeleton aka The Betty Carlton. That day was the culmination of hundreds of hours selling I Got Legs T-shirts, and creating social media content that promoted my GoFund Me Campaign.
The other moment has to be April 2, 2016 when I crossed the finish line of the Cooper River Bridge Run using my robotic exoskeleton. The 6.2 miles race took me almost 7 hours and exactly 17,932 steps to complete. Physically, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. It was my first race using my exoskeleton. I Got Legs wouldn’t be here without those two moments. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without them.
Do you have a hidden talent? Hmm…hidden talents…I can do a mean wheelie in my wheelchair ;)
Who or what gives you creative inspiration?
I’ll start with the who…anyone that has an original voice and isn’t afraid to express it in their work. I’ve been watching a lot of Gary Vaynerchuck and Mark Cuban videos lately. Now for the what…honestly, anything can inspire me, but what tends to ultimately inspire me the most is the experience something gives me. Everything I do with I Got Legs–whether it’s a speech, our ReEnabled Race and Step Tour Programs, social media, the website, t-shirts, etc–I always start with the experience I want people to have and then work backwards from there. That experience can be inspired from pretty much anything in my life. And when all else fails, I just think about the Betty Carlton. She’s the love of my life ;)
What’s your go-to coffee order? Straight black, iced, with a touch of cream.
What is your favorite place in Charleston?
The top of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge with my Batec Mobility Handcycle Attachment
How do you unwind or destress?
A long drive in my car, a bike ride, walking in my exoskeleton, a good workout at Orangetheory.
Rapid Fire:
- morning person or night owl? Night owl
- summer or winter? Summer
- mountains or beach? Beach
- pancakes or waffles? Red Velvet Pancackes from IHOP
- fiction or non-fiction? Non-Fiction
Join us on Friday, July 21st at the American Theater to hear straight from Adam himself!
