Ambassador Spotlight: Jeremy McGhee

As a sales representative for Eider Miller & Lafuma, Jeremy McGhee is a well-traveled, successful businessman. As a self-described adrenaline junkie, he has conquered black diamond runs in Mammoth Lakes, California and premier slopes in Chile. When not hitting fresh powder, the 32-year-old Mammoth Lakes resident can be found surfing, biking and, surprisingly, practicing yoga.

The middle of three children, McGhee lives a life of gratitude by helping to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. As the founder of a non-profit organization, Fight 2 Walk, Jeremy serves as a motivational speaker and, as an athlete, is sponsored by organizations including: Challenged Athletes Foundation, Smith Optics, Enabling Technologies, Marker, Nordica, Icebreaker, Hestra and Yakima.

LRO: What motivates you to want to be an Ambassador for LRO?
JM: LRO is doing a lot of good things...changing lives...and why wouldn't anyone want to be involved? A lot of people want to make a difference and try to do their own thing, but why reinvent the wheel? LRO is making a difference NOW and I want to be where the action is!

LRO: What do you hope to accomplish as an Ambassador?
JM: I just want to help in any way I can, but hopefully in the near future we will have a fully operational They Will Ski Again program. It is my dream and passion to be the vehicle by which Southern Californians with disabilities are enabled to ski without fear, frustration and extra expenses.

LRO: What feelings do you get when you teach a person with SCI to ski?
JM: For me, skiing is not just fun. When I'm out there...with my friends, going fast, going big...I'm healed. Any feelings of phobia, anger, self-doubt, etc. are gone; and, when I teach someone for the first time, I get to be a part of that same joy happening for them. I know what they are feeling and how good it is. To be the person who is the one making that difference...well...it's the most rewarding thing I have ever experienced and that's why I do what I do.

LRO: Did serving as a point person for LRO’s first They Will Ski Aagin (TWSkiA) inspire you?
JM: TWSkiA has been a vision of mine for a long time now and being a part of its coming to fruition has inspired me beyond words. My goal now is to help develop the program to get even more people out there on the snow on a regular basis. This event gave me a little taste of what that could be like...now it’s time to go big!

LRO: You’re obviously quite an active person. What keeps you motivated and inspired?
JM: We all face the same question every morning. Whether we are paralyzed, struggle with addiction, are depressed, or anything, we choose to embrace life or not every single morning. One choice is a bummer to everyone around us and the other is an inspiration. I don't want to be a bummer. Do you? It is very easy to feel sorry for ourselves sometimes, but spending time with people who are less fortunate helps me make the choice to be inspired. Being humbled and widening our world view is always a good thing.

LRO: Do you feel that your injury has taught you anything or have you gained anything from this experience?
JM: Seven years ago, I almost died. I was hit on my motorcycle and during the ensuing moments, felt my fingers and lips grow cold as massive amounts of blood flowed from my body onto sun-warmed asphalt. Peacefully, as I lay there in the street, I said good bye to this world, but by a string of a few highly unlikely events, I am still here. Coming so close to death showed me that tomorrow could very easily be the last for any of us and that is now my motto...Tomorrow Could Be the Last. Living life with this perspective is much more exciting. I don't want to miss out on anything. There is so much to do and see. Our world is a playground!

LRO: Why should anyone support LRO? How much has LRO changed since you became an Ambassador?
JM: LRO is changing lives and offering hope for the future. That's huge. It can't be done without help though. Volunteers and financial contributors are the only way these good things can continue to happen. Knowing our time, money, and efforts are directly changing lives and giving hope is definitely motivation to get involved.

Over the years, LRO has grown because the need has grown. With the popularity and extremity of action sports escalating, the number of spinal cord injuries expands with it. With greater need, LRO has risen to the occasion and has focused much attention on becoming a resource. The organization has become quite dynamic in this way offering programs like TWSA and reaching out to newly injured athletes.

LRO: What does the future hold for Jeremy McGhee?
JM: I don't think about the future too much and try to live in the moment, but for the near future, I am working on a book right now and it will hopefully be published soon. Having it made into a movie is a dream of mine. We'll see...

To learn more about Jeremy, visit his LRO Ambassador page, book him to speak, or catch him in action in On Point’s latest ski film.

Photos Courtesy of Jeremy McGhee

Additional Source: www.divinesurfdesign.com