Shows / The QuadCast
The QuadCast
My name is John McAleavey, and on August 19, 1992 I suffered a Central Cord Syndrome injury to my cervical spine at the C-3/4 level following a fall down my basement steps. I was told early on that no two SCI’s are the same, and while that may be true, many of the struggles we're left with are. So let's talk about them. The QuadCast Podcast is mainly aimed at the disabled community, but is really for ANYONE looking to be inspired. You'll hear from fellow SCI'ers, to highlight their personal…
Episodes
The QuadCastS3 E5 - Happy Pearl (30th) Anniversary
30 years is a long time. It is 10,957.27 days, 1,565.33 weeks, 360 months, 262,974.6 hours, 15,778,476 minutes, and 946,708,560 seconds. But who's counting?…
The QuadCastS3 E4 - In The Friend's Zone With Scott Matalevich
Season 3 Episode 4 of the QuadCast features a new segment which I am calling: "In the Friend's Zone". My inaugural guest is Scott Matalevich, a gentleman I met…
The QuadCastS3 E3 - A Conversation With SPINALpedia's Josh Basile
In 2004, at the age of 18, Josh Basile was paralyzed below the shoulders in a beach accident. Today, he is a C4-5 quadriplegic, power wheelchair user, medical…
The QuadCastS3 E2 - Rise To The Occasion With Jeanine Valenti
On Black Friday, November 23, 2001 at 2:00 in the afternoon, Jeanine Valenti kissed her 3 young children goodbye and headed off to a colleague's mother's wake…
The QuadCastS3 E1 Anthony Zhang - Inspiration To Invest In
Following a presentation at USC from Mark Cuban and Mark Burnett (Shark Tank), Trojans freshman Anthony Zhang, pitched his business, EnvoyNow. The delivery…
The QuadCastS2 E15 - BACKBONES With Reveca Torres
Reveca Torres is an artist, photographer, costume designer, illustrator, and C-5/7 spinal cord injury survivor and thriver since the age of 13 following a car…
The QuadCastS2 E14 - Thumbs Up With Mike Utley
This week’s podcast combines two things that have been front and center for me most of my life, sports and spinal cord injury. I was twenty-three years old in…
The QuadCastS2 E13 Much To Discuss With Chad Hymas...
S2 E3 - Much To Discuss With Chad Hymas took a while to come together, but is now in the books. As they say, good things come to those who wait. After a few…
The QuadCastS2 E12 If The Shoe Fits... With Billy Price
Billy Price was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. As a kid, aside from loving the outdoors, and playing sports with his friends, he could be found…
The QuadCastS2 E11 David Francisco - American Idol After All!
In the spring of 2016, David Francisco moved to Nashville Tennessee to attend the renowned Blackbird Academy. While riding his bicycle home one day he was hit…
The QuadCastS2 E10 - Contento With Yannick Benjamin
Yannick Benjamin was born and raised in the heart of New York City. His parents immigrated from France and worked in the hospitality business. Over his…
The QuadCastS2 E9 Robert Paylor - You Can't Keep A Good Man Down!
Robert Paylor suffered a life changing spinal cord injury just minutes into the 2017 collegiate rugby national championship game at Santa Clara University. In…
The QuadCastS2 E8 Thank You, Thank You!
On this week's edition of the QuadCast, I introduce a new segment in the podcast series, called "Analysis of Paralysis". In lieu of a guest, I read articles…
The QuadCastS2 E7 Where There's Jamil, There's A Way!
Jamil Williams is a SCI Research Assistant and Peer Mentor at Kessler Institute For Rehabilitation in West Orange, New Jersey. He lives with an L2 level spinal…
The QuadCastS2 E6 Lights, Camera, Action! With John Floresca
John Floresca has worked in the Film/TV industry for 19 years, on shows such as Gossip Girl, Law and Order SVU, Project Runway, and Saturday Night Live. As a…
The QuadCastS2 E5 Going The Extra Mile With Kelly Lamb
Kelly Lamb and Jon David met one day before classes started their freshman year at the University of Arkansas in 2009. They ran in the same crowd and even…
The QuadCastS2 E4 Come Sail Away With Deborah Mellen
The Impossible Dream, a universally accessible catamaran, is dedicated to raising awareness of barrier-free design and improving the quality of life for people…
The QuadCastS2 E3 TJ Griffin Of The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
TJ Griffin grew up in Euless, Texas playing sports of all kinds, one day dreaming of being a coach. He was living a real life Friday Night Lights existence…
The QuadCastS2 E2 Francesco Clark - Finally Comfortable In His Own Skin Again...
Francesco Clark was 24 years old and his life was coming together when a diving accident left him paralyzed from the mid-chest down. Initially told he would…
The QuadCastS2 E1 Living Lucky With Jana Shelfer
Jana Shelfer is an inspiration! From entertainment to public speaking engagements, she inspires people to live their best lives through love, light, and…
The QuadCastS1 E23 Hi - Ho Hi - Ho It's Off To Work I Go With Kristen Russell
Hi - Ho Hi - Ho It's Off To Work I Go! On this week's QuadCast, my guest is Kristen Russell, an assistive technology specialist here in New Jersey. Kristen has…
The QuadCastS1 E22 Charles Fleisher - The Opportunities Guy
In The Secret of Difficulties, 4 Steps To Turn Tragedies Into Opportunities, Charles Fleisher shares what he's learned about taking challenging situations and…
The QuadCastS1 E21 - Jenny Smith Rolls On
Jenny Smith gravitated to gymnastics as a young girl. Little did she know that at age 16, the roundoff back handspring layout she attempted to do on wet grass…
The QuadCastS1 E20 HE IS - Adam Taliaferro
I had the pleasure of speaking with Adam Taliaferro for this week's QuadCast. Adam was injured in 2000 making a tackle for Penn State against Ohio State at the…
The QuadCastS1 E19 Bill Purdy - The Quad Squad Rides Again
Bill Purdy and I grew up less than 5 miles from each other having so much in common (love of sports, the Jersey Shore, and music, great families, etc.), but it…
The QuadCastS1 E18 Joe Fabbio - To Hell And Back
On this week's QuadCast, I catch up with my old friend, Joe Fabbio. We met at Kessler in 1992 and bonded pretty quickly. There was so much we had in common…
The QuadCastS1 E17 Maegan Blau - Be It Ever So Humble...
Maegan Blau's Interior design career started with her personal journey to renovate and adapt her first home. In 2009 she incurred a spinal cord injury and has…
The QuadCastS1 E16 Ali Stroker - The Show Must Go On
Ali Stroker is a groundbreaking performer! The spinal cord injury she suffered in an automobile accident at just two years of age has not held her back for one…
The QuadCastS1 E15 Ron Gold - Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention
A horrific bicycling accident should have killed Ron Gold in 2011, but instead, he survived more than two dozen life-threatening surgeries after a sleeping…
The QuadCastS1 E14 Back On The Road Again
So what does it take to get folks who have suffered spinal cord injuries licensed and on the road again? How about adaptations for a car or van, what and where…
The QuadCastS1 E13 Dr. Trevor Dyson-Hudson
Dr. Trevor Dyson-Hudson is currently the director of the Centers for Spinal Cord Injury Research and Outcomes & Assessment Research at Kessler Foundation in…
The QuadCastS1 E12 Happy Anniversary?
A friend in need is a friend indeed! August 19 marked the 28th anniversary of my accident, and to "commemorate" the occasion I invited two of my besties…
The QuadCastS1 E11 The Happiness Perspective
The Happiness Perspective, Transforming Physical Trauma Into Hope, Happiness and Connection, is a book written by my friend Farris Fakhoury. It chronicles his…
The QuadCastS1 E10 With Eric LeGrand
The QuadCast has reached double figures! Episode #10 features my friend, Eric LeGrand. You will find out which sport he thought would be his college calling…
The QuadCastThe QuadCast S1 E9 Back to Work With Adria De Simone
It is a "Back To Work" edition of The QuadCast! My guest is Adria De Simone, Vocational Resource Facilitator at Kessler Institute For Rehabilitation in West…
The QuadCastThe QuadCast S1 E8 The Good Doctor
As you know, I like to give my episodes a title. With all due respect to Hollywood and ABC television in particular, I am going to borrow this week's from one…
The QuadCastThe QuadCast S1 E7 Going To The Dogs!
Ever wonder what the process of breeding, raising, and training assistance dogs for people living with disabilities is like? This week you'll find out how…
The QuadCastThe QuadCast S1 E6 With Alan T Brown
Alan T Brown is a spinal cord injury survivor and thriver! Since his accident in 1988, he has been a driving force and an amazing advocate for the disabled…
The QuadCastThe QuadCast S1 E5 Doug Olson And Glenn Hartrick
The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) believes that involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality…
The QuadCastThe QuadCast S1 E4 Maryann Hobbie
Maryann Hobbie is a writer, educator, artist, and SCI survivor and thriver! Her life's main goal is to integrate her life experiences, talent and education in…
The QuadCastThe QuadCast S1 E3 Me, Myself, & SCI
For this week's episode I turn the tables on myself, answering two of the most important questions I ask all of my guests: 1. What was my life like before my…
The QuadCastThe QuadCast S1 E1 Scott Chesney
On the maiden voyage of The QuadCast, my guest is Scott Chesney. Despite being in a wheelchair since the age of 15, he has not let any grass grow under his…
The QuadCastThe QuadCast S1 E2 Mikey Nichols
Mikey Nichols is a remarkable young man. He loves when people tell him he can't do something, because it drives him even harder. From the moment he was…