Lonnie Bedwell

A former Navy Petty Officer, Lonnie Bedwell, was injured in a hunting accident that took his sight instantly. That didn’t stop him from raising three daughters as a single father, taking them hunting and fishing, even teaching them to drive. And it didn’t stop him from becoming a renowned extreme sports athlete and recognized as one of National Geographic’s 2015 Adventurers of the Year. He was the first blind person to kayak the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon and the Gauley River in West Virginia (both among the most challenging stretches of whitewater in the world). He climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and likes to downhill ski when he has time away from his work installing roofs in his small hometown in southern Indiana. Lonnie’s mission is to motivate and inspire others – regardless of their challenges – to embrace life with confidence and courage. He’s an advocate for the blind, helping veterans and others live full lives.
www.lonniebedwell.com/