Jami Goldman Marseilles, motivational speaker, teacher and gold medal athlete inspires and connects with the audience on the importance of dedication, perseverance, stamina, strength and triumph.
LISTEN to today's conversation with
featured guest Jami Marseilles!
featured guest Jami Marseilles!
Jami Goldman Marseilles is a mother, teacher, author, multiple gold medal winner, world record holder, motivational speaker and double amputee. Her remarkable chronicle of redemption began on a fateful day in December 1987. Driving home from a ski trip in New Mexico, Jami, 19, and her friend Lisa, found themselves on a deserted Arizona logging road in a blinding snow storm. After sliding into a snow bank the women found themselves stranded and alone, huddling for warmth in their stalled, now buried Chevy Blazer while the storm raged on.It was three days and three nights before the storm abated and they were finally able to emerge from the buried Blazer. They quickly discovered that the snow was too deep for them to seek help and with supplies limited to a cinnamon roll and a frozen six-pack of soda they retreated to the car to wait for a rescue party. But none had been sent. Unbeknownst to Jami, Lisa and their families the road had been closed by the regional authorities. It was another week before they were chanced upon by two recreational snow-mobilers.
Barely conscious and severely frost-bitten Jami and Lisa were rushed to the hospital. While she had barely escaped death Jami now had to face the horrendous implications of gangrene in her legs and both were amputated below the knee. Thus began her remarkable journey of recovery. With characteristic determination Jami endured months of painful therapy, strengthening her upper body, relearning how to walk with her prosthetics. But in typical fashion learning to walk again was not enough. In 1996, after watching the Paralympics Games, Jami decided to become a professional Paralympics runner herself. Fitted with “Cheetah” legs, she took naturally to running, and soon began to compete internationally. Not only is she the holder of numerous world records and multiple gold medals, Jami is currently the only “double below the knee amputee” woman in the world to have successfully completed a half marathon and full marathon.
UP AND RUNNING, The Jami Goldman Story, 2001, Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster is a powerfully candid, uplifting and inspiring account of Jami’s extraordinary triumph over adversity and her personal transformation from victim of tragic circumstance to world-record breaking athlete, author and motivational speaker.
Jami lives in Orange County, CA with her husband Beau and two children. She is an elementary school teacher, author of two books, has featured in two major motion pictures, (one produced and directed by Steven Spielberg), and a highly acclaimed Adidas foot wear tv commercial. With her indomitable spirit and incredible story of survival, Jami teaches others how to use the power of body, mind, spirit as a catalyst to conquer adversity and reach new levels of well-being and happiness.
