I remember being so moved by the image of the man beside his chair in the water (@tsapatakis_a 👉🏻) the first time I saw it; it brought me to tears. When I knew I would be experiencing weightlessness at zero gravity, I asked if I could recreate it. And here it is—my fantasy, a reality. In weightlessness, I was free from the constraints of my disability, as though I were in water, but zero gravity feels better than water. It feels strangely more natural, somehow. After two decades of being paralysed, my mind couldn’t take it all in, and yet, it felt familiar to be “upright” like I was in my memories, in my dreams…in one of my drawings. When I returned from zero-g, I found this line drawing I had made not long after my injury, and its sentiment shook me. I think these images prove that “Disability” is a construct, an ever-evolving paradigm, one that we all have the power and the responsibility to change. It also feels important that me and my wheelchair are in a space that currently belongs to those pushing the limits of human potential, touching and testing the future of travel. I’ll never forget this feeling. In truth, I have been dreaming of experiencing it again ever since. ##ZeroGravity #Weightlessness #TheFutureOfTravel #TakeUpSpace #Disability #Paraplegic #Disabled #FightToFly #HelloSunshine #Channel4 #GlassCeilings #BeyondBarriers #Changing #Perceptions #Space #Weightlessness
I remember being so moved by the image of the man beside his chair in the water (@tsapatakis_a 👉🏻) the first time I saw it; it brought me to tears. When I knew I would be experiencing weightlessness at zero gravity, I asked if I could recreate it. And here it is—my fantasy, a reality. In weightlessness, I was free from the constraints of my disability, as though I were in water, but zero gravity feels better than water. It feels strangely more natural, somehow. After two decades of being paralysed, my mind couldn’t take it all in, and yet, it felt familiar to be “upright” like I was in my memories, in my dreams…in one of my drawings. When I returned from zero-g, I found this line drawing I had made not long after my injury, and its sentiment shook me. I think these images prove that “Disability” is a construct, an ever-evolving paradigm, one that we all have the power and the responsibility to change. It also feels important that me and my wheelchair are in a space that currently belongs to those pushing the limits of human potential, touching and testing the future of travel. I’ll never forget this feeling. In truth, I have been dreaming of experiencing it again ever since. ##ZeroGravity #Weightlessness #TheFutureOfTravel #TakeUpSpace #Disability #Paraplegic #Disabled #FightToFly #HelloSunshine #Channel4 #GlassCeilings #BeyondBarriers #Changing #Perceptions #Space #Weightlessness
I remember being so moved by the image of the man beside his chair in the water (@tsapatakis_a 👉🏻) the first time I saw it; it brought me to tears. When I knew I would be experiencing weightlessness at zero gravity, I asked if I could recreate it. And here it is—my fantasy, a reality. In weightlessness, I was free from the constraints of my disability, as though I were in water, but zero gravity feels better than water. It feels strangely more natural, somehow. After two decades of being paralysed, my mind couldn’t take it all in, and yet, it felt familiar to be “upright” like I was in my memories, in my dreams…in one of my drawings. When I returned from zero-g, I found this line drawing I had made not long after my injury, and its sentiment shook me. I think these images prove that “Disability” is a construct, an ever-evolving paradigm, one that we all have the power and the responsibility to change. It also feels important that me and my wheelchair are in a space that currently belongs to those pushing the limits of human potential, touching and testing the future of travel. I’ll never forget this feeling. In truth, I have been dreaming of experiencing it again ever since. ##ZeroGravity #Weightlessness #TheFutureOfTravel #TakeUpSpace #Disability #Paraplegic #Disabled #FightToFly #HelloSunshine #Channel4 #GlassCeilings #BeyondBarriers #Changing #Perceptions #Space #Weightlessness
I remember being so moved by the image of the man beside his chair in the water (@tsapatakis_a 👉🏻) the first time I saw it; it brought me to tears. When I knew I would be experiencing weightlessness at zero gravity, I asked if I could recreate it. And here it is—my fantasy, a reality. In weightlessness, I was free from the constraints of my disability, as though I were in water, but zero gravity feels better than water. It feels strangely more natural, somehow. After two decades of being paralysed, my mind couldn’t take it all in, and yet, it felt familiar to be “upright” like I was in my memories, in my dreams…in one of my drawings. When I returned from zero-g, I found this line drawing I had made not long after my injury, and its sentiment shook me. I think these images prove that “Disability” is a construct, an ever-evolving paradigm, one that we all have the power and the responsibility to change. It also feels important that me and my wheelchair are in a space that currently belongs to those pushing the limits of human potential, touching and testing the future of travel. I’ll never forget this feeling. In truth, I have been dreaming of experiencing it again ever since. ##ZeroGravity #Weightlessness #TheFutureOfTravel #TakeUpSpace #Disability #Paraplegic #Disabled #FightToFly #HelloSunshine #Channel4 #GlassCeilings #BeyondBarriers #Changing #Perceptions #Space #Weightlessness
I remember being so moved by the image of the man beside his chair in the water (@tsapatakis_a 👉🏻) the first time I saw it; it brought me to tears. When I knew I would be experiencing weightlessness at zero gravity, I asked if I could recreate it. And here it is—my fantasy, a reality. In weightlessness, I was free from the constraints of my disability, as though I were in water, but zero gravity feels better than water. It feels strangely more natural, somehow. After two decades of being paralysed, my mind couldn’t take it all in, and yet, it felt familiar to be “upright” like I was in my memories, in my dreams…in one of my drawings. When I returned from zero-g, I found this line drawing I had made not long after my injury, and its sentiment shook me. I think these images prove that “Disability” is a construct, an ever-evolving paradigm, one that we all have the power and the responsibility to change. It also feels important that me and my wheelchair are in a space that currently belongs to those pushing the limits of human potential, touching and testing the future of travel. I’ll never forget this feeling. In truth, I have been dreaming of experiencing it again ever since. ##ZeroGravity #Weightlessness #TheFutureOfTravel #TakeUpSpace #Disability #Paraplegic #Disabled #FightToFly #HelloSunshine #Channel4 #GlassCeilings #BeyondBarriers #Changing #Perceptions #Space #Weightlessness
I remember being so moved by the image of the man beside his chair in the water (@tsapatakis_a 👉🏻) the first time I saw it; it brought me to tears. When I knew I would be experiencing weightlessness at zero gravity, I asked if I could recreate it. And here it is—my fantasy, a reality. In weightlessness, I was free from the constraints of my disability, as though I were in water, but zero gravity feels better than water. It feels strangely more natural, somehow. After two decades of being paralysed, my mind couldn’t take it all in, and yet, it felt familiar to be “upright” like I was in my memories, in my dreams…in one of my drawings. When I returned from zero-g, I found this line drawing I had made not long after my injury, and its sentiment shook me. I think these images prove that “Disability” is a construct, an ever-evolving paradigm, one that we all have the power and the responsibility to change. It also feels important that me and my wheelchair are in a space that currently belongs to those pushing the limits of human potential, touching and testing the future of travel. I’ll never forget this feeling. In truth, I have been dreaming of experiencing it again ever since. ##ZeroGravity #Weightlessness #TheFutureOfTravel #TakeUpSpace #Disability #Paraplegic #Disabled #FightToFly #HelloSunshine #Channel4 #GlassCeilings #BeyondBarriers #Changing #Perceptions #Space #Weightlessness
I remember being so moved by the image of the man beside his chair in the water (@tsapatakis_a 👉🏻) the first time I saw it; it brought me to tears. When I knew I would be experiencing weightlessness at zero gravity, I asked if I could recreate it. And here it is—my fantasy, a reality. In weightlessness, I was free from the constraints of my disability, as though I were in water, but zero gravity feels better than water. It feels strangely more natural, somehow. After two decades of being paralysed, my mind couldn’t take it all in, and yet, it felt familiar to be “upright” like I was in my memories, in my dreams…in one of my drawings. When I returned from zero-g, I found this line drawing I had made not long after my injury, and its sentiment shook me. I think these images prove that “Disability” is a construct, an ever-evolving paradigm, one that we all have the power and the responsibility to change. It also feels important that me and my wheelchair are in a space that currently belongs to those pushing the limits of human potential, touching and testing the future of travel. I’ll never forget this feeling. In truth, I have been dreaming of experiencing it again ever since. ##ZeroGravity #Weightlessness #TheFutureOfTravel #TakeUpSpace #Disability #Paraplegic #Disabled #FightToFly #HelloSunshine #Channel4 #GlassCeilings #BeyondBarriers #Changing #Perceptions #Space #Weightlessness
I remember being so moved by the image of the man beside his chair in the water (@tsapatakis_a 👉🏻) the first time I saw it; it brought me to tears. When I knew I would be experiencing weightlessness at zero gravity, I asked if I could recreate it. And here it is—my fantasy, a reality. In weightlessness, I was free from the constraints of my disability, as though I were in water, but zero gravity feels better than water. It feels strangely more natural, somehow. After two decades of being paralysed, my mind couldn’t take it all in, and yet, it felt familiar to be “upright” like I was in my memories, in my dreams…in one of my drawings. When I returned from zero-g, I found this line drawing I had made not long after my injury, and its sentiment shook me. I think these images prove that “Disability” is a construct, an ever-evolving paradigm, one that we all have the power and the responsibility to change. It also feels important that me and my wheelchair are in a space that currently belongs to those pushing the limits of human potential, touching and testing the future of travel. I’ll never forget this feeling. In truth, I have been dreaming of experiencing it again ever since. ##ZeroGravity #Weightlessness #TheFutureOfTravel #TakeUpSpace #Disability #Paraplegic #Disabled #FightToFly #HelloSunshine #Channel4 #GlassCeilings #BeyondBarriers #Changing #Perceptions #Space #Weightlessness
You will thank us ‘entitled cripples’ one day. Promise.
I didn’t post anything about Disability Pride Month this July, as that is basically my message all year round. But as this month comes to and end…I say it again loud and PROUD as always. Being Disabled is a beautiful way to live. If you don’t know that already, you will one day. Promise. 😉 Now, back to work. 📸 @dankennedyphoto
I didn’t post anything about Disability Pride Month this July, as that is basically my message all year round. But as this month comes to and end…I say it again loud and PROUD as always. Being Disabled is a beautiful way to live. If you don’t know that already, you will one day. Promise. 😉 Now, back to work. 📸 @dankennedyphoto
Interview in Forbes today. I think this means I’m officially a grown-up. Link in stories. @forbes #Representation #Forbes #DisabilityInclusion #DisabilityPride #DisabledHost #Paralympics #Host #TVHost #ParisParalympics #2024ParisParalympics #NBCSportsNBCUniversal #WillshireUser #MakingSpace #MakingSpaceMedia ID: I’m wearing a purple dress with strawberries on it. I’m leaning towards the camera, my arms crossed on my lap. You can see a hint of a wheelchair. The background is grey, and my expression is a half smile half smirk. 📸 @alex_cameron
Interview in Forbes today. I think this means I’m officially a grown-up. Link in stories. @forbes #Representation #Forbes #DisabilityInclusion #DisabilityPride #DisabledHost #Paralympics #Host #TVHost #ParisParalympics #2024ParisParalympics #NBCSportsNBCUniversal #WillshireUser #MakingSpace #MakingSpaceMedia ID: I’m wearing a purple dress with strawberries on it. I’m leaning towards the camera, my arms crossed on my lap. You can see a hint of a wheelchair. The background is grey, and my expression is a half smile half smirk. 📸 @alex_cameron
What. A. Day. Happy wedding day my gal. I 💕💕💕💕 you so much, it’s actually kinda achy 🥹. Party hard tonight and, just when you think you might go home, ask yourself, #WWSD (…aside from actually going f**king home 🙄)
What. A. Day. Happy wedding day my gal. I 💕💕💕💕 you so much, it’s actually kinda achy 🥹. Party hard tonight and, just when you think you might go home, ask yourself, #WWSD (…aside from actually going f**king home 🙄)
This is the official statement from Rights on Flights after the CAA report was released today. We can’t believe what we read. How can an airport be considered “Good” after someone actually DIED when transferring 🤬. Slide 4 says it all. We have a meeting in the diary with the U.K. Department for Transportation. Enough is enough. Slide 1: Rights on Flights are deeply concerned by the recent report published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We believe it presents an overly optimistic view of accessibility improvements at UK airports and overlooks the systemic failures that we know disabled people are facing. Slide 2: We are heartbroken and enraged that Edinburgh has been rated “Good”, despite a Disabled passenger falling to his death in November 2023. Several major airports remain in the ‘Needs Improvement’ category, which is not satisfactory. Slide 3: Despite marginal progress in most airports, the report proves to be excessively lenient in failing to adequately address the persistent and catastrophic issues faced by disabled passengers across the U.K. The increased demand for accessibility services highlights the urgent need for more significant investment in staffing and equipment, yet the report glosses over these critical challenges. Slide 4 Never has it been made more evident that the CAA is funded by the charges it levies on the industry it regulates. Slide 5. We urgently call on the UK Government, specifically Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, to take immediate, concrete actions to ensure all passengers, regardless of their mobility or disability status, can travel with dignity and ease. We continue to press for increased regulatory powers and punitive measures. Incremental improvements are not enough to make air travel accessible for all #AccessibleAirTravel #Discrimination #CivilAviationAuthority #AirTravel #BreakingNews #InclusiveTravel #AirForAll #AccessibleAirTravelAct #RightOnFlights
This is the official statement from Rights on Flights after the CAA report was released today. We can’t believe what we read. How can an airport be considered “Good” after someone actually DIED when transferring 🤬. Slide 4 says it all. We have a meeting in the diary with the U.K. Department for Transportation. Enough is enough. Slide 1: Rights on Flights are deeply concerned by the recent report published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We believe it presents an overly optimistic view of accessibility improvements at UK airports and overlooks the systemic failures that we know disabled people are facing. Slide 2: We are heartbroken and enraged that Edinburgh has been rated “Good”, despite a Disabled passenger falling to his death in November 2023. Several major airports remain in the ‘Needs Improvement’ category, which is not satisfactory. Slide 3: Despite marginal progress in most airports, the report proves to be excessively lenient in failing to adequately address the persistent and catastrophic issues faced by disabled passengers across the U.K. The increased demand for accessibility services highlights the urgent need for more significant investment in staffing and equipment, yet the report glosses over these critical challenges. Slide 4 Never has it been made more evident that the CAA is funded by the charges it levies on the industry it regulates. Slide 5. We urgently call on the UK Government, specifically Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, to take immediate, concrete actions to ensure all passengers, regardless of their mobility or disability status, can travel with dignity and ease. We continue to press for increased regulatory powers and punitive measures. Incremental improvements are not enough to make air travel accessible for all #AccessibleAirTravel #Discrimination #CivilAviationAuthority #AirTravel #BreakingNews #InclusiveTravel #AirForAll #AccessibleAirTravelAct #RightOnFlights
This is the official statement from Rights on Flights after the CAA report was released today. We can’t believe what we read. How can an airport be considered “Good” after someone actually DIED when transferring 🤬. Slide 4 says it all. We have a meeting in the diary with the U.K. Department for Transportation. Enough is enough. Slide 1: Rights on Flights are deeply concerned by the recent report published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We believe it presents an overly optimistic view of accessibility improvements at UK airports and overlooks the systemic failures that we know disabled people are facing. Slide 2: We are heartbroken and enraged that Edinburgh has been rated “Good”, despite a Disabled passenger falling to his death in November 2023. Several major airports remain in the ‘Needs Improvement’ category, which is not satisfactory. Slide 3: Despite marginal progress in most airports, the report proves to be excessively lenient in failing to adequately address the persistent and catastrophic issues faced by disabled passengers across the U.K. The increased demand for accessibility services highlights the urgent need for more significant investment in staffing and equipment, yet the report glosses over these critical challenges. Slide 4 Never has it been made more evident that the CAA is funded by the charges it levies on the industry it regulates. Slide 5. We urgently call on the UK Government, specifically Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, to take immediate, concrete actions to ensure all passengers, regardless of their mobility or disability status, can travel with dignity and ease. We continue to press for increased regulatory powers and punitive measures. Incremental improvements are not enough to make air travel accessible for all #AccessibleAirTravel #Discrimination #CivilAviationAuthority #AirTravel #BreakingNews #InclusiveTravel #AirForAll #AccessibleAirTravelAct #RightOnFlights
This is the official statement from Rights on Flights after the CAA report was released today. We can’t believe what we read. How can an airport be considered “Good” after someone actually DIED when transferring 🤬. Slide 4 says it all. We have a meeting in the diary with the U.K. Department for Transportation. Enough is enough. Slide 1: Rights on Flights are deeply concerned by the recent report published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We believe it presents an overly optimistic view of accessibility improvements at UK airports and overlooks the systemic failures that we know disabled people are facing. Slide 2: We are heartbroken and enraged that Edinburgh has been rated “Good”, despite a Disabled passenger falling to his death in November 2023. Several major airports remain in the ‘Needs Improvement’ category, which is not satisfactory. Slide 3: Despite marginal progress in most airports, the report proves to be excessively lenient in failing to adequately address the persistent and catastrophic issues faced by disabled passengers across the U.K. The increased demand for accessibility services highlights the urgent need for more significant investment in staffing and equipment, yet the report glosses over these critical challenges. Slide 4 Never has it been made more evident that the CAA is funded by the charges it levies on the industry it regulates. Slide 5. We urgently call on the UK Government, specifically Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, to take immediate, concrete actions to ensure all passengers, regardless of their mobility or disability status, can travel with dignity and ease. We continue to press for increased regulatory powers and punitive measures. Incremental improvements are not enough to make air travel accessible for all #AccessibleAirTravel #Discrimination #CivilAviationAuthority #AirTravel #BreakingNews #InclusiveTravel #AirForAll #AccessibleAirTravelAct #RightOnFlights
This is the official statement from Rights on Flights after the CAA report was released today. We can’t believe what we read. How can an airport be considered “Good” after someone actually DIED when transferring 🤬. Slide 4 says it all. We have a meeting in the diary with the U.K. Department for Transportation. Enough is enough. Slide 1: Rights on Flights are deeply concerned by the recent report published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We believe it presents an overly optimistic view of accessibility improvements at UK airports and overlooks the systemic failures that we know disabled people are facing. Slide 2: We are heartbroken and enraged that Edinburgh has been rated “Good”, despite a Disabled passenger falling to his death in November 2023. Several major airports remain in the ‘Needs Improvement’ category, which is not satisfactory. Slide 3: Despite marginal progress in most airports, the report proves to be excessively lenient in failing to adequately address the persistent and catastrophic issues faced by disabled passengers across the U.K. The increased demand for accessibility services highlights the urgent need for more significant investment in staffing and equipment, yet the report glosses over these critical challenges. Slide 4 Never has it been made more evident that the CAA is funded by the charges it levies on the industry it regulates. Slide 5. We urgently call on the UK Government, specifically Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, to take immediate, concrete actions to ensure all passengers, regardless of their mobility or disability status, can travel with dignity and ease. We continue to press for increased regulatory powers and punitive measures. Incremental improvements are not enough to make air travel accessible for all #AccessibleAirTravel #Discrimination #CivilAviationAuthority #AirTravel #BreakingNews #InclusiveTravel #AirForAll #AccessibleAirTravelAct #RightOnFlights
This is the official statement from Rights on Flights after the CAA report was released today. We can’t believe what we read. How can an airport be considered “Good” after someone actually DIED when transferring 🤬. Slide 4 says it all. We have a meeting in the diary with the U.K. Department for Transportation. Enough is enough. Slide 1: Rights on Flights are deeply concerned by the recent report published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We believe it presents an overly optimistic view of accessibility improvements at UK airports and overlooks the systemic failures that we know disabled people are facing. Slide 2: We are heartbroken and enraged that Edinburgh has been rated “Good”, despite a Disabled passenger falling to his death in November 2023. Several major airports remain in the ‘Needs Improvement’ category, which is not satisfactory. Slide 3: Despite marginal progress in most airports, the report proves to be excessively lenient in failing to adequately address the persistent and catastrophic issues faced by disabled passengers across the U.K. The increased demand for accessibility services highlights the urgent need for more significant investment in staffing and equipment, yet the report glosses over these critical challenges. Slide 4 Never has it been made more evident that the CAA is funded by the charges it levies on the industry it regulates. Slide 5. We urgently call on the UK Government, specifically Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, to take immediate, concrete actions to ensure all passengers, regardless of their mobility or disability status, can travel with dignity and ease. We continue to press for increased regulatory powers and punitive measures. Incremental improvements are not enough to make air travel accessible for all #AccessibleAirTravel #Discrimination #CivilAviationAuthority #AirTravel #BreakingNews #InclusiveTravel #AirForAll #AccessibleAirTravelAct #RightOnFlights
Today is the day!! Me and Kristina are launching…WE RIDES! All you need is a driving licence and a sense of adventure…and you can come and ride with us in California! Head to @w.e.rides for all the info please share to spread the word. #WERides #WomenEmpowermentRides #WomenRiders #Experiences #Fun #WomenEmpowerment #Sisterhood #WeCanAllRide #RideWithUs #CanAm #CanAmOnRoad #California #VisitCalifornia #SantaYnez #SantaBarbara #RoadTrip #Adventure
1 year ago TODAY, I set off on a beautiful red Spyder to drive across America 🇺🇸 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the car crash that paralysed me. I had no idea what was going but I knew it would be the trip of a lifetime!! We made a documentary about the adventure called “Driving Forwards” – the name of my memoir – and it’s on YouTube now (link in bio) if you want to watch it! Love life. @visittheusa @canamonroad @forewordfilms #Adventure #RoadTrip #CanAm #DrivingForward #AdventureTravel #Paraplegic #Disabled #WeRide #TripOfALifetime #VisitTheUSA #DreamsComeTrue #LoneRider
“History shows that is often not the people in power, but the power of the people, that moves a nation forward.” In my documentary “Fight to Fly” (produced by @hellosunshine), I meet the change makers who are working to make air travel, transport, and society more inclusive in the US. Kamala Harris (@vp) was, without a doubt, one of the most spellbinding and impressive women I’ve ever been in a room with. I’d never met a political figure with so much humanity, empathy and emotional intelligence before. Listening to her speak and watching her listen to advocates so intently, I remember wishing she would be leader one day. It’s tremendous that might well be the future now. We all have the power and responsibility to move society towards a more equitable and equal world….and we have the power to vote for the people who can help us. As the President says in this clip, “We must never stop”… Watch “Fight To Fly” on All4 now. #Documentary #HelloSunshine #Whitehouse #ADA #ADAAnniversary #AccessibleTransportation #FightToFly #RightsOnFlights #MakingSpace #Advocates #Inclusion #TheFutureIsAccessible #TheFutureIsFemale#WomenLeaders #KamalaHarris
