Conversations

In 2001 Bob traveled to a remote uninhabited island on the rainy, wind-swept coast of southern Chile. More than one hundred miles from other people, I built a shelter and lived alone for a year to explore the physical, emotional and spiritual effects of deep wilderness solitude. Here, through words, photographs, and videos, you can experience what it's like to live alone in the wilderness.

Matthew Sanford's life and body were irrevocably changed at age 13 when his family's car skidded off a snowy Iowa overpass, killing Matt's father and sister and leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. This pivotal event set Matt on a lifelong journey, from his intensive care experiences at the Mayo Clinic to becoming a paralyzed yoga teacher and founder of a nonprofit organization.

As most of you are aware, since my son's death, I have volunteered full-time traveling and speaking out in support of our troops, telling Marc's heroic actions the day he died and helping families of our fallen and wounded warriors.

In FIGHTING BACK, Deena Burnett (widow of Flight 93 hero Tom Burnett) tells the story of how she fought back to find purpose and joy in her life again, after her husband was killed on that fateful day. Her story demonstrates how each of us can move forward through the hardships of life and can have a positive impact on others through the belief that, at some point in our lives, we are all called on to be heroes.