Some episodes are about businesses.
Others are about people.
This conversation with my lifelong friend, Matt Wabshinak, is one of the most personal episodes we’ve ever recorded.
Matt and I grew up together in upstate New York, spending countless days hunting, fishing, and finding ways to get ourselves into trouble outdoors. Four years ago, everything changed when a diving accident left him a C4 complete quadriplegic. Despite that life-changing injury, his love for the outdoors never disappeared.
We recorded this conversation before a week of adventures around Montana, including Yellowstone National Park, adaptive mountain biking, fly fishing, and celebrating my wedding. Looking back, I probably should have waited until after the trip, but hearing Matt talk about where he’s been, where he is today, and where he hopes to go next makes this conversation worth sharing.
Listen on:
You’re Still the Same Person
One of the things that struck me most during our conversation is how little Matt’s personality has changed.
He’s still sarcastic.
Still loves hunting.
Still wants to spend every possible minute outside.
His injury changed how he experiences the world, but it didn’t change who he is.
It’s a reminder that when someone experiences a life-changing injury, they don’t stop being themselves. More often than not, they just need people willing to continue treating them like the friend they’ve always been.
The Little Things Aren’t Little
Getting out of bed.
Making breakfast.
Putting on clothes.
Driving somewhere.
Most of us never think twice about those things.
For Matt, they can take nearly an hour and require help from someone else. Throughout the episode, he talks honestly about how much his perspective has changed and how easy it is to overlook the simple things we do every day until they’re no longer simple.
Adventure Didn’t End
Even after his injury, Matt hasn’t stopped chasing adventure.
He’s hunted whitetails and black bear, continued training his dogs, worked to regain strength in the gym, and constantly looks for new experiences.
This trip to Montana became another example of that mindset.
Instead of focusing on limitations, we spent the week figuring out what was possible, whether that meant adaptive mountain biking, fly fishing, exploring Yellowstone, or simply getting a group of lifelong friends back together.
Independence Matters
One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation is independence.
Matt talks about new adaptive technology, the people who have helped him regain pieces of his independence, and how much something as simple as getting out of the house can improve his quality of life.
Sometimes progress isn’t measured by huge milestones.
Sometimes it’s measured by getting back to doing the things you love.
Tomorrow Isn’t Guaranteed
Toward the end of our conversation, I asked Matt what advice he’d give someone else.
His answer was simple.
Don’t take anything for granted.
Tomorrow isn’t promised.
It’s something all of us know intellectually, but hearing it from someone whose life changed in a single moment gives those words a different weight.
It’s a perspective I’ll carry with me long after this episode.
Learn More
A huge thank you to the Montana organizations that helped make Matt’s visit possible:
Their work made it possible for Matt to experience Montana with far fewer limitations than either of us imagined.
Mountain Mule Media
Mountain Mule Media exists to build real connection between Montana’s businesses and the people they serve.
If this episode meant something to you, share it with a friend. You never know whose perspective it might change.
