Janine Shepherd

Janine Shepherd's speeches share the tragic yet inspirational story of how one accident ended her career, but gave her freedom to explore all the other possibilities in life.

Having trained as an athlete since childhood, Janine Shepherd earned multiple national titles by the age of 10. Having a talent in various sports, her skill in cross country skiing was recognized and she was subsequently offered professional training with the Canadian team for the 1988 Calgary Olympics. While training one afternoon for the Winter Olympics, the then 24-year-old Australian cross country skier was enjoying the beautiful scenery and weather when she was violently awakened by a speeding utility truck that ended her athletic career. The doctors declared that her body would never recover from the permanent injuries sustained, which would leave her in a wheelchair for the rest of her life along with other injuries.

Refusing to succumb to fate, the former athlete went through a rigorous rehabilitation process ad was able to earn her pilots license within the first year of her accident. She currently holds a flying instructor's license and is working to becoming an aerobatics flying instructor. She has authored multiple inspirational novels documenting her struggles through the accident and was also a torchbearer for the Summer Paralympics in Sydney in 2000. Janine Shepherd's speeches motivate accident victims to persevere through tragedies, demonstrating through that miracles are possible.