More Free Than Most People
Jun 05, 2026
What would you do if all your hopes and dreams vanished in an instant?
That’s what happened to a new friend of mine named Chad.
Chad grew up in rural Utah and his only dream was to be a farmer and a rancher.
His deep passion? Working outside, and helping things grow.
That changed when at age 27 when a ranching accident left him paralyzed from the chest down.
When he woke up in the hospital, he thought his life was over.
In his mind, the things he dreamed about… working outside and helping things grow… were gone.
But gratefully, for you and me, Chad did something that most of us struggle to do:
He adapted.
After 7 months of a difficult recovery in the hospital, when Chad returned home to figure out how to move forward, a friend invited him to speak to their local church congregation about the experience.
One man was so moved by Chad’s story, he came up afterwards and said, “My company needs to hear this. We have a conference in Las Vegas next week… can you come and speak to our team?”
“Wait, people get paid to do this?” Chad thought, and agreed.
The following week he spoke with such force and impact that the CEO of the company invited him to speak to each of the company’s 40 locations across the country.
This was not the business Chad ever expected to do.
But he adapted.
His speaking career took off. Soon he was traveling the country, speaking to front-line workers in construction and manufacturing about workplace safety.
But in an industry where most speakers fly in, speak, and leave, Chad did the opposite. He looked for ways to actually serve the people he spoke to… not just collect a check and head to the airport. Pretty soon, Chad was lifting audiences around the world from the seat of his wheelchair.
But then the pandemic happened, and everything shut down.
The world reeled from the disruption, speaking events everywhere were cancelled, and Chad’s business and livelihood were at stake. But while others panicked, Chad looked with curiosity.
Watching sports one day, he noticed that ESPN had a “Game Day Bus” which travelled to football games and put on a party for the fans.
“What if I did the same?” He wondered, “But for essential workers?”
And so… he adapted.
Chad created the “Roll With Safety Tour” where he bought a bus, wrapped it in branding, and then went around the country to construction sites, manufacturing centers, mines, and power plants… and spoke with front line workers who kept the country going.
Better yet, he towed a trailer that doubled as a catering truck, and cooked up a meal on site for everyone. No one had ever done this before, and the front line workers loved it.
Today, Chad is still one of the most in demand speakers in the construction industry and routinely travels across the world to share his important life-saving message.
I heard him say, “Though I’m in a wheelchair, I’m a lot more free than most people.”
But all those years ago when he had his life changing accident, could he even imagine that this was all possible?
I doubt it.
But Chad, better than anyone else I’ve met, embodies a principle that is so crucial in today’s world.
You guessed it… he adapted.
I know when I’ve faced obstacles, I’ve spent more time griping than doing.
I’m guessing I’m not alone.
But how much time, energy, and possibility do we lose to that?
What if we channeled our pity to persistence instead?
I find it interesting that Chad grew up with a dream to work outside and grow things.
But what he never could have anticipated was that his accident helped him do just that…except on a MUCH larger scale.
His tragedy propelled him beyond his ranch… to the world.
And instead of growing things, Chad became a farmer of people.
All from the seat of his wheelchair.
Because he adapted.
Christian
CHRISTIAN HANSEN has gone behind the scenes in some of the biggest organizations in the world to find out the reasons why some people get chosen and why others don’t. As the #1 bestselling and LinkedIn Top Ten ranked author of “The Influence Mindset: The Art & Science of Getting People to Choose You” Christian helps teams and organizations who want to stand out and be the obvious choice. With degrees from Brigham Young University and The London School of Economics, he’s helped thousands of individuals position and sell themselves. A fan of international communication, history, and choral music, he currently lives in Utah with his family. Reach him at: TheChristianHansen.com
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