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Lonnie Bedwell

Blind Navy Veteran & Mountain-Climber, Expert Snow Skier and White-Water Kayaker & Author of "226: How I Became the First Blind Person to Kayak the Grand Canyon"

Lonnie Bedwell
Travels From Travels From:
Indianapolis, IN, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000
Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000
More Fee Info
Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
Athlete, Authors, Disability, Ethics & Integrity, Extreme Sports, Human Resources, Inspirational, Leadership, Literary, Military, Motivational, Navy, Overcoming Adversity, Sports, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Veterans
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Lonnie Bedwell Biography

Lonnie Bedwell, a blind extreme-sports athlete and a National Geographic 2015 Adventurer of the Year, is a testament to resilience, grit, and the pursuit of pushing boundaries. He has tackled some of the world's most challenging whitewater and achieved the first blind descents of Africa’s legendary Zambezi River’s Batoka Gorge and West Virginia’s world-renowned Gauley River. Before May 2023, Bedwell was best known for his historic first blind descent of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, completed in 2013 with a team organized by Team River Runner. A repeat performance in 2014 earned him his Adventurer of the Year nomination.

A former Navy Petty Officer, Bedwell's life changed in 1997 after a hunting accident instantly took his sight. Despite this, he raised three daughters, teaching them to hunt, fish, and, incredibly, to drive. After his daughters graduated, Bedwell turned his attention to challenging himself and soon became one of the world’s most recognized blind extreme-sports athletes.

When told he’d need to master 1,000 kayak rolls to conquer the Grand Canyon, Bedwell rolled his donated kayak 1,500 times in his farm pond. That determination laid the foundation for the historic journey that followed.

Bedwell is now on a quest to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam - which is an adventurer's challenge to reach the North Pole, South Pole, and the world's highest peaks across all seven continents. Bedwell has successfully summited (1) Kilimanjaro in Africa, (2) Aconcagua in South America, (3) Denali in North America, (4) Mount Everest in Asia - and in December 2024, along with reaching the South Pole, Bedwell summited (5) Mount Vinson in Antarctica. These incredible feats showcase his unwavering dedication to teamwork, mental resilience, and problem-solving in high-stakes environments. He also rock climbs and is an avid downhill skier when he has time away from construction work in his hometown of Dugger, IN.

Bedwell’s mission is clear: to inspire others to live boldly and embrace life with confidence. He is a passionate advocate for children and veterans with disabilities, demonstrating that blindness does not define him or limit his capacity to help others thrive. His inspiring story has led to appearances on The Today Show, Steve Harvey, and Breaking Bobby Bones, and he has been featured in the documentary films "Feel of Vision," "Dreamline Blind," "Long River Home," as well as in numerous other publications. Bedwell is also the award-winning author of "226" (the length of the Colorado River stretch through the Grand Canyon) and travels the country, sharing his story and igniting the same passion for life and adventure in all.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 09/04/2024.

Lonnie Bedwell Speaking Topics

  • INSPIRATIONAL, RELATABLE, PRACTICAL

    Lonnie’s mission is to inspire others to approach adversity with courage and confidence to live their life to the fullest. He is an active volunteer for veterans and people with disabilities but is dedicated to helping anyone take their first steps to living an inspired life.

    Lonnie’s talks are customizable. Some of his most popular speaking topics are:

    • Overcoming Adversity.
    • Teamwork.
    • Leadership.
    • Trust and Vulnerability.
    • Kayaking and other Extreme Adventure Stories.

Lonnie Bedwell Videos

  • Lonnie Bedwell: Surviving the Accident
    Lonnie Bedwell: Surviving the Accident
    Full Episode: https://youtu.be/09n_pFnXuNY Blind veteran Lonnie Bedwell talks about how he has no anger towards the man that accidently shot him...
  • From the Farm to Mt. Everest with Blind Adventurer Lonnie Bedwell Part 1
    From the Farm to Mt. Everest with Blind Adventurer Lonnie Bedwell Part 1
    In this powerful two-part interview, we sit down with Lonnie Bedwell, a remarkable individual whose life took an unexpected turn after a hunting...
  • Blind adventurer Lonnie Bedwell
    Blind adventurer Lonnie Bedwell
    Blind adventurer Lonnie Bedwell
See All Videos »

Lonnie Bedwell Books

  • 226: How I Became the First Blind Person to Kayak the Grand Canyon
    226: How I Became the First Blind Person to Kayak the Grand Canyon

FAQs on booking Lonnie Bedwell

  • How do I book Lonnie Bedwell to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Lonnie Bedwell for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Lonnie Bedwell, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Lonnie Bedwell or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for Lonnie Bedwell

    Speaking fees for Lonnie Bedwell, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Lonnie Bedwell are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Lonnie Bedwell, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does Lonnie Bedwell speak about?

    Lonnie Bedwell is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Athlete, Authors, Disability, Ethics & Integrity, Extreme Sports, Human Resources, Inspirational, Leadership, Literary, Military, Motivational, Navy, Overcoming Adversity, Sports, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Veterans.

  • Where does Lonnie Bedwell travel from?

    Lonnie Bedwell generally travels from Indianapolis, IN, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is Lonnie Bedwell’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Lonnie Bedwell for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Lonnie Bedwell for your next private or corporate function.

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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Lonnie Bedwell or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

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Lonnie Bedwell is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as INSPIRATIONAL, RELATABLE, PRACTICAL. The estimated speaking fee range to book Lonnie Bedwell for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Lonnie Bedwell generally travels from Indianapolis, IN, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Rocky Bleier, Scotty Smiley, Brent Gleeson, Brad Snyder and Marc Koehler. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Lonnie Bedwell for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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