Episode 014: Lex Gillette -- Four-time USA Paralympian

“No need for sight. When you have a vision,” says Lex Gillette, four-time USA Paralympian and world champion long jumper. (Yes, this is a guy who can jump nearly 7 metres.) (Cross my heart.) But the thing of it all, is that by the age of just 9, as a wee boy, Lex lost his sight entirely. Did that stop him from living a big life? Not a chance. Inspired by the force that is his mom, Verdina, and the guidance of a very awesome teacher, Brian Whitmore, Lex was introduced in High School to the idea of competing in a more meaningful way in athletics, when Mr. Whitmer let him know there was a world out there that he could conquer. In the years since, Lex has represented the USA in Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008, London in 2012, and most recently, in Rio in 2016. In this epic chat, we discuss his life philosophy and his belief that “sight is the enemy of vision”, and the refreshing fact that – unlike too many people on the planet today -- he has little use for self-doubt. After all, as he tells it, when you overcome the loss of your sight, you know you can handle anything that comes at you.