Podcast Episode 200
Kelly Liggett: Well, thanks for coming tonight. We are No Barriers and we envision a world where barriers don't stand in the way of possibilities. Our mission is to cultivate a mindset in people affected by disability to break through barriers and elevate their lives and their communities.
The core tenet of No Barriers is what's within you is stronger than what's in your way.
So first, Erik Weihenmayer, Erik, So if you don't know Erik, Erik is a world famous adventurer and he has summited Mount Everest and the tallest peak on all of the continents and he kayaked the Grand Canyon, which I think is the craziest thing. And he also co founded No Barriers.
We're super happy to have him here tonight. We also have Kim Simpson. She's gonna join us up here. She's nervous, but she's gonna do it. Kim is the mother and family caregiver of Melissa Simpson. You're gonna meet them in a minute through this film and through this discussion. And now, uh, last but not least, I want to introduce Melissa.
Melissa was born with cerebral palsy and is a living embodiment of what it means to have a no barriers mindset. Not only has Melissa accomplished this great feat that you're about to witness, but she also skis, paddle boards, and so much more. So Melissa, do you want to introduce this film? Okay.
Melissa Simpson: Hi everyone. The first film you're about to see is, From My Window, um, which I climbed to 13, 150 feet. Ever since I was little, because I was born one pound, 15 ounces , for many years, I, I sat, sat in my house, thinking that I would never climb these beautiful mountains that's right at my home in Leadville, Colorado. And with a wonderful rope team and my adaptive chair I was able to accomplish that feat and now it's it's my pleasure it's, it's my pleasure. It's my pleasure to introduce you From My Window, from my window. Thank you.
Film - From My Window: In a living room, with diffused light drifting in from a window, Melissa, a young woman in a wheelchair, leans forward, reaching toward a padded recliner. Her long hair falls in her face. As she swings her right arm back and forth, she transfers from the wheelchair to the edge of the recliner. She pushes down in the arms and scoots back in the seat title from my window in a bedroom seated in her wheelchair, she gazes up at a high narrow window.
From my window, I could see the tallest peaks in Colorado. This is the view I had. And I've always wanted to tackle these mountains. All I want to do is be outside, experiencing these things.
A man with a cane walks into the house. Erik Weihenmayer, blind adventurer, author who summited Mount Everest.
Hi! Hi, buddy!
Hi! A few years back, I was the commencement speaker for the Colorado Mountain College. And after that graduation Melissa came right up to me and we started talking and you could just tell. I don't know, there's something about Melissa. I can't see her, but there's like a light inside of her that is just burning.
And she, she wants to do so much with her life. And that talk, I think, you know, partly just ignited her. Like she had already graduated from college near the top of her class. And she's like, what does this life look like for me? And we just stayed in touch, and we've been friends ever since. I'm excited, Erik.
You ready for this big adventure?
Yeah.
Outside Erik pushes Melissa in her chair down a road. She works two tall handles attached to the wheels, pumping them back and forth.
That's all the beautiful aspen trees.
Right here? Yeah? Yeah. Mm hmm. Which direction?
To the right? To the right. To the right. Yes, gold.
Oh, you want me to go right?
No. I'm seeing a dream.
I think there's been this sort of resistance, like, oh, you know, that person with a disability, you know, the outdoors, it's too rugged, it's too dangerous, too risky. You know, but I just find that total B. S. because as the world progresses, you know, if you can build the right technologies for people to get into the outdoors. And then, hey, where technology fails, that's where you have your great team. So there's no reason why somebody with any kind of challenge can't push themselves in the outdoors. Ooh, it's a brisk wind.
Leadville, Colorado. Highest city in the U. S.
Leadville is a beautiful town. It's a great community. And Melissa loves this place. But it is challenging. Like, you know, it's just hostile. The weather's really cold and windy and in the winter it's really hard to get around, especially if you don't drive.
We don't have public transportation. So I can't get to the store by myself. The only transportation I have is, is my mom.
into an SUV.
My life is not easy. It's a struggle. I was born weighing in at one pound fifteen ounces which caused me to have cerebral palsy which is I have severe muscle tightness in my entire body, particularly my legs.
A picture of her as a child on an adaptive snowboard, supported by a skier holding two attached reins.
Yeah, mountaineering is a slow burn. They call it excessive moderation. Slow burn, the whole time, and so you have to help us. We'll be watching you. Tomorrow is going to be a monumentally physical day for all of us and especially for Melissa. We are going to go out to this peak, it's called Columbine. It's like a really steep, rugged, jeep road. And if we're feeling the spirit, We may go a little bit higher up to this 13, 000 foot peak, or we may go left up to Columbine. Both are incredible accomplishments.
And I might be dreaming big right now, but you gotta dream big. You gotta tackle your goals. He got me watching Rocky.
Yeah, wait, he got you watching the whole Rocky series?
Yeah, because I did not Well, she offended me at first. I was like, Rocky? She goes, how do I get ready? And I go, watch Rocky 1, 2, 3, and 4 And she's like I think my mom may know who Rocky is. I'm like, what?
I knew I didn't have the greatest strength in my body. So I knew I wanted to be independent, and that's when I started. The gym. Ready?
In a gym, she pulls herself upright to her feet using a bar.
You got it. And that's helping me with my strength for this climb. Strong pull to your chest. Try to keep that number down. Get that back down to 330. You can do it. Good work. Water, please. Thank you.
There's no secret to this day. It's just like, Melissa wants to climb high in her life. She wants to experience big things. She wants to have a family of people who support her and love her and, you know, lift each other up. It's all the things I think she desires. Especially that feeling of connection. Of people not underestimating her, but will support her as high as she wants to go. And we'll probably push her a little bit more than where she wants to go.
Okay, you ready? Yes. The time is here. Let's go. You ready to do it? Yeah. Got your Rocky on. You're gonna do really good today. Haven't seen Leadville this early in the morning for a while, huh? I, I feel like I've gone up for a bike race or something. I know, right? There's the big ol mountains again. And mountains are waiting for me.
Hello! Oh, look at you. You're already harnessed up. Hello! Ready to have an adventure? Yeah. Let's go have one.
They transfer her to the chair.
Okay. Awesome. How's that? Yeah. Look at Jeff, he's like revving like a, like a race car. Oh, I'm like a, I'm like a sled dog. Do it. You're the team, you got it, girl. Yeah. Proud of you. Thanks, Mama. Thanks, Ken. Thanks, Mama. We're off.
We're here today because Melissa's fired up to climb a peak. And we have the team ready. Melissa's been training. She's got a great freedom chair.
Oh, we're in like a corridor of aspen trees right now. Really? Oh, I hear them.
The team that we've assembled is actually a really special team because, uh, every person on this rope team has had challenges. There's three blind people joining us, including me. We have a vet who was blown up and burned in Iraq. We have folks who have had anxiety and depression. So everybody on that support team has been there.
I hear the trees to our left here. Uh huh. Real nice. More open to the right, right? Um, just a little bit of an incline to the right. Oh, whoa! God, oh! Oh, he looked right in that hole. Oh, I got run over! Uh, we need the next team. Next team.
This is not like the selfless act that people come here to be a part of this team. I'm totally selfish. I love being a part of this stuff.
That's Erik's fault, because you ran over me. Did the wheel go over you?
It's enhancing all of our lives. I think we're all looking for that connection in life. Experiences like this are, are the ticket.
The team, a total of eight people plus Melissa, continue on a gradual incline.
Melissa. There's a surprise on the summit. Huh? Skyler's jogging down to Wild Bill's. She's bringing back ice cream and milkshakes for everybody. I don't
I'm afraid of being judged, but I know these people don't judge me for who I am. They accept me.
Well, if we get to the summit, or no matter how high we get, I want her to be proud. Because that's her high point. That's her high point today. It doesn't mean it's her high point tomorrow. Tomorrow may be different. And, uh, I want her to have fulfillment. You know, to feel fulfilled in her accomplishments and, and her potential.
This might even be just a touch too fast. Yeah. You good?
Real slow but persistent. You might need some, you might need a little bit of compensation on the sides.
I wake up every single morning living the motto, What's within you is stronger than what's in your way. If something gets in my way, I find ways to overcome.
A little power, a little power, horsepower.
Sometimes people like Melissa are really okay with being vulnerable. And just keeping an open heart and not allowing it all to make you bitter.
Come on, let me help you. Superspinatus getting really tight? Mm hmm. You know what I mean?
Yep. As soon as we started climbing up higher and higher, I got really tired. I'm like, out of breath. And it was like, fatigued, sore.
Take some deep breaths. It's okay. Hey, don't fret that. Don't fret that. That's okay. Absolutely. And even if you had thrown up, you know you're among friends. Yeah. I've thrown up on Jeff like a hundred times. Alright, let's let that segue into what our our plan is because this is a kind of a metaphor of of the whole adventures right now because we're at the veritable fork in the road that we always think about and we read about, but we're going to have to pick which side we go. There's the hard way, and then there's the harder way. I know you just had a coughing spell. How do you feel energy wise right now? And then how are you emotionally right now? How are you feeling, like, as far as just your soul, your gumption? Good.
Good? Yeah. Nice. I'm ready to take my harder path.
Woo! That's a girl! This conversation is done. That's what we wanted to hear. We were thinking we may have to talk him into it, but that ain't happening. She's like, shut up, I don't need your little lecture, your motivational speech. She's like, I already made my decision half an hour ago.
That's one of the elements of No Barriers is reaching. Getting outside of that comfort zone.
Well, good. Can we just get like five minutes of the motivational talk, just for, you know, the cameras. I had this really good one and I get paid a lot of money to do these. Fine. Let's just start going. I'm like, wow, we don't need any of this. I'm, it's completely wasted on you.
Alright, let's do it. 'cause we still blessed with the beautiful day. So let's get going. Let's fire.
The team. Forges ahead on the rough, steep terrain.
Nice. Good job.
You know, you get all these like really cheesy, uh. Self help quotes the, you know, these days and like, you know, challenges are only perceived. It's like, no, they're not. Like, if you're in a wheelchair or you're blind, those challenges are dead real. They are so real.
But, I think what we have inside of us, what we can grow, what we can nurture, what we can ignite within us, it's strong enough to break through those barriers that are real and exist in the world. I think if you want to reach really far and go really far in your life, you can't do it alone. You, you can't be that solo lone wolf. You, you gotta rely on people. It doesn't matter whether you have a disability or not. So, Melissa may never be able to climb a mountain by herself. I don't know. The point isn't, like, total independence. I did this all myself. I think the deeper thing is just to say we're going to do this together.
Whose idea was this? Melissa's.
We'll support you, and how you might need help. And we'll feel that connection at the top, because to me that's the ultimate goal.
And a little left now.
The rocks are boulders now.
Okay, here comes some hoisting here. All the way up. Okay, now we're gonna go. Stay, stay to me, stay to me. Yeah, the last bit to the tip top. This is it girlfriend. You made it.
They stop at 13, 148 feet. The others stand around Melissa. They pat her back and kiss her head.
Hey Melissa, I have a present for you.
That's a No Barriers coin for people who elevate my life. We love you, Melissa.
Ten years ago, I felt excluded, pushed to the sidelines. Nobody wanted to include me in hardly anything. And now I don't feel lost anymore. I don't. I really don't. Today was amazing, and I couldn't do without this amazing rope. Summit!
They pose, fists raised in the air with a No Barriers flag. Fade to black. Two months later. At Howard Head Sports Medicine, Melissa and her mom enter through an automatic door.
I volunteer once a week at Howard Hood Sports Medicine in Bell, Colorado.
How are you today? I'm good Melissa, how are you? Good.
Sports medicine is in my blood. I love learning about how the body moves and then how it recovers.
But you're calling the shots here. I hope that it's true. I help clean. Like, I help turn over tables, like, nonstop. They're very They are very welcoming. Grateful to have me. What's up, Kevin?
Running water sparkles past snowy banks. Erik and Melissa cross a bridge.
Easy does it. Slow and steady. Look at you. You don't even need help steering anymore. What creek is that? Gore Creek. Yeah, I think that feeds into the Eagle, right? Well, there's our next adventure, kayaking. What do you think of that? Yeah, I'm all for it. I'll be in the back, you'll be in the front. You can steer and I can paddle. Well, you can paddle too, but you'll really need you for steering.
People underestimate you and naturally you start to internalize that and your life becomes the height in which others think you can get to. That's tragic at a personal level, but I think equally as important than the world misses out because you know, all your energy and all your potential, all that life force is just totally lost.
Melissa smiles as she sits in the bedroom and looks out of the high window.
But it didn't happen to her.
To learn more, visit No Barriers USA.
Erik Weihenmayer: That's an emotional film, huh? Melissa was overwhelmed by the emotion of it and cried a little bit. I'm crying a little bit right now reliving it. I'm honored that all of you are here to celebrate a little slice of No Barriers With Us. There's a lot of chaos, a lot of uncertainty, a lot of adversity in the world right now. So, I'm really proud that this group has come together to celebrate the potential of human beings, to celebrate the possibilities that we all strive for, that we're all reaching for in our lives, and to really say, despite, uh, our circumstances and backgrounds, you know, that, that, um, we can achieve great things in our lives, and especially When we lean in and rely and trust, uh, this great community, so whether you guys like it or not, you're part of the No Barriers community.
And thank you for being a part of our, our No Barriers community. It's really awesome. And I also want to acknowledge that, uh, as part of that film Um, Trevor Hahn is here tonight, who is part of the road team, and Penn Street, and Moses, and Skyler. So, really cool to have you guys in the audience. And, I'm gonna sit down and ask Kim and Melissa some questions.
First of all, where is Kim? There you are. Where's Melissa?
There you are. There you are, cool. Good.
Melissa Simpson: I'm left of you.
Erik Weihenmayer: I got the bead.
Melissa Simpson: On you now. I'm left of you. She's left of me.
Erik Weihenmayer: So my first question for you, Melissa, is like, you just watched this film. It happened several years ago, just before COVID. What, what are you reliving right now as you, as you listen to that film and think about that climb and all you achieved?
Melissa Simpson: I'm thinking back to five years ago when we made that amazing feat, and that was the very beginning of COVID. And I'm also thinking, wow, I've come a very, very long way since the climb.
Erik Weihenmayer: Say that again. I didn't even know this until somebody told me, but I heard that the night before the climb, you were pretty scared and you were some, there was some anxiety and your mom, Kim, who is such a great coach in your life, helped you out a lot. Tell us about that night, what you were feeling and, and how your mom kicked in a little bit.
Melissa Simpson: My mom knows me well, and she knows that I get in my head, and we, I had several anxiety, and, like, I wasn't, like, sad or anxious about what was going to happen. What I was anxious about was, how the, how the day was going to go, was I going to crash, was I going to make my goal, which was 13, 150 feet.
Erik Weihenmayer: You got that number memorized.
Melissa Simpson: Yep, and I, um, had in my head all the time, I'm going to do the hard way. No matter what. And that was, kept replaying in my head. And my mom, my mom finally told me, just relax. We're going to watch Friends. We're going to put you in your bed at 8 o'clock. According to Jeff.
Because I had to get up at 3 a. m. And ready for the film crew by 5. 30.
Erik Weihenmayer: Yeah, so Kim, you kicked in and gave a little emotional support, huh?
Kim Simpson: I gave a lot of emotional support, actually.
Erik Weihenmayer: Good.
Kim Simpson: Actually, what was going through my mind, because they started preparing for this, what, two months before?
Yeah.
And Erik had made the comment about it being an expedition, and making sure you can't do everything the night before.
So for two months, we were preparing, getting everything ready. So I was concerned that if everything wasn't done, it was my fault. So I had to make sure everything was ready for her, for the climb, so she would be successful there. And also make her feel less anxiety the night before and trying to go to bed to get up early and At that time she had her service dog So trying to get Kobe in there to help her and watch some friends and just told her it'll be what it'll be Enjoy it. Enjoy the ride if you make it to 13, 000 feet great If you make it to 5, 000 feet, you still made it there.
Erik Weihenmayer: Yeah,
Kim Simpson: so
Erik Weihenmayer: and so there's a little weight on both your shoulders now Kim You guys have such a special relationship. So a question for you. Tell me about your relationship with, with Melissa. I mean, you guys are partners in a way.
And, and uh, you know, Melissa has a disability. You don't, but, but you work an incredibly demanding job. You're a single mom. So tell me, like, that, that sounds like a lot. Like, it sounds like just super woman kind of work.
Kim Simpson: It is. I do work a 40 hour week in Vail, and I take Melissa to Howard Head. We still go over there every Monday. She volunteers. Um, as she said, that gives her purpose, and everybody there is awesome. And then being a full time caregiver. When Melissa's happy, mom's happy. And when Melissa's not happy, I feel the pain. And what can I do to make her happy? Because I know life isn't easy.
She was born premature. Things have always been tough, but when Melissa got into the No Barriers in 2017, I guess it'll be, that became her community. That's her community. The people in No Barriers get it. They never look down on you. Living in a small community in Leadville, we don't have a lot of things available to us like you do in a city.
Um, so we travel a lot. We come down here. We go to Glenwood. She just got to ski in Aspen. So we travel a lot. And it is a lot, but to me, it makes me happy. Because I'm getting older. So as long as I can continue to make things happen for her, that gives me purpose.
Erik Weihenmayer: And Kim, you're a huge part of Melissa's Rope Team. At No Barriers, we talk a lot about this tenet that we call Rope Team, and it's all about community. Right? Like we talked about in the film, if you build a community around you, right? And they, that, that community can lift you up and help you be better and you could do the same.
You have a really great rope team, um, Melissa. Um, you live up in Leadville, not, as we said, not the most hospitable place, especially in the winter. You don't drive, right? But you do have an amazing rope team. Tell us about your rope team. What keeps you motivated and lifted up in your life?
Melissa Simpson: So, my muscles are very, very tight because I have a condition, uh, spastic depleted cerebral palsy. So for me to keep living the life of Melissa, the climber, um, I, I need to do therapy. I need to do physical, occupational, and aquatic therapy, and I'm thankful for all of that, because my physical therapist told me if I don't do what I'm supposed to do, my legs will start giving out and become mush. And I will If I allow myself to do that, I can't be Melissa the Climber anymore, and then I will have to go backwards, which I don't want to do.
Erik Weihenmayer: And what does your therapist Dave say, uh, when you're not working as hard as you're supposed to?
He says he's gonna call Erik, if I don't behave and do what I'm supposed to.
Erik Weihenmayer: And go watch Rocky 1, All over
Melissa Simpson: again. And we were close a few
Erik Weihenmayer: times. Now, loaded question. I know this is a loaded question, but What about No Barriers? Have we been a good part of your rope team?
Melissa Simpson: Oh, yes. Oh, yeah. A big, big part. Big time. Because without No Barriers My life wouldn't be, I, I don't know where my life would be. I will be honest with you guys. I'll tell you the truth. Without this group right here, without no barriers, my life would consist of me, me still looking out that window, wondering what life would be, and I wouldn't have no purpose in my life whatsoever. I, um, when I graduated, near the top of my class, so Erik spoke about And this is what sparked me a little bit. He spoke about quitters, campers, and climbers.
And quitters, we don't talk about them. And campers, we get to a spot in life where we stop and we don't go anymore. And then climbers, we decide, we conquer adversity. And go on living a No Barriers life until the day we die. Pretty much. And so I wanna continue being a climber until I can't anymore.
Erik Weihenmayer: Love it. Yeah. And Melissa and Kim, you're not looking out that window anymore. You are living life fully. Another thing we talk about at No Barriers is mindset, right? And it's a little bit of a confusing word, right? Like what is a mind? You build a mindset? What does that mean? And look, there are great, so many great organizations in this community, you know, that help people with disabilities, maybe ride a bike or ski or, or, or get, get employment, right?
All wonderful skills. But at No Barriers, when we talk about this idea of mindset, we're trying to figure out. How to strengthen people's mind and help them figure out a new approach, a new belief system, maybe a new value system, a new way forward, you know, thinking about the, the map that you're building throughout your life that then will equip you to face barriers, to overcome those barriers, and become the, the best possible person that you can be .
And so, and maybe the icing on the cake is along the way you can lift others up as well. So we think that if you can equip people with a mindset, then they're ready to tackle anything they need to do in their lives. So, how has your mindset strengthened over the years?
Melissa Simpson: I had a huge mind shift of I used to be in a world of where people including myself, would say, I can't, I can't, and no barriers has changed that world from I can't to I can. We find a way to get me involved. We find a way to get others involved. And conquer their, their own barriers. And I don't care who you are. We all have our own barriers, barriers in life. Conquer those barriers and get rid of those I Cants and turn them into the I Cans. Because there is people out there that will help you if you find the correct rope team and the right frame of mind
Erik Weihenmayer: Beautiful. Thank you. Yeah. I could, I could keep asking questions to you guys forever, but I want to open it up to the audience, maybe do a few questions from you all. Kelly is going to walk around with a microphone, and uh, who has a question? For Melissa and Kim. Don't be shy.
Kelly Liggett: I'm going to just thrust the microphone on someone if no one asks a question.
Yeah.
Audience: Hi, congratulations on everything you've done. My question to you is how do you deal with the moments when you feel yourself going downhill a little bit mentally, not physically, mentally? How do you keep turning yourself around? That's a great question.
Melissa Simpson: I won't lie, I won't sit up here and lie. I will tell you, I will, I get down into the dumps in depression.
And what I do is I breathe, I listen to music. I call friends. I have a boxing machine, so whenever I am feeling mad or depressed or, and I work out, which is a natural form of dopamine, so that helps me, and if worse comes to worse, I try to contact this man right here and he helps me through a lot of adversity and my ups and downs if I, if I can't, if I can't get out of that funk.
Erik Weihenmayer: You lean on your No Barriers community.
Melissa Simpson: And my rope team.
Erik Weihenmayer: Yeah. Beautiful. Great question. Anyone else, maybe one more from the audience? Yeah.
Audience: Hi Kelly, my name is Jennifer. I work with AfterSight. I'm privileged to work with Penn and Moses and Michael who are here today. My question is, when is your next hike?
And who are you going to invite to go with you and challenge them to do the same thing that you've done?
Melissa Simpson: Well, I have some friends from Howard Head Sports Medicine. And him and his fiance, and um, and some uh, I'm trying to recruit some others, um, to go. And we're gonna take the freedom chair.
We're gonna go in the back, back feet of Mayflower Gulch, near, near my hometown of Leadville. But also, I want to see if Erik wants to go with us. And I, I want to see if you guys, if my original Mount Melissa rope team will go with me. And I'm gonna try to get, get Nate, who's not here, that just skied me this past weekend, who was also on the rope team to come with me.
Erik Weihenmayer: Erik's getting old, but I'll try to be there. Um, so, I also, you talked about Nate, you just went skiing at Aspen. Did we show that quick footage? Yeah, can we do that quick footage of Melissa ripping it.
Kim Simpson: Ski good or eat wood, dude.
Alright, carry a little speed.
Nice. Easy turn, Melissa. Nice.
Erik Weihenmayer: Fantastic. Thank you, everyone. Cool. Thanks, Melissa. Thanks, Kim. Thank you.
Melissa Simpson: Enjoy
Erik Weihenmayer: Kelly, you want to come back up and talk about No Barriers?
Kelly Liggett: We've got some programs that are specifically for family caregivers. We also have programs for people with disabilities. Youth with disabilities to come with their family and veterans with disabilities And so it'd be really great if you're interested in participating in a program to check that out. We also have a podcast you can subscribe to it's hosted by Erik. We have a newsletter you can sign up for. And last but not least, No Barriers is a non profit organization, so we do raise money, to pay for all the things that we do. So, if you're so inclined today, or at any other point in time, we would love for you to make a donation of any amount. Every little bit helps.
And thanks again to Tiffany and the Brewability team and Damian and the PASCO group, and everybody else for coming out tonight. Super, super fun Thursday.
Erik Weihenmayer: And as I finish every podcast, no barriers to everyone. Thank you.
