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Chad Crittenden shocked viewers of Survivor: Vanuatu when the contestant revealed that he had only one leg. About one and a half years before the show, Chad had his leg amputated below the knee to remove a rare and deadly form of cancer. His recovery was miraculously quick; he completed a triathlon nine months after the surgery and made it through to the final rounds of the popular reality show.Today he competes in triathlon on a regular basis, as well as Mountain Biking, snowboarding and has had a recent return to his true love: soccer. By far, one of the most important and rewarding challenges Chad deals with is taking care of his two children as a Stay at Home Dad. By telling students his story from surgery to Survivor, Chad helps them understand that overcoming obstacles is a normal part of life. By looking at obstacles as "problems" with solutions, he empowers students to keep a positive attitude when confronting challenges. His realistic optimism, confidence, and self-assuredness serve as an example to individuals that are deterred by self-doubt. Chad also discusses the importance of taking risks, giving back to your community, and discovering new opportunities to grow. His message and personal experience will show your students how they can "discover the will to survive." This program is suitable for conference keynotes, motivational programs, orientation, convocations, and health & wellness programming. It was nice to have someone speak on leadership without delivering a 3, 6, 10, etc... step approach to being "a leader". Chad's story alone inspired our students to take charge & chart their own course. He showed that we can choose to succeed as leaders without having a recipe for what makes "a leader". Our students loved the presentation and were inspired by his story. It was nice to hear from an "average guy" who has achieved so much. Very motivational! Jim Harrison The First Year Experience: Getting Off On The Right Foot (Even If You Don't Have One!) From adjusting to college life to overcoming obstacles and achieving, Chad relates his experience on Survivor and shares skills he learned as University student to help Freshmen survive their First Year Experience. Using clever strategies he calls “Conceptual Tools”, Chad outlines in detail the important concepts of Steps, Circumstances, Optimism, Risk and Experience to form S.C.O.R.E. – an acronym that provides students with something tangible to take with them into their first year and beyond. Acknowledging Diverse Minds, Bodies, and Spirits Chad Crittenden uses his "Survivor" experiences to supplement his own reality regarding the stereotypes and preconceived notions of those with physical challenges. Chad involves the audience in this hands-on program, with intriguing questions and hopefully answers regarding an under acknowledged segment of the student body and society in general. Through his work with the Challenged Athletes Foundation and Adaptive Action Sports, Chad has worked to break down the stigmas associated with disabilities and physical challenges.
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