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Liza Bruce Motivational Speaker; Transplant Survivor
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| Liza Bruce’s story is one of persistence in the face of great adversity and darkness. Diagnosed with diabetes at 17, Liza eventually suffered kidney failure and complete blindness. After discovering that dialysis wasn’t working, Liza received a kidney and pancreas transplant that saved her life and cured her diabetes, but her life had been irrevocably changed by her struggle. She credits a trip hang gliding and motorcycle riding with turning her life around. She began life anew after meeting her husband, and her tale truly puts things in perspective for the rest of us.
Having survived trials most of us will never know, Liza is truly inspirational. Her extremely painful struggle and ensuing battle with depression pushed Liza to the edge, but she credits her family with keeping her alive during her darkest hour. Contemplating suicide, Liza was at her rope’s end as a result of her constant agony and loss of self-confidence.
After watching an episode of “Dateline,” where she learned about a place in Florida that taught tandem hang gliding, she knew she had to get there. Just ten minutes on the phone with Wallaby Ranch founder Malcolm Jones, she was soon in the Sunshine State hang gliding, riding a motorcycle at 85 mph and riding bicycles through open fields. This conversation, which inspired trust in a complete stranger, helped her feel alive again. These activities made it possible for her to experience a freedom and vitality that she had been without for years, and she says the trip brought her life back into focus.
With new direction and hope, Liza grabbed life by the horns again, becoming an avid bicyclist and finding work here in Richmond, VA. She met her husband, David Hines, through a bicycling club, and received a guide dog, Baxter, whom she calls a “wonderful companion.”
Liza’s story serves to motivate, inspire, and fortify those who hear it. From light into darkness and back again, Liza Bruce is an amazing woman with invaluable lessons to pass along.
Speaking Topics
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