If You Denton Know Gary Weiland, now you do.
After a freak knee injury at a Thanksgiving turkey bowl in 2018, Denton firefighter Gary Weiland woke up to the news that his leg would be amputated. In this episode, Gary shares how that moment turned his world upside down and how choosing to “Adapt and Overcome” led him back to full duty firefighting, onto the American Ninja Warrior course, into Team USA para athletics, and into classrooms and stages around the country as a speaker and author.
From family, faith, and the Denton fire community rallying around him to the mindset shift from “Why did this happen to me?” to “Why did this happen for me?”, Gary’s story is a masterclass in resilience and purpose.
In this episode
- Growing up in Illinois and how he ended up in Denton
- Why he walked away from retail to serve his community as a firefighter
- The 2018 turkey bowl injury that led to emergency surgery and amputation
- Processing shock, fear, and identity when life changes overnight
- How the Denton Fire Department, leadership, and crew rallied around him
- Learning to walk, run, gear up, climb ladders, pull dummies, and fight fire on a prosthetic leg
- Discovering para sports, the Endeavor Games, and bobsled in Lake Placid and Norway
- Getting hooked on ninja competitions and eventually competing on American Ninja Warrior
- What it felt like to clear obstacles on national TV and inspire people around the world
- Speaking to thousands of students and adults about overcoming adversity
- Writing Fischer’s Accident and using children’s books to normalize amputees and differences
- The heart behind his A&O brand and the “Adapt and Overcome” mindset
- How faith, his wife, and his kids anchor him on the hard days
- Seeing his amputation as a blessing that opened unexpected doors
Connect with Gary
If Gary’s story resonates, consider bringing him in to speak to your school, business, team, or community group, or partnering with his Adapt and Overcome brand to share the message that you can do hard things.
