Antarctic Mike (Mike Pierce) is a professional speaker, managing partner in a recruiting company, an avid adventure athlete, and a husband to Angela, who lives daily with disability due to a rock climbing accident.
Mike has completed marathons in some of the world’s coldest climates including the Canadian Arctic, Siberia and twice in the Antarctic. He has set world records in endurance swimming and cycling as well. Adventure sports have changed Mike’s life in many ways, including teaching him the importance of being mentally focused and conditioned to run the most challenging and important marathon, that of helping Angela manage her lifetime disability.
Mike’s wife, Angela, suffered major injuries when she fell 125 feet off a mountain in Durango, Colorado, in
1985. Her bones were broken in 168 places and she has had more than 40 surgeries to date. She continues to manage chronic pain, hepatitis C, Kidney failure and PTSD on a daily basis. They reside in San Diego, California.
Mike is passionate about helping people with disabilities. When he was 8 years old, he learned from an early age to use his talents as an athlete to raise money for charity, as he participated in raising money for the American Cancer Society by partaking in swim-a-thon’s for cancer. In the past 5 years, since he began his participation in adventure sports, he has managed to raise more than $40,000 for various charities and continues to do so today.
IDA is thrilled to have Mike on our team, as we expand our caregiver education and support. Mike will be one of several people who will be instrumental in creating programs on the issue of caregiving to help millions of people around the country to be better equipped to supporting someone they know and care about who lives with debilitating illness or injury.
Please visit Antarctic Mike’s website at www.AntarcticMike.com. He is available for speaking engagements and other events.
Antarctic Mike in Action
