World champion wakeboarder who became quadriplegic at 27 — and wrote a book about it with a mouth-stick
Brad Smeele was living the dream — a world champion wakeboarder travelling the globe and pushing the limits of his sport. At just 27, that dream ended in a moment: attempting a world-first trick, he broke his neck and was left quadriplegic. It was a crash that changed everything he thought he knew about his future.
What followed was not a neat recovery story but an honest account of hitting rock bottom, facing the gap between who he was and who he now had to become, and eventually finding his way back to something like joy. Brad went on to write his book, Owning It — The Ride That Changed My Life, composed entirely using a mouth-stick stylus. That single fact — writing a book with a stick held in his mouth — says more about his character than any competition result could.
Brad now speaks to audiences about acceptance, adaptability, and the kind of mindset shift that only comes from real adversity. His keynotes challenge people to reframe their own setbacks and examine what it actually means to respond rather than simply react. For teams navigating disruption, uncertainty or personal challenge, his story lands with uncommon force because it is genuinely earned.
Brad Smeele is a keynote speaker based in New Zealand who speaks on inspiration, mental health & wellbeing and motivation. Book through Executive Speakers Australia.
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