How the Trike Saved My Life - Dan Zimmerman's Story - Part One
06/01/25 • 20 min
As a way to celebrate Dan rolling through our hometown of Bend, OR this week, we are reposting Dan Zimmerman's story and interview from September of 2024.
Today we welcome Dan The-Trike-Man Zimmerman who suffered a series of strokes due to Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT).
About four years after his last stroke, Dan woke in the middle of the night and vowed to get his life back on track. And that he did. Dan found freedom, community, and purpose through trike riding, a passion that has since fueled his recovery and empowered him to help others on similar journeys.
In this episode, we’ll hear how Dan transformed his life, founding the nonprofit ‘Spokes Fighting Strokes’ to share how trike riding can speed recovery and save lives. This is a story of survival, rediscovery, and purpose.
Dan’s Suggested Resources:
- Azub Trikes
- Catrike Recumbent Bikes
- Cycle Con
- Dan Zimmerman Facebook
- Spokes Adaptive Cycling Facebook
- Spoke Fighting Strokes - 501c3
- Spokes Fighting Strokes Facebook
Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.
To learn more about our programs and services, or to sponsor a guest on their reflective story crafting journey, please visit www.beyondstillness.org.
As a way to celebrate Dan rolling through our hometown of Bend, OR this week, we are reposting Dan Zimmerman's story and interview from September of 2024.
Today we welcome Dan The-Trike-Man Zimmerman who suffered a series of strokes due to Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT).
About four years after his last stroke, Dan woke in the middle of the night and vowed to get his life back on track. And that he did. Dan found freedom, community, and purpose through trike riding, a passion that has since fueled his recovery and empowered him to help others on similar journeys.
In this episode, we’ll hear how Dan transformed his life, founding the nonprofit ‘Spokes Fighting Strokes’ to share how trike riding can speed recovery and save lives. This is a story of survival, rediscovery, and purpose.
Dan’s Suggested Resources:
- Azub Trikes
- Catrike Recumbent Bikes
- Cycle Con
- Dan Zimmerman Facebook
- Spokes Adaptive Cycling Facebook
- Spoke Fighting Strokes - 501c3
- Spokes Fighting Strokes Facebook
Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.
To learn more about our programs and services, or to sponsor a guest on their reflective story crafting journey, please visit www.beyondstillness.org.
Previous Episode
Transition Techniques - Natalie Shao's Story - Part One
Today, we welcome guest Natalie Shao to share her story that begins with a surprise diagnosis just weeks before college and unfolds across two decades of life-altering transitions. From the shock of discovering a cerebral AVM at seventeen to navigating the aftermath of brain surgery, hemiparesis, and epilepsy, Natalie’s journey is one of heartbreak, resilience, and self-discovery.
Join us as she reflects on the emotional tools, hard-won insights, and quiet triumphs that have carried her through—from regaining independence to mentoring fellow survivors—and how she now draws on those lessons to face each new chapter with courage and purpose.
Natalie's Transition Techniques:
- Double your time
- Focus on your breath
- Prepare ahead
- Honor your own pace
- Know your rights
- Cultivate confidence
- Use your support network
Community Conversation Prompt:
- What helps you shift from “managing” life to “living” life?
Guest Mentioned Resources:
Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.
To learn more about our programs and services, or to sponsor a guest on their reflective story crafting journey, please visit www.beyondstillness.org.
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