Turning Tragedy Into Triumph.
A journey toward living your best life.
Fourth of July. The Kings River. A dive he had made a hundred times.
Shallow water.
He did not surface the same man.
Fourth of July. The Kings River. A dive he had made a hundred times.
Shallow water.
He did not surface the same man.
I have been blessed with extreme hardships that were never easy while happening, yet the journey inspired hope, conquered fear, built strength, and fueled my desire to Die on Empty.
A dive into shallow water at the Kings River. A C5 spinal cord injury, total paralysis. He drowned at the scene and a fireman brought him back. Halo brace, ventilator, pacemaker, intestinal failure. He died on the table more than once, and spent three months in the hospital speaking in blinks. One for yes. Two for no.
From a C5 spinal cord injury and total paralysis to walking two unassisted 5Ks. A finger twitch at three months. Out of the chair at six years. The proof that recovery and reinvention are real.
"When they said I would never move again, they underestimated the power of my mind."
"Daddy, everything will be alright."
Nicole Vietor, at his bedside
"It was at this moment I knew I would recover and walk again. The hardest thing was not being able to tell you it really would be all right."
This site is being created to share his unique life story and pay both his lessons and blessings forward. He is living his "Die on Empty" philosophy while continuing to pursue so many risks and dreams. He is not using this platform to chase money or notoriety, but instead to live exceptionally, conquer fears, share love and give back through philanthropic efforts.
Hopefully his amazing journey, the risks he is and has taken, the dreams he has accomplished or is chasing, and the commitment and discipline he lives with will inspire and motivate others to seek positive change, heal, learn and grow towards living their best life. He is driven to help others implement their version of living life in the present, fearlessly going after what they truly want with passion and purpose, so they die exhausted and without regret, and share it with anyone who might benefit from the experience.
“Hard things happen for me, not to me.”
"Developing this is about the process and not perfection. 1% better every day."
"I love to do hard things easily. I GET TO, but never HAVE TO."
"Courage doesn't mean you're not afraid. Courage means you are scared to death and do it anyway. I believe grit can be developed and is a process of challenging yourself relentlessly."
Enter the work (soon)"I do not accept aging, disability or death on anyone else's terms but my own."
"I am relentless in my pursuit of physical health but not at the expense of my mental, emotional or spiritual wellbeing."
Enter the work (soon)"My injury and disability are my superpower to connect."
"Finding the strength to be honest with myself and the vulnerability to be authentic with others has blessed me with an ability to connect, learn, heal and grow through sharing all my flaws, dysfunction, fears and imperfections with open heart and authentic vulnerability. When I am authentic and vulnerable, others open up in the safety that doing so provides."
Enter the work (soon)"When you can't see God's hand, trust His heart."
"I recently accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior but have zero desire to push my beliefs on others or pass judgement on those with differing views. I hope to share my faith by example of good living through my actions and behaviors. Walk the walk without talking the talk."
Enter the work (soon)Embrace action. Eliminate regret.
"My life has taught me the value of taking risks and I am hardwired to do so, I thrive in organized chaos and love pushing my boundaries and challenge what is possible."
"Breaking my neck and overcoming insurmountable odds in every aspect of life truly built me. Hopefully sharing all my wins, losses, achievements and failures inspires others to take calculated risks and chase their ridiculous dreams."
"If you're not failing, you're not learning. If you never quit, you never lose."
Before any of the rest of this, there was Nicole. At his bedside in the summer of 2000 she told him everything would be all right, and that was the moment he decided he would walk again. She grew up watching him rebuild, then built something of her own, founding and running her own company by twenty four and winning USC's 2008 Marcia Israel Award as the university's most outstanding undergraduate. The entrepreneur, it turns out, does not fall far from the tree.
Attempting the unlikely and earning an undergraduate degree from Pepperdine while struggling to provide and live as a very involved, struggling young father and fulltime employee. An MBA from USC Marshall, finished while quadriplegic, in a wheelchair, at night, as a working single father. Summa cum laude.
Started, grew and sold multiple businesses. Realty. A coffee shop. Brokerage. Warehouse. Trucking. Commercial property, acquired 2018.
After remodeling and building his daughter's beautiful home, he designed his 11,000 square foot home and built it as his own contractor, embracing the challenge without all the knowledge or experience that would hold others back. Built in Scottsdale while living out of his truck and an RV. This page becomes a living feed as the build rises.
Prior to self-funding and relaunching Inspiring Flight, Richard assisted and took an active role in creating and contributing to many other nonprofit organizations. Now he hopes to leave a meaningful legacy in founding and self-funding his Restore2Rise organization, to pay it forward by assisting others to die on empty, having lived.
The manuscript, in progress. The whole story, told the way only he can tell it.
A ranch in the Northwest, in the works. The next unrealistic dream, and the bridge to everything that follows.
"Risk is always better than regret."
"My ultimate dream is to live a simple life, in love and extremely connected to the ones I cherish, in an environment that lifts my spirit and feeds my soul, unleashing my passion to push boundaries and fueling my purpose to inspire and facilitate the same in others."
"My ultimate dream is to buy and build out a large ranch in the Northwest with facilities for wellness, skill development and training, education and worship. I will be sharing the pursuit of that dream soon too."
"Money is only a tool and provides freedom and the opportunity to chase dreams. The less I chase it and the more I help others make it, the more God blesses me with it."
From total paralysis to love and happiness, one step at a time.
"I'd still choose the broken neck every time."
From the manuscript
You're on the list. One letter when the book is ready.
No launch spam. One letter when the book is ready, maybe two before.
Swim With Mike was tremendous for me.
For keynotes, podcasts and press, reach out below. The only list worth joining is the book's.
Recovering from total paralysis, C5 quad, to Die on Empty. Not broke, exhausted from living. Mastering minds, restoring body, healing hearts, nurturing souls.
"Leave nothing in the tank."
Tank: empty. Life: full.
Richard Vietor · Die on Empty · 1:00