Haley Scott DeMaria: Overcoming Paralysis and Finding Purpose (ep. 882)
Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary
John O'Leary
4.8 • 695 Ratings
🗓️ 21 May 2026
⏱️ 52 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Haley Scott DeMaria is a speaker, author, and former University of Notre Dame swimmer whose life changed forever after surviving a tragic team bus crash that left her temporarily paralyzed. Told she may never walk again, Haley endured years of recovery before ultimately returning to compete for Notre Dame.
Today, Haley shares the heartbreaking aftermath of the 1992 bus crash that claimed the lives of two teammates, the physical and emotional battle to rebuild her life, and the people who carried her through it all. She reflects on grief, survivor's guilt, returning to the pool, and learning how to move forward when life takes an unexpected turn.
My friends, if you or someone you love is walking through disappointment, grief, uncertainty, or a season that feels impossibly heavy, this conversation is for you.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You know that Keeley companies is all about fostering the world-class culture through their incredible cultural pillars. |
| 0:07.5 | Well, it was time to add a seventh cultural pillar, Kewley Green. |
| 0:12.5 | Guided by the mission to raise the sustainability standards by which they design, build, operate, and live. |
| 0:18.8 | Keeley Green is dedicated to using a holistic approach to leave a positive impact on our |
| 0:24.6 | environment, create a future that is sustainable for generations to come. |
| 0:29.4 | In the words of Rusty Keeley, we are just getting started. |
| 0:34.3 | You can learn more about that just getting started mentality and all the work they do |
| 0:38.7 | by visiting my friends at Keeley Companies online at keelie Companies.com. Welcome to the Live Inspired |
| 0:47.7 | Podcast with John O'Leary. John is the two-time national bestselling author of On Fire and In Aw. |
| 0:54.9 | He's a world-class inspirational speaker, the host of the Live Inspired podcast. |
| 1:00.0 | And he's the real-life inspiration behind the major motion picture, Soul on Fire. |
| 1:05.4 | Each week, John interviews extraordinary individuals about their life stories so you can more fully live your life story. |
| 1:13.1 | Here's your host, John O'Leary. |
| 1:15.4 | Well, hello, my friends, and welcome to the Live Inspired podcast with John O'Leary. |
| 1:21.0 | You're in for an awesome episode today because we brought on for you a remarkable |
| 1:27.0 | overcomer, athletes, survivor, fighter, |
| 1:31.8 | example and friend. Her name is Haley Scott D. Maria. She's a speaker. She's the author. She's |
| 1:37.6 | a former University of Notre Dame swimmer whose life changed forever after a tragic teen bus crash that not only left her temporarily paralyzed, |
| 1:48.7 | but also claimed the lives of two of her teammates. |
| 1:52.3 | This was back in 1992. |
| 1:55.1 | She joins us today to share the physical and emotional battle to rebuild her life, |
| 1:59.8 | eventually to reclaim the ability to move again, |
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