Adrianne Haslet is a survivor of the Boston Marathon terrorist attack (where she lost her left leg below the knee), and she has since captivated the world with her fierce determination learning to navigate an entirely new life. She has been featured on the cover of People and Sports Illustrated, appeared on CBS and The View (to name a few!), and was named one of Cosmo’s Most Powerful Women. She has also been honored by the Anti-Defamation League for her work speaking out against terrorism, antisemitism, and hate. A global inspiration to so many who are facing adversity, Adrianne now travels the world as a keynote speaker, bringing along her message of light and hope.
Get ready to be inspired as she shares how learning to walk again was a true gift, the mindset shift that allowed her to reclaim her life after the bombing, and what she has learned about life, the world, and herself since losing her leg. Adrianne is a perfect example of how we are all made to go through hard things and come out stronger, and I’m excited to share her story with you!
What You’ll Learn:
Why Adrianne became a professional ballroom dancer and where her love of running came from.
Her experience surviving the Boston Marathon bombing.
When she felt most supported after the bombing.
The mindset shift Adrianne had that allowed her to reclaim her life.
What she has learned since losing her leg.
Why learning to walk again was a blessing.
What she hopes her legacy is.
Ideas Worth Sharing:
“The universal feeling we all have is ‘how do we make it better?’ and no one can make it all better.” - Adrianne Haslet
“If you can’t match that energy, don’t show up.” - Adrianne Haslet
“As a competitive person, coming in dead last was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.” - Adrianne Haslet
“If you believe it will work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you believe it won’t, you’ll see obstacles.” - Adrianne Haslet
Resources:
Transcript:
Molly Dare 0:07
I am joined today by Adrianne Haslett. Adrianne is a survivor of the terrorist attack at the 2013 Boston marathon where she lost her left leg below the knee. Her fierce determination since has captivated many, including myself, watching her go from a marathon runner and full time professional ballroom dancer at the peak of her career to learning how to navigate an entirely new life and becoming a global inspiration to so so many featured on the cover of People and Sports Illustrated as well as appearances on CBS, the view and countless others. Addressing her adversity with emotional honesty, helping so many others who are struggling with their own. She now travels the globe giving keynotes to 1000s being named one of Cosmo's most powerful women, and honored by the anti Defamation League at the Kennedy Center concert against hate for her work speaking out against terrorism, anti semitism and hate. Adrianne, thank you so much for joining me today.
Adrianne Haslet 1:03
Thank you so much, Molly. It's wonderful to be here. Thank you for having me.
Molly Dare 1:07
I so appreciate it. Because I know you are very busy training for the marathon. And I really appreciate
Adrianne Haslet 1:15
Thank you I've been looking forward to our talk. I've been looking forward to it all week. So I'm very happy to be here with you.
Molly Dare 1:22
So I always love to start out with my guests giving us a little glimpse into who they were kind of growing up. And how would you describe young Adrianne?
Adrianne Haslet 1:32
Oh, gosh, I think she was a little bit. She was a lot like what I am now. And I would say pretty feisty and opinionated. And really curious about the world, you know, really curious to know what was outside of the small town that little Adrianne grew up in it was right outside of Seattle, Washington and a town called Issaquah, which you know, is not small town anymore. That was it was Microsoft country before it was Microsoft country is where I lived. And so it certainly grew. But when I was there, it was very tiny. And I think Adrianne was was curious and impatient in I think all the right ways. I don't know if my parents would say the same thing. Same thing. And feisty. Yeah, a little random. I'm a redhead. So I feel like that, you know, that comes with the territory with that.
Molly Dare 2:20
the redheaded stereotype is true.
Adrianne Haslet 2:23
With me for sure. Yeah.
Molly Dare 2:25
So I have to ask was athleticism a big deal growing up? Were you always wanting to be in shape and athletes, you know, athleticism, a big part of your kind of like life growing up?
Adrianne Haslet 2:37
Yeah, you know, it really? It really wasn't it was it? That didn't happen until much later. And well, I shouldn't say it wasn't, I would say really, with ballroom dancing. It was but because I didn't and I and my dance teachers and my dance kind of world around me. Didn't see. It didn't talk about ballroom dancing, being athletic in that same way. We talked about it being picturesque and beautiful, and the way it looked, but we didn't talk about the workout and nutrition and hydrating and mental health and the things that kind of surround different athletic endeavors now, so I would say no, I think is the answer to that question. But it's an interesting question, because dancing is absolutely athletic. But I didn't realize that at the time.
Molly Dare 3:30
So what made you decide to pursue professional ballroom dancing and I have to say I am a not so closet lover of ballroom dancing and dancing in general. I my secret wishes to be on Dancing with the Stars one day. I have I just I can't dance alone, do it. I mean, I love all of it. I love everything about it. So what made you decide to become a professional ballroom dancer?
Adrianne Haslet 3:55
Gosh, you know, I remember it like it was yesterday. I know the moment I was absolutely. I'm at my aunt and uncles house, and I was about probably about seven or eight years old. And I was put to bed and you know, and my parents owned in it owned an independent bookstore and record store growing up and so we didn't have a television because obviously when your parents have a bookstore, you can't have a TV. So we didn't have a TV and we were at my aunt and uncle's house, and they put all the kids to bed. And I snuck back down of course because why would I go to bed. There's more things to do in the world. And I saw everyone gathered around a television it was my first time seeing one. And they were watching I snuck behind my grandmother's chair and they were watching the movie Cheek to Cheek by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and it was this scene. If anyone's ever seen it. I know. It was it was old then it's ancient now but the scene where they're dancing with ginger is in the silk organza gown with the ostrich feathers. And I saw that on the screen and I just melted And I vividly remember that picture a little Adrianne with her bright red hair and coke bottle glasses and was like mesmerized, and then the movie was over. And I was like, crushed behind the chair and all the adults were there. And I somehow snuck back upstairs. And in the spirit of a kid's short attention span, I forgot that I was supposed to keep that a secret. And I put my little fist on the breakfast table the next morning, and I was like, I want to be Ginger Rogers when I grew up, and my parents were like, what? Were you downstairs last night and I got caught. But I think often about what that would be like to have a like, if that had been some other television show, like what it would have wanted to be, you know, Game of Thrones or something. But yeah, it was that moment. And, and I'll never forget it. And I went into gymnastics and dance and such right after, and just fell in love with all the chivalry of ballroom dancing. I was never interested in ballet, or hip hop, or, I mean, I took a couple of hip hop classes, but I would never hold myself accountable to that, because I see what people are doing now. And it's not the same thing.
Molly Dare 6:05
It's incredible. I mean, watch on tick tock and dance. And I'm like, okay, that's way above my, my level.
Adrianne Haslet 6:12
I know same I can't even I just like do the overbite and like, throw my fist in the air like an idiot. I I'm really awful at weddings, I might be third in the world and ballroom dancing, but I can't do anything outside of a partner. I'm a mess.
Molly Dare 6:26
Really amazing success in ballroom dancing. And you clearly took up a run a love of running as well. Was that to just stay in shape for the ballroom dancing? Or was that kind of another goal that you wanted to achieve?
Adrianne Haslet 6:38
Yeah, you know, it's interesting. So actually, actually, after I, I was a ballroom dancer throughout, and I never had any interest in running. I used to forge notes in high school to get out of running the like, obligatory mile that everybody does around the track every year, and I would forge notes being like Adrianne that was, she had a rough night last, I don't even remember what I wrote. And I would never think about wearing flats and sweating in front of people like I was never, I would choose the ostrich feathers, and the nails and the bronzer and the hair and sequins and all of that. But I was never into running. And it wasn't until after 2013 that I actually started running. So it was never it. I didn't become a runner till much, much, much later. But the dancing kept me in shape. Because you're on your feet and heels for a very long period of time each day. I was dancing for upwards of 12 to 14 hours a day. Wow.
Molly Dare 7:34
It's incredible when I when I watch dancers or any kind of athlete, and I do consider dancers, athletes. 100% I do know that yes, because of everything that goes into it, as you were saying before, it's not just the dancing, it's like how you're taking care of your body and the stretching and the hydration and the mental fortitude to be a competitor in any sport is is incredibly intense.
Adrianne Haslet 7:59
Do that and succeed. It's in your in your with your dance partner in your in dance hold, and you're doing this as a team. And so there's a whole other element to that as well. And it is very athletic. And it's very, it's very fiercely competitive.
Molly Dare 8:13
So take me to 2013 and the day of the race, as much as you can share a remember of that day, what can you share with us?
Adrianne Haslet 8:23
Yeah, so I had just gotten third in the world recently in ballroom dancing. And because I was a ballroom dancer, you know, people say, oh, people ballroom dance, and they don't know about it, because we're just locked in dance studios, you know, all day long. And I never took a day off a day off as a pro athlete usually means, you know, practicing and rehearsing only six hours instead of 12 or something like that. But you would never take a full day off. And that day, I decided to take a full day off. And I slept in and I had a late breakfast and some coffee at home and was just lounging around and then decided to go out to lunch. And I went out to lunch. And I was over on Newbury Street, which is in Boston. And I heard all this commotion and like sound coming and cheers and just a lot of people coming from the next street over and I thought, well, what is going on? And so I walked over. And I've been living in Boston for probably a year a little over a year at that point, maybe two years. And I asked someone I said, What do you like, what are you watching? And there are all these runners running by and heading toward this finish line. And it was like they were white in the face. And they were so sweaty, and a lot of them were crying and they looked miserable and happy. And I and they said oh, they're running the Boston Marathon. This is the Boston Marathon and I said which is hilarious now, I said How long is the marathon? Like how what's the distance? And they said, Oh, it's 26.2 miles and I was like that's a long way to go for a statement necklace and a free banana like that is ridiculous. All you get is a Medal and a free banana for that, like, why on earth? Would you sweat in public, but I respected it in the sense that I was an athlete too. And I, I respect and understand the discipline that any any athlete was. So I thought, oh, I'll just keep watching. And I started walking away from the finish line in down a couple of blocks, and I made it probably a block and a half. And I'm watching all these runners. And I'm like, wow, that is such a feat, you know, to be able to run that far. And then I heard this blast behind me of where I just was at the finish line. And it shook the ground in a way that I knew it wasn't just fanfare or a busted speaker from from the media or something of that nature. And, and I covered my ears, and I covered my face. And I said, this screamed out loud, the next one's going to hit the next one's going to hit and I just knew that it was a terrorist attack, which apparently gets you investigated by the FBI, but that's okay. And suddenly, I was on the ground. And the next one had hit and I was standing about two and a half feet away from where he dropped the backpack. And I never say his name. And I remember everything I was totally awake. And I I covered you know, I had covered my ears. And so I thought maybe when I opened my eyes, I thought maybe I wasn't making it because it was all gray like it was everything was gray. And I couldn't tell if it was my eyes or I lost my vision. And then it started to clear and I realized that was smoke and I smelled that all familiar smell of like when we curl our hair or get our hair stuck in a hairdryer and it's like burnt hair. And I was padding I started to be able to move and I was patting my head and I realized that I lost half an eyebrow and like a couple inches of hair was on fire and I couldn't feel anything. And I started to get vision and visuals of things around me and I couldn't hear anything. And I looked down and I noticed my left foot was completely gone. It was bleeding profusely. The rest of my leg was bleeding profusely. And my right leg was bleeding also out of my thigh and and I thought two things. One was there goes Ginger Rogers. And the next one was my family and friends are never going to be able to get all the way out here to Boston from Seattle to say goodbye. And I somehow rolled over onto my belly. I don't know how I did it. And kind of like army crawled on my forearms across all the Shattered Glass and tried to navigate myself around other people that were on the ground and and I then got picked up someone grabbed a hold of my shoulders, like my sweater that I was wearing and dragged me into a building into a restaurant and I propped me up against the stairwell and started talking to me in an off duty doctor applied to tourniquet and then the the the barkeep that was there that was he helped put another tourniquet on my right leg and he had actually just moved to Boston from Serbia. And he The reason he moved was so that he wouldn't see any more violence exactly like the violence that he was seeing and he knew exactly what to do because unfortunately he had been in that situation too many times before. But all of those people started helping and then I turned cold and started to really fade and then in walked like five super hot firemen and put me on a on a on a bed on a what do they call it stretcher, stretcher Gurney thing. And then I was taken to hospital. But it was I was awake through all of it up until I
Molly Dare 13:53
I am shocked the detail that you remember yeah of it that you were that clear of mind and able to remember that, you know each person and they there's that Mr. Rogers quote, right? It's like always look for the helpers always look for
Adrianne Haslet 14:06
my favorite. Yeah, they're always there. They are always there. I remember every detail. It's bizarre that I do. It makes you a killer witness for the trial. But it's Yeah, it is. I remember everything I remember every smell I remember the direction of ever. Like I can picture it all. And there are no fill in the blanks. Like no mystery there.
Molly Dare 14:31
So what were the first few days like after?
Adrianne Haslet 14:35
Yeah, I was I mean, my foot was gone on the sidewalk. So luckily, I didn't have to, like make any decisions. Like some people had to make decisions of like, do we try and save it or do we not? That was not a decision that I had to make, which was hard, but also like, my family didn't have to make that like I'm grateful for that. Like if it was gonna happen. I'm grateful it happened the way it did. And so I tried to call my parents when I got to the hospital and I couldn't remember their phone number. And then the nurse was like, is it possibly under mom and dad and I was like, That's it. There we go, that would be it. And I called and said goodbye, because the doctors had told me like, you may not you're probably not going to make it. So I said goodbye and, and that was impossibly hard. And then went into surgery and then somehow woke up. And my parents were at the end of the bed with my Superman surgeon, Dr. Kailash from Boston Medical Center. And I just, you know, those first few days to answer your question that those first few days were kind of a blur. There's a lot of emotion and a lot of, yeah, it was a lot of emotion. It was it I was really angry, as you one would imagine. I was really angry that it happened. And I don't do well sitting down and sitting still. It's not who I am is not who I've ever been. It's not who I was built for. And I'm certainly not one of those people that does well with pity. And a lot of people are coming in with pity and I don't respond well with that. I wish I did. But my gosh, I think what I really remember about that first week was just being so mad. And we all know that I wasn't really mad. I was just really hurt. I just didn't know how to how to say that, you know?
Molly Dare 16:21
And so interesting, because not only are you're dealing obviously with the physical ramifications, but there's also an investigation and for people coming in interrogating you on top of you trying to heal. Yeah. What's it like dealing with both of those things at the same time? I can?
Adrianne Haslet 16:36
Yeah, great question. No one's ever asked me that. And I've done a gazillion interviews, that was really hard. I 's interesting. I don't know if I've told this story publicly, but I'll tell it I. So they were coming in and interviewing they being FBI and and I think it was just FBI, and counterterrorism units. And such were coming in and interviewing all of us to see who what we saw what we heard taking cell phones to get like, because you know, we all take pictures and stuff during the day. And so that is all evidence and such an. And first thing I want to say when I tell this story is I'm very dear friends with this person now. So like when you first hear it, you're going to possibly judge really hard, which you should, but we're friends now. But I was as you as anyone would imagine just feeling very unsafe, just in my own body in the world in everything, as I know that so many were around the world and certainly here in Boston. And I didn't know what was happening. So I put a sign on the outside of the door that said, Please don't tell me how this happened. And I turned off all news and turned off the music that was playing over the overhead and in my room. And if you can't dance, you can't listen to music. Music was like, the most depressing thing in the world for me at the time and and so I didn't know what happened. I didn't even know there was a lockdown it for the first three months actually thought the bombs came from the sky. Like I had no idea that there was an investigation going on. And even though there was a lockdown, they FBI still transported our families back and forth. And so there was no changes to my every day. So I didn't know about any of the investigations other than I had. And this is back to the story. I had a I was in my hospital room. And I was alone, like my parents were getting food or something. And my brothers too. And I was alone. And this guy walks in in a leather jacket and like, mind you, they gave us the exact same surgeon exact same nurses every day. So like there were no strangers that ever walked into the room. We knew every face. And all of a sudden this guy walks in and like normal street clothes and I still had a tube in my throat so I couldn't talk. And I had a clipboard like a wooden clipboard with a metal clip on the top to write things down so that I could communicate with people. He walks in and I take the clipboard and I checked the clipboard all the way across the room and it sliced his forehead straight in the middle. I clipped him straight in the middle of the forehead. And I want to be really clear and saying that I had no idea I was about to do that. I did not see it coming. I've never hit a human ever. I'm not a violent person. But I felt like apparently my body was like, nope, like it was just done through it. So I'd major stranger danger didn't know that was gonna happen. shocking to me. He was just fine. We're friends now. It's totally good. We've we still talk, we still hang out.
Molly Dare 19:30
Did he understand Why? I mean? Well, I'm sure he was alarmed at first, but did he kind of understand that you were being rattled and
Adrianne Haslet 19:37
He understood.
Molly Dare 19:38
Okay.
Adrianne Haslet 19:38
So unfortunately, they deal with people like me and people like all of us all the time with the Yeah, in really horrific situations. And so, and I said I'm sorry, like immediately I was like beside myself. And it was an out of body experience. But yes, they understood and then they they prepped Every single time they went into someone else's room, they said cat, just so you know, like this person's giving in, but that let them know about Stranger danger. And they treated all of us very differently after that. I'm not proud of it. But to answer your question, that's how I dealt with the interrogating.
Molly Dare 20:14
Yeah, well, I mean, I get it, I understand. And it's like a fight or flight reaction that,
Unknown Speaker 20:20
I was shocked that I even this never happened again. But like, it was.
Molly Dare 20:27
Clearly, a greeting.
Adrianne Haslet 20:30
so awful.
Molly Dare 20:33
I always like to ask this question, because I think, you know, for those of us who are or our loved ones who are suffering or injured or in any way, we want to know how to best support during that time and not say the wrong thing, and be there in a way that they feel it? Yeah, what were some things? Or what advice do you have for the people in your life? Like, who how were you best supported during that time?
Adrianne Haslet 20:57
Yeah, that's a great question. I did a plug, I did a TEDx talk called What to say, when you don't know what to say. And it was based off of the same question, in my experience off of having people come and visit you in the hospital, because unfortunately, our mother brothers, Sister lovers going to end up in a really tough situation one day, you know, and we're gonna need to go be by their side. And it is, there's no rulebook, right? And we don't know what to say, but the only sort of universal feeling that we all have is how do we make it all better, and no one can make it all better. So one of the things I talked about was, you know, matching the energy in the room. So if someone's sobbing, like, just be there with them, sobbing, don't try and change the energy that they're giving, they need to feel it all. So if they're laughing at the television, when you think they should be really traumatized, like laugh with them, they just need that in that moment. And so if they're throwing pillows, if they're like, wanna throw pillows, give them pillows to throw, you know, in for punch, or whatever it is. And I was having clipboards.
Molly Dare 22:01
That's good advice. And no one has said that to me before, but to match the energy in the room, I that is really helpful.
Adrianne Haslet 22:08
We go there to try and change it, right? We go there to make it all better. But that's, that's completely us. Like, that's all our energy that's going into the room. That's all our stuff. And like they have, they're the reason that we're there, like they have their own stuff going on. Right? So like when someone would come in and say, Oh, well, you're still here. And thank god, you're still here. And we're going to just get right through this. It's just fine. So what do you want to watch on TV? And I'm like, I really want to talk about this, like, why are you trying to tell me what to do? I'm, I'm in a really tough spot. And all this energy is coming at me. And I can't handle that right now. So yeah, just matching that energy. And if they're sitting silently, then sit silently. And if you can't do that, just send flowers. Like if you can't be that, for that person, if you can't match that energy don't show up, it is better to just send something. And I think if I were to put a list of things that people should send is a nice warm blanket, like a good warm throw that we all love from, you know, our target or our you know, wherever it is a really comfy cozy throw because hospitals are cold. And you always need a blanket, a big blanket, a pair of slippers with grip ease on the bottom, because that's legally that you can only wear once with the grip is on the bottom, to walk around the hospital room, and a coffee mug, because it just is always better to drink out of a coffee mug. So those three comfort things for anyone, man or woman or anyone in between or anything. It needs. Something that reminds them of home. And you can also print out a photo of their whatever they have on their social media, their family or their dog or their cat and bring that to the hospital too. So I think matching that energy and then just being present is so important. And if you can't just send a gift
Molly Dare 23:59
that is so incredibly helpful. You know, it's really saying look for the helpers and a lot of people feeling helpless, but they want to be there to support and I think those are all great, great ways. And by the way, for the people listening, that TEDx that she's referring to has over 16 million views. So definitely worth going to check out and listen to I definitely want to highlight yes, that that's pretty incredible. So okay, so now you're you're in, you know, I imagined rehabilitation, you're realizing that that life is going to look different. There's a lot of people listening, who I know have different adversities going on in their life as well. And they're realizing, okay, things are different. You know, now on what was the mindset shift that you had to get to that place of acceptance?
Adrianne Haslet 24:45
Yeah, that's tough. You know, I feel like I'm there now. But you know, it wasn't like some big moment of where suddenly like I always looked for it in the morning, right, like the cartoon checkmark of all better, right, like it's about Everyone wants to make it all better for me like, I want to make it all better for me more than anyone else does, right? So I always looked for that little cartoon check that would show up in the morning being like, congratulations, you've passed the hard part, or whatever it is like, and it never came. Surprise, surprise, I think the mindset shift was really telling people that I refuse to be called a victim, a victim is defined by what happened in their life. I'm a survivor defined by how I live my life, which is a quote that I
Molly Dare 25:28
love that quote. So good. So really,
Adrianne Haslet 25:32
stand by I said it in an interview once and they said, Say that again. And I was like, I can't do you get it recorded. And I just, it came out of my mouth. And I thought that that really sounds like a way to live, you know. And I think when you think of yourself as being defined by how you move through life, and through the hard times, as opposed to like, standing on the podium and winning something, whatever that is, you're trying to win, I try and fall in love with the process. And that's a lot of what dance is. And a lot of what I'm doing now in my marathon training is falling in love with the process of becoming as opposed to like, this particular end goal, even though I have those end goals, like I'm competitive as hell, but but I think my mindset shift came when I was like, okay, like, I vividly remember, walking across my apartment, for the first time without crutches or without a walker in my leg, again, like the very first time I learned how to walk again, and, and I'll say, you know, that mindset, mindset shift came with the body shift, right? Like, I had to learn how to walk again, in a body part that wasn't mine that I couldn't feel on the ground. And so it hurt with every step, because my tibia fibia bones were sliced and cutting into that muscle at the end of my leg. And it was just really hard. And when I learned how to walk again, and I was like, Okay, today, I went downstairs for the first time, or like, I went downstairs in the rain for the first time, or I walked across a marble floor and didn't feel like I was gonna fall for the first time. Or, like, those tiny little benchmarks again, in the process. We're the mindset shift for me because I, I'll say it again, and I will die on this hill, I really, really wish with all of my being in my bones wish that we all remembered what it was like to learn how to walk for the first time. I just, I think it was just the biggest gift I was ever given was to learn how to walk and to be very present in like this process, and to be even when I move around in my day now. Yes, I'm a runner, and I'm a distance runner. But to really appreciate what it's like to walk to the bathroom is a big deal. My service dog is right next to me. I'm sorry for the noise. Oh,
Molly Dare 27:50
no, I only have three dogs behind me snoring so I totally get it.
Adrianne Haslet 27:55
He just switched positions. So in his sleep, so. But yeah, I think that mindset shift came with like, Hey, I walked even further today, or I got to walk to go get a coffee. Like how amazing is that? Like, that was such a big deal to like, walk around with the coffee in my hand, instead of my arms out outreached on either side, which is exactly what you see in toddlers, right? They're like trying your babies and they're trying to walk and they've got their arms out for balance that was me used to look drunk because I was trying to learn how to walk. Like walk around, barely able to hold up.
Molly Dare 28:29
Somehow the competitiveness if you and you know, this goes to who you are. You went from learning to walk again, to then learning to run it becoming a long distance runner and now training for a marathon. Yeah, I mean, that blows my mind. But it speaks volumes about you and your your mindset on on doing that. So talk to me about that whole process on going from learning to walk she now training for the Boston Marathon.
Adrianne Haslet 28:57
Yeah, so I I had said early on, I was in the hospital still. And my I think it was my fourth or fifth day there. I should really look this up. Um, and Anderson Cooper came in and did an interview with me and he said, Do you think you'll dance again? And I said, Yeah, I'd like to like I would love to learn how to dance again. And I was I mean I was on every you can look at the interview I'm slurring my words so poorly because I was on every medication after obviously what I had been through. And I said, I would really love to dance again. I don't know if that's possible. I don't know any amputee dancers. I hadn't looked that up. I was too scared to look things up on the news because of everything that was happening. And that felt so good to be able to say that out loud to say like, Hey, I would I would love to dance again. And then he said if you learn to dance, Will you teach me? And I said absolutely. Like so. Hold. Yes, please in your blue eyes.
Molly Dare 29:52
I love Anderson Cooper.
Adrianne Haslet 29:53
Oh my god same. I love him so much. And now consider him a dear friend and he And I did teach him how to dance. But after saying that I felt so good that I then somehow said, I think I'll also run the Boston Marathon and my dad was in the background like waving his arms back and forth saying, don't do that, like you used to forge notes in high school like you cannot, you cannot run Adrianne, that is you are not a runner. That is not what you do. You don't sweat in front of people you would never wear if you don't even own flats. Like, I didn't even own like the cute tennis shoes, whatever. Like I was in as a ballroom dancer, you signed a contract, you actually do all your grocery shopping everything in heels, because you're training your feet. And he said, You really think you can run the Boston Marathon and I surprised myself when I responded. I said, there was a time when I wasn't a ballroom dancer, and I what I became a ballroom dancer. So yeah, I think I think I might be able to do it. And, and I was really surprised I said that, but it felt really good to set that goal and, and so after I learned how to dance again, I set my goal on the Boston Marathon. And I trained sort of, I did a couple of short runs, and then found myself at the start line of the 2016, Boston Marathon. And I was hardly trained, but really eager and stubborn and standing there with my friends. And one of my I started to have a panic attack when a few people were saying in talking about their long runs and their training miles and what they ate the night before. And I had not done any of that, because I didn't know any other amputee runners to train me. And I assumed I could only be trained and coached and and learn from another person who looked like me, I didn't think I could learn from someone who had two hereditary legs. And so I just had a complete panic attack. And my friend looked at me and he said, Adrianne, what will get you to the finish line is nothing compared to what got you to the start. And he's like, we have 26.2 miles ahead of us. But you've got one of your best friends here. And me and my brother, and we're going to get you there like, this is fine. And it was our little group. And we just hung out and we ran a little and we walked a lot. And we stopped a lot. And we had a blast. And I came in dead last of the marathon. 30,000 runners past me. And it was the as a competitive person coming in dead last was the most amazing, wonderful experiences of my life. I mean, it was amazing. And I learned so much in that time period. But he was right. You know, so often we think of what's ahead for us instead of what how far it took us to get there. Right. Like, it took me everything just to get to that moment. Well, so whatever happened after that I was just gonna let happen. Yes, I was under trained. And yes, I came in dead last but like amazing,
Molly Dare 32:40
amazing that you did it that you that you showed up and that you made it to the finish line, I can only imagine the emotion that you felt during and especially after that achievement. And I do want to say for those you were mentioning Anderson Cooper and that you do have a documentary with Anderson Cooper out detailing your first year as an amputee. It's called the survivor diaries. So for anyone listening, definitely that you want to hear more about it or or watch that documentary? It's definitely worth checking. checking that out. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it's just it's so fascinating and inspiring just to watch people just reclaim their lives, you know, after
Adrianne Haslet 33:24
my first steps, my first leg and it was a big year. It was crazy.
Molly Dare 33:30
And a huge year, and you're doing so much with the platform that you now have, which is you know, I'm just a huge fan of people who take their adversity, take their mess and make it their message. And you are now
Adrianne Haslet 33:42
i love that. i am feeling that. But it's yours. Oh,
Molly Dare 33:46
I took it from someone else. That's all Yeah. I'm sure it's definitely not my own. But you know, your advocate, you advocated for a new division of the marathon. And I really want to highlight this. I think this is incredible.
Adrianne Haslet 33:58
Yeah, I so after coming in dead last in the marathon, I decided that so many runners are so awesome. I mean, anyone who has ever run any race, whether it's a mile or full, maybe it doesn't happen in the mile, but it happens in anything from from the 5k on, I think and you talk to people, and especially if you're in the slower pack, you have time to walk and talk and pause and hang out for a minute struggling through and you find friends out there. And I just was really drawn to the running community even before having that marathon. Because you know, so much of the world even and especially the running community really rallied around the Boston strong message and spirit. So I met a couple of runners and we just fell in love and one of those runners that I met who I love dearly and has become a very dear friend of mine is Shalene Flanagan, and she's a competitive distance runner and a professional distance runner. And I met her in 2014 and I'd looked her up and she had you know, she been to, she was on Team USA and she competed in all these major marathons. And you know, all these amazing athletes like her. And so many others were breaking the tape at the end of the marathon and winning the marathon. And I thought, well, that looks like fun. I'm so competitive. I mean, if I come in did last why can't I come in dead first, like, I want to do that. They make it look so easy. They make it look so fun. And you know, it's never easy. But I looked up and I tried to find a marathon that had my division in it, meaning some people who look like me who ran in what we call blades, like running blades, the running leg, and I didn't see any for the marathon. And then I even looked in the Paralympics, and there were none. And I looked in the five K's. And I looked in all of that at other races and local races, and there were none. And so I was really struggling. And I went to the Boston Athletic Association, and we went to the Paralympics, and was like, why don't we have this? And they said, Well, you came in dead last. You can't, you know, we can't have a lead vehicle out there for what was it? 10 hours and 44 minutes or something that it took me it was obscene? And that they're rightfully so right. You know, it's it's, it's not competitive when you're crawling the hallway. And so then I got a new leg and I got a coach and I became a lot faster and my mile in that marathon, my mile pace, and that marathon was probably like an 18 minute mile. I mean, it was crawling snails pace, snail's pace, and my fastest mile now has been a 6:05. And so I went to that's not sustainable for 26.2, I just want to be very clear
Molly Dare 36:37
and I can't sustain that for one so incredible.
Adrianne Haslet 36:41
And, and I, you know, I went back and had some other very spirited, difficult conversations with them, the higher ups and there were other many other runners, this was not just me, there are many, many other runners that were really wanting to do this. And so they had no choice, you know, they, they knew that this, we should give, give it a shot. And they finally created this division. And so we now have a division as a competitive division for the Boston Marathon for para-athletes. And it's a group called para elites. And we're elite athletes, just like anyone else with our names on our bibs. And so I'm competing for the first time to win the Boston Marathon this year, which is really, really exciting. And I'm incredibly proud of that division. One of the really amazing things that happened as a result of that, we announced it in the press conference, and that night, you know, how you have those YouTube videos where like, someone like the parents tell their kids like, Oh, you're getting a puppy, or like, you're getting a kitten, or you're going to Disneyland and then like, write it on a pizza box, and everybody cries and you cry watching because like, you're, you're crying, watching because you're like, that's so sweet. These kids are so happy. And, you know, they had sent me these videos, these parents had sent me these videos, telling their kids who are amputees that they could one day win the Boston Marathon, I've never been able to say that without crying. It's the most beautiful thing in the whole world. And I know that these kids are going to smash whatever time I can do, because they're training, they're still sending me training videos, and they're training from like, the age of eight. You know, when I was starting it, like, what 36-37 Whatever it was, and it was amazing, like, it's just the most beautiful thing to see. And, and I know that it will affect how people see people like me, because so many people watch, distance running and athletics in general. And I'm really proud and excited about that. And And recently, this past year, I asked that very runner Shalane Flanagan, who was one of the first runners I ever met, if she would be my coach and run with me. So we are running side by side. And she is my support runner to run the Boston Marathon. And we've just had a total blast. She's working me really hard, and I so appreciate her, gifted her knowledge and her friendship and mentorship and teammate. So I just feel incredibly supported and loved and lucky to be even able to run it all is amazing. But to be able to run with her as a thank you for introducing me to this sport is I'm just over the moon excited. I just can't even describe it.
Molly Dare 39:16
I can't wait and you know, I'll be cheering you on from afar. And I'm sure a lot of the listeners that will too. You know, you mentioned that quote that you're very well known for, you know, I refuse to be called a victim. A victim is defined by something that happens in your life. I am a survivor defined by how I live my life, which I just gives me goosebumps every time I read that. But you have another quote that I really liked. You know, as I always go through everyone's captions and their social media, and you said if you believe it will work out, you'll see opportunities. If you believe it won't, you'll see obstacles. Yeah. And man, I love that so much. That is so true.
Adrianne Haslet 39:55
It's so true. And I need a reminder that a lot of the time I put something on social media not because cuz I have it all figured out, but because I need that reminder to help. And it's true, you know, if you get up in the morning and you're like, oh, I have a ting in my like little ping, pain in my side or leg or whatever it is, then maybe I shouldn't, then you're like, nope, like, I either want this goal or I don't, right, like this is, I see my opportunity here, and I take it. And, and that's just really important to keep, keep looking for those opportunities and keep looking for what is the good, you know, because there's always something like even when I could barely walk across the room, like, I was so grateful for those three steps before I would have to grab onto a counter just like a little kid. And like so grateful. I think the gratitude. The gratitude attitude is as cheesy as that is especially coming from a keynote motivational speaker, but it makes a world of difference.
Molly Dare 40:47
It does. It does. Absolutely. I truly believe that. You do. And one last question is, what do you hope is your legacy? Oh, gosh,
Adrianne Haslet 40:55
that's a great question. That makes me want to cry. I hope that people feel seen. I think the hardest thing in life is to go through something and feel like you're alone. And even though the bombing happened to so many people, and there are a lot of other amputees and, and I wasn't alone, when you're going through hell, you feel alone. And it doesn't matter how many people are around you, because the actual situation is only happening to you. And so many people with disabilities feel incredibly marginalized. And a lot of that is due to a world that isn't created for us. And a lot of to do with discrimination. People like Trump saying nobody wants to see amputees. He said that recent fairly recently, and, and so I think it is really, really easy for people like me, and for a lot of people in general, but people like me to feel like they're alone. And I hope my legacy is that people feel a little less alone. And I try and make all of my work, reflect that. So when I give a talk about what to say, when you don't know what to say, in a hospital, I want those people in the hospital feel less alone in the person who's trying to help them to feel like they have someone to talk to about or listen to about what they should or shouldn't do, or some guidance on that if I am helping create a new division in the Boston Marathon. I'm hoping that someone who's running a race doesn't feel so alone. If I'm giving a talk to Fortune 500 company about resilience and how they can best make it through the hard time. I hope that they don't feel as alone. So I hope that people feel like there's a community or someone out there listening and fighting for them. That is what I would hope my legacy would be that's a great question. I'm trying really hard not to sob not because I don't believe in sobbing but because I want to answer your question.
Molly Dare 43:02
No, it's a real I have like goosebumps listening to you speak you know for those who are listening and I'm sure they're all moved by your story as I am. And they want to book you for to speak to to their company. Where's the best place to find you follow you root for you. Where can people find you?
Adrianne Haslet 43:18
Thank you, Molly. I so appreciate it. I could talk to you for hours. It just flew by. i They can find me on Instagram. That's my biggest addiction that I don't plan on treating or worse things in the world. I use it I use it a lot to inspire people and to keep people updated on what I'm doing. And I'm on Instagram is my name Adrianne @AdrianneHaslet, H-A-S-L-E-T. And I do have a website that desperately needs to be updated but you can email me anytime for speaking inquiries, and my email is on my Instagram but it's also AdrianneHasletStrong@gmail.com
Molly Dare 43:55
Adrianne, thank you so much for joining me today and reminding us to not play victim to our circumstances and that we are made to go through hard things and come out stronger and that we are survivors choosing how to live our lives. And thank you everyone for listening in and see you next week with another powerful story of inspiration
thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of On Air with Molly dare Your support means everything to me and my guests. The best way to support this podcast is with a five star review on iTunes. The best way for this podcast to keep growing is by word of mouth so if you love this episode and got a meaningful takeaway, we'd love for you to share on social media tag me and the guests and we will be sure to share as well. You can also head over to our new website at Mollydare.com check out our fun shop with fun merch along with our Spotlight Series filmed features and all of our podcast episodes. If you do get your hands on some on air with Molly Dare swag and of course our line of daring fear less and aggressive liquor sweatshirts and hats and coffee mugs. It just gives me all the biggest smile and field. As always, please tag me when you receive your items, and I'll share on my social media as well. Nothing makes me happier than seeing all of you daring and fearless aggressive bikers out there wearing it loud and proud. Thanks again for listening and look forward to next week's episode.
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