Diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child, Kyle Pease had grown up supporting his athlete brothers Brent and Evan from the sidelines. While his condition limited his ability to play sports, it didn’t dampen Kyle’s passion for them, nor did it stop the Pease family from including Kyle in everything. Neither he nor his family treated his disability like a tragedy, and instead used it to fuel his dreams and spirit; from rolling his wheelchair up Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park to zipping down snow-covered Colorado slopes, there was never a dull moment with the Pease family. Where there was a wheel, there was a way – to adventure!
Upon witnessing Brent complete his first IRONMAN competition, Kyle asked Brent a life- changing question: “Can people in wheelchairs do IRONMAN?”. Brent never hesitated with his response; the answer was a resounding “YES!”. Who would ever have imagined that a man who has never taken a step under his own power would be blessed with the opportunity to compete in a sport that is defined as “three- part sports discipline comprising swimming, cycling, and running”? You’ve never met Kyle Pease (or a Pease brother) then!
Starting from scratch with no running chair, learning from others, and through trial and error and a ton of hard work, Kyle and Brent Pease have since completed more than 75 races together, including four IRONMAN triathlons and countless other endurance races. Finally, after years of hearing “NO” from their KONA applications, they were awarded the opportunity to participate in the 2018 IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. This is historic, as they are the first ever set of brothers and the second ever “push-assist team” to compete in the iconic KONA triathlon.
Brent and Kyle speak to audiences across the nation, sharing their message of inclusion and define what is truly possible. Their presentations interweave both their perspectives of PEASY life and their KONA quest, and Kyle and Brent recount the experiences that shaped the undying bond that has resonated between them since childhood; through their strength and tenacity audiences are inspired to stand up, face their own challenges and embrace change. Their motivational message and humble style can show audiences ways to continually challenge themselves and build the life they dream of.
As well as being avid racers, they also founded and manage The Kyle Pease Foundation; for many years the foundation has empowered athletes with disabilities to compete in the multi-sport and endurance world, and promotes success for young persons with disabilities by providing assistance to meet their individual needs through sports and competition. Since its inception, it has championed more than 100 athletes across 60 events and has multiple programs including grant and scholarship opportunities, assistance purchasing adaptive sports equipment, and participation in educational campaigns.
From the very beginning, the Pease family found a way to include each family member in everything they did. “When there is a wheel there is a way” was the family motto, and ‘Together We Wheel!’ was their battle cry.
In this heartfelt keynote the Pease brothers entertain audiences with stories about growing up Peasey, and how it meant living a life of doing all within your power to succeed, and to also ensure that no single person is ever left on the sidelines.
They show attendees the profound ways a family proved that by illuminating and including individuals with disabilities they were able to find and reveal who they truly are.
Through the Pease brothers’ unbreakable bond, they show us how individual and team focus, determination, and spirit are the keys to achieving and accomplishing feats others might say are impossible. Their incredibly inspirational story of brotherly love and desire for inclusion will instill hope and provide guidance for corporations, students, educators, faith-based groups, athletes, moms, dads, and special needs individuals. There is a powerful message for all that is applicable to so many facets of life.
Audiences members will:
“Brent and Kyle were exactly what our sales team needed to hear and it was exactly the message I was looking for from a leadership perspective. There’s no substitute for hard work and not only do Kyle & Brent certainly don’t shy away from that, but they define what hard work is. I believe that experience in life really leads to perspective…. and the more perspective you have in life, the better off you will be. That’s exactly what the brothers provided to us; perspective on what we should be grateful for, perspective on what it takes to rise above adversity, and perspective on never giving up on your dreams. It’s an invaluable lesson that fits well in any setting. We’re extremely grateful that we got the opportunity to spend time with such great guys; and their story of brotherhood and the bond that they share is rare, unique, and truly inspiring.”
“The entire Success and Sales team were blown away and inspired by Brent & Kyle’s story of passion, brotherhood and how they’ve accomplished together. There were some watery eyes in the room, and it provided the perspective that we needed as we talked about our goals and how we can work together to “go beyond the finish line.”
“I have heard consistently from our team members what an impactful presentation and discussion Brent and Kyle made to our team. To say it was motivating is a massive understatement… we pretty much talked about Pease brothers for days and weeks after their session. Kyle and Brent have left a long term impression on all of us.”
“While I knew the story I was going to hear…..I was still absolutely blown away! Kyle & Brent Pease share and teach the values of self-confidence perspective and unconditional love. These brothers are REAL LIFE modern day role models and heroes. Unbelievable!”
“When we plan our yearly summit, one of our biggest priorities is making sure we choose impactful speakers. Our Managing Partner recently met Kyle Pease through a mutual friend and thought he would be an excellent choice to come speak at one of our biggest agency events of the year. Kyle’s talk “Get Up” was the exact message our firm needed to hear. What is our why? What motivates us to Get Up? What motivates us to do what we do? Kyle’s inspirational story left everyone in awe and pumped up to make every second count.
Thank you Kyle for touching the hearts and minds of everyone in our firm and making a lasting impact that will be talked about for years to come.”
“Kyle and Brent really inspired our Young Professional Employee Resource Group at Cox. Their story and their continued pursuit of excellence in triathlons/racing and inclusion for all types of athletes is absolutely awesome, and encouraged all of us to think bigger and never back down from a challenge.”
“When planning our Sales Kick-Off meeting, the theme of which was ‘The Right Stuff’ it was a logical choice to reach out to the Pease Brothers to serve as our motivational speakers. The perseverance, positivity and camaraderie of Kyle and Brent is their own ‘Right Stuff’ and incredibly inspiring and moving. Laced with humor, their speaking engagement not only brought the audience to a standing ovation, but left all of us—most importantly, our sales team with a ‘can do’ spirit of inspiration. I would strongly encourage and refer others to tap into Kyle and Brent’s message. No matter the event, their story touches everyone and enforces that ‘never quit’ attitude. Thanks, Kyle and Brent, for making our event such a success!”
Meeting Kyle and Brent was not only a joy, but an experience. Hearing them speak opened my eyes to a world that still has much to learn about inclusion, but also to the many people like the Pease Brothers that are breaking down barriers every day.
Their passion for people is contagious. An afternoon spent with them creates a desire to do more, not only for inclusion, but sharing your unique gifts with the world. Everyone can learn from them. #TogetherWeWheel”
