Mike Garrison

Background

About Mike Garrison

I grew up a small-town Midwest kid who couldn’t hit a baseball or score a soccer goal to save my life — but I could ride a dirt bike. By the time I was five, motocross became my world, and for over a decade my family and I crisscrossed the country chasing races and chasing dreams. Like any kid, I imagined turning pro, making big money, and signing autographs at McDonald’s. On August 27, 2006, at 18 years old, everything changed. Battling my best friend for the lead at a local race, we collided mid-air. He walked away unscathed. I left the track with a shattered spine, collapsed lungs, and a new reality: life in a wheelchair. What sounds like tragedy turned out to be the start of a different kind of dream. That crash led me to discover my passions: graphic design, race announcing, public speaking, writing, and comedy. I built and sold a graphics company, became a professional announcer, and found my true voice on stage — blending humor and motivation to remind people that resilience doesn’t have to be serious, it can be hilarious. Today, I’m a comedian, speaker, announcer, graphic designer, and entrepreneur. I fuel audiences with story, voice, and vision — proving that setbacks can become setups for something greater.