Maria Shriver

Bonnie Reiss

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Blog Posts

• March 29, 2012

  I've Been Thinking

  

  The Death of Normalcy: Hugh Herr's Mission

  Photo above: Hugh Herr

  An experience in our life that can appear at first to be "tragic" or "negative" can often be the impetus that leads us to transformation and perhaps even down a path that changes the world and improves the lives of millions.

  Such is the case of MIT Professor and double amputee Hugh Herr, whose story captivated me when i saw it recently featured on a CNN Medical/Innovation segment.

  An avid adventurer and mountain climber, Hugh Herr had a "tragic accident" while in his twenties on a mountain climbing adventure.

  During what was supposed to be a one day climb, he got caught in a blizzard and when the rescue party reached him 4 days later, frostbite cost him the loss of both his legs.

  Hugh Herr went on to create "Bionics," an interplay of science and design that has revolutionized the field of prosthetics. Bionics are replacements for "broken body parts" using the latest generation of robotics that not only seamlessly integrate with the body, but outperforms the natural body part.

• March 9, 2012

  

  Finding Community and Connection on International Women's Day

  International Women's Day may have a lofty and global title, but for me it led to a profound experience in my home community.

  I didn't really know what International Women's Day was or how it started, but when I got an email from a friend of mine in my Malibu community asking if I would be a part of a circle of local women to share our stories, I was compelled to say yes, not realizing at the time it would be one of my best decisions.

  We gathered in a local book store -- 30 women, diverse in age, career, and family status, but all living in the same community and desiring a greater sense of connection and of community.

  As we took our seats in the fold out chairs placed in a kind of circle we all looked around, each knowing some of the women, recognizing others from the local market or coffee shop, and not knowing and recognizing others.