The Gem Bethel, ME
Trevor Thomas
Hiker
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly— Envisioning a new path forward
Program Description
Trevor Thomas will talk about his experience of going blind from a rare autoimmune disease at the age of 35 and his determination to regain his independence through long-distance hiking. Since completing the AT in 2008, he has hiked over 22,000 miles; some of his accomplishments include The Shenandoah Mountain Range, The Great Smokey Mountains, Mount Mitchell, Mount Whitney, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Colorado Trail. How does one overcome such hurdles, adapt to being blind and envision a new path forward? Trevor will share his inspiring story with us and explain how he hikes using his all his senses including echolocation, microclimates, breezes, etc. to cover thousands of miles on foot. Please join us to hear about this special story of determination, strength and grit. A Q&A will follow Trevor’s talk. To find out more about Trevor, please check out his website.
Presented At
The Gem Bethel, ME
Film Synopsis
The true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who suffers a stroke and has to live with an almost totally paralyzed body; only his left eye isn't paralyzed.
Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), editor-in-chief of French fashion magazine Elle, has a devastating stroke at age 43. The damage to his brain stem results in locked-in syndrome, with which he is almost completely paralyzed and only able to communicate by blinking an eye. Bauby painstakingly dictates his memoir via the only means of expression left to him. Though trapped in his body, Bauby is still able to escape his "diving bell" by letting his imagination take flight like a butterfly. Artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel won the Best Director award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival for this fiercely beautiful, quietly moving adaptation of Jean-Dominique Bauby's remarkable memoir.
About the Speaker
Trevor Thomas is a blind solo thru-hiker of the Appalachian Trail. Trevor passed through Bethel in 2008 as he entered Maine for the final leg of his 2,175-mile trek. He will join us again in 2025 by ZOOM from his home in Charlotte, NC, where he lives with his retired guide dog Tennille and his new guide dog Honolulu.
Trevor will talk about his experience of going blind from a rare autoimmune disease at the age of 35 and his determination to regain his independence through long-distance hiking. Since completing the AT in 2008, he has hiked over 22,000 miles; some of his accomplishments include The Shenandoah Mountain Range, The Great Smokey Mountains, Mount Mitchell, Mount Whitney, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Colorado Trail. How does one overcome such hurdles, adapt to being blind and envision a new path forward? Trevor will share his inspiring story with us and explain how he hikes using his all his senses including echolocation, microclimates, breezes, etc. to cover thousands of miles on foot. Please join us to hear about this special story of determination, strength and grit. A Q&A will follow Trevor’s talk. To find out more about Trevor, please check out his website.