John Kriesel
In 2006 Kriesel was nearly blown to shreds by a 200-pound roadside bomb in Iraq, but battlefield angels in army uniforms kept him breathing long enough to reach a hospital. He died three times and was shocked back to life. His story is Still Standing!
Price range
- $11,500 - $13,000
Expert
- Adversity
- Attitude
- Change
- Inspirational
- Motivation
- Resilience
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About
In 2006 Kriesel was nearly blown to shreds by a 200-pound roadside bomb in the parched sands of Iraq, but battlefield angels in army uniforms kept him breathing long enough to reach a field hospital. He died three times and was shocked back to life. Somehow he survived through four hospitals, 35 surgeries, and months of recovery. He lost both legs and suffered numerous other major injuries, but it was the loss of two close friends that hurt the most.
The guy who wasn’t supposed to survive and was told he probably would be in a wheelchair the rest of his life walked out of Walter Reed Army Medical Center after nine months. Working with author Jim Kosmo, Kriesel reveals his motivational story in “STILL STANDING: The Story of SSG John Kriesel,” winner of eight national book awards.
Four years after his near-death experience in Iraq Kriesel became a civilian marketing employee with the Minnesota Army National Guard and in 2012 was named Director of Veteran Services for a county in Suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also is a part-time contributor on KFAN Sports Radio and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
He was elected to the House in 2010 after a vigorous campaign where he was told he could not win in his district. He personally visited several thousand homes in all weather conditions and literally wore out the socket in one of his prosthetic legs. He won. After tours of duty in Kosovo and Iraq and a lengthy medical recovery Kriesel’s family wanted to spend more time with him and he chose not to run for re-election.
As a legislator, he was anything but a quiet freshman challenging even his own party and frequently speaking his mind. “Kriesel’s honesty is a breath of fresh air at the Capitol,” declared the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. In addition to serving veterans in the Twin Cities and being a frequent voice on KFAN’s Power Trip Morning Show, he continues to share his upbeat, motivational message with businesses and organizations throughout the United States.
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Video Clips
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Topics
STILL STANDING. STILL SMILING.
This speech is a story of Resilience, Grit, and Determination, via Miracle.
On December 2, 2006, the vehicle Kriesel and four of his comrades were riding in encountered a 200 lb. Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The blast killed two of Kriesel’s best friends and he was severely injured, losing both legs, suffering numerous broken bones and internal injuries. He was transported to two field hospitals in Iraq where he died three times on the operating table before doctors saved his life. He woke up in Walter Reed Army Medical Center after an 8-day medically induced coma where he learned about the death of his two comrades and the severity of his injuries.
The guy who wasn’t supposed to survive and was told he probably would be in a wheelchair the rest of his life walked out of Walter Reed Army Medical Center after nine months. His transition from military to civilian life offered many challenges, but his amazing support system, positive attitude and sense of humor allowed him to bounce back stronger than ever.
In 2010 he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives but decided not to seek re-election when his family said they wanted to spend more time with him. He is director of veterans services for a County in Suburban Minneapolis, MN, a part-time personality on KFAN Radio, motivational speaker, and co-author of the book, “Still Standing: The Story of SSG John Kriesel,” winner of 8 national book awards.
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Testimonials
3 people have recommended this speaker
“John Kriesel's inspirational message to our top sales team was touching, funny and full of descriptive stories and personal insights”
“John did a really great job! His presentation went over well and got raving reviews from our attendees in our survey. John was really down-to-earth and personable as well. It was a pleasure to have John at our event! Thank you again for all your help.”
“Thanks so much for your inspirational visit to Target and for sharing your message. I am so thankful for people like you who can take a horrific event and share what matters most.”