Spencer West

Spencer West (born January 7, 1981) is an American motivational speaker and disability advocate. West became an amputee after being born with sacral agenesis. He speaks about overcoming adversity and uses social media to advocate for the disability justice movement and the LGBT community.

Spencer West
West in 2011
Born (1981-01-07) January 7, 1981
Rock Springs, Wyoming, US
Alma materWestminster College
Occupation(s)Motivational speaker, disability advocate
Websitewww.spencer2thewest.com

Early life and education

Spencer West was born on January 7, 1981, in Rock Springs, Wyoming, to Tonette and Kenny West.[1] He has a sister named Anne.[2] West was born with a birth defect, sacral agenesis, causing his spine and legs to not work properly. When he was three years old, his legs were amputated to his knees. Prosthetics did not work, so doctors removed his legs when West was five years old. He learned to move around using his hands and a wheelchair.[1] West was bullied as a child for his disability.[1][3] He was a cheerleader at Rock Springs High School. He attended Westminster College where he earned a degree in communications.[1][2]

Career

West moved to Phoenix, Arizona[2] and worked as an operations manager at a salon and spa.[4] He volunteered at a TV newsroom. In 2008, West traveled to Kenya with a friend to support the Free the Children's school building effort. The trip inspired West to share his personal experiences as an amputee. He joined ME to WE as an ambassador.[1] At the suggestion of Craig Kielburger, West climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with his friends David Johnson and Alex Meers in June 2012.[2] The trio fundraised over $500,000 in support of Free the Children charity to provide clean water to 100,000 people in East Africa.[1][2] West is a motivational speaker and shares his personal and medical story. He speaks at schools and to corporations about overcoming adversity.[1] After meeting singer Demi Lovato at a charity event, in 2014, West was an opening speaker during the Demi World Tour.[5][6]

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted West's advocacy efforts; he had previously traveled 200 days a year as a speaker. West developed a following on TikTok where he posts about the disability justice movement and his personal experiences as a gay amputee.[7]

Personal life

West resides in Toronto. He applied for Canadian citizenship after living there for 4 years.[1] West has tennis elbow due to using his arms to walk.[8] He is gay and advocates for disabled members in the LGBT community.[9][7]

Selected works
  • West, Spencer (2011). Standing Tall: My Journey. Greystone Books. ISBN 978-1-55365-952-5.

References
  1. Favaro, Avis (2012-12-07). "Finding inspiration and encouraging others despite huge disability". CTV News. Retrieved 2021-02-27.
  2. Matray, Margaret (2012-05-27). "Spencer West: Redefining possible". Casper Star-Tribune Online. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  3. Martin, Michel (2014-07-22). "Despite Disability, One Mountain Climber Reflects On His Advantages". NPR. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  4. Schifrin, Nick (2012-06-21). "Man's Extraordinary Kilimanjaro Climb". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  5. "Inspirational speaker Spencer West opens for Demi Lovato". Calgary Herald. 2014-10-03. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  6. "Demi Lovato Talks Mental Health on World Tour, Takes 'GMA' Behind the Scenes". ABC News. 2014-10-23. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  7. Somos, Christy (2021-02-16). "'Provide some joy': Disability advocate takes off on TikTok". CTVNews. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  8. Edmiston, Jake (2012-06-22). "Meet Spencer West, the legless Toronto man who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro". National Post. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  9. Cohen, Gilad; Ramkisson, Simona; Fragomeni, Brandon; Castellani, Alex; Ma, Ron (2019-04-08). "Motivational speaker Spencer West on living as a gay man with a disability". rabble.ca. Archived from the original on 2020-11-27. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
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