Michael Hingson

Mike Hingson is one of the most articulate, intelligent and passionate individuals it has ever been my pleasure to know and work with. He tells me that he plans to resume his prior full-time speaking career. I can tell you that Mike Hingson captivates every audience he addresses just as he captivated and inspired me and the entire Aira team. I urge you to give Mike your highest consideration as someone who will make a positive impact at any meeting you ask him to address. His words will stay with your audience for years after he speaks to you and your people. In fact, I know that several companies have asked Mike to speak to them more than once not only to hear for a second time his World Trade Center story but because he customizes every talk and his ability to establish a rapport with audiences over and over again makes him pretty unique and memorable to them.

Dear Michael, Thank you for serving as the keynote and workshop presenter for the Mid America Safety, Health and Environmental Conference and Expo earlier this month. Your keynote set the tone for the conference and got everyone motivated for the sessions that followed and the workshop presentation was on target. Here are a few comments from conference participants about your two presentations: • Very informative. Opened my eyes! • Wonderful Speaker. Amazing. • Inspirational. • Great real life examples/stories. • I enjoyed the question and answer time and it made me more aware of disability biases. These are just a few of the positive comments we received. Thank you for helping make our conference a success.

To Whom It May Concern, I am the Adult Program Coordinator at the Billerica Public Library in Billerica, MA. As the Program Coordinator, my goal is to offer a variety of programs that inform, entertain, and inspire. Michael Hingson accomplished all of these goals and more. On September 14, 2017, Michael Hingson spoke at the Billerica Memorial High School, as part of the Billerica Public Library's Adult Author Series. Mike spoke about his experiences as a blind person living in a sighted world, as well as his experience escaping Tower 1 of the World Trade Center in New York City on 9/11. Mike was a fantastic presenter. He was able to pull audience members into his world and give them a better understanding of how "blind" sighted people can be when it comes to believing in the capabilities of those without sight. Mike was wonderful to work with. He is personable and has a great sense of humor. He was very willing to spend time answering questions. Audience members were very eager to purchase signed copies of his book and to have their picture taken with Mike and his guide dog Africa. A local student waited for all other attendees to depart and briefly interviewed Mike for her school report. He went above and beyond to answer all of her questions in a patient and professional manner. I strongly recommend Mike as a presenter for your organization.

The purpose of this letter is to endorse and commend Michael Hingson for his professional motivational speaking on behalf of the Washoe County region. As the County emergency manager, I have sponsored, observed, and contracted numerous public safety presentations. The recent presentation by Michael at our Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC) was among the best. He spoke as part of our emergency preparedness and disabilities awareness month activities. The audience consisted of public safety officials, first responders, and concerned citizens. Everyone in attendance was impressed and inspired by his professionalism, knowledge and presentation style. He presented an inspiring story, but more importantly, he discussed tips and techniques for becoming more efficient in working with vulnerable populations. He understands the special needs of an often-neglected population, as well as the importance of cultivating a culture of preparedness. His presentation drew universal positive comments, and everyone involved was very glad that they had the opportunity to spend time with him. Again I am deeply appreciative of Michael Hingson's dedication to preparing citizens for emergency situations, and wholeheartedly endorse him as a top-notch speaker. I consider it an honor and a privilege to have him at our event, and fully intend to feature him at a future event.

Dear Mr. Hingson: As a board member of the Sacramento Valley Association of Legal Administrators (SVALA), I would like to extend our appreciation of your time and inspiring speech at our annual Law Firm Leadership Conference on March 10, 2015. The event was a success and your speech contributed significantly to it. In your speech on Trust and Teamwork, you inspired the audience through your personal account of surviving the terrorist attacks on September Il with the help of your guide dog, Roselle. With great detail, you shared your personal testimony of survival with very effective techniques that gave the audience the ability to connect the skills you used to their own personal and professional environments. With your current guide dog Africa by your side, you also shared valuable life lessons that can only be learned through Guide Dog Wisdom and the values that come with such a bond. It was such a pleasure to work with you and would heartily recommend you to other organizations who desire a professional, inspirational, and experienced speaker for conferences, conventions or other gatherings. You were a true partner in the success of our event and a truly inspiring person.

Michael Hingson presents a fascinating, inspiring, and motivating account of his life in a fashion that is relatable to students. Michael may be without sight but he possesses an amazing amount of vision. His optimism is contagious and his story telling ability is unparalleled. Our students were simply mesmerized in a way that I had not witnessed previously. During Michael's presentation, students weren't texting or talking—they were completely engaged and hanging on Michael's every word. After his presentation, students lined up to visit with Michael and his amazing service dog, Africa. Of course, his experience at the World Trade Center kept our students on the edges of their seats. However, stories from his childhood—stories of overcoming hardships and prejudice—were equally meaningful and captivating. I have no doubt that Michael's presentation prompted hours of reflection and moments of transformational change for our students. If you are looking for an inspirational speaker on your campus, you would be hard pressed to find a more motivating and entertaining speaker than Michael Hingson. Michael captured our students' minds and Africa captured their hearts.

Michael and Africa, on behalf of COPIC, I wish to thank you for being a part of this year's COPIC Patient Safety and Risk Management Forum. Our attendees gave the Forum very high praise and your presentation was very well received. Our attendees really appreciated the information you shared during your presentation on "Trust & Teamwork." Your willingness to share your experiences and the insights you have gained during your life and such a tragic day in our country's history was impressive and touching. Some of the quotes from the attendee feedback forms included: "Excellent and inspiring!" and "Fabulous." Our attendees really enjoyed receiving a signed copy of Thunder Dog. My husband, Chet, enjoyed meeting you and getting to spend time with Africa and you, too. I hope to see you again soon.

Thank you for coming to speak to the employees of Freddie Mac on October 3rd to kick-off National Employment Disabilities Awareness month. The event drew participation across the company in person, via streaming, and again through the taped event for those who could not attend. Feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive, citing how informative and touching your presentation was. From the data on unemployment rates of people with disabilities to your unique view of the world around us to your recanting of your escape from terrorism on 9/1 1, you brought many to tears and raised awareness of all. Thank you again for leaving us with such a positive and motivating impression.

On Thursday morning, September 22, 2016, many of our students had the opportunity to have a conversation with Mr. Michael Hingson, author of the New York Times best seller, Thunder Dog. Mr. Hingson, who has been blind since birth, told us the story of his life as a blind person and of his experience of being on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center during the attack on 9/11/2001. We all learned a great deal about what it is like to be blind in a world where many people do not understand blindness. Mr. Hingson told us that the biggest problem that blind people face is that they are not recognized for their abilities. So…Mr. Hingson (accompanied by his guide dog, Africa) asked the following question to the students in the audience: "What can't blind people do?" Read the full blog reference here, http://blogs.socsd.org/superintendent/2016/09/22/what-cant-you-do'/

April 3, 2020 Re: Speaker Michael Hingson To whom it may concern, I am writing to provide my highest recommendation for Mr. Michael Hingson. Mr. Hingson was the visiting Woodrow Wilson Scholar to St. Leo University in February, 2020. Throughout his week-long residency, Mr. Hingson visited various classes, conferenced with students and faculty, and delivered a keynote talk that was open to the public. Mr. Hingson spoke about the animal-human bond. He spoke in great detail to an interdisciplinary class called "Service and Therapy Animals" about the distinctions between animals that are well trained to provide service and the more loosely described "comfort pets." His knowledge proved riveting to Dr. Allyson Marino's students in Topics in Medical Humanities. Faculty teaching composition and public speaking classes also asked to have Hingson come visit. As a speaker and author he clearly has become adept at constructing and delivering narratives, and it benefitted students to observe his communication skills, his lively banter, and his knack for persuasion. Hingson also delivered talks on a more serious note; he spoke about his experience on 9-11, 2001 to upper-level classes dealing with politics and terrorism and legal topics in counterterrorism. The faculty felt Hingson's presence in the classroom was significant to their students. Hingson also gave a well-received evening talk that was open to the public. Any organization or institution fortunate enough to bring Michael Hingson in as a speaker will find this experience to be immensely informative, rewarding, and thought-provoking. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding the merits of this gifted and inspirational speaker. Sincerely, Dr. Heather R. Parker Dean, College of Arts and Sciences heather.parker02@saintleo.edu 352.588.7894