Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Aaron Baker of Los Angeles

We recently had the chance to connect with Aaron Baker and have shared our conversation below.

Aaron, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I am walking a path… with purpose. Purpose found me the moment I availed my heart, opened my mind and began sharing my life with others. By serving others, magic happens – a transformation from me to we!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
In 1999, as a professional motorsports athlete, I sustained a career ending spinal cord injury. I fractured cervical vertebrae 4,5,6 rendering me a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chin down. I was given a one in a million chance of ever feeding myself again. From the onset of my injury, the focus was on rebuilding and redefining life. I became a student of the mind and body, and mastered a set of fundamental tools I still use and teach others daily.
Today, I am a husband, father, adventure athlete, author, and keynote speaker. Along with my mother, I co-founded the Center Of Restorative Exercise and represent Red Bull’s non-profit charity – Wings For Life Foundation as a member of the Board Of Directors, USA and Chairman of the Ambassador Council.
As an athlete, I have set and achieved many firsts for my injury level. I cycled across the United States twice – from San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL and then on to San Francisco, CA to Washington D.C. I was honored to train with the Paralympic program winning a National Championship in 2012. After hanging up the bike for some time, I took my efforts to the lowest, hottest place on earth, Death Valley and walked 20 miles which was chronicled in a Netflix documentary, “Coming to my Senses”.
In 2022, I released my memoir, “The Rebellious Recovery: Transform Your Adversity Into Adventure” which encapsulates over twenty years of living and thriving with a spinal cord injury.
Most recently, my wife and I created the Los Angeles based non-profit, Adversity Into Adventure Foundation, which enhances rehabilitation, recreation and neurological research for the disabled community. We cycled across Route 66 in 2024 and over 30 states in 2025 as an impact campaign to show what is possible.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Much of my adult perspective on the world was shaped early in childhood by my mother and our travels. I learned early on of great suffering in the world by witnessing starvation, poverty and injustice. It shaped a deep desire to help today for a brighter tomorrow.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
“We are all on a journey of a thousand miles. The quality of every single step counts as they add up to affect the quality of our life. Our daily choices matter, because they can become habits, and our habits evolve into behavior that ultimately defines our character – who we are and what we stand for.” – Aaron Baker, “The Rebellious Recovery”

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
My biggest project is my ongoing recovery from spinal cord injury. This is a life-long pursuit to optimize my wellness – both physically and mentally – so I may be the best husband, father and friend possible. My mindset is the cornerstone of why we created the Adversity Into Adventure Foundation and provide life-enhancing opportunities for people with disabilities.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I am most peaceful when immersed in nature. Like most human beings I am not impervious to the eb and flow of emotional contrast. At my darkest moments, nature is what nurtures my soul. The quiet serenity of a sunset, the whisper of a calm wind or the orchestra of ambient life all around entrains my thoughts, reconnects my mind and emboldens my body to act again.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.adversityintoadventure.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adversityintoadventure/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adversityintoadventure
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AdversityIntoAdventure

Image Credits
Melanie Manson
Katelyn Devine Baker