From Coma to Competition: A Story of Radical Reinvention

Leading You

What happens when life as you know it ends overnight—and you choose to rebuild from nothing?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Stephenie Rodriguez—digital entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and one of Women in Tech’s Top 100 of 2024. Stephenie’s story of survival after contracting cerebral malaria is nothing short of extraordinary.

Given a 2% chance of survival, she awoke from a coma to find both feet and part of her hand gone. But instead of giving up, she chose a different path—one of radical resilience, reinvention, and purpose.

From ICU to international para-athlete, Stephenie is now the first Australian woman to compete in para fencing since 1968. And she’s only getting started.

We talk about the mindset shift that changed everything, the rituals that anchor her, and her mission to impact a billion lives through tech, advocacy, and inclusion.

In this episode, we explore:

• The mosquito bite that changed her life forever
• Choosing to amputate both feet—and why it was an act of power
• The difference between surviving and truly living
• How Stephenie became her own best friend
• Why daily gratitude and affirmations became her non-negotiables
• Becoming a para-athlete and a global voice for inclusion
• The truth about identity, reinvention, and leading yourself forward

This episode is a masterclass in mindset, courage, and becoming who you were always meant to be.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to the Leading You Podcast
00:20 Meet Stephenie Rodriguez: Digital Entrepreneur and Global Changemaker
01:16 A Life-Altering Mosquito Bite
05:54 The Battle with Cerebral Malaria
08:11 The Road to Recovery and Resilience
11:59 Embracing Disability and Finding New Purpose
22:31 Becoming a Para Athlete and Fencer
26:16 Future Goals and Ongoing Impact
29:49 Conclusion and Call to Action

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Links:

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Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

Connect with Stephenie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalgodess/
X (Twitter): https://www.x.com/digitalgodess/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalgodess/
TEDx: https://www.ted.com/talks/stephenie_rodriguez_how_i_met_my_best_friend

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