Joe Rhea
Keynote Speaker: Motivational Resilience Expert & Author; ESPY Award Winner for Perseverance; Lead Speaker, Think First Foundation
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Joe Rhea Biography
Joe Rhea is a Kansas City-based keynote speaker, author, disability activist, and motivation expert known for his compelling comeback story in the field of public speaking. At age 14, Rhea sustained a broken neck on the football field and was paralyzed from the neck down, with doctors initially predicting he would never walk again. His recovery began when he regained some feeling in his left leg, leading to a pivotal decision: to work through significant pain and adversity or face life in a wheelchair. Rhea chose to fight, a choice that shaped his future.
Rhea is no longer in a wheelchair and is able to walk, run, and ski. After several days of paralysis, he gradually learned to walk again and regained about half the strength in his upper body. He remains partially paralyzed in his upper extremities but walks without visible signs of injury. His recovery included challenges with anger, depression, drug use, and disappointment before he found his calling as a motivational speaker. Rhea incorporates these experiences into his presentations, addressing topics such as mental health, resilience, and perseverance.
Rhea has been a leading college athletic speaker, presenting to more than 150 universities and athletic departments. As the lead speaker for the Think First Foundation of Kansas City, a brain and spinal cord injury prevention organization, he has connected with individuals who have survived catastrophic injuries. Over two decades of speaking to athletes, Rhea has shared his journey of overcoming a spinal cord injury and developed presentations on mental health, drug and alcohol awareness, overcoming adversity, and achieving goals. He has also served as a keynote speaker at the National Disability Matters Conference in Charleston, further establishing his role in disability advocacy.
Following his injury, Rhea redirected his aspirations from athletics to a career as a writer and motivational speaker. He authored the book "When Life Knocks the Hell Out of You, Beat the Odds," which explores his perspective on resilience and personal growth. The book is associated with his recognition as the ESPY Winner for Excellence in Sports Performance Award for Perseverance.
Rhea received the First Honorary ESPY Award for Perseverance in Kansas City. He is recognized by audiences ranging from student-athletes to corporate leaders for his impactful storytelling and ability to address emotional and motivational topics. Rhea is frequently invited to speak at student-athlete orientations at major universities, where he is known for engaging presentations and the use of impactful media. His life and work emphasize that defining moments do not have to set limits, and he is committed to sharing that message widely.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Joe Rhea and other top speakers and celebrities.
Joe Rhea Speaking Topics
A program that is designed to help today’s college athlete to learn how to deal with mental health issues like depression. As depression is at an all time high in colleges.
Adveristy Athletics Motivation Inspiration
How do I book Joe Rhea to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Joe Rhea for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Joe Rhea, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Joe Rhea or any other speaker of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Joe Rhea for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Joe Rhea, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Joe Rhea are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Joe Rhea, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
What topics does Joe Rhea speak about?
Joe Rhea is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Football, College, Inspirational, Sports Motivation, Overcoming Adversity, Disability, Mental Health, Athlete, Storytelling, Motivational and Resilience.
Where does Joe Rhea travel from?
Joe Rhea generally travels from Kansas City, MO, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
Who is the agent for Joe Rhea?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Joe Rhea for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805, and one of our agents will assist you to book Joe Rhea for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Joe Rhea or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Joe Rhea is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Football, College and Inspirational. The estimated speaking fee range to book Joe Rhea for live events is $10,000 - $20,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Joe Rhea generally travels from Kansas City, MO, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Amy Purdy, Rudy Ruettiger and Rocky Bleier. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Joe Rhea for an upcoming event.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Joe Rhea Speaking Topics
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ATHLETES WITH DEPRESSION?
A program that is designed to help today’s college athlete to learn how to deal with mental health issues like depression. As depression is at an all time high in colleges.
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Drinking and Driving Prevention
Adveristy Athletics Motivation Inspiration
VIDEO
Joe Rhea Videos
REVIEWS
Joe Rhea Reviews
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Recently, we were lucky enough to have Mr. Joe Rhea return to Molloy College for a presentation to our Department of Athletics, Student-Athletes and Student Government. The subject couldn't have been more appropriate or delivered in a more meaningful, powerful way. Joe's presentation is titled "Bars, Cars, and Catastrophes," and speaks to the destructive things that are possible when people make bad decisions with regards to drinking and driving, and overall reckless, irresponsible behavior. But Joe's story is also one of perseverance and dedication as he overcame his own catastrophic spinal cord injury while playing high school football. One thing that left an impression on me is how Joe detailed the moment he fractured his spine on that field, doing something he had done hundreds of times, and how your life can change forever in an instant. For some the damage could have been permanent but he worked hard, harder than I'm sure anyone could imagine, and he was lucky. As I said it could not have been more powerful. I appreciate a speaker who is honest and who cares about those listening, and Joe undoubtedly does. I also know a speaker has left an impression when the students are still talking about it days later, and that has been the case both times Joe visited our campus. I recommend him without any hesitation to anyone looking for a similar outcome. Truly yours, James Zegers, MA, ATC --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Molloy College - Apr 08 2014
FAQS
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How do I book Joe Rhea to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Joe Rhea for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Joe Rhea, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Joe Rhea or any other speaker of your choice. -
How much does it cost to book Joe Rhea for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Joe Rhea, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Joe Rhea are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Joe Rhea, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Joe Rhea speak about?
Joe Rhea is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Football, College, Inspirational, Sports Motivation, Overcoming Adversity, Disability, Mental Health, Athlete, Storytelling, Motivational and Resilience. -
Where does Joe Rhea travel from?
Joe Rhea generally travels from Kansas City, MO, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. -
Who is the agent for Joe Rhea?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Joe Rhea for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.855.383.8805, and one of our agents will assist you to book Joe Rhea for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Joe Rhea or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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