Janine Shepherd

Janine Shepherd’s story reads like the plot of a Hollywood movie. A champion cross country skier in training for the winter Olympics, her life was irrevocably altered when she was run over by a truck during a training bicycle ride to the Blue Mountains.

Her neck and back were broken in four places, and her right arm, collarbone and five ribs fractured. Her right leg had been ripped open, she had sustained head injuries and massive internal injuries. She had severe lacerations to her abdominal area and had lost five litres of blood. The bleeding alone was enough to kill her.

Doctors warned her parents that she was not expected to survive her ordeal. Even if by some small chance she recovered, she would never walk again.

Coming to terms with her shattered Olympic dreams, refusing to believe what expert medical staff were telling her about her chances of any kind of recovery, Janine focused every sinew of her being on healing her broken body and crushed morale.

Her fighting spirit was rekindled watching small planes flying overhead. She made a decision: “ If I can’t walk, I’ll fly.” And fly she did. While still covered in a full body plaster cast, Janine was lifted into an aircraft for her first flight. That moment changed her life forever.

Within a year she had her private pilot’s licence. Despite remaining a partial paraplegic and with many physical challenges still ahead, she battled on to gain her commercial pilots licence, her Instrument rating, her twin engine rating, and her Instructor’s rating. She then went on to become a fully qualified aerobatics instructor.

And all the while she pushed her body to mend itself, forced her legs to walk again, step by painful step. Although doctors said she would never have children, Janine says her greatest achievement is the three young children she now has. She has since gone on to finish her University degree in Physical Education.

Janine’s story of defying the odds and winning is both moving and inspiring. The title of her bestselling book, ‘Never Tell Me Never,’ says it all. Janine has since written two more books, ‘Dare to Fly’, which was prompted by overwhelming public reaction to her first book, and ‘Reaching for Stars’, which was released in November 1998.

Janine’s autobiographies have become classics in the survivor genre and have been best-sellers. Janine’s life story has been recently made into a feature film, also entitled Never Tell Me Never, starring well known Australian actress Claudia Karvan, and tells of her journey to hell and back.

Today, Janine is much in demand as one of Australia’s most sought after motivational speakers. She travels extensively in Australia and overseas sharing her story with others. Janine has recently been named as one of only ten recipients of the ‘Outstanding Young Persons of the World’ award for 1998 from Junior Chamber International and in 1999 was named an Australian Achiever by the National Australia Day Council. Janine has recently served on the board of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the youngest and only female director. She is also the patron of the Australasian Spinal Research Trust and is committed to helping find a cure for spinal cord injury in the near future.

More recently Janine was named in the 2001 Australia Day honours list when she was appointed as a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia.

Countless Australians have been captivated by the inspiring story of this remarkable young woman and her story of incredible courage and strength. It is a testament to the power of the human spirit and one that will move and inspire all.

Motivational Speaker.
When she speaks, Janine Shepherd takes us on an amazing journey. A journey on a road with so many twists and turns, so many deep valleys and steep hills that it mirrors the road we travel in own lives every single day. This is a story that takes us from the pinnacle of elite athletics competition to the pain and fear of being wheelchair- bound and facing the shattering reality of life-threatening and permanent injury; from the exhilaration of flight to the struggle of taking one difficult step at a time on a long road to recovery which continues to this day.

As a motivational speaker, Janine has a very special point of difference. She inspires others through the very fact that everyone can relate to at least one aspect of her story. All those who listen to her speak can find a truth in Janine’s experience that relates to their own lives, their own struggle, and their own pain. They do not go home from her talks and think “yes that’s all very well, but I couldn’t possibly do that...”

Too often something that is meant to inspire and motivate leaves us feeling that little bit inadequate; there is initial buzz, then reality envelops us and we go on, unchanged. Janine leaves her audience not only awed, humbled, and uplifted, but causes them to think deeply about the way they live their own lives. Her listeners leave with a light heart and a conviction that they are able to change their attitude, find the power within and perform to the best of their abilities.

Janine says; “I feel so fortunate and privileged to hear from people who have heard me speak. I have many letters from participants telling me how they have come away from the talk, thought deeply, and actually transformed aspects of how they live. People have made changes to their jobs, travelled, studied,
learned to fly, or simply decided to behave differently in their significant relationships with those around them… That makes me so happy, so proud. It’s the reason I speak and write. I know that every single person has the strength and the spirit within to do what I have done, I truly believe that.”

From the classroom to the kitchen to the boardroom, there is something for everyone in Janine’s message of hope. She believes such boundaries are in fact artificial; that all is one – what we incorporate into our personal life when we transform dreams into reality cannot help but influence our work, our relationships and our reality.

This is why Janine has a reputation not only as a successful motivational speaker, but as an author with a devoted following. Janine is real. She is funny, interesting and inspirational. She laughs at herself, she helps us see the humour and beauty of every situation, even the hardest, most painful, and difficult we have to face. She teaches us to love the hills, for they are how we learn to fly.

"Janine is a change agent. She has an extraordinary ability to ignite people's spirits and move them to find the real potential of their lives; her story inspires people around the world "
Deepak Chopra