Interview with Jothy Rosenberg: Who Says I Can’t?

This is part 13 of the Freelap Friday Five Series, 2013 Edition. To review the 16 part 2012 edition, click here.

Part 1 was Matt Scherer, Professional Pacer-Rabbit.

Part 2 was Stuart McMillan, Bobsled and former UKA Sprint Coach.

Part 3 was Dean Starkey, PV Coach and former Elite Pole Vaulter.

Part 4 was Mike Hurst, Journalist and Australian 400 meter Coach.

Part 5 was Craig Pickering, UK Sprinter and Bobsledder

Part 6  was April Holmes, Paralympic 100m Olympic Gold Medalist

Part 7 was Chip Jenkins, former 600m AR, and 4x400m 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist

Part 8 was Kevin Tyler, former UKA Head of Coaching

Part 9 was Liam Collins, a 400mH, Bobsledder, and dancer with Faces of Disco

Part 10 was Doug Logan, former CEO of USATF and MLS Commissioner

Part 11 was Adarian Barr, Coach and Innovator

Part 12 was Bill Collins, former WR holder and Masters Sprinter

To be honest, I’m not sure how people know the name Jothy Rosenberg.

He is a well renowned Entrepreneur in the High Tech industry. 

He’s also the author of the inspirational book Who Says I Can’t. 

And he hosts a YouTube TV series called Who Says I Can’t.

After losing his leg and lung at ages 16 and 19, he went on to get a Duke PhD in computer science, be on the faculty of Duke University for five years, to author three technical books, to ride in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge bike-a-thon supporting the Dana-Farber cancer institute seven years, and to swim sixteen times from Alcatraz to San Francisco to support Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program.

In his entrepreneurial roles, Jothy has founded seven high tech companies where he has been a VP, CEO, CTO or COO.

You can read his article on CNN on the aftermath of the Boston Marathon, and his website and foundation is at www.whosaysicant.org

Interview with Jothy Rosenberg

In this interview, I am diverting from the normal printed version of questions by email, and using video instead thanks to Google Hangout on Air.

So here are my 5 questions:

1. Tell me about the hardships dealing with losing a leg then lung at such a young age.  What drives you to live? Then what drives you to excel in sports that were once deemed “impossible”?
2. What are the technical challenges in doing sports, especially running & cycling?
3. Talk about your Foundation, and the emotional challenges they have to deal with.
4. Talk about the inspiration for the TV series… Kelly Bruno immediately comes to mind.
5. You live in the Boston area.  Is it possible we can see one of the survivors of the bombing come back and walk or run the marathon?  To cross the finish line where they lost their limbs one year earlier?  I am sure the media would have a field day with that one.

The video can be viewed here.