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Ryan Rae Harbuck made the brave decision to live at age 16, and 25 years later made the courageous decision to share her story. She doesn’t have all the answers, and she is still figuring out life like the rest of us, but her journey is one we can all learn from, and open our view to struggles different than our own.

Stephanie Kostopoulos,
author of Discovering My Scars

IN CONVERSATION

Ryan Rae Harbuck, WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A CHAIR: A Memoir

Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books (January 2023)

Zibby speaks to teacher, swim coach, and writer Ryan Rae Harbuck about When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Chair, a raw, humorous, and profound new memoir about her paralyzing car accident in her teens and the decision to live a life of courage, ambition, and adventure after it. Ryan shares the gut-wrenching details of her accident–the school dance and midnight bowling, the crash on the highway, the spinal cord injuries and broken bones, the loss of her boyfriend, the disintegration of her family, and a new life in a wheelchair. Finally, she explains how swimming, teaching, coaching, and paralympic competitions changed her life.

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