Logo
Ben O'Donnell Headshot
Report a problem with this profile
[email protected]

Ben O'Donnell      

Executive Coach, Ironman & COVID-19 Survivor

In Feb 2020, Ben O'Donnell was training for his second Ironman Triathlon when he went on a business trip for a week to Colorado and Texas. On that trip, he contracted COVID-19. He spend 9 days at home before the state of Minnesota was able to test for COVID-19 and was admitted directly to the ICU. He was the first critical case of COVID-19 in the state of Minnesota and the first person in North America to survive COVID-19 while requiring ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) support. He spent 28 days in the ICU, 15 on a ventilator and 12 on ECMO. During that time, he also suffered Liver and Kidney failure.

Upon discharge, O'Donnell was sent home with a walker and supplemental oxygen. He determined that he would still train for and compete in that Ironman triathlon. It was 14 months to the day of coming off of ECMO life support, he completed Ironman Tulsa in May 2021.

O'Donnell experienced setbacks and trials as he moved to a new country with his family and started a business. He dedicated his Ironman to the healthcare workers and community that mean to much to him. He spends time raising funds for the Ironman Foundations IRONAID program to help non-profit organizations affected by the pandemic. Additionally, O'Donnell is working to ensure that others would not have to experience what he went through. He has testified in front of Congress on vaccine hesitancy and continues to spread his message and story.

Part of his journey is also chronicled in the ESPN Documentary The Long Haul, which is streaming in ESPN+.

Speech Topics

Motivation: Don't Stop, Don't Quit, Keep Moving Forward

Ben uses his story of recovery to guide and motivate you through your journey. His story starts in an ICU bed suffering from COVID-19. He was on a ventilator and ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation). His journey took him to an Ironman finish line just 14 months later. His determination and grit are infectious as he takes you on a journey of not just recovery, but self reflection and triumph.

Success is not a single event, and progress is made slowly. It is about the little things we do every day that help us towards our better tomorrow. Just don't stop, don't quit, keep moving forward.

Work/Life Balance: Lessons Learned from the ICU Bed

Ben had a very successful professional career. He worked as an executive for more than one Fortune 500 company before he was 37. He climbed the corporate ladder with the best of them. Then, when he was forced to reflect on his life and career from his ICU bed, he found the things that mattered in his life and career.

Ben takes you through this thought process and how he found the items that truly mattered in life and work. He wants you to learn from his experience. He talks about how the village and people that you surround yourself with are so much more important than that title and compensation you receive. He is not blind to the monetary needs to survive in the world, but rather looks at how you can balance the financial need with the personal fulfillment we all need.

Compassionate Leadership: People First Leadership in the Modern Workplace

People are an organizations most important asset, yet when it comes to leadership, we always look at the KPI's (Key Performance Indicators) of the business and rarely the people responsible for them. Good leadership comes from personal relationships and understanding that the people in the organization come first. When that happens, they will take care of your customers and profits.

It is about creating a safe environment where people feel welcome, respected, and free to be whomever they are without the need of a corporate mask.

Related Speakers View all

More like Ben