"The comeback story of a young action sport athlete who seemingly lost everything after a freak accident turned him quadriplegic. This is about the relentless pursuit of self improvement, embracement of challenges, and the journey of love, growth, and acceptance."
-Shelby Thompson, Filmmaker
"Wow, I’m still so deeply moved by your documentary-and this is even though I've worked for Wings for Life for 9 years and have seen a lot."
-Marco Groebner, Director of 'Any of Us' &
Head Of Marketing at Wings for Life Red Bull International
"Exceptional job on this documentary. Very well done. What an amazing story!"
-Robert Gottlieb, Executive Vice President of Fox Sports
Our Purpose
Filmmaker Shelby Thompson would never imagine being a Student Academy Award finalist at just 22 years old, especially after not knowing how to work a camera just 7 months prior to the film's prestigious award. Jumping from major to major feeling the struggles of uncertainty and self doubt most college students face, Shelby's plans changed after meeting main character Marty O'Connor through his action sport internship program. Marty had an insurmountable challenge most people in this world never have to face-the inability to use both his arms or legs. Working closely with Marty throughout the year and observing his relentless work ethic to "not waste time doing things you don't want to do", Shelby had a complete shift in perspective. She applied to film school with one year left of college where she quickly found her passion for story telling, learning basic production techniques while trying to figure out how to share Marty's compelling story in the way it impacted her. Though on two different life journeys, Marty and Shelby remain close friends brought together by the shared values of passion, purpose, and perseverance.
The duo now travels together to:
1. Inspire individuals to embrace challenges to achieve their goals through the screening of "Relentless" and own personal testaments.
2. Help students workshop their passions, purpose, perspective, and perseverance in any current situation.
3. Continue to raise Spinal Cord Injury awareness through touring schools, conventions, conferences, medical institutions, and film festivals.
4. Celebrate the 66 million caregivers that exist in this country, and to provide tools and resources they can use to live healthier lives.
