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 Jim MacLaren. A man with a spirit that transcends this place we call Earth. Jim defied death with two traumatic accidents. One took his left leg below the knee and ended his shot at playing professional football. The other paralyzed him from the neck down, landing him forever in a wheelchair. Not one to let life keep him down, he reinvented himself— first as the world’s fastest amputee triathlete, competing in Ironman competitions and often beating his able-legged opponents—and then as a motivational speaker and writer, inspiring the world with his positive, courageous attitude. Jim was a pioneer, sent to Earth to live life on his own terms while paving the way for others confronted by seemingly insurmountable odds. His life and courage touched many throughout this world, and his legacy is his story, reminding all of us that life’s challenges do not stop us but instead allow us to become the very best we can be. In 2005, EPSN honored Jim with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, presented annually to individuals whose contributions transcend sports. In August 2010, 25 years after his first accident, Jim passed away in his sleep at the age of 47. I Am Not My Body is an emotional journey through the short but powerful life of Jim MacLaren. Journal entries written by Jim’s sister and soulmate throughout the months after her big brother’s death, as well as tributes by those Jim inspired and a chapter from his unpublished memoir, allow us to share both her journey as she learned to live without her brother’s earthly presence and the life of a most inspiring man.