#49 Living Blind, Living Strong: Evan Schwerbrock’s Guide to Impactful Fitness Advocacy

On this episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Evan Schwerbrock, known to many as “The Blind Strongman.” When Evan suddenly lost his vision in 2014 due to a rare genetic disorder, his life was turned upside down. Rather than let blindness define him, Evan found a new purpose—building Cane and Able Fitness, a global platform dedicated to empowering visually impaired individuals through accessible fitness, community, and personal growth. He also competes in strongman competitions and won the title of Illinois’ Strongest Man in 2019.

In this inspiring conversation, Evan opens up about the emotional and practical challenges of adapting to life without sight, the surprising lessons he’s learned about resilience, and the importance of treating people as more than just their disabilities. Together, Scott and Evan explore how the curveballs life throws at us can sometimes lead to unexpected strength, deeper empathy, and bold new paths forward.

Listeners Will Learn:

1. When Evan lost his vision suddenly, he chose to pause and process the news rather than rush into action.
2. Evan describes the emotional shift from focusing on fun in workouts to using exercise as therapy.
3. Evan’s experiences in the strongman community were overwhelmingly positive, with people focusing on adaptation rather than limitation.
4. Cane and Able Fitness was founded to bridge gaps in fitness knowledge and community for the visually impaired.
5. Evan talked about shifting values from pursuing a traditional strength and conditioning career to finding purpose in serving the disabled community.
6. The episode highlights both the kindness of strangers and the misunderstandings people often have about disabilities.
7. Evan calls attention to practical improvements needed in society, like accessible crosswalks and inclusive infrastructure.

Key Moments:

00:00 Adapting to Vision Challenges

05:39 Swing and Miss Moment

09:37 Processing Emotions with Intentional Calm

10:32 Pause After Life's Curveballs

16:42 Finding Connection Amid Division

19:38 Navigating Fitness Spaces

22:43 Passion Beyond Doubts

26:15 Person-First, Not Disability-First

29:36 Abilities Beyond Limitations

32:25 Inclusive Infrastructure for the Blind

38:12 Blindness Inspires Accessibility Changes