Matt Sterling was born in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1969. Diagnosed at birth with a permanent disability, he used braces and crutches to walk and transitioned to a wheelchair in grade school. Despite societal stereotypes, the wheelchair provided a way to keep up with the other kids.Matt began his education in a private grade school in Sylvania, Ohio, as public schools had stairs and no elevator access. To accommodate students with special needs, the district provided a specific school for the disabled. Matt's parents felt strongly he would benefit from what is called mainstreaming: learning and socializing alongside able-bodied kids.In search of a warmer climate, Matt's family moved to Bradenton, Florida. Matt was elected class president three of the four years he attended Bayshore High. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the University of Florida. After graduation in 1991, Matt was hired at LINTAS, an ad agency in New York City. In June of 1994, Matt accepted a job at TIME Magazine. During his long career with Time Inc. as a sales and marketing executive, Matt traveled extensively and lived in NYC, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.Once settled in LA, Matt met his wife Carrie Lane, a tenured Professor at Cal State Fullerton. Matt and Carrie have a son Frank who is in grade school near their home in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.In 2021, Matt was diagnosed with a rare MRSA infection, ended up on life support and almost lost his life. He spent four months in the hospital and through comprehensive rehab found the strength to survive.Read more about this authorRead less about this author