Exclusive Interview on Blind AF: The Side of Shawn Cheshire You Haven't Seen

by Victor Guerra November 11, 2026

Behind every extraordinary accomplishment is a story that the world may never fully understand. For Shawn Cheshire, a blind Paralympian, U.S. Army veteran, and 13-time national paracycling champion, that story extends far beyond the 3,600-mile bicycle journey across America featured in the award-winning Blind AF documentary.

Watch Full Episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/s8slibRB9SQ

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exclusive-interview-on-blind-af-the-side-of/id1892258845?i=1000801238115

Listen on Amazon Music:

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d360ddd7-158d-47ae-8505-acecb401dd77/episodes/5c3532e9-d9cb-4b45-b311-2e61d44a1d6d/become-the-victor-podcast-exclusive-interview-on-blind-af-the-side-of-shawn-cheshire-you-haven't-seen-victortheinspiration

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7oNrWBGXEZPolqeJiOuKWc?si=vlj5MPd7Rya-6fV2MZEVhw

Listen on iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-become-the-victor-podcast-330696431/episode/exclusive-interview-on-blind-af-the-side-of-shawn-cheshire-you-havent-seen-victortheinspiration-349800032/

Listen on Audible:

https://www.audible.com/podcast/Become-the-Victor-Podcast/B0GWPSPX4K?qid=1794356049&intent=discovery&sr=1-2&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=JHY7E6QYSTWDHBFS590M&plink=LgeeApTDtxObAMGN&pageLoadId=6J2zGujVEvISvXcP&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_2

Listen to This Interview Turned into an AI Song:

https://youtu.be/O5Nr__gsvwk

After suffering a traumatic brain injury while working as a paramedic, Shawn gradually lost her vision, forcing her to confront an overwhelming loss of identity, independence, and the future she once envisioned. Yet the greatest challenges she describes have not been the dangerous roads, physical exhaustion, or extraordinary athletic achievements, but the personal battles involving childhood trauma, depression, PTSD, and emotional healing. Award-winning filmmaker and Blind AF director Gina LeVay Goldstein shares an intimate look behind the scenes of the documentary, sharing powerful moments that never appeared on camera. After first meeting Shawn in 2015, Gina recognized an extraordinary individual whose determination, vulnerability, and compassion deserved to be understood beyond her athletic accomplishments. Throughout their filmmaking journey, Gina witnessed Shawn's remarkable ability to care for others, even after physically and emotionally exhausting days cycling across America.

While the cameras documented breathtaking landscapes, dangerous highways, and incredible displays of perseverance, they could not fully capture the emotional weight of Shawn's daily experiences or the profound friendship developing between the two women. Gina became someone Shawn could trust during her most vulnerable moments, prioritizing her emotional well-being over capturing the perfect scene. One of the conversation's most moving revelations comes when Shawn describes listening to the completed documentary for the first time. Overwhelmed with emotion, she realized that Gina had genuinely understood her experiences, allowing her to feel truly seen and heard in a way she had rarely experienced outside therapy. Their relationship demonstrates that the most meaningful transformation sometimes happens beyond the camera, through trust, compassion, and the willingness to understand another person's pain.

Watch Clips from Full Episode on YouTube:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaBZcq2xMLXU&si=oUBblq3SMz3GS5SI

Connect with Shawn Cheshire:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/shawn_cheshire/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/shawn.cheshire.9/

Website:

https://linktr.ee/shawncheshire

Connect with Gina LeVay Goldstein:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ginalevay/