Kevin Culliney
Kevin Culliney advocates for cancer awareness and seeking out second opinions and alternatives. He shares his remarkable story of survival, from diagnosis with stage IV cancer.
More Than Our Story
Jeremias Mateo
After a life-changing mountaineering accident left him with lasting injuries, Jeremias ‘Jere’ Mateo refused to let limits define him, setting his sights on swimming the Oceans Seven—a marathon swimming challenge consisting of seven open water channel swims around the world. He now uses his platform for advocacy and challenges assumptions about disability and endurance sport.
10 Questions With Jeremias Mateo
What was the most challenging part of recovery: Physical, mental, or psychological? And how did you overcome it?
I believe recovery must address all three aspects equally. There are moments when one requires more effort than the others, but none should ever be neglected. Due to the specific circumstances of my mountain accident, in which my friend Salvi lost his life, the emotional part was the hardest to recover from. That said, I always like to say that recovery isn’t over. I’ve regained a lot of functionality, and I’m an independent person, but I’m aware that at any moment something could happen with my injuries that might make me more dependent again.
The best way to overcome it was to integrate it, not to look the other way. To accept that it had happened, that it was permanent, and that the pain and sadness will always be with me—even if it doesn’t hurt as much now, it will always be part of me.
What was it about swimming that appealed to you as a stage to test your limits?
At first, it was pool swimming, and the sense of freedom it gave me was what I valued most. Later, competition pushed me to test myself again, meeting people and traveling. But it was when I discovered open water swimming that I reconnected with nature, with that feeling of freedom and all the values I used to seek in the mountains and hadn’t felt again. I always say that open water is the closest thing to the mountains I’ve found. The preparation, the fragility, the elements deciding whether something can be done or not, the waiting, the vastness of nature compared to the insignificance of the individual, the camaraderie, the importance of effort…
You completed your swim across the English Channel on August 1, 2024. When you reached the shore in France, did you already know you wanted to attempt the Oceans Seven?
Yes, I already had it in mind that I wanted to try the Oceans Seven. After swimming across Gibraltar, I started to believe it was possible. I’ve never liked overestimating my abilities. I’ve always followed a pattern—raising the difficulty of each challenge only after completing the previous one. As I said, after Gibraltar, I booked my slot for the English Channel and began to verbalize that I wanted to pursue the Oceans Seven. I started putting myself out there. Once I was aware that the project was viable, I began sharing it with others.
You completed the North Channel on August 16, 2025. I’ve read that fewer people have swum the North Channel than have summited Everest. Why did you choose arguably the hardest one as your next challenge?
Initially, it was a strictly logistical decision. At the beginning, this project was 100% self-funded. Now I have some support—less than 20% of the total budget—but it’s a fundamental help. When I had to book the 2025 challenge, the most accessible option logistically and financially was the North Channel. Still, it was the challenge that scared me the most. The conditions of the North Channel demanded a lot of respect. But as I learned during rehabilitation: don’t think about the end—go step by step. That’s how I decided to sign up, and I gave it everything I had to make it happen.
What was the most challenging part?
The beginning of the swim was the hardest part for me. Not because of the 13-degree water, or the fact that it was nighttime, or the wind, currents, waves, or jellyfish… none of those things alone were decisive, but all of them together made it especially tough. After several hours, I settled into the pain and effort that this challenge demands. Being the first person with a brain injury to complete it was also a strong motivator—not so much for personal recognition, but to break down prejudice: “I have a disability and a brain injury… so what?”
Which of the Oceans Seven will you attempt next?
Due to my recovery, I can only attempt one crossing per year—I don’t want to push my body too far. So I’ve been booking one challenge per year. The next one will be the Catalina Channel this coming August.
Where do you find the motivation, willpower, and perseverance to set and achieve your goals?
I’ve always been a bit stubborn. When I set myself a challenge in life, I have to do everything I can to achieve it—even if sometimes it’s not possible, and I accept that. But with the Oceans Seven project, there are other factors involved that go beyond what I want or need. If we want to show that we’re capable of much more than society assumes, I can’t give up at the first hurdle. Of course, one day I might have to postpone a challenge—due to physical condition, rough seas, or some other issue—but that’s normal for anyone. What I must avoid is making it easy to quit.
You’ve become an advocate for challenging assumptions about disability and endurance sports. What’s one misconception you’d like to dispel?
That our disability limits us or prevents us from achieving seemingly impossible goals. Everyone has their weaknesses and strengths. Maybe not moving my legs when I swim or losing coordination when I get tired can slow me down, but everything I’ve lived through has made me more resilient and better prepared to face these challenges.
What advice would you give to people facing similar challenges and adversities?
Every stroke counts—in life and in long swims. Not knowing how a project will end, or being in a difficult moment, shouldn’t stop us from trying to move forward. Support is also essential to reach safe harbor. We all need others to achieve goals or face adversity. It’s not just about enjoying the good times together—we also need to surround ourselves with people who lift us up when things aren’t going so well.
You said: “If we change the way society looks at disability, policies will follow.” What change needs to happen?
The world is vast, and every country has its own particularities. Still, I think disability is often viewed through a paternalistic lens. Just because someone needs support to carry out a task or pursue personal development doesn’t mean they can’t do other things independently. We tend to believe that offering support means the person isn’t capable of anything else. If we shift that mindset even slightly, public policies will start to focus on both support and empowerment.
What has the accident taught you about yourself?
Many things—I’m still learning. I often reflect on where I am. But if I had to choose one lesson, I’d say that life is fragile, and we must cherish what truly matters: emotions, lived experiences, and not the things we own or what others might think of us.
@jereswim
Visit and follow Jeremias Mateo’s Instagram page.
La Travessia Infinita (The Infinite Crossing)
La Travessia Infinita (The Infinite Crossing), co-written by journalist Adam Martín and Jere Mateo, traces Jeremias Mateo’s life before and after his 2015 accident.
Daniel
Daniel is an extremely curious person, a wealth of random knowledge and facts. Extremely passionate about a vast array of interests ranging from health to history, science to athletics, everything culinary and the list goes on. Trust us, you would want to be on his team for Trivial Pursuit.
Daniel is also years into his battle with brain cancer. He experienced a seizure while on a Zoom call at work in late 2020 and quite literally, his life changed within minutes. After his operation he started to talk about his story but had always known it was more than just him. From then, More Than Our Story became a PROJECT that has evolved into the starting point it is today.
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