Matador Travel Awards 2022: Influencer to Watch

Travel
by Matador Creators Dec 13, 2022

The first thing you’re likely to notice about Cory Lee is his wide smile; the second thing you may notice is his wheelchair. Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at age two, Cory took his first trip in a powered wheelchair at age four to Walt Disney World. From that day forward, the wanderlust and thirst for adventure has never let up.

Upon reaching Antarctica at age 30 in 2020, Cory accomplished a lifetime goal; he has navigated 40 countries on all seven continents on wheels. He has visited the Taj Mahal, ridden a camel in the Sahara, been on an African safari, gone swimming in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, peered into the Grand Canyon, and ticked off 35 of the 50 states from his ever-evolving travel-related bucket list.

In addition to Cory’s wheelchair-friendly destination coverage, he provides information on how to see the world despite mobility challenges. These include flying as a wheelchair user, finding beaches with powered beach wheelchairs, charging an electric wheelchair abroad, identifying the most accessible hotels, plus more advice and practical tips.

Cory’s website is liberally sprinkled with awards. He is called upon to speak about wheelchair accessibility at travel conferences around the world. His followers are in the tens of thousands: there are 37,000 on Facebook and 31,000 on Instagram plus 14,000 on Twitter.

“I help wheelchair users travel the world,” his profile modestly indicates. Through his intrepid adventures and reporting, Curb Free With Cory Lee is all about “inspiring other wheelchair users to roll out of their comfort zone and see all of the beauty the world has to offer.”

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