Shannon Voss

Shannon Voss’s story is one of remarkable perseverance.  His extraordinary journey of resilience and triumph has inspired countless others to pursue their dreams no matter what unimaginable circumstances life brings.

Shannon was born in Chicago in November, 1991. He’s a middle child of 4. Shannon experienced poverty and homelessness as a child and moved around a lot, and even had to live in a homeless shelter for some time.

Shannon did not let that circumstance define him. He defied the odds, skipping the third grade, and later graduating high school as valedictorian.
After high school Shannon was accepted to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where he began building a promising future. However, his life was irrevocably altered by a violent attack.

Shannon went out to a bar by himself one night and was sexually assaulted. Days later, his roommate broke his bedroom door down to find him unconscious and very ill. He was rushed to the hospital and later doctors determined the damage his body had suffered.

The assault left him with a severe brain injury, heart damage, paralysis, and the inability to speak. His chances of survival were a mere 20%.Shannon spent five months in the Intensive Care Unit at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. After graduating from ICU, Shannon spent another year and a half in different hospitals fighting for his life.

At Carle Hospital Shannon was assigned a therapy team whom he says would be his north star in what he described as a dark time. Unfortunately, it would get even darker.
During this already difficult time, Voss also lost his mother, whom he described as his rock and his only consistent support in life.

While still reeling from his mother's death, he spent years in rehabilitation, relearning basic skills, from tracking movement with his eyes to walking and handling daily tasks like getting dressed, and brushing his teeth. Shannon can speak but he communicates primarily through his iPad’s voice-to-text feature.

Despite these immense challenges, Voss never gave up. Driven by a dream he had while he was hospitalized, he enrolled at Parkland College to finish what he started. Two years later, Shannon graduated from Parkland College with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Shannon was asked to deliver the commencement speech at his graduation ceremony in May 2024. He credits the medical team at Carle Foundation Hospital, whom he considers friends, with saving his life multiple times. His team of therapists were present at his graduation and later threw him a surprise party in the very room he spent years doing physical therapy in.

Voss now travels the country as a motivational speaker, sharing his story and inspiring others to overcome adversity and achieve their goals. He also uses poetry as a therapeutic outlet, expressing the emotions and experiences of his journey.

Today, Shannon gives talks throughout the community to inspire others who overcome their own struggles in life. In late 2024 Shannon was selected to be the keynote speaker at the prestigious 2025 Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture at the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Conference in Orlando, Florida. The Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Award, bestowed by the ATIA, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of assistive technology. Voss’s selection for this honor highlights his remarkable journey and his advocacy for the use of assistive technology in overcoming communication barriers.