- Michael Glen, the world's first paraplegic hot air balloon pilot, flew this weekend in Sandy.
- Paralyzed since 1996, Glen achieved his dream of becoming a pilot in 2006, inspiring many.
- He encourages others, saying, "Anything's possible," as he continues flying nationwide.
SANDY — The 18th annual Sandy Hot Air Balloon Festival lit up the Utah sky this weekend with vibrant colors and soaring spirits. Among the pilots who participated, one stood out — not just for his skill, but how he got here.
Michael Glen, a Mesa, Arizona, native known as "The Rolling Pilot," took his first ride in a hot air balloon when he was just two weeks old.
After a devastating car accident in 1996 left him paralyzed from the waist down, Glen set a goal to become a licensed balloon pilot. In 2006, he achieved that dream, making history as the world's first paraplegic hot air balloon pilot.
"My basket looks like a ski lift — it's just a bench that I fly on," he explained. "I do everything anybody else does, the difference — I just do it rolling around."
Glen has since flown at festivals across the country, and says Utah's crowds are among the best.
"The people are amazing. It's pretty awesome to see," he said.
And whether you're seeing balloons for the first time — or the hundredth — Glen said the magic never fades.
"Everybody's eyes turn into that 10-year-old kid," he said. "Even me. I've seen balloons my whole life, but I still get amazed by them every time."
His message? The sky isn't the limit.
"Anything's possible. Just because you have something bad happen to you, don't let it hold you back. I'm living proof of that," he said.
You can follow Glen's journey as he heads to his next festival in Nebraska before returning to Utah for Vernal's balloon festival, then preparing for the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque.
