Ashley Lyn Olson

Author / Advocate / Nature Lover

"Confined to Align" is Olson's first published book about the resilience of spirit overcoming life's most challenging obstacles., including a car accident that killed her father and paralyzed when she was fourteen-years-old. A decade later, Olson faced death again while undergoing an immense healing. During this time, she wrote diary entries, which included many poems.

Early March 2020, Olson yet again faced death, somehow surviving a car accident on the backroads of Southern New Zealand. Remaining calm and positive, Olson rescued herself, and when she returned home due to a world of mandated COVID shutdowns, she was inspired to share this deeply personal story, so others may be reminded of the beauty, joy, and love surrounding all of us all the time--even in stereotypical unpleasant environments. Olson's book encourages everyone to slow down and look around--see the small fibers weaving the tapestry of life.

Olson is working on more books. Though Confined to Align is her first, a couple of her poems have been published and she writes for magazines, including New Mobility. Olson has also written hundreds of articles and guides about travel from the perspective of a wheelchair user for her website wheelchairtraveling.com, which she first coded in 2006. In addition, Olson uses her own photos and produces her own videos for the site.

Olson loves being in nature and through her website, she works with various government entities to bring access awareness, education, and improvements in a sustainable and harmonious manner. Olson's "Access 2 Parks Project" provides detailed information, and of course photos, that shows a wide variety of possibilities starting with what info to provide on websites to the on-site amenities.

Before all this, Olson was a high school basketball all-star, on her way to Stanford with a scholarship. Though school never came easy, Olson worked hard and got the attention of the University of Southern California and was awarded a full scholarship.

To say the least, Olson has chosen to be here; she's thrilled to be here. The message in her book, "Confined to Align," isn't a secret; it's a spark to remind you of what you already know. Olson wishes to uplift your journey to the next level, and above all else, remind you that you are loved and your spirit resilient.