Secrets of an Accidental Traveler

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Kelly Giannattasio, 33, of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, didn’t plan to become a travel agent while in college. “I had just graduated with my degree in Exercise Physiology four months before the injury.” Giannattasio, a T-6 complete paraplegic, was injured in a Jeep rollover accident in Santa Barbara, California, back in 1998.

Knowing her previous professional goal of becoming a physical trainer would be out of the question, Giannattasio decided to answer an ad looking for travel counselors. “I figured it was a ‘sitting job’ and sent in my résumé,” she says.

Giannattasio was hired after two interviews and is now an Emergency Specialist, helping business travelers with last-minute travel fiascos. “And the one thing I love about my job the most is the travel discounts. The deals allow me to travel often.” Since her injury, Giannattasio has flown over 70 times, including a solo trip to Paris, France. Giannattasio recommends a hearty sense of survival, knowing not to panic, and realizing that you simply can’t go everywhere, when traveling overseas.

Giannattasio’s US Recommendations

Giannattasio has been to nearly every major American city and has an abundance of information about accessibility. “In my opinion there are certain regions of the country that take the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) more seriously than others,” she says. “ Generally speaking, the West Coast is very progressive with respect to wheelchair access.