Michael Bortolotto

At the age of sixteen months, Michael Bortolotto was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, a condition caused by an interruption in oxygen to the brain during birth. Through an extensive routine of time consuming exercises, he has learned to lead himself beyond the various challenges and obstacles which threatened to prevent him from walking, talking, and using his arms, hands, and fingers.

During the summer of 1986, Bortolotto discovered how he could rise above the prohibiting acts of discrimination created by society’s working world. While doing his post-secondary Recreation Administration’s summer practicum, he assisted in bringing youth from around the world to attend a conference to share ideas, experiences, and successes of entrepreneurialism. Since then, Bortolotto has not only been an entrepreneur, successful business owner, and professional presenter. He has been a strong proponent in promoting and advocating entrepreneurism as a way and means for anyone wanting to escape the grasp of economic hardship.

During the fall of 2011, he published his first children’s storybook called “The Truth About Apples And Pineapples.” The goal behind this storybook is to teach children how they can create social inclusion, while at the same time stopping abusive acts of bullying from occurring in their school and community. His second children’s book storybook, “Tour de Courage," is for people of all ages, and it was published in the spring of 2014. This book is a moving tale of self-leadership, Bortolotto teaches you how to use determination and persistence to move beyond his own life’s adverse challenges and prohibiting obstacles.

Bortolotto is married to his beautiful friend and partner Dorothy and they have two wonderful children named Natasha and Quintin. One of the amazing aspects of his personal family life is how his wife and two children are continuously challenging him to rise up and move beyond the so-called prohibiting and victimizing limitations created by living with Cerebral Palsy.