WanderSafe Co-Founder, CMO, and Global Ambassador Stephenie Rodriguez took the stage at TEDxLytteltonWomen in New Zealand to deliver a deeply personal talk titled "How I Met My Best Friend" — a story about survival, reinvention, and the radical act of choosing yourself.
A Story of Survival and Self-Discovery
Stephenie's talk traces her journey from a life-threatening illness contracted during a humanitarian trip to Lagos, Nigeria, through a two-week coma, over a year of hospitalization, and 36 surgeries — ultimately becoming Australia's first bilateral above-ankle osseointegrated bionic amputee.
But the talk is not about what she lost. It is about what she found.
Through the most difficult period of her life, Stephenie discovered something unexpected: a relationship with herself that she had never prioritized before. The "best friend" in the title is not another person — it is the version of herself she met on the other side of unimaginable pain.
Personal Agency in the Face of Adversity
The core message of Stephenie's TEDx talk centers on personal agency — the idea that even when external circumstances are completely beyond your control, you retain the power to choose how you respond.
For Stephenie, that choice manifested in her refusal to abandon the mission she had started before her illness. WanderSafe was born from a conviction that safety is a fundamental right, and that technology can democratize access to it. Losing her mobility did not diminish that conviction — it deepened it.
From Trauma to Purpose
Stephenie speaks openly about the intersection of trauma and purpose. Her experience in Nigeria — where she had traveled to speak on UN Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) — nearly ended her life. But it also reinforced her understanding of vulnerability in a way that no business case or market research ever could.
That lived understanding of what it means to feel unsafe, to be unable to call for help, to depend entirely on the people around you — it is woven into every feature of the WanderSafe app and every decision the company makes.
The Power of Self-Love
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the talk is its vulnerability. Stephenie does not present herself as a figure of unshakeable strength. She talks about fear, about grief, about the days when getting out of bed felt impossible. And she talks about the moment she realized that loving herself — truly, unconditionally — was not selfish. It was necessary.
That message resonates far beyond the stage. For anyone who has faced a setback, a loss, or a moment when the path forward seemed impossible, Stephenie's words offer a reminder: the most important relationship you will ever have is the one with yourself.
About TEDxLytteltonWomen
TEDxLytteltonWomen is an independently organized TED event held in Lyttelton, New Zealand, focused on amplifying the voices and ideas of women from diverse backgrounds. The event brings together speakers, performers, and community members to share stories that inspire action and connection.
Stephenie's appearance at TEDxLytteltonWomen continues her work as a global advocate for women's safety, resilience, and empowerment — values that sit at the heart of everything WanderSafe builds.
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