Thought Leader/Former Law Enforcement Officer, County Detective, DEA Task Force Officer/Marine/Author/Speaker
TOPICS - • Adversity • Courage • Discipline • Faith
• Hope • Inspirational • Perseverance
• Resilience • Strength • Trauma
Gary Pacelli is a sought-after thought leader whose presentations consistently receive five-star reviews for their captivating storytelling, emotional depth, and powerful message of resilience. His unique story—a harrowing blend of near-death experiences, physical recovery, and the unwavering determination to return to everyday life and, ultimately, the skies—resonates deeply with audiences. Having appeared on over eighteen podcast episodes and three radio shows.
“In the twenty-three years I have been organizing this conference, Gary’s presentation was the most powerful I have seen.”
-Scott Ford, Event Coordinator
Good afternoon, Scott. I wanted to take a minute to share my appreciation for the keynote speaker yesterday. Gary Pacelli. It was a touching story to share. In this day and time, I personally believe it’s important to include inspirational content in sessions such as these, reaching a large population of people. We tend to get so focused on our day-to-day activities/challenges and these messages certainly help reground us while providing hope and motivation going forward. I hope you will continue such content going forward.
So, thank you!
-Lisa R. Janawick, Manager, Medical Program & Regulatory Compliance, Event Attendee
“A man falls from the sky! Can you imagine this happening to you? This speech put you there, falling with him. It’s exciting, inspiring, thrilling, and heartbreaking---It had me in tears!”
-Laura Caitli, Event Attendee
“The amount of strength, courage, and perseverance that Gary displayed was awe-inspiring. You will be challenged to ask yourself if you could be as brave and strong-minded in the same situation.”
-Kelly Averill, Event Attendee
Gary Pacelli is the author of the best-selling memoir Not My Time, a gripping and unforgettable account of his remarkable journey from near-death experiences and paralysis to a triumphant return to everyday life and, ultimately, Skydiving!
Gary’s life took a dramatic turn when, as a Narcotics Detective assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), he was the target of a near-fatal ambush from a suspect during an enforcement operation; Gary was forced to defend himself and shoot the assailant, throwing him from the suspect’s vehicle at forty-five miles per hour, nearly being killed by an oncoming tractor-trailer, resulting in extensive injuries, and a profound shift in perspective.
He was awarded two of the highest medals in Law Enforcement: The Legion of Honor and The Combat Cross.
Gary Pacelli was a career Law Enforcement Officer; he worked at every level of Police work, from a county Jail and county Motorcycle Officer to a County Detective. While a County Detective, he was assigned to a Prosecutors Gang and Narcotics Task Force while simultaneously assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Task Force Officer. He was a Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team Member (SERT), a Police Diver, a ary Pacelli is the author of the best-selling memoir Not My Time, a gripping and unforgettable account of his remarkable journey from near-death experiences and paralysis to a triumphant return to everyday life and, ultimately, Skydiving! His compelling story, interwoven with insights from a distinguished career in law enforcement, delivers a powerful message of resilience, unwavering determination, and the human spirit's capacity to overcome even the most daunting obstacles.. Gary is also a certified commercial diver and a United States Marine. He worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) upon his retirement.
Gary endured a brutal recovery from having eleven major surgeries. He was determined to re-engage in life and ultimately found his passion for skydiving.
Gary’s fortitude was tested once again when he experienced a horrific wingsuit skydiving accident during which he broke his neck a mile high in the sky, instantly paralyzing himself from the neck down. Gary showed an incredible level of courage and discipline by staying calm and fighting his way back home to the Drop Zone with a broken neck while completely paralyzed, steering his canopy using only his body weight, and barely surviving when he eventually crash-landed into a fence at forty miles per hour.
Gary shares the story of his miraculous recovery from being a quadriplegic, having no use of his limbs, fighting his way back to everyday life, including what was thought to be an impossible achievement—Skydiving again! —embracing lessons learned while leaning into his faith, remembering his Marine Corps and Police training, grinding it out, and achieving almost unimaginable successes; this near-death experience left Gary with a fierce sense of purpose and a history of overcoming insurmountable challenges.
“Truly amazing that Gary survived such an ordeal…He is very blessed! A thrilling account of a terrible accident and his amazing recovery.”
-Lynda N., Event Attendee
“This speech was an amazing and chilling story. It makes you open your eyes to how precious life is. I loved it!”
-Anonymous, Event Attendee
“Everyone goes through adversity in life, and this speech gives you so much hope that we can adapt and overcome it.”
-Patrick Deady, Event Attendee
“This speech is a fantastic story of human courage and faith. The speaker describes his struggle to overcome a tragic skydiving accident with the help of his faith in God and his hard work attitude, which will not let him fail. I wish he had more time to speak further about his work in law enforcement.”
-Mike Hegg, Event Attendee
Gary Pacelli is the author of the best-selling memoir Not My Time, a gripping and unforgettable account of his remarkable journey from near-death experiences and paralysis to a triumphant return to everyday life and, ultimately, Skydiving! His compelling story, interwoven with insights from a distinguished career in law enforcement, delivers a powerful message of resilience, unwavering determination, and the human spirit's capacity to overcome even the most daunting obstacles.
Gary is a frequent guest on many Podcast episodes, including the following: