Neil Halford is one of the premier motivational and inspirational speakers in the speaking industry today. At the age of two, Neil was involved in a near-fatal accident that left him totally blind and forever changed the lives of him and his family.
Neil’s fearless will to succeed in a sighted world has taken him to heights unimaginable to most listeners. In high school, Neil was one of the top wrestlers in the state of Nebraska. He twice qualified for the Nebraska state high school wrestling tournament, and as a senior brought home a 4th place medal.
As an adult, Neil has obtained unmatched success in the sales industry, having been the top salesman at the travel insurance company he worked for year after year. He even set the record for most sales in one day, one month…and one year! And did we mention, he never missed a Monday, who can say that?! In 2005, he published his autobiography, The Sound of Sight.
Neil has shared his amazing story with many top businesses, schools and organizations throughout the country. The impact his speech has had on listeners is immeasurable and is recognized by individuals whose lives have been inspired by his story.
“From Victim to Victor: The Neil Halford Story”
Neil takes the audience on the enthralling journey of his true life story. It is an emotional roller coaster that will have you crying one moment and wiping away tears of laughter the next. Throughout this speech, Neil will walk you through that tragic morning that changed his life and will share his inspiring stories and unique challenges he’s had to face throughout his life.
The Sound of Sight Buy Here
Every Parent’s Nightmare.
It only takes seconds: Imagine, you spend the morning playing with your two-year-old son. Looking at his infectious smile, enjoying his incessant curiosity, and the knowledge of his blind faith in your love make you cherish every moment you’re with him.
Then, imagine leaving him alone for just the shortest of moments, letting him play by himself. And in that barest fraction of time, never conceiving it possible, your world and his are changed forever. Suddenly, there is a bloodcurdling scream from your child. Frantic, you rush to his aid, but when you get there you find that your mind can’t even make sense of what you see. There in front of you is your child barely recognizable: standing, whimpering, and in shock, his face crushed and covered in blood.
That was the all-too-real hell Larry Halford and his son, Neil, entered on that fateful Wednesday morning. This is the beginning of their incredible story…
“Neil recently spoke at our DECA Fall Leadership Conference and was amazing! His story is truly inspirational and showed the power of persevering and overcoming obstacles. In a room of 325 high school students, you could hear a pin drop, other than laughter in response to jokes. Advisors and students all had extremely positive reviews and feedback. Would highly recommend Neil for your event and we plan to have him back again.”
Mary Janssen, State Advisor, Nebraska DECA
“Tyler and Barry, just a quick note to let you know we felt Neil’s speech was wonderful! It is something to have a room full of students and parents and have the attention be so focused on the speaker the entire time. Other than the laughter, the room was silent. My grandson is 15, and as soon as Neil was finished with his talk Wilson darted to me and said he would like to have a copy of Neil’s book. Now you have to know my grandson, he is not moved very often but he was touched by Neil’s words. I would recommend Neil to any group for an inspirational and moving presentation. Thank you for suggesting him for our Sports Banquet.”
Becky Anderson, Treasurer, Tekamah-Herman Booster Club
“Neil Halford spoke at our Kansas/Nebraska Phi Theta Kappa Conference in Manhattan, Kansas and he did a fantastic job! It was a great message for our honor students to hear regarding overcoming obstacles in life in order to be successful. The students asked several great questions at the end, and according to the comments afterward, I know they very much appreciated his talk and being able to interact with him. We thank Neil for his part in helping to make our conference a big success!”
Tammy Fuentez, VP Students Affairs, Title IX Coordinator
“Neil spoke at our annual client conference, which consists of two different groups, each with about 275 participants. During his presentation, there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd. The inspiration provided by Neil’s story was a great way to kick off the conference; and the momentum kept up all week – our clients couldn’t stop talking about him!”
Joelle Kesling, Marketing Manager, Mid America Computer Corp (MACC)
“Neil Halford spoke at our ‘Cash for Camps’ Fundraiser. He did an excellent job, which I knew he would because I had heard him before, so I felt the crowd would really like his message. They did! We received numerous positive comments from those in attendance! Thanks again to Neil for helping make our event a big success!”
Brent Hollinger, Superintendent, Cross County Community Schools
“What a wonderful presentation Neil Halford gave us today at Omaha Marian High School! His story was SO inspirational and uplifting…our students were absolutely riveted! They could have continued asking him questions all day! We already posted a story about today’s assembly on our website.”
Susie Sisson, Teacher, Marian High School
“I thought the presentation was extremely motivational and let me know that you really can achieve your dreams if you go for them and never give up. My interest was kept throughout the entire presentation and it is one that I could sit and listen to every day. Most importantly, it is a presentation and story I will never forget. Many fellow co-workers that were around me stated how touching and moving the presentation was and really made them realize that if you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything. Any type of organization could benefit from this presentation by showing everyone the career goals that could be achieved as well as personal goals. I purchased The Sound of Sight several months ago. I read a chapter of the book almost every night before I go to sleep. The book is also very uplifting and motivational.”
Hayley Chase, Project Leader, Mid America Agency Services
“Neil was an amazing speaker! He had a wonderful message he shared with the students while telling his story. His sense of humor most definitely helped the students stay engaged. It was remarkable to listen to him talk about how he has overcome so many challenges with his disability. His speech was very inspirational as he showed students that they can overcome any challenges they meet to achieve their goals! We thank Neil for helping make our Path to Success Conference a huge success!”
Cody McCain, Director, Path to Success Conference
“Neil Halford is amazing because he chose to make it so. From his elementary grade experiences through his adult life, from successful student to successful wrestler, from his decision to be self-sufficient to becoming successful in business, from wondering if he would have ‘normal’ life experiences to making it so. Neil is motivational because of how he has chosen to live his life. We all need to hear this story and understand and appreciate the example Neil sets for himself and for those around him.”
Jon Habben, Executive Director, Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association (NRCSA)
“Neil Halford recently spoke at our Annual Memorial Health Care Systems Tailgate Event and I must say he was extremely well received! In fact, the rave reviews are still rolling in! His story was extremely interesting and very powerful. It impacted our employees like few speakers ever have. Other than when he had the audience laughing with his great sense of humor, you could have heard a pin drop. Several of our employees said that out of all the speakers we have had in the past, they felt Neil was the best! I heard such words as ‘interesting, intriguing, heartfelt and wonderful message!’ I would not hesitate to refer Neil to other organizations. I can’t imagine any company or organization not loving his story as we did!”
Kathi Kelly, Director of Quality, Memorial Health Care Systems, Seward, NE
Fort Calhoun, Nebraska
