Steve Lovelace
Featured Face of Arachnoiditis – July 2025
Each July, ACMCRN spotlights a powerful voice from our community as part of Arachnoiditis Awareness Month. This year, we’re proud to feature Steve Lovelace—a paratriathlon pioneer, podcast host, and lifelong advocate whose story exemplifies resilience, purpose, and the power of showing up.
Paratriathlon Pioneer | Podcast Host | Advocate for Arachnoiditis Awareness
"I may not be the most famous face of Arachnoiditis, but I’ve made it my mission to be one."
Steve Lovelace is a lifelong trailblazer—both on the racecourse and in the fight against Arachnoiditis. After a near-fatal accident in 1982 left him paralyzed, doctors told him he would never walk again. Three and a half months later, he defied those odds, walking out of the hospital on his own. Just a few years later, he made sports history by becoming the first athlete with a spinal cord injury to complete a triathlon, helping pioneer what would become the Paralympic sport of Paratriathlon.
The Road to Arachnoiditis
Steve’s journey with Adhesive Arachnoiditis (AA) began in the early 1990s when he experienced sudden electric-shock-like pain in his foot. Over time, his pain escalated, eventually traced to a series of spinal interventions and infections, including:
Multiple spinal hardware placements
A 1999 bacterial meningitis infection requiring 6 months of IV antibiotics
A CSF leak and pseudomeningocele, which led to emergency surgery and hardware removal
Recurring infections and nerve damage from contaminated hardware
His neurosurgeon later described the damage from L3 to S1 as looking like “a hand grenade had gone off,” with nerves coated in a “milky white bacteria.”
Living With Pain, Leading With Purpose
For years, Steve managed his chronic pain with a cocktail of medications: gabapentin, valium, buprenorphine, and tramadol. But in a bold and personal decision, he discontinued all medications against medical advice over a decade ago.
Today, he still experiences daily pain—some days are good, others are survival mode—but he channels his energy into advocacy, athletics, and education.
"I have good days, bad days, and survival days. But on good and bad days, I’m still out to conquer the world."
🎧 Raising His Voice
Now, Steve is co-hosting a new podcast, Arachnoiditis Unfiltered, with fellow advocate Sara Lewis. Through honest conversations and community-building, they hope to give a voice to those often unheard. This is their latest episode. Be sure to share and subscribe!
He’s also active on social media:
🎧 YouTube Podcast: Arachnoiditis Unfiltered
👥 Facebook Group: Arachnoiditis Unfiltered
📖 Read More About Steve
📰 “Pushing Past Pain” – Sooner Magazine Feature
📢 Steve’s Message to the Community
"We all need a Michael J. Fox-type figure for Arachnoiditis—and I’ve tried to be that person. It’s not about fame. It’s about making sure no one else suffers in silence like I did."
