Meet Jake.
Our Founder, Jake Haendel
Our co-founder Jake Haendel is the only documented survivor of Acute Toxic Progressive Leukoencephalopathy and spent 10 months locked inside his own body with Locked-In Syndrome (LIS)—a coma you remain fully conscious through. “For 10 months, Jake was trapped in his own body, believed to be brain dead.”
“For 10 months, Jake was trapped in his own body for experiencing something called locked-in syndrome, and was believed to effectively be brain dead.”
Jake was diagnosed on Memorial Day weekend in 2017, and after years of intensive treatment and rehabilitation, he moved back to his hometown of Boston in 2021, determined to live independently again. His extraordinary journey opened his eyes to the immense and varied challenges faced by people with disabilities and the lack of truly effective solutions to meet those needs.
Jake is the co-creator of Blink, a podcast about his life that was named Apple Podcasts’ Best Podcast of 2025. He is also a sought-after public speaker, sharing his story of survival, resilience, and innovation to inspire audiences across the country.
Nearly 1 in 4 Americans live with a physical or cognitive limitation. Every member of the Ahoi team has a personal connection to this mission and believes deeply in creating solutions that empower disabled individuals. The strongest signal of this need is the enthusiastic reaction we continue to receive from our community and partner organizations.
MassAbility (formerly Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission) has partnered with Ahoi to rapidly expand across the state, funding thousands of accessibility reviews conducted by disabled individuals—underscoring their belief in Ahoi’s product, team, and impact.
Hear from Jake
Jake regularly shares his inspiring story, the innovative company he's building, and its mission-driven focus through speaking engagements. To learn more about hosting Jake or the Ahoi team for an event, please reach out to discuss details.
Jake in the News
Watch: CBS News Sunday Morning
When 28-year old Jacob Haendel was rushed to a Massachusetts emergency room four years ago, doctors thought the one-time chef, as young as he was, was having a stroke. But he wasn't; his scans showed something very different, and very strange: Jake's brain seemed to be unplugging itself from the rest of his body.
Snap Judgment Podcast: Impossible Weight
When no one can hear you and nobody sees you anymore, how do you tell the world you are still there? One man’s impossible journey back to the world that forgot him.
'Is anybody in there?' Life on the inside as a locked-in patient
Jake Haendel spent months trapped in his body, silent and unmoving but fully conscious. Most people never emerge from ‘locked-in syndrome’, but as a doctor told him, everything about his case is bizarre
by Josh Wilbur for the Guardian
