What if the greatest obstacle you ever faced became the very thing that inspired thousands of others?
In this inspiring episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast, Matt Sabatello sits down with Talan Yorn, an 18-year-old American Ninja Warrior competitor, Lyme disease advocate, public speaker, author, and founder of Lyme Ninja. Born with congenital Lyme disease, Talan has never known life without chronic illness. His journey has included years of debilitating symptoms, neurological complications, mold illness, multiple tick-borne co-infections, extensive treatment, and even spending years bedridden.
Today, Talan is proving that healing is possible.
Through determination, perseverance, and a relentless refusal to give up, he transformed his life from being too sick to attend school into competing on national television as an American Ninja Warrior while using his platform to inspire hope throughout the Lyme community.
This episode is a powerful reminder that recovery is rarely linear—but with the right support, persistence, and belief, extraordinary things are possible.
Meet Talan Yorn
Talan Yorn is an American Ninja Warrior competitor, Lyme disease advocate, author, public speaker, stunt performer, ninja coach, and founder of Lyme Ninja.
Diagnosed with congenital Lyme disease at just seven years old after years of unexplained illness, Talan has dedicated his life to raising awareness for Lyme disease while encouraging others facing chronic illness to never lose hope.
Learn more at Lyme Ninja.
Read his inspiring memoir, Overcome: A Lyme Patient’s Journey to American Ninja Warrior.
In This Episode
Matt and Talan discuss:
- Growing up with congenital Lyme disease
- Receiving a childhood Lyme, Babesia, and Bartonella diagnosis after years of unanswered questions
- Living with PANS, neurological symptoms, and immune dysfunction
- The impact of mold illness on Lyme recovery
- IVIG, functional medicine, antibiotics, and long-term treatment
- Going from bedridden to competing on American Ninja Warrior
- Becoming "Lyme Ninja"
- Advocating for Lyme disease awareness nationwide
- Finding purpose through adversity
Growing Up with Congenital Lyme Disease
Because Talan contracted Lyme disease from his mother before birth, he never knew what it felt like to be healthy. Throughout his childhood he struggled with fatigue, joint pain, fevers, headaches, insomnia, vomiting, and difficulty walking while doctors repeatedly dismissed his symptoms as "growing pains."
Everything changed after his mother was diagnosed by Lyme-literate physician Dr. Steven Harris, leading to Talan’s own diagnosis at age seven. Finally having answers allowed his family to begin the long journey toward recovery.
Talan reflects on what it was like growing up believing his symptoms were normal simply because he had never experienced life without Lyme disease. Watching other children run, play, and participate in sports while constantly battling pain and exhaustion shaped much of his childhood and fueled his determination to one day overcome the disease.
Navigating Complex Lyme Disease
Beyond physical symptoms, Talan discusses the profound neurological effects Lyme disease had on his life. Along with Lyme disease and multiple co-infections, he developed PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome), OCD, anxiety, insomnia, emotional dysregulation, and episodes of overwhelming rage that were later understood to be driven by neuroinflammation.
His story offers an important reminder that Lyme disease can affect far more than the joints or muscles. In children especially, behavioral and psychiatric symptoms may be signs of underlying infection rather than isolated mental health conditions.
To learn more about pediatric Lyme disease and PANS/PANDAS, listen to Dr. Somer DelSignore.
Treatment, Remission, and Mold Illness
Over the course of more than a decade, Talan pursued a comprehensive treatment approach that included antibiotics, herbal medicine, functional medicine, IVIG, immune support, nutritional therapies, mold detoxification, and more recently peptide therapy.
After years of treatment, he experienced approximately six months of remission and finally enjoyed the active childhood he had always dreamed about. He played competitive baseball, built friendships, and discovered what life felt like without constant symptoms.
Unfortunately, that progress came to a sudden halt after repeated exposure to mold-contaminated homes. The mold triggered a severe relapse, leaving Talan bedridden for nearly three years and forcing him to stop attending school.
During this difficult period, IVIG became an important part of his recovery after doctors discovered significant immune dysfunction and extremely low white blood cell counts. Combined with removing mold exposure and continuing treatment, Talan slowly began rebuilding his health once again.
For more discussions about mold illness and chronic Lyme disease, explore Tick Boot Camp’s interview with Dr. Jill Carnahan.
From Bedridden to American Ninja Warrior
As Talan slowly regained his health, he returned to a dream he had carried since childhood—competing on American Ninja Warrior.
Watching the show as a young boy inspired him to believe that ordinary people could overcome extraordinary obstacles. Years later, after spending nearly three years bedridden, he finally began training. Progress was slow. Every workout required careful pacing, and many training sessions were followed by days of recovery. Still, every small improvement represented another step away from illness and toward the life he wanted.
After three years of dedicated training and competing in Ninja Warrior competitions around the country, Talan earned a spot on Season 17 of American Ninja Warrior, advancing to the semifinals. More importantly, his appearance introduced millions of viewers to the realities of Lyme disease and showed patients around the world that recovery is possible.
Becoming Lyme Ninja
As Talan’s athletic career grew, so did his passion for advocacy.
He created Lyme Ninja to combine his love for Ninja Warrior with his mission of bringing hope to the Lyme community. Through social media, public speaking, coaching, and interviews, he encourages patients to keep fighting, even when recovery feels impossible.
Learn more at Lyme Ninja.
Read Talan’s memoir, Overcome: A Lyme Patient’s Journey to American Ninja Warrior, where he shares his remarkable journey in greater depth.
Expanding His Advocacy
Competing on American Ninja Warrior gave Talan a larger platform, but his mission extends far beyond the obstacle course.
Today, he partners with several leading Lyme disease organizations dedicated to advancing research, expanding patient access to care, and increasing public awareness.
Talan has worked with the Center for Lyme Action (CLA), advocating before Congress for increased federal funding for Lyme disease research and public health initiatives.
Learn more about the Center for Lyme Action:
- Episode 378: Center for Lyme Action – An Interview with Bonnie Crater
- Episode 196: The Bionic Woman – An Interview with Meghan Bradshaw
Talan is also a grateful recipient of a treatment grant from the LymeLight Foundation, which helped him continue his recovery and athletic journey. Today, he gives back as a LymeLight advocate, encouraging other young patients and families facing similar challenges.
Learn more about LymeLight:
- Episode 324: LymeLight Foundation – An Interview with Phyllis Bedford
- Western Medicine Fails a Nurse’s Family – An Interview with Ashley Marba
More recently, Talan has partnered with Project Lyme, which sponsors his advocacy efforts and athletic competitions, and collaborates with Global Lyme Alliance to educate the public and inspire others through speaking engagements, media appearances, and community outreach.
Final Thoughts
Talan’s story is one of extraordinary resilience.
Born with congenital Lyme disease, he endured years of debilitating illness, neurological complications, mold exposure, immune dysfunction, and countless setbacks before gradually reclaiming his life. Today, he continues to manage his health while competing as an American Ninja Warrior, coaching young athletes, advocating for Lyme disease awareness, and inspiring patients around the world.
His journey reminds us that healing is rarely linear. There will be setbacks, detours, and difficult days. But with perseverance, the right support, and hope, remarkable progress is possible.
As Talan says throughout his advocacy work:
"Never give up. Never back down. Never stop fighting."
Listen to Episode 572 of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Explore more inspiring conversations by visiting our Doctor Interviews, Researcher Interviews, and the Tick Boot Camp Blog.
