About
Born from fire. Built on love.
Meet the Founder
Eric Zeigler
Burn Survivor. Air Force Veteran. Educator. Coach. Entrepreneur. Nonprofit Founder.
Eric Zeigler's path to founding Heart on Fire Support Network began with a food truck explosion that left him with burns over 50% of his body. The months of hospitalization and recovery that followed were physically brutal but what struck Eric most was the silence. The isolation. The lack of support for the invisible wounds: the anxiety, the grief, the loss of identity, the fear of what came next.
That experience became the foundation of everything. Eric — already a 27-year veteran of public education, an Air Force veteran, a marathon coach, a chess program builder, a fitness and wellness instructor channeled his recovery into a mission: ensuring no burn survivor ever faces that silence alone.
Today, he uses those decades of experience helping people discover their potential to build a network where survivors find community, resources, and genuine human connection.
Speaker & Facilitator
Why organizations invite Eric.
Eric is not simply a motivational speaker. He is an educator, coach, veteran, entrepreneur, burn survivor, and nonprofit founder who has spent decades helping people discover their potential. His presentations combine powerful storytelling, practical life lessons, educational expertise, leadership development, humor, and authentic audience engagement.
Eric speaks to:
Education & Leadership
- AVID Coordinator & Elective Teacher presentations
- Equity Team Co-Chair — student success & inclusion
- LAUSD, Durham Public Schools, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
- McDougal Littell & CA Governor's Reading Institute
Youth & Athletics
- Students Run Los Angeles (SRLA) — marathon coaching
- Chess instruction, tournament leadership & program development
- Student leadership programs & educational conferences
- Youth mentorship and resilience development
Health & Wellness
- Tai Chi, mindfulness, martial arts & yoga workshops
- Health & fitness programming for youth, adults & seniors
- Pickleball workshops throughout North Carolina
- Community wellness at the Robert & Pearl Seymour Center
Recovery & Advocacy
- Burn survivor advocacy & recovery awareness
- Resilience presentations from lived experience
- Trauma-informed leadership development
- Nonprofit organizations, faith communities & veterans
The Nonprofit
Heart on Fire Support Network
This is where survivors come for a community built on lived experience, compassionate care, and the belief that healing is always possible.
To provide compassionate, trauma-informed support to burn survivors, trauma survivors, families in crisis, and young adults , connecting them with community, resources, and the care they deserve to heal and thrive.
A world where no one faces their darkest moments alone. Where every person, regardless of their circumstances, has access to genuine human connection, compassionate support, and the opportunity to rebuild a life full of meaning and hope.
What We Stand For
Our core values.
Compassion Without Condition
We meet every person exactly where they are with no judgment, no barriers. Compassion is not something you earn here; it is something you are given freely.
Safety & Trust
Healing requires safety. We are committed to creating spaces for physical, emotional, and relational support, where people feel genuinely secure enough to begin their journey.
Resilience & Hope
We believe in the extraordinary capacity of the human spirit to endure, adapt, and ultimately flourish. Our work is grounded in the conviction that healing is always possible.
Community & Belonging
No one heals in isolation. We cultivate genuine community connections that sustain people through hardship and celebrate them in their growth.
Dignity & Wholeness
Every person we serve is a whole human being, not a diagnosis, not a crisis, not a case number. We honor the full complexity and worth of every individual.
Ready to connect?
Whether you need support, want to book Eric to speak, or simply want to learn more, we'd love to hear from you.