Marty Slighte was born and raised and raised 3 children in Western Washington. His early adulthood was spent first in the medical field and then as a computer programmer. Having been told there was “no money in writing,” his dreams bled into journals while he raised his family and worked for the State of Washington.

Marty finished his Bachelor’s Degree in Nonfiction writing at Southern New Hampshire University in August 2017.

After exposure to an antibiotic (levofloxacin) in mid-2017, Marty’s disabilities profoundly increased. While his stature is different in a powerchair, he has found a new opportunity for her spirit of advocacy while traveling over broken sidewalks.

That opportunity was expounded with his appointment to Olympia’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee in 2023. It is Marty’s first venture into local politics and formal advocacy.

The fluoroquinolone toxicity uncovered the fact that Marty was born with a congenital condition. Following his antibiotic injury, he was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in 2019. Marty was 53 years old when he learned he was born with the congenital connective tissue disorder.

In 2021, Marty entered a new phase of his life by opening a TikTok account to increase his audience of advocacy. After his first viral video in August, TikTok became his primary social media with an audience of over 27k followers.

Marty published his first cookbook in December 2022: Intergenerational Cooking: An autistic grandma shares family recipes. That cookbook is currently undergoing updates, and the second edition should be available in 2026.

When he isn’t writing, advocating, or traveling, Marty enjoys spending time with his dog, his caregivers, and his family.