A racer from the age of
six, skiing was Chris?s first love, but love turned tragic in one freak moment
when he broke his back on the hill. Paralyzed from the waist down, he refused to
quit, becoming
one of the most successful Paralympic Athletes of all time.
Outside Magazine
asked, ?Could [Chris] be
the World?s Greatest Athlete?,? People named him one of the ?Fifty
Most Beautiful People in the World,? and Skiing called him one of the
?25 Greatest Skiers in North America.?
Chris?s story is one of dreams, perseverance, and discovering the magic within.
Two months after the accident, he returned to college and three days short of
the accident?s one-year anniversary he started skiing in a monoski. Less
than two years after learning to monoski, Chris was named to the US Disabled Ski
Team. He went on to become the first Paralympic finalist for the Sullivan Award
? top amateur athlete in the country; become a World Champion in two sports ?
alpine skiing and wheelchair track; and win more Paralympic medals (12) than any
male skier in history.
Chris
retired after the 2004 Athens Games, his seventh Paralympics. Today, he
continues to inspire audiences internationally with his transforming message
about succeeding when life shakes you to the core. As an entertaining and
motivating speaker, he has an extraordinary ability to empower individuals to
find the strength and solutions necessary to achieve their destiny.
Chris
has been a spokesman for the Hartford Financial Services Group, Time Warner
Cable, DaimlerChrysler, Matrix Essentials, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee,
and US Paralympics. He has appeared on
60 Minutes II, CNN
International, Dateline, MTV Sports, The Today Show,
and Oprah.
MOST REQUESTED PROGRAMS:
What
I Miss
Many of
us lament what we can?t do, which prevents us from seeing opportunities for
further achievement. In my case it would have been easy to give up because I
couldn?t use my legs anymore, but that would have kept me from realizing some of
the greatest achievements in my life. This program focuses on looking forward
instead of backwards.
Meaning of Olympian/Paralympian in Life
Life?s a
game. If you can learn about yourself and prepare for the moment, then
eventually you will be prepared for the ultimate test. The essential questions
are how do we perform at our best in the most critical moment and what have we
gained even if we fail. A look at the purity of sport as it relates to the
purity of life.
Stress is Good, Stress is Bad
Fight or
flight. When stressed our body makes sure that we are at our smartest, strongest
and most perceptive. Stress is good. But constant stress wears us down. It just
isn?t healthy. How do we live a healthy productive life?
SPEAKER SHEET, TESTIMONIALS, PHOTOS & INTRODUCTION
