Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy shares how she overcame major health challenges

CHICAGO (WLS) — Amy Purdy is a three-time Paralympic medalist and the primary double-leg amputee to snowboard within the Paralympic video games. She’s additionally competed on Dancing with the Stars on ABC and now she’s a motivational speaker.

A passionate snowboarder for many of her life, Amy’s life modified when she was 19. She contracted meningococcal meningitis, and ended up having each her legs amputated beneath the knees. She additionally ended up dropping kidney operate, and her father gave her one among his kidneys.

“I felt like I had the flu, and inside 24 hours I used to be within the hospital on life help, given a 2% probability to dwell,” Purdy mentioned.

Her excessive bodily setbacks have sparked psychological well being challenges. Purdy joined ABC7 Eyewitness Information dwell at 7 p.m. to share her strategy on overcoming challenges.

Purdy mentioned she used her ardour for snowboarding as motivation throughout her restoration. She usual a pair of ft she might snowboard in that are actually within the Smithsonian.

“I took it as a problem,” Purdy mentioned. “You possibly can both use your challenges as a motivator to determine issues out, or as a burden. And I did not need my legs to be a burden, I needed to determine this out.”

Purdy shared this recommendation for individuals who are scuffling with life’s challenges.

“Once we suppose we have to overcome one thing is once we resist it, after which we find yourself possibly preventing with it, it possibly turns into much more of a problem,” Purdy mentioned. “And so for me, it is all the time been, OK, that is with me the remainder of my life… How can I really lean into this? How can I take advantage of what I’ve? How can I admire what I’ve and see how that helps me.”