REBROADCAST- Tony Drees: A Purple Heart Veteran, Adaptive Athlete Who Uses Skiing As A Vehicle To Serve The Community

Running Is Cheaper Than Therapy

Tony Drees is a Purple Heart Desert Storm Veteran; as well as an adaptive athlete who uses skiing as a vehicle to serve the community. He survived the deadliest scud missile attack of the Iraq war thirty year ago. Twenty-eight members of his unit lost their lives. Tony survived but his right leg was severely injured. He endured over seventy surgeries to save his right leg. He actually was able to function and live for a while with his injured leg, a feat that he doctors called a miracle

He was successful in a sales job. He got married and became a father. He unfortunately struggled with alcohol and opioid addiction, and then got sober. All the while, he was living with an open wound in his leg that just wouldn’t heal. In 2017 severe blood and bone infections left him with a choice: amputate his leg or die.

Just a couple days before the surgery, right around Tony’s 50th birthday, he was talking with his son Quincy about skiing, something he did in the past. After surgery his rehab was to be a year long. It only took four months. It was because skiing was on his mind.

The feelings of guilt for living always drove him to achieve high goals

So in 2018, he took up skiing on one leg and has achieved remarkable feats on the mountain. He uses his skiing to inspire, to serve, and to promote diversity.

Episode Highlights:

• Serving his country and almost losing his leg.
• Struggling with survivor’s guilt, depression and destructive behavior
• Breaking from his career, moving to focus on being an athlete
• How Tony Drees starting skiing again after his amputation
• What's next for Tony Drees in the coming season
• Tony Drees sharing some powerful life lessons

Guest Bio:

Thirty years ago Tony’s story became public when he survived the deadliest scud of the Iraq War. Twenty-eight soldiers perished, fifty-four of sixty-eight of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s 14TH Quartermaster Army Reserve Unit were lost or wounded. He felt guilty for living.

This always drove him to achieve incredibly high goals in anything that mattered to him. A lifetime of that and it seems he’s amassed a tremendous amount of opportunities to succeed.

He lost his war-wounded leg after 74 Surgeries and a couple of bouts with cancer.

In 2018, he took up skiing on one leg. He turned out to be pretty good. He also transformed literally overnight from a 200lb pro baller looking-body to a 140 one-legged man.

Even with his leg gone, he still had a duty to serve. He is progressing rapidly in skiing. He is an adaptive champion and motivational speaker.

He is continually seeking to inspire across a diverse audience. After people see him people always internally (and often externally) compare themselves to the one-legged person- everyone. That’s equity. Many of these folks are then moved to do something. That’s his influence and he uses it inclusively for positive representation of many groups that may otherwise go underserved. That’s his service.

His next challenge is to do a backflip on one ski!

He calls it BackFlips4Access!

Connect with Tony

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Watch Tony on YouTube

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