COLORADO SPRINGS — Ski resorts are already opening in Colorado, and before hitting the slopes, many skiers and snowboarders will be watching the latest Warren Miller film. A new one has been released every year for the past 72 years. This year's movie features more than two dozen athletes, including the inspirational story of a Paralympian snowboarder who lives in Colorado.
This year's movie is called "Winter Starts Now." It's premiering on Friday evening at 6 p.m. at the Pikes Peak Center.
"Everybody who is a ski or snowboarder has always dreamed about being in a Warren Miller film, and I have the honor of being featured in it," said Noah Elliott, a bronze and gold medalist. "They have opened the door and really starting to showcase Paralympic athletes and adaptive athletes. So I'm super honored because they go into my story and talk about it," said Elliott.
His story began in St. Louis, Missouri. He started skateboarding at eight years old. When he was 15, his daughter Skyler was born, and shortly after, he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma which is a bone cancer.
"That's when my life really took a shift and I had to dig deep and decide who I was going to be if I live past cancer," said Elliott.
Elliott spent the next nine-and-a-half months at St. Louis Children's Hospital, undergoing chemo-therapy, and surgeries to save his life. But his leg had to be amputated.
"I first saw the Sochi Paralympics on TV during my stay in the hospital and I was inspired and realized that people with prosthetics can still snowboard," said Elliott. "I was this kid who never snowboarded before, but that's how it call came about, my inspiration was there."
Elliott learned more about snowboarding after attending a camp for children with cancer in Colorado. He soon realized he wanted to represent team USA as a snowboarder.
"I had a dream. So that's what started my journey. I moved to the mountains when I was 19, and a year and a half later, made the Paralympic team," said Elliott.
Elliott competed in PyongChang in the 2018 winter games, and now at 24, the two-time Paralympic medalist says, "It's important to dig deep during those hard times. Laugh at the hardest times and try to be the best that you can be because you may not be promised tomorrow."
Elliott also trained in Colorado Springs at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center from 2018 to 2020.
He and his daughter will be attending the movie's premiere on Friday evening, and said they're excited to meet some of the Colorado Springs community.
Tickets are available online. On Saturday, the movie will be shown at Pueblo Memorial Hall at 7:30.
For more information about Warren Miller Entertainment, click here.
