COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — What could you gain if you let something go? That's the question at the heart of a Colorado Springs Paralympian's story.
It's the message he's sharing with anyone facing what feels impossible, including skiing on one leg.
John Register, a veteran and former Paralympian, lost his leg 30 years ago while training for his third Olympic trials in the 300 hurdles in Colorado Springs. That moment forced a life-altering choice.
Ability may look different, but it's the same.
Before Register heads down the mountain, he starts here at the Breckenridge outdoor education center. Gearing up with specially trained adaptive ski instructors.
Tyler Eaton has been teaching adaptive skiers for six seasons, and his connection to his work is personal.
Each year, Eaton and other instructors help more than 3,000 people with disabilities feel the freedom of the mountain, including Register.
For Register, the mountain isn't about what's lost, it's about what's still possible. A part of the prosthetic blade he used in 2000 when he won a silver medal in the long jump is on display at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum.
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