Chris Waddell
Chris Waddell was a promising skier at Middlebury College in 1988 when a skiing accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. Determined to return to the slopes, in just a few years he was named to the US Disabled Ski Team. The most decorated male skier in Paralympic history, Chris won 12 medals over four games, and has medaled in both summer and winter games. He is the first paraplegic to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro unassisted, and he was inducted into both the Paralympic Hall of Fame and the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. Chris has been named the Dalai Lama's unsung hero of compassion and has been featured in numerous publications, including Outside Magazine, Skiing, Ski, and National Geographic Explorer. He has appeared on Dateline and Oprah. In addition to his work with the Paralympics and the International Paralympic Committee, Chris is a motivational speaker. He speaks to the resilience of the human condition, with topics ranging from leadership to adversity to quality of life.
