My name is E.J. Poplawski, I am an Above Knee (AK) Amputee.  On March 25, 2006 I Lost my Right Leg competing at Crested Butte, CO in the 10th Annual U.S.  Telemark Extreme Freeskiing Championships!

I had made it to the final round (top 10 get a third run) and was in forth place.  My ski broke when I landed my final cliff drop of the competition.  I tried to keep skiing on one ski but the broken ski continued to drag behind me.  I had to turn below a pine tree and above a cluster of small aspen trees.  I didn’t make it and hit one of the 3 inch diameter aspen trees going about 35 mph.  I hit the tree like a slalom gate and ripped every tendon and ligament in my knee apart.  I also ruptured the popliteal artery, and unfortunately by the time they got me to the Hospital it was too late and they had to amputate my leg just above my knee.  I was conscious for most of the rescue, but finally on my plane ride they knocked me out with morphine and by the time I woke up 5 days later, my leg was GONE!!!!  I was DEVASTATED!!!! I vividly remember telling my mother that I did not want to live anymore.  I thought I would never be able to do the things I love so much.

    Two Days later I was sent a video of another adaptive athlete named Jarem Frye, who had designed a special prosthetic leg that had a full suspension mountain bike shock in the knee joint.  He had designed the knee specifically so that he could telemark ski.  In the video he was not just telemark skiing but he was also snowboarding, skateboarding, and rockclimbing.  That was the turning point.  I had Hope!  I knew that if he could do it, then I would be able to do it also.  And so My Future Began!!!

    I needed more than just inspiration at that point.  Many of my friends, family, and complete strangers opened their wallets and donated to several fundraisers that people had started to help me get back on my feet!!! (literally)  I am forever indebted to all of your HELP!!! Thank you so much!!! I don’t know how I would have survived that first year without your help.  I was able to get back to work and start making money again as a Carpenter/Builder in just under a year, and have for the last 10 years been able to completely support myself, and my athletic endeavors, as an amputee builder.  I have a handfull employees, but I am ON the job doing the work.  Climbing ladders, scaffolding, getting on roofs, etc., doing the hard work.  I am NOT a desk jockey contractor!!!

    In the Crash I had also destroyed my right rotator cuff in my shoulder and that injury kept me off the snow for the 06-07 season.  I actually had to have it repaired twice, as I fell several times learning to walk again, and had to have it repaired a second time in September 2006.  But, December 4th 2007 I got back on snow.  That first day I took three short runs on telemark skis and by the end of the third run I was making some pretty good turns. :) I had a segment in the 2008 feature telemark ski film “The Pact” by www.powderwhore.com  You can watch this short video of my crash, rehab, learning to walk again, and learning to ski again. click here.

    Like Jarem did for myself, I want to continue inspiring others as to what is possible and help inspire people to keep pushing the limits no matter what happens.  Many people have told me that my story is very inspiring! And so, I am currently writing a book about my story!!!

    I have several Goals I would like to accomplish including, continuing to compete in Adaptive Sports and also the 2018 Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.  In December 2008 I started competing in Adaptive Ski Racing, and was the first Above Knee Amputee to ever compete using two skis! (the only other option before was one ski with two outrigger poles with tiny skis on the ends)  Then in January 2010 I went to the Winter X-Games in Aspen, CO and competed in the first ever Adaptive Snocross Competition!!!! ESPN did a great article about that first Adaptive Snocross Event (I am mentioned in the Article!!!) Check it out here.  It was the first time I had ever raced snowmobiles. I went back the following year and placed 4th out of 8 competitors.  In 2012 they didn’t have snocross in the X-games, But they brought it back and I competed again in 2014 and 2015 getting 5th place both years.  And Finally in 2016 I became a X-Games Medalist, grabing a bronze in adaptive snocross.

    This was the first year that I switched my Prosthetic knee that I use for Sports.  I am now using the MOTO KNEE and VERSA FOOT by Biodapt inc.  which is the creation of another very inspirational amputee Mike Schultz.  The technology and improvements he has implemented are amazing!!!!!!  This knee has also allowed me to become a pilot!!!  I began learning to fly paragliders in the summer of 2016.  It is a lifelong dream come true!!!!

    In 2013 I competed in Adaptive Snowboard Cross and was the 2nd fastest Above Knee Amputee.  In November 2014 I competed in the first ever Para Worldcup Skeleton competition on the Bobsled track at the Utah Olympic Sports Park (another 5th place finish!!. with only 8 runs down the track ever!!!).  I also started riding motocross in 2010 in hopes of someday competing at the Summer X-games in Adaptive Moto-X.

        Since losing my leg I have faced many challenges I could never have imagined.  In 2008 I discovered that I had contracted Hepatitis C.  The only explanation is that I got it from the blood transfusions or the surgeries.  It took the rescue team and life flight crew just over seven hours to get me to the Emergency Room at Denver Health Hospital.  I had compartment syndrome in my leg from the ruptured artery and the doctors said that I was 10 minutes from Dead, and they ended up pumping 10 units of blood into Me!!! (the body holds 9?)

     Over the course of the last 10 years, I have battled alcohol and marijuana abuse along with massive depression and very negative thoughts caused by the Hep C.  Unfortunately this depression and poor choices also resulted in me getting into some legal problems and I have had to face the repercussions of my bad choices.  ESPN highlighted my story in a article you can read click right here.  I am not proud of what happened that night but it is part of my story.  I have taken responsibility for my actions.  The Media did not get the story right at all and in the end I pled guilty to just misdemeanor marijuana possession.  I paid the price for my bad decisions and I have learned from my mistakes. I have moved forward and am making positive choices to better myself.  I am no longer abusing alcohol or marijuana.  I have also stopped consuming caffeine on a regular basis and am trying to eat as much organic food as possible.  You are what you eat, right? :)  I can’t explain how much better I feel!!!

    In 2015 I finished treating my Hepatitis C with the new Drug “Harvoni” by Gilead and actually finished my treatment on March 25th 2015 (9 years to the day of my crash and contracting Hep C, crazy coincidence)  My Hep C is now NON-detectable and I am feeling better then I have since before losing my leg.  My Depression and Negative Thoughts are completely gone.  I can’t express the enormous change in my mood!  I am back to the E.J. I was before I lost my LEG!!!

   I am still doing all the sports I did before I lost my leg and many more.  I have put together videos of many of the sports that I participate in.  You can see my other videos here. Since losing my leg I have also continued as a Licensed Residential Carpentry Contractor and Builder. I started my business, Alpine Desert Construction, LLC. in 2001 and have been building high quality projects ever since.  If you would like to see some of the projects I have created please visit and LIKE my business facebook page here.

    Probably the most exciting part of my story is that My Long Time Girlfriend and now Fiancee have recently been blessed with a Beautiful Baby Girl.  Her Name is Lia Dawn Poplawski and she was born on Friday June 13th, 2014 under a FULL MOON!!!!  She is absolutely amazing!  She has given us even more purpose and drive.  It has definitely made Life quite a bit more exciting and also more challenging! :)   And So we decided to grow out family and are now expecting our second a BOY on January 7th 2017!!!!

    I am working a lot more than I have ever had to before, but it is well worth it.  I have stepped up the Business so that Heather can be a stay at home mom, and just concentrate on raising our daughter.  We both feel that this is very important to make sure that she has the best opportunity to develop into the amazing lady she is destined to be.

    I also feel it is important to give back and one of the ways I have tried to do that is speaking to groups about my story.  In February 2010 I was invited to Mammoth Mountain, CA by Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra to give a presentation and go skiing with a group of soldiers participating in their “Wounded Warrior Operation Mountain Freedom” program. I have also spoken to groups of Elementary and High School Students.  I want to continue to do this because I know how important just a little bit of inspiration can be when you are facing challenges in life.  If anyone is interested in me sharing my story with your organization or school please let me know.  Also, If anyone has any questions especially any other amputees, or people battling Hepatitis C, I am more than happy to speak with you and help you to reach you goals!

    I am in the beginning stages of writing a book about the struggles and journey I have made through life.  I feel I have a story that is important to share.  I know that if Jarem Frye had not shared his story in the form of the video I saw when I got hurt, I don’t know where I would be right now.  I might not have made it at all.  Inspiration is an important part of life.  We all need it, no matter what our situation is.  If you would like to read an article that I wrote and was published in Couloir Magazine in the spring of 2007 please click here.

    We also need help from our friends, family, and sometimes just complete strangers.  I know if I had not received HELP along the way, I would not be where I am.  So If anyone is interested in helping me reach my goals please visit my GoFundMe page here.  I would greatly appreciate any help you can give.  you can also visit and like me on my athlete facebook page here.

Thank You!!!

E.J. Poplawski