“We all have choices about what we do with our life. We can wait for the good times to come along, or we can get out and make things happen.”
A chance meeting that took place at New Zealand's Whakapapa ski area brings Tony to another feat in his name.
Tony had in the past, been unable to balance on a mono-ski as he was top-heavy due to his double amputation. At Whakapapa, he met Travis Thiele who hails from the National Ability Center (NAC) in Park City, USA. Travis hooked Tony up in a modified paraplegic mono-ski and off they went down the slopes of Happy Valley. It was the first time the very experienced adaptive ski instructor had met anyone who did not fall in his first attempt on a mono-ski.
“I have never in my career, met a first-time adaptive skier who did not fall on their first attempt. This guy is strong as an ox!”
That same day, they were skiing down the slopes from the top of the mountain doing what Tony loves most. Go fast!
Five months later, Tony was in Park City skiing with several members of the US Paralympic Ski Team who train there. This was also where he was introduced to adaptive bobsledding.