SportsTravel Podcast: Andrew Kurka Defines True Grit

Andrew Kurka lives by a simple motto: “Work hard, have grit, and don’t quit.”
That spirit has served him well for years, from his days growing up in Alaska, through the devastating injury that rendered him unable to walk, and ultimately to multiple medals at the Paralympic Games. In Italy last winter, he won a bronze medal in the men’s super-G sitting competition and then was elected as a flag bearer at the closing ceremony.

In this episode of the SportsTravel Podcast, SportsTravel Managing Editor Ted Keith talks with Kurka about his remarkable life, including the ways in which he continues to not just inspire people from afar but give hands-on help to others in his situation and how he lives his motto every day.

Among the topics discussed:

• A Dream Deferred — Kurka has found Paralympic glory on the slopes, but he initially had his sights set on excelling in a different sport.
• Giving Others A Hand — When he’s not on the slopes, Kurka can be found pursuing his post-career passion, which includes owning a bed & breakfast in his home state, with a unique twist for his guests, and working on a mentorship program with Toyota to identify future stars.
• Overcoming Obstacles — Getting over an injury that broke his back and changed his life was not the end of the difficulties Kurka would face as he chased Paralympic glory. He details how he continued to move forward in the face of additional adversity, and what doing so has meant to him.
• 49 States Down, One To Go — His travels have taken him all over the world, but there’s one state in the U.S. Kurka has yet to visit — and he may not be getting there anytime soon.