Paralyzed by a ski accident, Bozeman man returns to the slopes to help others

BOZEMAN — Drew Asaro's journey to Montana was fueled by a love of skiing and outdoor adventures. Growing up in Boise, Idaho, Asaro was “born and raised at the bottom of a ski hill," cultivating a passion for skiing that drew him to the mountains of southwest Montana.“The skiing in Montana, there’s nothing like it — I mean, Big Sky… they call it Big Sky for a reason, the best skiing in America,” Asaro said.However, Asaro's life took a dramatic turn in January 2018 after a ski accident in Big Sky resulted in a spinal injury that left him paralyzed from the T-10 vertebra down."I ended up hugging a tree sideways, breaking all the ribs on my right side - paralyzing myself from the T-10 down," he remembers.WATCH: Adaptive Sports Advocate Drew Asaro Inspires Others After Ski Accident“Probably a day after I had broken my back and I was sitting in the hospital, one of the local 'wheelie boys' came and visited me and said, ‘This is a tragic accident, this sucks — but know that this isn’t the end of life. You can still ski, you can still ride your bike, you can still do all the crazy fun activities like you did before… It’s just going to look a little different,’” Asaro recounted.It was during his recovery that Asaro discovered Eagle Mount, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making outdoor recreation accessible for individuals with disabilities. “I started out at Eagle Mount as a participant, and actually, my second ski lesson in Big Sky was on the anniversary of my accident. So a year later, I got to be back at it,” he said.Asaro transitioned from participant to volunteer, quickly becoming an important part of the organization. “The director at the time of the ski program at Eagle Mount approached me and asked, ‘Hey, I’m putting together a team of ski instructors. Would you like to be a part of that?’”And now, for the past five years, he has been helping others with disabilities find their way back to the outdoors through adaptive sports.Drew reflected on his journey, stating, “I’m not a philosophical man per se, but I do believe everything happens for somewhat of a reason. I didn’t exactly have a path that I was going on or that I wanted to pursue. When I moved out to Bozeman, I was doing service jobs, working as a cook and barista, so I could ski in the mornings and work in the afternoons.“After my injury, I had to really rethink: Well, I couldn’t do service jobs in my situation — what are my avenues? What are the things that will not only fill my pocket with money but fill my heart with love and spirit with soul?“And really, adaptive sports, Eagle Mount, the Challenged Athletes Foundation — all of these organizations gave me that kind of purpose and lane to go down. I could not be happier. I’ve done more fun things in my wheelchair than out of it.“I’m very blessed," he added. "There are various avenues that I could have gone on, and I’m so happy this is the one that I got to put on, to be placed on.”Asaro continues to inspire others while embracing the adventures Montana has to offer.To learn more about Eagle Mount, click here.