Older Posts
“Hope and acceptance can co-exist,” is a quote from the amazing Amanda Boxtel, renowned worldwide exoskeleton ambassador and co-founder of Challenge Aspen, a popular adaptive skiing organization. She’s also the founder and executive director of Bridging Bionics, a nonprofit in Colorado helping people walk again. Read on for Amanda’s epic story.
Why She’s Fearless
Amanda, who’s been living in Colorado for 30 years, isn’t originally from the US. In the late 1980s, she came to the US as an able-bodied woman from Australia, and it was for a man she had fallen in love with. And even though the relationship didn’t last, she eventually made it back to Colorado, falling in love with the state instead.
While skiing in Colorado in 1992, the tips of her skis crossed. Amanda crashed and broke her back in four places. Devastated, she wasn’t sure where life would take her. The good news is that she was close to the renowned SCI rehab center, Craig Hospital. After 2 years of being paralyzed, Amanda co-founded Challenge Aspen, a non-profit that helps people with disabilities try adaptive skiing. Adaptive skiing soon became her new love.
Throughout the rest of the 1990’s, Amanda made a name for herself in the adaptive skiing world. She was an instructor for over 10 years, helping bring adaptive skiing to Chile and Argentina. In her former life, she was a 4th grade teacher so teaching comes naturally to her. In 1999, Amanda was the Colorado Ski Country USA Adaptive Athlete of the Year (an honor she won again in 2000 and 2001).
Next, she helped organize the first disability raft trip down the Grand Canyon. Humanitarianism is another important cause of hers. She brought 200 wheelchairs to Argentina in 2005. And Amanda is a motivational speaker, speaking on the transformation of personal growth and living passionately. She’s also the author of the book, Pivotal Moments – Life Lessons is Overcoming.
And in 2011, an amazing opportunity fell onto her lap – Ekso Bionics chose her to be their first ambassador, the makers of the revolutionary exoskeleton. She demonstrated it all over the world, from the London International Technology Show to the CNN headquarters in Atlanta. She even purchased one for home-use, and in 2013 she became the first person in the US to own an exoskeleton for personal use.
What’s Next?
Amanda was so inspired using her exoskeleton that in 2013, she decided to do another monumental thing — she founded a second nonprofit, Bridging Bionics. Bridging Bionics’ mission is to help people in Colorado recover as much function as possible by helping them continue physical therapy, as well as helping them access devices like exoskeletons. Amanda even donated her own exoskeleton to the program.
Since founding Bridging Bionics, Amanda has become an expert at the various exoskeletons available. To date, she has tested four exoskeletons – Ekso, ReWalk, Indigo, and a prototype from Bionik Labs. Her goal is to be an expert on exoskeletons for as long as possible so she can give the most authentic speeches on the subject. She is also a fan of wheelchair dancing and participated in Aspen’s Dancing with the Stars competition in 2018.
Not to be outdone, also in 2018, Amanda was a Top finalist in CNN Heroes. CNN Heroes honors everyday people changing the world. Happily living in a peaceful spot on a river in Colorado, all while helping others with spinal cord injuries, Amanda has truly found her place in the world, and we couldn’t be happier for her.
ideas@spinalpedia.com
