A new video from Ideastream highlights the impactful life of Paul Leimkuehler on the sport of adaptive skiing.
Leimkuehler lost his leg in WWII, and started his own prosthetics company when he returned from war. He is credited with being one of the first adaptive skiers in the country, and is the inventor of the ‘outrigger’ device that provides additional support to amputee skiers.
The outrigger is still used by adaptive ski athletes today. Check out Vasu Sojitra. He’s a bad ass skier that used an outrigger to summit and ski Denali!
Check out this quick piece on Leimkuehler’s incredible life, and read more about the documentary ‘Fresh Tracks’Â created by Leimkuehler’s granddaughter.
ideastream: “Losing a limb can be a devastating, life changing experience. After Paul Leimkuehler of Cleveland lost his leg in World War II, he started a new business and a new winter sport, known as adaptive skiing, which allows amputees to ski. Leimkuehler’s granddaughter, Katie, documents his amazing journey in a new documentary, “Fresh Tracks.”