A Paralympic Champion Is Making History on the Dance Floor

Ezra Frech has spent much of his life proving that a disability does not have to define what a person can achieve. Now, the 21-year-old Paralympic champion is bringing that message to millions of viewers on the dance floor.

Frech, who was born with congenital limb differences and uses a prosthetic leg, is competing on the 35th season of Dancing with the Stars alongside professional dancer Daniella Karagach.

His appearance has attracted particular attention because only a small number of amputees have previously competed on the popular television show.

For Frech, the moment has a personal meaning. More than a decade ago, he watched fellow Paralympian Amy Purdy compete on the same program. Purdy became the first double amputee to appear on the show in 2014 and eventually reached the final.

Now Purdy is watching from the audience as Frech takes on the challenge himself.

Frech has said that Purdy’s support has been deeply meaningful. Her encouragement has helped give him confidence as he learns ballroom dancing, a completely different challenge from the track and field events where he has already become a champion.

Frech won two gold medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, taking first place in the men’s 100-meter T63 and high jump T63 events.

But dancing has required him to approach movement in a new way. His prosthetic leg was designed for athletic movement rather than ballroom dancing, forcing Frech and Karagach to adapt their choreography around its unique mechanics.

Despite the difficulties, the pair quickly became one of the strongest couples on the show. Their performances have earned praise from judges and fans, while Frech’s presence has brought greater visibility to people with disabilities.

For Purdy, seeing Frech on the program represents something larger than a television performance. She has said that when she competed years ago, simply seeing another amputee on television felt unusual. Frech is now giving a younger generation the chance to see themselves represented in a completely different way.

Frech hopes that his journey will encourage people to think differently about disability and possibility.

He is not simply trying to win a television competition. He is showing millions of viewers that sometimes the biggest barrier is not what a person cannot do, but what the world has never imagined them doing before.

Sources

• People
• World Para Athletics
• Team USA