EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability"

October 19, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

"Never again." That was the vow Ezra Frech made at 16, standing in the pouring rain in Tokyo after his blade skimmed the high jump bar and dropped it, costing him a Paralympic medal. He watched the medalists take their victory photos, snapped a picture of them on his phone, and set it as his lock screen with those two words. He kept that lock screen for years, adding more failures to the collage over time, because he believes failure is the ultimate motivator. By the time he arrived in Paris for the 2024 Paralympics, he had been visualizing that moment every morning for years — waking up in tears because in his mind he had already won. And then he did win: two gold medals, one in the 100 meters and one in the high jump, the event he had been counting down toward for 100 days straight on social media, telling anyone who would listen that he was going to be Paralympic champion.

Born Into Purpose

Frech was born with one finger on his left hand and a left leg curved up toward his waist. At three years old, his parents made the decision to amputate the leg at the knee and transplant his big toe onto his left hand to create a second finger — a 15-hour surgery under a microscope, connecting nerves and tendons smaller than the width of a hair. Months later, the family celebrated when the transplanted toe wrinkled in the bath for the first time, a sign the body had accepted it.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:01) **Episode Introduction & Sponsor Block** - Opening ads for Indeed, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and AG1.
2 (03:00) **Introducing Ezra Frech: The Athlete & Advocate** - Jay defines Ezra as a two-time Paralympic gold medalist and a powerful voice for disability representation.
3 (05:28) **Origin Story: A Family's Pivot to Purpose** - Ezra recounts being born limb deficient and how his parents transformed their initial shock into a life mission.
4 (09:26) **The Medical Journey: Amputation & Toe Transplant** - Details of the life-altering surgery at age three to create a functional hand and a prosthetic-ready leg.
5 (14:07) **The Kindergarten Letter: A Blueprint for No Limits** - Jay reads an excerpt from a letter Ezra's parents wrote to other parents, setting expectations for inclusion.
6 (16:22) **Building Confidence & The Struggle for Self-Acceptance** - How Ezra's parents taught him to own his disability and the gradual process of accepting his entire body.
7 (24:35) **The Path to Full Acceptance & The Power of Discomfort** - Healing came through time, positive relationships, and intentionally stepping into uncomfortable situations.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Ezra Frech shares the mindset, discipline, and determination that have shaped his career and led him to win two Paralympic gold medals. From turning heartbreak in Tokyo into motivation to using visualization and meditation to perform under pressure, Ezra reveals how he prepares for the biggest moments of his career. He also opens up about competing on Dancing With the Stars, breaking down misconceptions about disability, and founding Angel City Sports to make adaptive sports more accessible to the next generation.

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What We Discuss:

00:00 Introduction

01:20 "Pressure Doesn't Exist"

02:51 The Day Ezra Was Born

06:24 The 15-Hour Surgery At Age 3

11:15 The Kindergarten Letter

13:29 Learning To Handle The Stares

16:21 Overcoming Stigma And Bullying

23:18 Falling In Love With Sports

27:00 Changing Culture & Looking Ahead to LA 2028

31:09 Mentorship From Pau Gasol

33:56 A Message From Novak Djokovic

36:53 How Do You Define Confidence?

40:43 The Moment That Inspired His Paralympic Dream

44:35 Making Team USA At 14

48:41 How Running Blades Actually Work

52:09 Tokyo Heartbreak & "The Man In The Arena"

58:53 Visualizing Paris Gold Every Morning

01:04:50 Protecting His Good Leg

01:11:33 Winning Double Gold & The 20-Minute Rule

01:17:00 Meditation Under Pressure

01:20:34 A Lifelong Dream to Compete on Dancing With the Stars

01:24:14 Inside the Dancing With the Stars Family

01:27:19 Learning To Dance On A Blade

01:30:12 Pressure Is A Privilege

01:32:10 Making Adaptive Sports Mainstream

01:37:10 Ezra On Final 5

Episode Resources

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/ezrafrech/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@ezrafrech

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/teamezra05/

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