Haiti's First Winter Paralympian Rose from Earthquake Rubble
Fifteen years after losing his leg in Haiti's devastating 2010 earthquake, Ralf Etienne just made history as his country's first Winter Paralympian. With only 80 days of skiing experience, he proved to the world that anything is possible.
Ralf Etienne spent eight hours buried upside down in earthquake rubble, his left leg trapped beneath a collapsed building. But even in that moment of terror, the 20-year-old made himself a promise: if he survived, he would dedicate his life to serving others.
The 2010 Haiti earthquake killed more than 200,000 people and destroyed the young entrepreneur's thriving media business. After his rescue, Etienne was pushed in a wheelbarrow for a day to reach help, then waited another week before doctors amputated his leg.
An American surgeon he met in Haiti changed everything. The doctor brought Etienne to the United States for a prosthetic leg, then helped him enroll in college in Indiana.
Etienne kept his promise. Over the following years, he returned to Haiti repeatedly to distribute 40,000 pairs of glasses, repair homes destroyed by Hurricane Matthew, and support healthcare initiatives. He trained as an investment banker to focus on impact investing, determined to show the world a resilient side of his country.
Two years ago, he discovered skiing and saw his chance to inspire. "I touched the snow, and I never turned back," the 36-year-old said.
With US immigration restrictions making training difficult, Bank of America supported his move from New York to London last year. He would finish work at 2am, then catch a 6am flight to Switzerland for weekend training in the Alps.
On Friday in Cortina, Etienne made history as Haiti's first Winter Paralympian. After just 80 days on snow in his entire life, he competed in the standing giant slalom alongside the world's best adaptive skiers.
Why This Inspires
His second run ended in disqualification, but Etienne had already won. "Haiti has a skier. That's the most beautiful sentence I have heard in a long time," he said.
He proved his country could compete on the world stage. More importantly, he created a new story for Haiti, one of possibility instead of tragedy.
"I get to tell the Haitian youth that if I can do this today with one leg, they can do anything," Etienne said. "I've gone from the earthquake rubble to the top of the Dolomites with the very best skiers in the world."
For young Haitians watching from home, Etienne just redefined what's possible.
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Based on reporting by BBC Sport
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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