Welcome to Nobody Told Me. I'm Laura Owens. And I'm Jan Black. It is an absolute joy to welcome our guest on this episode, Amy Purdy.

19 years ago, when Amy was just 19, she contracted a form of meningitis, which led to septic shock

and the loss of both of her legs, her kidneys, and her spleen.

Amy promised herself that if she survived, she would live the best life possible.

She wouldn't limit herself, and she would somehow help others as a result of her journey.

Amy has done all of that and much, much more.

Among other things, she's a three-time Paralympic medalist in snowboarding,

a runner-up on Dancing with the Stars, and the author of the best-selling

autobiography, on my own two feet, from losing my legs to learning the dance of life.

Amy, thank you so much for joining us today.

Thank you.

What was your life like before your life-changing battle with meningitis?

Well, let's see.

I grew up in Las Vegas.

I was not athletic at all.

I did not grow up playing sports.

My family didn't play sports.

It just wasn't really a part of what we did.

I was actually an artist.

I loved to paint and I loved photography.

And I ended up actually snowboarding at the age of

15 with a group of friends that I met in an art class and absolutely fell in love with it.

...