Ezra Frech
American Paralympic track and field athlete, two-time Paralympic gold medalist and disability advocate
Ezra Frech (American Paralympic track and field athlete, two-time Paralympic gold medalist and disability advocate) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Disability representation, Visualization (sports psychology), 2020 Summer Paralympics.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Disability representation
Frech argues that people with disabilities should not be pitied or deemed inspiring merely for having a disability.
“Someone with a disability shouldn't be pitied or be inspiring just for having a physical disability”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:40:14
Frech believes disability lacks representation because people fear it and avoid talking about it for fear of saying the wrong thing.
“Honestly, I think it's because people are afraid of it. Disability is taboo. People don't know what to say”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 29:39
Frech contends that disability is the last frontier of minority representation and has lagged behind other groups.
“Because representation is so powerful for every other minority group. Disability is the last frontier. It's lagged behind”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 29:08
Frech states that about 15% of the world's population lives with a physical disability, roughly a billion people.
“This is 15% of the world population that lives with a physical disability. That's 50 million Americans. That's a billion people globally”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 24:21
Frech disclosed for the first time that he accepted his missing leg sooner than his left hand, hiding his hand into high school.
“I've never even said this, but I accepted my missing of a leg sooner than I accepted my left hand”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 17:51
Other remarks
Frech says the law he would create is equal access to sport opportunities for people with disabilities worldwide.
“every single sport opportunity that any able-bodied person gets, someone with a disability gets the same”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:42:50
Frech defines confidence as a relationship with oneself built by consistently following through on one's word.
“I define confidence as... a relationship with yourself. It comes and goes at times, but at the core of it, it's my relationship with myself”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 37:21
Frech argues that pressure does not exist and should be reframed as opportunity, since naming it creates negative emotion.
“Me admitting that there's pressure then convinces myself that that's a negative situation to be in when in reality, I don't even see it as pressure”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:47
Visualization (sports psychology)
Frech argues that mental reps are a competitive advantage because he can visualize all day while physical training time is finite.
“I can't high jump, run 100 meter all day. I can visualize all day”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:05:17
Frech describes visualizing his Paris competition in intricate detail every morning, down to competitors' facial hair.
“what color jersey my competitors would have, what facial hair they would have, the smallest, most intricate details”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:00:47
2020 Summer Paralympics
After narrowly missing a medal in Tokyo, Frech vowed never again to leave a major championship without a medal.
“never again will I walk away from a major championships without a medal until the day I retire. That was my vow”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 53:59
Frech recounts that watching the Rio 2016 Paralympics at age 11 led him to drop other sports and aim for Tokyo despite being unranked.
“I dropped all my other sports. I told all my family and friends, I'm gonna make the Tokyo Paralympics. And I was 11”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 41:50
2028 Summer Paralympics
Frech says he has committed to no added sugar for the four years leading up to the LA 2028 Paralympics.
“I have a hometown Paralympics coming. I was like, all right, no added sugar for the next four years”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 39:39
Frech argues that the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics are a chance to change how America and the world view disability through sport.
“we have that similar opportunity in twenty twenty eight when the Paralympics come to Los Angeles as our chance to change the way America and the world think”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 28:12
Angel City Sports
Frech says his family founded Angel City Sports to provide year-round programming, equipment and competition for people with physical disabilities.
“we founded our nonprofit, Angel City Sports, and we do year-round sport programming, equipment, training, competitive opportunities for people with physical disabilities”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:33:44
Meditation
Frech credits daily meditation with training him to remove distracting thoughts during competition.
“It's the meditation. Every morning when I meditate, I'm training my mind for what I'm gonna experience when I compete”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:18:56
2024 Summer Paralympics
Frech recounts that his coach allowed him 20 minutes to talk about his 100m gold before refocusing on the high jump.
“you're going to tell me everything about the experience for 20 minutes. And then you're going to shut up and not talk about it until after tomorrow night”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:16:47
Paralympic classification
Frech explains that Paralympic classification works like weight classes in combat sports, grouping athletes with similar disabilities.
“The same way in boxing or UFC, you have weight classes”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 48:57
Limb deficiency and amputation
Frech recounts that his surgery at age three lasted 15 hours under a microscope, connecting nerves, tendons and arteries.
“15 hours under a microscope connecting nerves and tendons and arteries smaller than the width of a hair”
On Purpose with Jay Shetty: EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability" (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 6:57
Appearances
EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability"On Purpose with Jay Shetty · Oct 19, 2026 · 1 h 46 min
Jay Shetty interviews Paralympic champion Ezra Frech about growing up with a limb difference, his Paris double gold, visualization, Dancing with the Stars, and adaptive sports advocacy.
Often appears with
- Jay Shetty · 1 shared episode