EZRA FRECH: "I Was Put on This Earth to Change the Way We See Disability"
Episode of On Purpose with Jay Shetty · October 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.
Summary
Paralympic champion Ezra Frech spoke with Jay Shetty about his life and career. Frech described being born with one finger on his left hand and a shortened left leg, the 15-hour surgery at age three that amputated his leg and transplanted his big toe to his hand, and how his parents redirected their life's purpose toward disability advocacy. Shetty read him an excerpt from a letter his parents wrote to other kindergarten parents, which Frech said he had never heard. Frech recounted the stares and bullying he faced, revealed for the first time that he accepted his prosthetic leg sooner than his left hand, and credited his parents and sport for his confidence.
Frech discussed disability statistics and representation, arguing that disability is the 'last frontier' of minority representation and that the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics offer a chance to change public perception, comparable to moments like Billie Jean King's and Jackie Robinson's. He described his mentorship by Pau Gasol, a supportive message from Novak Djokovic after losing his world title, and defined confidence as keeping promises to oneself, including abstaining from added sugar and alcohol until after LA 2028.
He traced his path from deciding at age 11 to become a Paralympian while watching Rio 2016, to making Team USA at 14, to finishing fifth in Tokyo and vowing 'never again.' He explained daily visualization and meditation before Paris, where he won surprise gold in the 100 metres and then the high jump, and his coach's 20-minute rule for celebrating. Frech also discussed competing on Dancing with the Stars with partner Daniela, his view that pressure is a privilege, and the nonprofit Angel City Sports his family founded, closing with Shetty's Final Five questions.
Chapters
- 1:25
Pressure doesn't exist
Frech explains his philosophy that pressure is an opportunity rather than a negative emotion.
- 2:38
Birth and the 15-hour surgery
Frech describes being born with a limb difference, his parents' newfound purpose, and the toe-to-hand transplant at age three.
- 11:05
The kindergarten letter
Shetty reads an excerpt from the letter Frech's parents sent to other parents, which Frech hears for the first time.
- 13:52
Stares, bullying and acceptance
Frech recounts public staring, his mother's reframing, and accepting his hand later than his leg.
- 23:49
Sport, disability statistics and representation
Frech discusses barriers to adaptive sport, disability prevalence, and the opportunity of LA 2028.
- 31:30
Pau Gasol and Novak Djokovic
Frech describes his mentorship by Pau Gasol and a message from Djokovic after losing his world title.
- 37:16
Defining confidence
Frech defines confidence as a relationship with oneself built by keeping commitments like giving up sugar and alcohol.
- 41:05
Paralympic dream and making Team USA
Frech recounts deciding to become a Paralympian at 11 and making the national team at 14.
- 48:17
How the Paralympics work
Frech explains Paralympic classification, differences from the Special Olympics, and running on a blade.
- 52:25
Tokyo heartbreak and the Man in the Arena
Frech describes finishing fifth in Tokyo, his 'never again' lock screen, and the Roosevelt quote.
- 57:48
Visualization, training and recovery
Frech details daily visualization, presence, recovery routines, and protecting his sound leg.
- 1:12:30
Double gold in Paris
Frech recounts his surprise 100m win, the 20-minute rule, high jump gold, and using meditation to stay calm.
- 1:21:31
Dancing with the Stars
Frech discusses joining the show, fan messages, the cast community, and learning to dance on a prosthetic.
- 1:31:04
Advocacy and Angel City Sports
Frech describes the nonprofit his family founded and what he wants the world to stop believing about disability.
- 1:37:15
Final Five
Frech answers Shetty's closing questions on advice, pity, motivation, and a law for equal sport access.
Key points
What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
Linked moment · 53:59Skip to 53:59 using a listen link in the info box.
Ezra FrechAfter 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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
- Ezra Frech
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”
People
In the conversation
- Jay ShettyBritish author, podcast host and former monk who hosts On Purpose
- Ezra FrechAmerican Paralympic track and field athlete, two-time Paralympic gold medalist and disability advocate
Discussed
- Pau GasolFormer Lakers big man compared to Towns
- Novak DjokovicSerbian tennis player competing at Wimbledon
- Joseph UptonSurgeon at Boston Children's Hospital who performed Frech's toe-to-hand transplant
- Theodore RooseveltFormer US president who urged intervention
- Amy PurdyParalympic snowboarder and the first Paralympian to compete on Dancing with the Stars
- Robert IrwinAustralian conservationist and previous Dancing with the Stars winner
- Billie Jean KingAmerican tennis champion cited for beating Bobby Riggs
- Jackie RobinsonBaseball player who broke MLB's color barrier
- Nelson MandelaFormer South African president cited by Fullmer as an example of forgiveness
Topics
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From the publisher
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. Instagram Teen Accounts: Built-in protections for teens. Learn More. At https://chase.com/sapphirereserve JAY'S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here: https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast 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/ezr…
Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on October 31, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.