Para Alpine Skier Kelsey O'Driscoll on First Paralympics, Overcoming Obstacles & Gratitude
About this episode
Kelsey O'Driscoll shares her journey as a para alpine skier and nurse, discussing her experiences and mindset leading up to the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games.
Not many people get to live one dream in their 20s, but Kelsey O'Driscoll is living two: working as a nurse to help people and representing Team USA at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games. After a spinal injury in 2021, Kelsey was determined to not let those dreams pass her by. She still works as a nurse (at the same hospital that inspired her to pursue the career) and became Gore Mountain's first adaptive ski patroller. She also now races as a four-track skier, a form of para alpine skiing where an athlete uses two skis and two hand-held outriggers (metal crutches with ski tips). It wasn't long before Kelsey's talent was recognized and just a few short years later she is competing in Milan with USA across her chest. She is blazing trails for young athletes facing any kind of obstacle, creating visibility in the hospital and on the mountain, and doing it all with a bright and optimistic attitude. Today we dive in to Kelsey's gratitude for the sport, the influence Gore Mountain has had on her life and career, building a resilient mindset and more.
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