Jess Sporte

I had the opportunity back in February to head to Summit County in Colorado to photograph Jess Sporte for the spring/summer issue of Solace Magazine (Funded and distributed by the Amway Corp). Jess is one of the most inspiring subjects I have had the opportunity to meet and photograph. The following is a brief bio from her website:

“I was born in Korea on the 4th of July 1987. It is believed that my birth parents dropped me off at an orphanage when they realized I had a medical condition that they could not afford to take care of. I had cancer in my leg. The orphanage sent me to a hospital where I had my leg amputated at four months old. I was adopted at 24 months old, by an American family and have been cancer free for the past 24 years. In 2000, I began taking 3-track lessons, balancing on my one leg and using outriggers to ski, at Cannonsburg. However, I had to quit a year later due to arthritis in my hip. Consequently, I had to have a hip replacement in 2005 at the age of 18. Wanting to get back on the mountain, I’ve attended two ski programs. One in January of 2011 in Steamboat Spring, CO, and I recently attended the Hartford Ski Spectacular where, after mono-skiing (sit-skiing) only 10 days, I was approached by several Paralympic coaches saying I have the potential to reach the 2014 Winter Paralympics.”

I had an amazing day hanging out with Jess at Keystone Resort… She is fast, determined, and a true inspiration to all. The publication is out now and will soon be available for viewing online here in the coming weeks. For more information on Jess you can check out her website at http://www.jsporte.com/ Enjoy a few outtakes from the shoot.