Ezra Frech made a name for himself as a Paralympian, having competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and then again at the 2024 Summer Paralympics, where he won two gold medals in track and field (high jump T63 and the 100m T63).
For years, Frech has not let his disability define him, and he’s ready to take that a step further as a contestant on Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars. The athlete is partnered with Daniella Karagach on the show.
“I genuinely believe my purpose on this Earth is to normalize disability, be an example of what’s possible as an amputee,” Frech previously told ESPN. Below, we rounded up everything we know about Frech’s disability and more.
What is Ezra Frech’s disability?
Frech was born with a congenital limb difference. Per Boston Children’s Hospital, babies who have this condition “are born with arms, legs, fingers, or toes that are missing, not fully formed, or formed differently.”
Disney/Andrew Eccles
For Frech, that meant he was born without most of his left leg. He was missing his left knee and fibula (calf bone), as well as all but one finger on his left hand. When Frech was just 11 months old, he received his first prosthetic leg.
When did Ezra Frech lose his leg?
At the age of 2, Frech had his left leg amputated. The lower portion of his left leg, which was non-functioning, was amputated so he could wear his prosthetic leg more comfortably. The surgery took 15 hours.
He is not the first contestant with a missing limb on Dancing With the Stars. Amy Purdy, a double leg amputee, was the runner-up on Season 18, while Noah Galloway, who lost his left arm and leg in the Iraq War, came in third place on Season 20.
What happened to Ezra Frech’s hand?
After the lower part of Frech’s leg was amputated, doctors transplanted a toe from the amputated foot onto Frech’s left hand, giving him a second finger to make it easier to hold and grip things.
Dancing With the Stars, Season 35 Premiere, Tuesday, September 15, 8/7c, ABC and Disney+