Jason Lalla
Competition | 2013
Having lost a leg in a motorcycle accident at age 21, Jason Lalla was fitted with an artificial limb and immediately returned to his favorite pastime of downhill skiing. He was named to the U.S. Disabled Alpine Ski Team in the late 90’s and competed in the 1998 Winter Paralympic Games in Nagano, Japan where he won a gold medal in the Giant Slalom event. He then qualified for the Winter Paralympic Games in 2002 in Salt Lake City. Jason took a silver medal in the Giant Slalom and a bronze medal in the Downhill event. He also earned a gold medal in the World Cup Ski Championships.
In 2001, Jason was named the U.S. Olympic Committee Athlete of the Month, making him one of two disabled athletes ever to be named to that honor by the USOC. He was once quoted as saying: “I think any time you’re an active person who has had a passion for something you have participated in, being able to resume that activity as an amputee is certainly an achievement. It’s a stepping stone, a return to a degree of normalcy, if you will.”
Upon his retirement from competitive skiing, Jason pursued his career vocation as a certified prosthetist. However, his need for action sports didn’t end. He was involved in the filming of a Warren Miller film heli-skiing through the powder of a mountain top in British Columbia with fellow skiing legends. Jason also participated in Downhill Mountain Biking through the extreme trails and jumps of the New Hampshire mountains. He was also involved in golf clinics and outings for veterans with amputations and other disabilities.
