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Warren: Warren MacDonald, back here with you again, for the Solution Revolution. And this,
this time I've got a treat for you. I am here with Josh Dueck.
Josh: Warren, it's a pleasure. There's not many people I would want to make the time
for on Boxing Day.
Warren: Boxing Day. There you go. Who knew? What was it that inspired you to get back
out into the, into the back country? Because you, I mean, you come from a skiing, you are
a skier.
Josh: If you have seen the film "Freedom Chair," you know I was 23 years old when my accident
happened. And I was a ski coach at that point in time in my life. And I had a lot going
for me. And I had aspirations to maybe one day become a professional skier as well. And
in a matter of an instant, one bad decision, everything was gone. I was laid up in the
hospital, and the doctors broke the news to me, but kind of in a way that was really progressive
and moving forward. Instead of coming in and told me what I had lost, you know, they told
me what I had to look forward to. And literally, the doctor came in and said, "You know, you're
going to kick *** in a wheelchair, and before you know it you are going to be back in the
mountains riding a sit-ski."
Warren: The doctor told you that?
Josh: Straight up. So literally, that moment in the hospital, I just started driving for
it. I was like, I accepted the fact that everything in life happens for a reason, and that wouldn't
have happened to me if I wasn't strong enough to deal with it. I've always been a skier.
So the thought of getting back into the back country wasn't like a big stretch for me,
it was just kind of like all right, that's the next logical thing, and it really hasn't
been captured in the mode of ski a lot. So that is where I have become really super fortunate.
I have really developed my skills as a professional sit-skier over the last several years, but
I have also got a strong network of people in the freestyle community that I grew up
skiing with, that are now great filmers and producers and athletes in the industry, so
my ties to these guys, very, very helpful, because I am like, "Dude, dude, I want to
do a 30-footer," and most people are like, "You're crazy." And these guys are like, "Really?
All right, we are going to go spot the landing out for you and make sure it's safe," and
I'm like, "Okay, it's on." And they've seen me develop my skills in the sit-ski in the
last couple of years, so they know that skill set is there. But they also know that, this
is my, for lack of better words, you know, it is my art. This is how I creatively express
myself. So they can see that that intensity, the passion, the intention that I bring when
I am out there, right, and it is just about being creative, and what I am doing in "Freedom
Chair," I wouldn't say it's crazy at all. I would say it is everything, I practice those
skills all the time, and making sure that when we have the camera rolling, it is as
much of a safe environment as much as it can be.
Warren: It is interesting that you relate it to art, because that is what I got just
from what I saw, or is that, I mean, it is breaking new ground, like it is creating something
that I don't think has been done before.
Josh: You know, for me it is all about what is possible and really about pushing yourself
to explore something new. And it is not really about skiing, it is not really about jumping
off of cliffs and stuff like that, it is really about expanding what you feel is possible.
You know, just because it has never been done before in the world of a sit-ski, certainly
doesn't mean that it is not possible. And my background as a freestyle skier and now
as a Paralympic ski racer really kind of gives me the ability to take this sport and push
it a little bit further. I am already like, the film "Freedom Chair" just came out recently,
and I am already seeing a ton of people coming out of the woodwork saying like, "I want to
be a professional free skier," and "I want to do this," and "I want to do that." And
the way I look at it right now is I have opened a door, and there is going to be a flood-gate
of people coming behind me.
Warren: What was the driving force? Was it that you, no longer, being on the hill wasn't
enough?
Josh: It was just kind of this energy that was inside of me that wanted to go play outside
of the boundaries. And I guess a part of me, the reality is I have acquired a disability,
and that slows me down in many aspects of my life. It's super-tough, there's no two
ways about it. You know, pushing around a chair can be very arduous at times. But when
you put me into my ski, it literally opens up the entire world, you know. Those are the
moments in my day when anything is possible. So then I take all of this creative energy
that existed before my accident, things that I wanted to do that I never really had a chance
to try and pursue, and maybe a part of it was because I never really believed in myself
when I was younger either, right. You know, I mean, I was young, I was not the most talented
athlete, and you know, I kind of gave up on that. And then my accident happened, and suddenly
there was this whole new renewed belief in what was possible in myself and in the sport,
and I took that old creative energy that kind of never left. And I took this new energy
of just the freedom that being on the mountains has given me. And I dream about it all the
time. I dream about what is possible and the things I dream of I have never seen done on
snow. I don't want to say, well, sure, those voices of doubt still come in all the time,
you know, is this what I want to be doing with my life? Do I want to be taking these
risks? Are the risks worth it? The sacrifices of being on the road all the time. You know,
I am married to my sport, which I love. I am also married to the person that I love.
So how possibly difficult is that? There are voices all the time. The best thing I can
do is, I take those voices personally. I listen to them, I try to interpret them to the best
of my ability, and then I just let them keep going, right? I do not attach myself to those
voices for any long period of time, because I guess I have a mission and a vision in my
life to what is possible, and I realize that the way I express myself to my sport has the
ability to motivate other people to find their potential. So I guess you can say it is a
little bit of a calling for me. I have always loved to ski, I know that, that is my passion,
so I feel super fortunate that I am connected with my passion and what I love to do in my
life. And when all these other doubts and insecurities and fear kind of come creeping
in, which I think they do for everybody, in every aspect of our life, I kind of acknowledge
them, accept them, and just let them keep moving forward, and then go back to what I
focus on, what I love to do, and it is part of a bigger picture for me.
Warren: The things that I’ve done, I refer to it as I am chasing this connection that
I really only found outside, in the mountains, and I think we saw that in "Freedom Chair."
Josh: I'm glad you noticed that. That is what it is for me. It is a state of presence. You
know, you hear a lot about being connected, being in the moment, being present. If you
are anything but present and connected to the moment, to the environment and nature,
when you are in the mountains, you know, you're going to get hurt if you're not connected.
You know, the mountains are very alive, they're breathing, they're active, you have to be
very aware of your surroundings and environment. I like to take in a couple of deep breaths
just to center myself, and appreciate where I am at and the opportunities that are being
presented. And then you surrender to what is possible. When you drop in, something great
can happen. You can slash a few turns down there and do something that you never even
dreamed was possible. You also put yourself at a stake where you might crash and burn
and fail. You know, that was one of the big challenges of competing at such a global stage
like the Paralympics, you know, you have trained, this is what I love to do, skiing is my art,
skiing is my passion. But when you put yourself out in that environment, and you fall, you
make a mistake, you are putting yourself up to fail in front of everybody. And that can
be really, an emotional conflict going on in your head, so again that is the importance
of just taking a couple of deep breaths for me and just enjoying that moment, enjoying
and appreciating the opportunity that is being presented. And that excitement, that anticipation,
it is kind of like Christmas Eve and what is under the tree. I love my sport dearly
because it has given me so much of my life. It is my passion, it fuels me, it is the wood
that keeps the fire stoked, but it is also a platform to work off. You know, I have been
put in this position for a reason. It is not easy living with a disability. I am not quite
sure how you have managed yours, obviously it seems quite well. You have lived a very
full and exciting life since your couple of days under that boulder, and you have let
that be a catalyst to achieve greatness in your world. And I hope to do the same in mine.
Like, there are many moments that I find to be very challenging every day, that are around
being in the chair.
Warren: Around everyday life. But it is almost like, watching you ski, though, and all that
drops away. And I think that's where the freedom part comes in, that I see anyway, when I see
the film.
Josh: Yes, that really keeps me motivated for you know, really enjoying the challenges
that have come along with the package, right? There are a lot of things that I find challenging
in life that have nothing to do with the chair, and a lot of things I find challenging that
have to do with the chair. But given that I have that catalyst, skiing, in my life to
keep me motivated in my life and keep that fire stoked, I actually choose to enjoy and
embrace all these challenges. They actually make me stronger every day, and then I can
bring that mentality right back onto the mountain and vice versa, so that it feeds each other.
Warren: Yeah, I can't wait to see what plays out. When you talk about envisioning what's
possible and going out and creating that like a piece of art, interesting to see what that
looks like as it unfolds.
Josh: That makes two of us, Warren. You know, and I am thinking that there are some tasks
that I have, some dreams that I have, although I am thinking like, "Well, how far is that
dream?" Some of them I see clearly and some of them are a little further out there. And
you know, it is one day at a time, and one turn at a time, and you boil it down like
that. Actually, I kind of look at as a bit bigger, like it is one winter at a time and
one season at a time, one day at a time, one run at a time, and one turn at a time. And
it is like, some of them I see clearly and some of them are a little further out there.
And it is one day at a time, and one turn at a time, and it is really everything I love
about skiing and I love about life can be summarized up in one turn, right? There is
so much potential, so much energy that can be created and deflected and shared in that
one turn.
Warren: Through that movement and then engaged with it. Cool.
Josh: Yes.
Warren: Well, I hope everybody has a chance to get out and see "Freedom Chair." And I've
got a feeling-well, without putting words in your mouth, I've got a feeling from sharing
that film, what I see is that it gets people to thinking what's possible for them. And
I would think, for me it was like, wow, yeah, it kind of opened my eyes up and my mind up
to what was possible for me as well, which I have a feeling is what it is going to do
for everybody.
Josh: Thank you.
Warren: I would like to see the next installment.
Josh: Yeah, well, thank you so much for saying that. That was exactly the intention we had
behind producing the film. A bit of it was just like a snapshot of what the last decade
of my life in the ski industry was and is, but we are definitely hoping and are glad
to hear that we had our impact on some people.
Warren: Yeah.
Josh: Because anything is possible.
Warren: Even if you don't ski too much. And that is the cool part.
Josh: Yeah, it's not about skiing, it is about finding your art, finding a way to express
your creativity and finding a way to be able to share that. You know, we all have gifts,
and I think the essence of a gift is to be given, right?
Warren: Good point. Now, that might wrap it up.
Josh: (Laughing) No play on words. What a pleasure, Warren.
Warren: Yeah, good to spend some time with you.
Josh: Likewise. Thank you so much.
Warren: Thank you.