True success doesn’t come from privilege. It comes from spirit. Bonnie St. John is a perfect example of this. If you believe the stereotypes of the world are true, you’d have a hard time believing how much success Bonnie has seen in her life as an Olympic skier. When life knocks her down, she gets right back up.

Bonnie St. John grew up a poor black girl from a broken home in San Diego. To make matters worse, she only had one leg. The other was amputated when she was only five years old. She had no money and no snow, but she wanted to be a skier. To her advantage, her mother encouraged this crazy dream.

People will tell you that black people never ski, swim, or play golf, but this is 100% untrue. Sure there are a few big names out there like Tiger Woods, but in reality, there are a lot of black people involved in these sports. One of Bonnie’s motivations from a very early age was to do her best so that others could be motivated by her.

As a child, a friend named Barbara Warmath invited Bonnie St. John on a ski trip with her family over Christmas. This wasn’t just any old invitation. Keep in mind that Bonnie was the girl who was exempt from PE classes, rode a special bus, and was teased by the other kids. This trip was the chance of a lifetime from someone who was a true friend.

Bonnie St. John’s friend invited her in early November to accompany the family on the Christmas ski trip. That gave her only a few short weeks to come up with the money and ski gear to be able to go. With the help of odd jobs, the Yellow Pages, and the Salvation Army, she was ready!

Skiing definitely did NOT come naturally to Bonnie St. John. She could barely hop or walk without her prosthesis, so skiing was a much bigger challenge than she had anticipated. She didn’t even know what gear to buy, so her hands were freezing in the wet, knit mittens from all the falls. Bonnie enjoyed the challenge, though. To her, this was fun.

Through the Ski Club, Bonnie St. John was later able to get appropriate ski attire and begin ski lessons. She found other amputees who weren’t only skiing, they were racing. Bonnie joined in the fun and decided that still wasn’t enough. She wanted to train for the U.S. Olympic Ski Team.

Anyone can have success in their life. Each of us has our own obstacles to overcome. Some are tougher than others, but all can be achieved with some creativity and determination. Never give up on your passions. Live your life to the fullest, and get up each time you fall.