TPM Episode 298: Drew Petersen, Pro Skier

Drew Petersen’s life and times have been defined by highs and lows from the time he was a little kid. On one hand, he lived in Colorado and developed a passion for skiing young. While that passion grows, so does depression and bipolar disorder, which is not diagnosed until much later in life. Combining that with a life of winning ski contests on the weekends and then returning to school as the smart, intense kid wasn’t the best combination. But Drew pushed through, made it as a pro skier, then had terrible accidents in the mountains, with a lot of head trauma and the suicidal thoughts became way stronger than they were at 9 years old. I’ve said enough, this is a heavy podcast, Drew is not afraid to share, and everyone should listen.

Drew Petersen Show Notes:

3:30:  Sunburn, The Quality Film Time Tour, and growing up in Silverthorne

12:00:  Getting into skiing, tantrums, brain injuries impact memories, motional control and the injury mental illness timeline

20:30:  Stanley:  Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast

Peter Glenn Ski and Sports:  Over 60 years of getting you out there

Outdoor Research:  The best outerwear ever built just got better

23:00:  Suicidal thoughts at age 9, what type of skiing he was doing, getting his own insurance, and the Telluride accident

35:00:  Faction Skis, Jr big mountain contests, getting into Powder’s top skiers 18 and under, and Lance Armstrong

41:00:  10 Barrel Brewery:  Buy their beers, they support action sports more than anyone

GoPro:  The only action sports camera that matters

Elan Skis:  Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better

43:30:  Japan at 17, who he competed against, University of Utah, big injury in college, and getting “Ski The Wild West” funded

52:00:  Accident on Hood, Self-Rescue, going into a dark place, coping with booze and weed, and the series of bad events that he thought he was the root of

61:00:  The relief of getting help and public speaking

66:00:  Inappropriate Questions with Todd Ligare