In this powerful episode of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast, host Rick Bontkowski sits down with Parker Byrd, a standout athlete, college baseball player, and the first NCAA Division I player to compete with a prosthetic leg. After a life-altering boating accident took his leg, Parker defied every odd and returned to the field with more grit and heart than ever before. His story isn’t just about sports, it’s about identity, resilience, and the unshakable belief that your purpose doesn’t disappear when your circumstances change.

Rick, an amputee himself and the voice behind AMP’D UP211, brings empathy and realness to the conversation, asking the questions only someone who’s lived through limb loss can ask. This podcast was built to elevate the voices of amputees, athletes, and those who have turned adversity into power, and Parker Byrd is all of that and more.

If you're looking for motivation, perspective, or just a damn good story, this is the episode that will light a fire in you.

What does it take to stare down adversity and keep climbing, literally?

In this episode of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast, host and creator Rick Bontkowski sits down with Tom Jalinski, a bilateral below-the-knee amputee who refused to let limb loss define his limits. Tom takes us deep into the mental and physical grind of becoming an endurance hiker post-amputation, detailing the trails he's conquered, the pain he’s endured, and the mindset that keeps him moving forward.

From rocky paths to life’s roughest terrain, Tom's journey is a blueprint for perseverance. Whether you're an amputee, athlete, or just someone trying to push past personal limits, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

What happens when determination outweighs despair?

In this powerful episode of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast, host Rick Bontkowski sits down with Mark Ksobiech, an amputee who lost over 250 pounds and reclaimed his life in the face of overwhelming challenges. Mark opens up about the emotional and physical transformation that reshaped his identity, his health, and his purpose.

This isn’t just a story about weight loss—it’s about rediscovering hope, confronting addiction, and choosing to fight for the life you deserve. Mark’s journey is raw, relatable, and deeply inspiring for anyone in the limb loss community or beyond.

The AMP’D UP211 Podcast is created and hosted by Rick Bontkowski, a drummer, amputee, and advocate for resilience and self-discovery. Each episode brings together powerful voices from the limb loss and disability community, ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Listen. Share. Be inspired.

#limblossawareness #amputeecoalition #weightlossjourney