As Kevin Frost describes his many incredible athletic accomplishments in his memoir Deaf Blind Champion, he notes what his speed skating mentor, Coach Mike, did to make some of these feats even possible. “He never trained me as a person with disabilities,” writes Frost. “He trained me as a high-performance athlete.”

I stopped and considered this comment for a moment. Because in reading this book and hearing about one competition and one victory after another along the way to elite world-class status, I lost track of whether the author was in fact deaf or blind at the time, and whether he was competing against other deaf and blind athletes or just other master athletes at large. He was that good.

Frost’s accomplishments cover a variety of sports — rowing, cycling, golf to name a few — but primarily speed skating. The fact that he was able to compete at all is a testament not only to his physical abilities but his drive and never-say-never attitude that led him to the pinnacle of his sports and a successful career, capacity and commitment to helping others with similar disabilities.

Succeeding Despite the Obstacles

Diagnosed as deaf at an early age and then with Usher Syndrome shortly after, Frost was operating with 9 percent hearing capacity and 3 percent vision. But his love for sports and his thirst to succeed carried the day despite the obvious obstacles.

Over 24 years, Frost won 16 gold medals and set nine world records in blind speed skating. He is a three-time world champion in blind long-track and short-track speed skating, was ranked 8th in the world against able-bodied Master-class speed skaters and has won more than 80 medals in total.

But Frost’s message is far greater than mere accomplishments in the arena. He has lived his life as an inspiration to others and defines his life by the manner and breadth of how he can encourage and motivate others and help them succeed, regardless of the barriers.

And Frost has faced setbacks of his own, in and out of sports. “Being deaf meant I couldn’t hear the jeers and warnings from my friends who watched in horror as I crashed over and over again,” he writes. “Of course, you are going to crash … and it is all about what you do after the crash. When you get up and decide to learn, that’s when you become a champion.”

A Champion in the Game of Life

Kevin Frost has talked the talk and walked the walk. His medals speak for themselves. But in Deaf Blind Champion, Frost brings readers a different kind of message than simply how to excel on the field of play. Sure, he leads by example, but with leadership in the game of life, full of lessons, perspectives and ideas that will help any reader succeed in some of the most important matters we all face.

Kevin Frost considers himself a champion in life. He shares his journey in this inspirational read, which provides a chance for anyone who needs to check their priorities, rethink their outlook, dream of great things, and then go out and accomplish them.

“We have all hit rock bottom at some point. This story is about how to get out of that situation and become a champion. It’s about being an active advocate for your own life. Understanding that anything is truly possible, and then proving those that said it could not be done wrong.”

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