Everything Is Energy with Cathy Heller Living Beyond Limits: Amy Purdy on Miracles, Bouncing Forward, and Choosing Love in a Near-Death Experience
Apr 27, 2026
Amy Purdy, Paralympic medalist, bestselling author and co-founder of Adaptive Action Sports, shares a near-death experience and the miraculous recovery that saved her leg. She talks about the 21 truths behind her book Bounce Forward. Conversation covers resilience practices, presence in chronic pain, choosing love in crisis, surrender, and how hardship can reveal purpose.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Airplane Napkin Became A Book
- Amy Purdy wrote 21 truths on an airline napkin during turbulence that became the framework for her book Bounce Forward.
- She grabbed that list after imagining the plane might crash and wanted to leave behind clear, lived lessons.
Near Death Choice That Defined Her Path
- At 19 Amy entered hospital septic and lost organs and both legs to meningococcal meningitis, surviving against 2% odds.
- She had a near-death experience, chose to live, and that choice reshaped her life's purpose and resilience.
Why Chronic Injury Felt Harder Than Initial Trauma
- Amy explains later chronic, prolonged injuries can be harder than a one-time trauma because they strip identity and extend suffering.
- Her second major arterial injury removed the certainty she'd built and forced new coping strategies over years.
