People have amazing stories - Sean Pollard

@JudyEv (373701)
Rockingham, Australia
March 9, 2026 2:29am CST
People have some amazing stories. The captain of the Australian Paralympics Team currently competing in Milano Cortina is Sean Pollard. He was a keen surfer but lost his left arm and right hand in October 2014, when attacked by a great white shark off the coast of Esperance in Western Australia. He also had deep lacerations to his legs and was lucky to survive. In 2015, Pollard encountered snow for the first time at Mt Buller. During a holiday in Canada in the same year, he tried snowboarding and attended a specialist camp soon after. He competed in the 2018 Winter Paralympics but missed the 2022 Games, due to Western Australia’s travel restrictions during Covid. He married in 2016 and his wife has since undergone treatment for breast cancer. He hasn’t won a major medal yet but has overcome a heap of challenges already. The photo is mine, taken in Austria. In the winter, this is a skiing area.
9 people like this
7 responses
Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (54891)
• Canada
6h
That is an amazing story he has to share. I hope that he places and gets a medal. We know one of the sledge hockey referees that is at the paralympics this time around. He actually hails from the same little village that we come from. Our son knows a player of the paralympic sledge hockey team, like Sean Pollard, he has a story to tell of a terrible accident, but our son tells us that he is the most grounded and grateful guy he's ever met.
1 person likes this
Juliaacv
@Juliaacv (54891)
• Canada
5h
@JudyEv That's right, unless you know of one personally or they are featured in a local newspaper story do you hear their back story.
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (373701)
• Rockingham, Australia
6h
I'm sure many of these athletes have incredible stories but it's not often you get to hear them.
1 person likes this
Ali Canary
@AliCanary (3786)
•
7h
Goodness, those are a lot of very big challenges! I hope he can realize his dream and get a medal.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (373701)
• Rockingham, Australia
6h
He seems very grounded but it would be nice to see him get a medal. Imagine losing a hand and an arm. It must have been so hard for him in the early days.
1 person likes this
Ali Canary
@AliCanary (3786)
•
5h
@JudyEv no doubt! He really has a strong survivor mentality.
Amber
@AmbiePam (114425)
• United States
Just now
What an incredible human he is. I pray his wife recovers fully. Some people just get way too much hardship in their lives.
snowy
@snowy22315 (204076)
• United States
4h
That is amazing to be sure.
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (21168)
• London, England
Just now
Just proves that determination can overcome so many things
April
@thislittlepennyearns (66995)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
7h
Beautiful picture. I'd love to visit Austria.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (373701)
• Rockingham, Australia
6h
We loved touring through that area. You can see the switchback roads in the background.
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (215860)
• United States
5h
Pollard is a shining example for those with physical challenges. Beautiful photo.