Teen Amputee Patients Leave for Ski Trip

A group of teenage amputees from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas are headed to Colorado to learn how to ski.

The group, seven boys and seven girls, departed Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Monday for Winter Park, Colorado for an all-expense paid ski trip.

This is the 34th year the hospital has teamed up with the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park. The center is one of the world's largest outdoor therapeutic recreation facilities.

The teenagers will receive individualized instruction from highly trained professionals for an entire week.

Most of the teens were not too nervous about hitting the slopes. 

"Really excited about doing it," said participant Josiah Puyear. "I feel it is going to be really hard, but I am excited for the challenge.”

Some of the teens have been able to go on the trip before, including Erika Minich who was making her third trip to Colorado.

"It’s a different crowd," said Minich. "It's a different crew. You get to go with kids that are just like you. You get to know them and you get to see you are not the only one.”

American Airlines has covered the costs of the plane tickets for the teens for the past 10 years.

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