Dr. Phil's Nicole VonRuden Goes Skiing

by Sarai Morgan, AmeriCorps Member at the National Ability Center

Nicole VonRuden, a producer from the Dr. Phil show, came to the National Ability Center last week to enjoy a couple days of skiing. Although she works with the television show, she did not come to film but to participate with our adaptive ski program. This was not Nicole's first time visiting the National Ability Center; however, it was her first time in a bi-ski.

Nicole was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2001 and has since defied the odds of many doctors. As a result of the tumor, she has undergone several treatments of chemotherapy and has become almost completely paralyzed on her right side. In 2001 the doctors gave Nicole a mere seven months to live. Six years later, Nicole is still not giving up.



As a volunteer in the ski program, I had the pleasure of skiing with Nicole. Her bubbly personality, contagious laugh, and amazing stories made this a beneficial and therapeutic experience for me, as well. The lesson was taught by Ability Center Ski Instructor, Don Armstrong, who has been with the National Ability Center's ski program for eight years. His goal for Nicole was to let her be as independent as possible and, of course, to have fun!

Accompanied by several friends and family members, Nicole was able to rip it up on the slopes of Park City Mountain Resort. She quickly moved from the green runs, to the blue runs, to the black runs! This experience, though intimidating at times, gave Nicole to opportunity to ski again, which she thought would never happen. Thanks, Nicole for trusting us on the hill and showing us how to face adversity with such great courage!

Participant of the Quarter

The National Ability Center is proud to have Erik Bayindirli as its participant of the quarter. The Center would also like to congratulate Erik for being named to the U.S. Disabled Ski Team and for the four medals he earned while racing at the U.S. Disabled Nationals in March.



Erik has been skiing since he was three years old and has been racing for twenty-seven years. For most of those years, he has been racing with the National Ability Center. Erik has been a participant here since 1985, and in 2000 he began training and racing more seriously with the Ability Ski Team (formerly known as the Park City Disabled Ski Team).

This year in Idaho, Erik won four medals at Nationals. After so many years of work, Erik was still surprised at the results.

“I was quite shocked. I was more than ten seconds behind first place last year,” Erik said. “Speed is not what I usually do well at so that was pretty incredible.”

Hard work individually was a big part of Erik’s success, but he shares the glory with his coaches.

“It was a really great feeling to see all that great coaching by Julie and Maca pay off,” he said.

Now, Erik says he is excited to have the opportunity to see what he can do on an international scale while trying to qualify for the World Cup races.

Besides skiing, Erik likes to snorkel, water-ski, wakeboard, surf, hand-cycle, target shoot, and play tennis and sled hockey.

Erik’s advice for others with big dreams is, “Never, never ever quit. Just as you might think it’s the right thing to do, things can change, and you’ll wonder why you even had that thought.“

Who Can Participate

Individuals of all ages and abilities take part in the Ability Center's programs, including those with orthopedic, spinal cord, neuromuscular, visual and hearing impairments, as well as those with cognitive and developmental disabilities. Specially designed equipment is available for many of the activities. Adaptive saddles, hand cycles, and customized ski equipment, such as bi-skis, mono-skis and outriggers, enable participants to enjoy each activity comfortably and safely. In an attempt to eliminate the isolation of individuals with disabilities, friends and family members are also encouraged to participate.

What We Do

The National Ability Center offers a wide variety of year-round activities, which include alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, swimming, cycling, water skiing, horseback riding, rafting and camping trips, challenge course activities, leadership development training, and more. In 2007, individuals participated in more than 26,000 lessons and outings! Because safety is the first priority, instruction is provided by professional, certified instructors and complemented by volunteer assistants who contributed over 25,000 hours in 2007, as well. Many of the instructors are also individuals with disabilities and serve as role models for our participants.

Mission Statement

The National Ability Center is committed to the development of lifetime skills for people of all ages and abilities by providing affordable sports and recreational experiences in a nurturing environment. The objective of these experiences is to build self-esteem, confidence and physical development, thereby enhancing active participation in all aspects of community life. As a national role model, the Center promotes the concept of ability through integration, public awareness and education.