When modelling meets sports prosthetics: Lexie Bader's story

Bionic, fierce and breathtaking. Lexie Bader, doesn't go unnoticed when she strolls down the catwalk.

Lexie is a fashion model from Denver, Colorado. She enjoys snowboarding, kayaking and the great outdoors. She also happens to be a double amputee.

Lexie’s story began when she suffered an injury to her left ankle in 2012 in a snowboarding accident. The injury resulted in a nerve disorder called CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome). For years Lexie went through surgeries trying to fix her broken ankle.

In 2019 she decided to have her leg amputated despite the risk of CRPS spreading to other parts of her body due to the trauma caused by the amputation.

“I just thought, I’m already facing pain for life. Why not take the risk to live with no pain? If it spreads, I’ll know at least I tried to live a better life than just giving up.”

The amputation went well, and in the beginning, everything seemed to pan out. However, in 2020, the CRPS returned. This time it went for her right ankle.

In January 2021, she decided to have her right leg removed. 6 months later, she walked down the runway at Denver Fashion Week on two Levitate running blades.

“I don’t want people to think being disabled means you can’t do anything,” she says. “People with disabilities are doing all kinds of things. They’re wakeboarding. They’re mountain biking. It’s a disability because we’re different and life is harder, but I don’t feel disabled. I’m still very capable.”

Source: Westword