About Tony Drees

Army Veteran · Adaptive Athlete · Keynote Speaker · Coach

Tony Drees

"No Lies. No Excuses. Never Quit." The philosophy that changed one life and thousands more.

Purple Heart Recipient 1,500+ Live Presentations ESPN SportsCenter Feature Fox News Hero of the Month Hayden Kennedy Award, 5 Points Film Festival Keynote: Colorado Governor's Conference National Veterans Wheelchair Games Medalist NAACP Image Awards Recognition 30+ Years Corporate and Nonprofit Leadership Purple Heart Recipient 1,500+ Live Presentations ESPN SportsCenter Feature Fox News Hero of the Month Hayden Kennedy Award, 5 Points Film Festival Keynote: Colorado Governor's Conference National Veterans Wheelchair Games Medalist NAACP Image Awards Recognition 30+ Years Corporate and Nonprofit Leadership

The Story

From 75 Surgeries
to the Stage

Tony Drees has lived what most people only read about. A U.S. Army veteran who earned the Purple Heart, Tony spent decades fighting battles on foreign soil, in hospital rooms, and inside his own mind. In 2018, after enduring 75 surgeries over a lifetime, he made the life-altering decision to amputate his leg at age 50.

What happened next defied every expectation. Rather than retreating, Tony leaned in: becoming a certified ski instructor in Aspen, competing in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games (winning multiple medals), and eventually executing a one-legged ski-jump backflip on national film. That feat earned him the prestigious Hayden Kennedy Award at the 5 Points Adventure Film Festival in 2023.

"Resilience isn't a trait you're born with. It's a decision you make, repeatedly, in the dark."

With over 30 years in corporate and nonprofit leadership and more than 1,500 live presentations since 1991, Tony brings hard-won wisdom, disarming honesty, and an infectious joy for life to every room he enters.

Tony Drees receiving the Hayden Kennedy Award at the 5 Points Film Festival

Tony receiving the Hayden Kennedy Award. 5 Points Adventure Film Festival, 2023.

The 3-Rules Keynote

Three Rules.
One Unstoppable Life.

Transparency

Own your full truth, not the polished version. Tony shows audiences how radical honesty with yourself and others creates the psychological safety that drives real growth, real teams, and real results.

Accountability

No excuses. No exit ramps. Tony's lived experience from the battlefield to the operating room to the ski slope demonstrates what it looks like to own every outcome and turn setbacks into momentum.

Resilience

Not just bouncing back, but bouncing forward. Tony's framework gives individuals and organizations a repeatable process for navigating adversity, disruption, and change without losing purpose or drive.

1,500+

Live Presentations

30+

Years of Leadership

Surgeries. Still Standing.

Wheelchair Games Medals

Milestones and Recognition

A Career Built
on Impact

2015

Developed Military Hub for University of Phoenix. NAACP Image Awards Recognition.

2016

Mort Mark Award for Veteran Service in the Community

2017

Executive Director, Veterans Passport to Hope

2018

Amputation at age 50 after 75 surgeries. ReMax CEO Podcast feature.

2019

Fox News Hero of the Month. National Veterans Wheelchair Games: 2x Gold, 1x Bronze. Delta Airlines national TV commercial for Luke's Wings.

2020

Kirk M. Bauer Adaptive Scholarship. PSIA Alpine I Ski Instructor Certification.

2022

Certified Ski Instructor in Aspen, CO. First Black amputee to attempt a ski-jump backflip on one leg.

2023

ESPN SportsCenter "Must SC" feature. Hayden Kennedy Award at 5 Points Adventure Film Festival. National Veterans Wheelchair Games: 1x Silver, 2x Bronze.

2024

Quilts of Valor Wrapping Ceremony honoree alongside service dog Diva, Cherry Creek School District. Featured keynote speaker at CPRA Conference, Keystone, CO. Film "One For All" screened at Mountains of Color Film Festival, Jackson, WY. National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic ski instructor and mental wellness advocate. Documentary "One For All" released publicly, winner of 10 film festival awards. Interview on The Circle of M with retired NFL player Marcus Smith II.

2025

National Veterans Wheelchair Games, Minneapolis: 2x Gold (bench press and deadlift) and 2x Silver (slalom and adaptive fitness), placing in 4 out of 6 events.

Work With Tony

Two Ways
to Transform

Whether you need a room electrified or a voice found, Tony delivers.

Keynote Speaking

Tony has delivered 1,500+ presentations since 1991, captivating audiences from corporate boardrooms to national galas. His signature 3-Rules Keynote is expertly adapted to fit your theme, industry, and audience, leaving people with a framework they will use long after the event ends.

Educational Leadership and Student Success
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Military, Veterans, and Mental Health
Corporate Culture and Team Resilience
Emcee and Conference Facilitation

Explore Speaking

1:1 Speaker Coaching

You have a story worth telling and an audience waiting to hear it. Tony's coaching packages are built for aspiring and emerging speakers who are ready to own their voice, command a stage, and turn their message into a movement and a career.

Free 15-Minute Discovery Call
1-Hour Introductory Session
90-Minute SuperPower Session
3-Session Advanced Package (save $190)
6-Session Intensive Package (save $575)

Explore Coaching

What People Say

Words From
the Room

"Tony has a unique talent for connecting with people, whether it's a small group during a cocktail hour or a large gala setting. His willingness to share his personal story and life experience is truly infectious."

Lindsay C.

CEO, Challenge Aspen

"I would HIGHLY recommend having Tony as a motivational and inspirational speaker at your conference. His story is so compelling and his positive, can-do attitude was a true inspiration for myself and every attendee."

Deborah Brannon

Company Owner, Altitude Events

"Tony was wonderful with interacting with attendees during and after his session. Cannot say enough good things about Tony."

Conference Organizer

National Leadership Event

Award-Winning Documentary

One For All

During the 2022-23 ski season, Tony set out to become the first Black amputee to land a ski-jump backflip on one leg on the slopes of Aspen, Colorado. The film documenting this pursuit won the prestigious Hayden Kennedy Award at the 5 Points Adventure Film Festival in 2023 and was featured on ESPN SportsCenter's "Must SC" segment.

It is, at its core, a film about what happens when you refuse to let fear write your story.

Watch the Full Film