Amy Purdy Dances With Derek Hough After Battle To Walk Again

Amy Purdy, the paralympic snowboarder and motivational speaker, has reunited with former 'Dancing With The Stars' partner Derek Hough, during his Symphony of Dance tour in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

Picking up after almost a decade, the finalists, who were runner-ups on season 18, danced together in a moment that was significant for Amy.

“After injuring my leg 4 years ago and enduring 10+ surgeries, I had no idea if I would ever walk comfortable again, let alone dance again and tonight not only did I walk into the theater but I danced again with my friend & DWTS partner @derekhough.”

“Life is such a journey. Or as Derek says ‘life is a symphony!’ Let this be a reminder that whatever you are going through, keep going!”

“Wow it’s been about 10 years since I’ve done that,” and “Do we still have it??” were written alongside videos of the two of them dancing.

Derek's wife, Hayley, and Amy's husband, Daniel, both cheered as they danced.

“This is the first time I’ve danced since my leg injury. It made me cry. Whatever you are going through keep going.”

Derek also gave Amu a shoutout during the show, and she reciprocated, praising his tour and calling Derek "talented, creative and passionate.”

In 2021, after her legs were amputated ten inches below the knee after contracting bacterial meningitis at the age of 19, opened up about her battle to walk again. At this time, the battle had spanned seven surgeries and two years.

“Twenty years ago when I lost my legs and lost my kidneys and almost lost my life, I never said ‘Why me?’ Two years ago — that was the first time."

In February 2019, Amy felt a sharp pain in her left calf. "I was healthy, strong, snowboarding, and traveling the world as a motivational speaker. I was at the top of my game, and then the rug got pulled out from under me."

After realising it was her left leg, not her left prosthesis that was causing pain, she headed straight to the emergency room. 

There, doctors discovered a massive blood clot from the hip down through the arteries of her left leg and immediately operated.

At the time, she was unsure when she would be able to get back on her prosthetic leg, or how soon she'd be walking again.

"I've realised I can inspire even more by being vulnerable and sharing my journey along the way. But you can't just be focused on the outcome. I'm not completely on the other side of it but I also know that resiliency isn't just standing on the mountain top to say, 'Yes I did it' because then you look at the horizon and you've got even more mountains to climb."