Eric LeMarque

On February 6th, 2004, Eric LeMarque, an accomplished snowboarder, embarked on a daring descent from the summit of Mammoth Mountain, standing at an elevation of 11,050 feet in California's expansive Sierra Nevada mountain range. Wearing nothing more than a long-sleeved shirt, a thin wool hat, the shells of his snowboarding pants and jacket, and armed with only four pieces of gum for sustenance, LeMarque soon found himself navigating chest-high snow in the unforgiving wilderness. As night fell, he became acutely aware that he was engaged in a fight for survival that would span eight grueling days, marked by sub-freezing temperatures, relentless blizzards, hunger, encounters with wild animals, altitude sickness, frostbite, and hypothermia.

Ultimately rescued by The National Guard, who were dispatched for a recovery mission, LeMarque defied the odds and emerged from his harrowing ordeal. Having shed 46 pounds and with his core body temperature plummeting to 86 degrees, he earned the moniker “The Miracle Man” from the astonished National Guardsmen.

However, LeMarque's journey was far from concluded; he would go on to lose both of his legs due to severe frostbite. Undeterred and with an indomitable spirit, LeMarque, a perennial overachiever with a resolute never-say-never attitude, defied adversity once again. Exactly one year after his rescue, he triumphantly returned to the slopes, snowboarding with prostheses from the summit of Mammoth Mountain.

LeMarque's extraordinary tale of survival, characterized by record-setting resilience and unwavering determination, became the inspiration for the book "Crystal Clear" and the feature film 6 Below, starring Josh Hartnett. A former professional, Olympic, and world champion ice hockey player, LeMarque shares one of the most renowned, relentless, and compelling survival stories in history. Today, he captivates audiences across diverse platforms, including organizations, professional sports, schools, churches, and businesses, imparting his inspirational journey and speaking on various impactful topics.