The AMP'D UP211 Podcast

On this episode of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast, host Rick Bontkowski welcomes Katy Grainger, a sepsis survivor whose life changed forever in the span of just a few days. What began as a small cut on her thumb quickly escalated into septic shock, organ failure, and a medically induced coma. When Katy awo...

What does it take to return to one of the most physically demanding jobs on earth, after losing your leg ? In this unforgettable episode of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast , host Rick Bontkowski sits down with Michael Laughlin , Canada’s first amputee firefighter, whose story is as courageous as the job he’...

In this powerful episode of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast , host Rick Bontkowski sits down with Parker Byrd, a standout athlete, college baseball player, and the first NCAA Division I player to compete with a prosthetic leg. After a life-altering boating accident took his leg, Parker defied every odd and ...

What does it take to stare down adversity and keep climbing, literally? In this episode of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast, host and creator Rick Bontkowski sits down with Tom Jalinski, a bilateral below-the-knee amputee who refused to let limb loss define his limits. Tom takes us deep into the mental and p...

What happens when determination outweighs despair? In this powerful episode of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast, host Rick Bontkowski sits down with Mark Ksobiech, an amputee who lost over 250 pounds and reclaimed his life in the face of overwhelming challenges. Mark opens up about the emotional and physical...

Part 2 of this special live series brings you straight to the heart of the 2025 Limb Preservation Foundation Symposium , where leaders in medicine, technology, advocacy, and lived experience come together to reshape the future of limb care. Hosted and created by Rick Bontkowski , The AMP’D UP211 Pod...

Recorded live at the 2025 Limb Preservation Foundation Symposium in Golden Colorado, this is Part 1 of a powerful two-part AMP’D UP211 series that captures the energy, advocacy, and innovation driving the future of limb loss and limb preservation. Hosted by amputee and podcast creator Rick Bontkowsk...

What does it take to change a life with the gift of mobility? In this inspiring episode of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast, host Rick Bontkowski, a right below-knee amputee, and passionate advocate, sits down with Randy Titony, Executive Director of the Limbs for Life Foundation. Randy shares the powerful s...