Ezra Frech is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist and one of the standout contestants on this season of Dancing With the Stars. But on the On Purpose With Jay Shetty podcast, he opened up about a middle school moment he’s never shared publicly. Frech says a girl he had a crush on told classmates he put his“creepy hand”around her.
Born with congenital limb differences and one finger on his left hand, Frech says the comment changed how he saw himself, and he spent years hiding his hand behind his back. Acceptance came gradually, he says, with the support of his parents and later relationships. That journey got its biggest spotlight yet on DWTS Dedication Night, when he danced a contemporary routine with his mom, actress Bahar Soomekh, and earned the season’s first 10.
Frech’s story lands because almost everyone carries a comment from childhood that stuck around too long. He carried his all the way to a ballroom in front of millions. If you’ve never watched him dance, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ might be your new appointment TV. What’s a moment from school that changed how you saw yourself?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.