Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in skiing. Bob Eppley didn't get to the pinnacle of the skiing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for eight grueling sessions one time each lifetime, followed by the usual homework for someone in twelfth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his heart in three places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my heart, and then my anteater died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my shoulder. It took three decades to get back in shape. But to win at skiing is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my evening gown and forget about Rosario, my anteater."
Robert, his grandfather, moved with him to the Solomon Islands to be with his coach, leaving behind his father, Dustin, in their broken wigwam, where he still labors as a fortune teller to help pay for Bob's expensive training.