In this episode
Many kids dream of being in the Olympics one day. When U.S. bobsledder Bill Schuffenhauer was a child in
Salt Lake City, Utah, born to a drug addicted mother and step father, he had no idea the Olympics even existed.
All he knew was his parents lived a life of drugs, street life, homelessness and extreme poverty and daily
danger. His mother was a prostitute who was often beaten in front of him or made several attempts on her own
life and drug overdoses. He knew that if he was going to survive, he had to do whatever it took to make it. He
stole from people; he ate from garbage cans; he got locked up in juvenile detention for breaking into a bike shop
when he was trying to get something he could sell for money so he could eat. He had few friends, most of them
acquaintances of his mother or the other street kids, many of whom were in gangs. His mom and stepfather
were constantly getting evicted. When he wasn't homeless and living in a park, he lived in multiple foster
homes. He skipped school a lot and struggled to keep up with the other kids. He drank and got high on drugs on
a regular basis with friends and his own parents. Life was hard, and at times extremely terrifying, and he
dreamed of finding a real home. "I knew that there was something better," Schuffenhauer said last week as he
readied for his third Olympic Games. "And although there were a lot of horrible things that happened, it's made
me a stronger person. Now, with all the obstacles he has conquered, Bill takes his life lessons and achievements
to motivate, educate and inspire companies and groups around the world. See how Bill has been able to
"Change his stars" and go from the streets of Salt Lake City, to the Olympic podium and beyond!
“I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with a variety of groups around the world. My passion is to tell my story from a
very different perspective that many do not get to hear and help make a change one step at a time. I was never given a
chance as a young boy and many thought I would not make it to be age 16. They figure I was on the same path as my
parents, brother and sisters and would never make it out. I was once called by a close uncle, the Black Sheep of the
family!”
“If in our Lifetime, If we can accomplish one amazing thing, That encourages, Motivates and
Inspires those that we know and those that we do not know to accomplish one amazing thing,
Then at this time, We have accomplished amazing!”
Bill Schuffenhauer
