Bibian Mentel-Spee: The life and legacy of a Paralympic legend

Bibian Mentel-Spee was a snowboarder. She loved the feeling of being in the mountains, the camaraderie of the riders, the thrill of competing.

She was also a pioneer, one of the driving forces behind the inclusion of her sport in the Winter Paralympics. And she was an inspiration to millions, as she earned sporting success in the face of enormous health challenges. The Games of Beijing 2022 will finish just before the first anniversary of her death at the age of 48.

«She wasn't afraid to die,» says her husband Edwin Spee.

«She was afraid to leave behind her loved ones, especially her son. But she wasn't afraid of dying — not in the last five weeks, not in the last hour.»

We're talking in Bilthoven in the Netherlands, in the offices of the charity that Mentel-Spee founded and Edwin runs today.

On the wall behind is a huge portrait. As he talks, Edwin's gaze flickers up to the image of his late wife and he pauses frequently, his eyes still on her.

«Bibian was always giving love, and by that she got a lot of love back from the world,» he says.

«She chose to live. She chose to become the best version of herself. She was just a master at living life to the max.»

Mentel-Spee died on 29 March 2021. Her achievements, within winter sports and beyond, mean she will be remembered for many years to come.

Mentel-Spee's journey to becoming a Paralympic legend began during her campaign to qualify for the Winter Olympics of 2002 in Salt Lake City.

She was a young, successful snowboarder — six times the Dutch national champion — and on course for the Games when she was diagnosed with bone cancer in her lower right leg at the age of 29.

Despite treatment, it became clear that radical action was needed.

«She had to choose for her life, by