Tyler Turner (he/him)
Age: 35
Occupation: Professional Athlete
Current City: Comox Valley, B.C.
Hometown: Calgary
Strengths: Performing under pressure, critical thinking, operating equipment
Fear/phobia: Mustard
Pet peeve about your teammate: She rushes into things without thinking things through.
Kayleen Vanderree (she/her)
Age: 31
Occupation: Commercial Scuba Diver
Current City: Comox Valley, B.C.
Hometown: Comox Valley, B.C.
Strengths: Determined, positive, resourceful
Fear/phobia: Big snakes and big spiders
Pet peeve about your teammate: He gets frustrated easily.
Tyler and Kayleen have seen some incredible highs and some terrible lows, but that hasn’t stopped them from living life their way, on their terms. Two months into their relationship, Tyler was in a life-altering skydiving accident, leaving him a bilateral below-the-knee amputee. Despite having experienced such a traumatic event together, Kayleen has been there for Tyler every step of the way and his love for her has only grown stronger.
Tyler is the definition of fearlessness and is determined to live as he did before the accident. He continues to skydive as an instructor, making multiple jumps a day and becoming the first bilateral amputee to pilot a wingsuit. Within a year of returning to snowboarding after losing his legs, Tyler was winning World Championships and representing Team Canada at the 2022 Paralympic Games in Beijing, becoming Canada’s first-ever bronze and gold medallist in Snowboarding.
Kayleen is just as competitive and adventurous, working as a commercial scuba diver. In her free time, she skis, plays field hockey, and works on her entrepreneurial passion projects. After putting her dreams on hold to become Tyler’s caregiver, she finally made her dream a reality – to live on a sailboat and sail around the Pacific West.
A true team in every sense of the word, Tyler and Kayleen are racing to prove that, despite living with disabilities, Tyler can go up against anyone and take home the gold – and that Kayleen is not only a caregiver but a fierce competitor!
Fun Facts
What would your team name be?
The Adrenaline Enthusiasts.
What is your team motto?
“No mistakes!”
What three things can always be found in your refrigerator?
Tyler: Soy sauce, hot sauce, and beer.
Kayleen: Greek salad dressing, mayonnaise, sparkling water.
What fruit or vegetable matches your personality and why?
Tyler: An orange because it’s hard to get my tough peel off and when you get to the juicy fruit, you think it’s going to be soft and tender – but it’s just sour!
Kayleen: A banana because I bruise easily but I’m sweet and make you stronger.
What will you do with the prize money?
Tyler: We are hoping to buy our dream property on Vancouver Island.
Kayleen: What Tyler said – plus a 20-foot trailerable sailboat for solo adventures.
