ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
Olympian and four-time world champion kayaker Eric Jackson aka “EJ”, at 56 years old, attempts to maintain his position on the USA Freestyle Kayak team in 2021, marking 28 years on the United States National team—a feat perhaps no other athlete in history in any sport has ever achieved.”

SYNOPSIS
LIFE WITHOUT COMPROMISE is a truly inspiring story of mind over matter. At age two, EJ was infected with scarlet fever, which is thought to be the cause of his 70% hearing loss. He discovered his love for the outdoors while fishing and kayaking with his father and turned his life long passion into a family empire. Raising his children in an RV, struggling to survive on sponsor money and panhandling to participate in the Olympic games, he and wife Kristine endured family and peer criticism for living life as they saw it.

In pursuit of the most dangerous whitewater rivers in the world, narrowly escaping death, countless injuries and perhaps the toughest of all, the realities of supporting himself and his family as an athlete in a “non-revenue” sport, EJ rattles our cage of complacency.

Known as one of, if not the pioneer of freestyle kayaking, his gravity-defying signature moves and innovative boat designs are just a few touchstones of his ongoing legacy - never conforming, always innovating.

EJ’s son and daughter, world champion kayakers Emily and Dane Jackson (also 70% deaf) along with son-n-law Nick Troutman (who beat EJ out of his fifth world championship) work, train, travel and compete together as family. LIFE WITHOUT COMPROMISE is an exploration into the mind of a visionary, the heart of a competitor and the soul of father.

PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature

DIRECTOR Shawna Brakefield-Haase
PRODUCER Shawna Brakefield-Haase

WEBSITE thebrakefieldcompany.com