Kurt Yaeger

Kurt Yaeger is an American actor, writer, director, disability advocate, and professional athlete born on January 3, 1977, in San Francisco, California. Raised in South San Francisco, he currently resides in the Los Angeles area. A below-the-knee amputee, Yaeger is known for his work across television and film, his involvement in adaptive action sports, and his advocacy for performers with disabilities.

During his early athletic career as a BMX rider, Yaeger gained the nickname "Crowbar" and competed in tours and events with various corporate sponsors. His riding abilities led to a stunt and acting role in a 2002 live tour based on the cartoon show Rocket Power. After experiencing multiple riding injuries, Yaeger decided to return to college to pursue a master's degree in hydrogeology. In 2006, while attending school in San Francisco, he suffered a severe motorbike crash that resulted in broken vertebrae, a torn pelvis, collapsed lungs, and the amputation of his left leg below the knee. He made a full recovery within a year and subsequently resumed his acting career.

Yaeger began taking acting courses and landing film roles, including appearances in Michael Anderson's Tenderloin, Dolphin Tale, Knife Fight, War Flowers, and the Syfy feature film Piranhaconda. In 2012, he gained wider recognition playing the recurring role of Greg "the Peg" in the fifth season of the FX series Sons of Anarchy. He also drew widespread attention for starring in the music video for the UK hit single "Waiting All Night" by Rudimental featuring Ella Eyre.

Yaeger's television career continued to expand with roles in series such as Quarry, Tell Me a Story, The Rookie, The Village, and Another Life. By appearing on NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, and NCIS: Hawaiʻi, he achieved the distinction of becoming the only known actor to appear on all four editions of the NCIS franchise as separate characters.

In addition to acting, Yaeger co-founded the production company ArtistFilm with partner Josh Gillick, producing short films and features such as Sedona's Rule. He has been actively involved with SAG, AFTRA, and AEA in the global disability campaign IAMPWD (Inclusion in the Arts & Media of People with Disabilities), and previously served as chairperson on the AFTRA Los Angeles Local Performers with Disabilities Committee to promote authentic disability representation in media.

Yaeger returned to sports as an adaptive BMX rider, competing in X Games 16 and X Games 17 supported by Adaptive Action Sports, and co-owning the magnetic pedal company ProTonLocks, Inc. In 2012, he trained with the US Paralympics Bobsled & Skeleton Team in Utah and Austria, later taking part in a BMX tour of the United Kingdom and a motorcycle tour of Africa. He also volunteers for organizations such as the Wounded Warrior Project, amfAR, and the Challenged Athletes Foundation, and has served as a keynote speaker at events including the 2014 Adobe Summit in London.