Creating beauty from struggle, Eric’s halo remains unbroken.
By Rick Bontkowski
Some people rebuild their lives after hardship; others transform that struggle into an engine of relentless creation. Eric Eckenberger is one of those rare souls who has refused to let the loss of a limb limit him. Instead, he has poured his energy into art, music, clothing, and community, crafting a life that is as inventive as it is inspiring.
Eric, a right below-knee amputee, first made waves with his project Crooked Halo, a lifestyle brand that embodied his philosophy of resilience and self-expression. Over time, Crooked Halo has become more than a clothing line. It has evolved into a platform, a voice, and a signature mark of Eric’s identity.
Rising global costs recently pushed him to shift production back in-house, but he embraced the challenge as another opportunity to refine his vision. Alongside it, he launched Curva Corona (“curved crown” in Latin), a sister venture that emphasizes art in its purest form, beyond fabric and fashion, into painting, design, and creative storytelling.
His artistry does not stop with clothing. Through his newest venture, Aye and I, Eric is reimagining songs he wrote growing up while collaborating with artificial intelligence to breathe new life into those ideas. His bold goal is to release new music every other Friday on all major platforms, turning consistency into a creative force.
Perhaps the most meaningful part of his current journey is unfolding at Rainbow Farms in Vandalia, Michigan. Eric helps run the PEACE Outreach Program, a nonprofit dedicated to community activities, education, and holistic healing. The farm itself carries history; it was the site of the 2001 standoff now being retold in the film Burning Rainbow Farm. Eric’s work there feels almost poetic: reviving a place once marked by conflict and using creativity and compassion to cultivate peace.
Whether designing, recording, or planting seeds of community, Eric Eckenberger lives at the intersection of artistry and resilience. His Crooked Halo may be bent, but it shines brightly, a reminder that strength and creativity often grow out of the most challenging soil.
Rick Bontkowski, a Chicago native and amputee, is the host creator of The AMP’D UP211 Podcast. A drummer, cyclist, and advocate, Rick shares the stories of people with limb differences to inspire, inform, and challenge perceptions worldwide. Contact info: Ampup211@gmail.com, ampup211.com, youtube.com/@theampdup211podcast6, instagram.com/rick_bontkowski.
