Plantey started using a wheelchair after a car accident that killed his father and brother. Because of the accident, he had a spinal cord injury. Before the accident, he played rugby, soccer and paddle. After his accident, he played table tennis and wheelchair basketball. He went to a ski resort with friends in 1999. He fell in love with para-alpine skiing right away. The next year, his friends and families paid $1,000 to buy him a mono-ski so he could race more. Later, Plantey moved to the United States for some time to train seriously. When he is not skiing, Plantey is a lawyer.