Inspiring Paralympic story that touches the hearts of all

Not all athletes who compete in the Paralympics are born with their impairments. Some athletes experience traumatic, life altering accidents that they then overcome in order to compete at an elite level in the Paralympics. One example is Martine Wright. This British mother was a victim of a terrorist attack, and, post-recovery, trained in order to become an inspiring addition to UK's female sitting volleyball team. 

Life changed for Wright on July 7, 2005. Having woken up late, Wright rushed out the door and boarded the subway train instead of driving in order to get to work on time. This, unfortunately, was the same day four Osama bin Laden inspired terrorists bombed three trains and a bus in the London area. Wright was on one of the trains targeted. After the explosion, she was trapped in the entangled metal wreckage of the train and was the last person to be evacuated from the scene. The debris from the train had sliced through both of Wright's legs forcing doctors to amputate both of her legs above the knee after she arrived at the hospital.

After surviving this life altering injury, Wright began rehabilitation where she learned to play disabled sports. After finding her niche in sitting volleyball, Wright trained long and hard and earned her place on the Paralympic sitting volleyball team for the United Kingdom. Wright demonstrates how individuals can take the steering wheel in their own life and go extraordinary places having come out on the other side of this experience a member of the Paralympic team.

I think people everywhere can take Wright's life and triumphs as an example of how to overcome the trivial challenges met in everyday life. This mother was able to survive a terrorist attack in order to represent her nation in an international arena. Wright said, "If I can inspire people at home, whether they're disabled or able bodied, just to go out and pick up a ball...then my job is done." (Kingston, Gary; Vancouver Sun; August 31, 2012) This serves as an inspiration to go and make something more of your life than just settling for the norm. I know that after I read this story, I want to be able to impact as many people as Wright has through her life.

As the 2012 Paralympics continue, more stories of competing athletes continue to arise teaching people worldwide that individuals are not defined by the events that happen during their lives, but by what decisions they make to better their lives after experiencing dramatic turning points.