Amanda McGrory was just five years old when a rare virus left her paralyzed from the waist down. She long battled depression. It was a trip to an overnight camp for children with disabilities and the later discovery of wheelchair sports that rejuvenated McGrory.
She eventually attended the University of Illinois on an athletic scholarship, playing basketball and racing track, and has since become one of the world’s top wheelchair racers.
McGrory is a three-time Paralympian and eight-time Paralympic medalist. She also took her degree from Illinois, in library and information science, and works as the archives and collections curator for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee while continuing to train.
