American Paralympic bronze medalist triathlete Melissa Stockwell knows firsthand the struggle athletes with physical disabilities have getting into sports, let alone trying to compete in a triathlete.
Stockwell lost her left leg in a roadside bombing as she served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division during the Iraq War. She received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart, and later became the first Iraq War veteran to compete in the 2008 Paralympics. She competed in swimming events before later turning her attention to triathlon.
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Melissa Stockwell, the first female American soldier to lose a limb in active combat after her vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq, and subsequently became the first Iraq War veteran to qualify for the Paralympic Games, is a member of the B.A.A.’s 2022 Honorary Women’s team, and speaks as part of Boston Marathon Fan Fest on April 17, 2022 in Copley Square Park in Boston. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
As she gears up for the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Stockwell is raising awareness about her charity Dare2Tri. Stockwell was the recipient of P&G’s Athletes for Good grant because of her work through the organization. Stockwell told Fox News Digital in a recent interview she helped co-found the charity with her two friends in 2010 to help disabled athletes get the opportunity to reach the starting line of a triathlon and finish it.
“A lot of the times we say that the finish line is just the beginning, just a self-confidence and self-worth of what they’re able to do. And they realize who much and they realize how much ability is in their disability,” Stockwell said.
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Melissa Stockwell of the United States during the Para Triathlon Category PTS2-W at the Yokohama ITU Triathlon on May 18, 2019 in Yokohama, Japan. (Nobuo Yano/Getty Images)
“The Athletes for Good grant – we were very humbled and excited to receive it. Was incredibly honored to be one of (the chosen athletes to receive the grant). Our nonprofit is small. The money will go a long way toward helping more athletes get to that starting line and realize what they’re capable of.”
Stockwell, who won gold medals in Tri 2 events at the ITU Triathlon World Championships in 2010 and 2011, said it meant a lot to her to be able to give back this way.
“It’s huge. As an athlete with a disability myself, I found my community and my people through sport. A lot of the times, they feel alone. A lot of times before they come to Dare2Tri they’ve never seen another person, much less an athlete, missing a limb.
“And we bring them into one of our three-day camps and they’re suddenly surrounded by other athletes just like them. Suddenly, they don’t feel alone anymore because they have this sense of community. I can’t say enough about the positive impact it has.”
Stockwell is among the 20 athletes receiving $24,000 in grants to support their cause. The initiative is between P&G, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee. The group recognizes athletes and para-athletes who have helped their communities while also giving it their all in their respective sports.
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Stockwell, Ezra Frech and others are on the roster.
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