When I was 8 years old, I was outside of my house in Missouri and saw my neighbor ride by on a skateboard. This was the first time I had ever seen a skateboarder & I have been fascinated ever since. I got my first skateboard a year after that, and soon realized I wanted to become a professional skateboarder. At 15 I was on my way to making my dream a reality, when my daughter Skylar was born and I was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma bone cancer. I spent the next 9-1/2 months inpatient at St. Louis Children's Hospital fighting for my life. During treatment I watched the 2014 Sochi Paralympics on TV and saw snowboarding: my new dream. 

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I was able to meet an adaptive athlete who motivated me to chase a new goal that was very similar to my dream before cancer. From skateboarding to snowboarding, I did research & set big goals. My first goal was to move from St Louis, Missouri to Park City, Utah to learn how to snowboard and figure out how to compete for team USA. I worked 2 jobs, and started a Gofund me page to help support my dream. After 9 months, I had the support from my local community and the money I needed to pursue my goal. I moved to Park City, Utah to train with the National Ability Center at the age of 19. By the age of 20, I made team USA. I qualified for not only the national team, but also for the 2018 Paralympic team. With only 1-1/2 years of snowboarding under my belt, I competed at the 2018 Paralympic games winning 2 medals for the US: 1 Gold & 1 Bronze. Today I am still setting goals & pursuing my dreams.