| ABOUT ME |
Well, my name is Melissa...but I assume you know that already...
I am 28 years old, happily married to my husband Dick for over 5
years now and am extremely happy with my life up to this point.
I currently live and train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in
Colorado Springs, Colo., as part of the Veterans Paralympic
Performance Program (VP3). I am a swimmer and will be
representing the U.S. at the Paralympic Games in Beijing Sep. 6-
17.
I graduated in 2002 from the University of Colorado, where I
participated in the ROTC program during my last three years. In
May 2002, I was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the United
States Army. Soon after my commission, I attended Transportation
Officer Basic Corps in Ft. Eustis, Va., before getting my
permanent assignment alongside my husband in the 1st Cavalry
division at Ft. Hood, Texas. In March 2004, the 1st CAV division
was deployed to Baghdad. Both Dick and I were in Iraq, but
stationed in different cities.
On April 13, 2004, I was on a routine convoy through Baghdad and
my HUMVEE was hit by a roadside bomb. The blast took off my left
leg, and today I stand as an above-the-knee amputee. My
husband was allowed out of Iraq with me and was by my side from
that point on. I spent a year at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
undergoing multiple surgeries and rehabilitation. One year, one
week and one leg later, I was medically retired from the Army
with a purple heart and a bronze star. Dick was honorably
discharged not long after that.
I went back to school for prosthetics where I learned to fit other
amputees with prosthetic limbs. We moved to Chicago for Dick to
attend medical school at Loyola University and I started working
with a company called Scheck and Siress Prosthetics and
Orthotics. I have put my work on hold until after Beijing.
I was introduced to swimming through physical therapy at Walter
Reed. After learning of the Paralympic Games I started swimming
more with the goal of making the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Swimming
Team. I became competitive with club teams in both MN and IL
and eventually moved out to Colorado Springs in Jan of 2008 to
dedicate myself completely to the sport. The move paid off and at
the U.S. Paralympic Team Swimming Trials in April 2008 I posted
times fast enough to land her a spot on this year’s Paralympic
Team. I will be swimming the 100 free, the 400 free and the 100 fly
in Beijing. Making the team was a dream come true for me and I
credit hard work, love of the sport and the support of my
husband in making it this far. I couldn’t feel more proud and
honored to be representing our country for a 2nd time over in
Beijing.
As cheesy as it sounds, I love my life. I feel so lucky to have such
a great husband and family and live in the great U.S. of A.
I am 28 years old, happily married to my husband Dick for over 5
years now and am extremely happy with my life up to this point.
I currently live and train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in
Colorado Springs, Colo., as part of the Veterans Paralympic
Performance Program (VP3). I am a swimmer and will be
representing the U.S. at the Paralympic Games in Beijing Sep. 6-
17.
I graduated in 2002 from the University of Colorado, where I
participated in the ROTC program during my last three years. In
May 2002, I was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the United
States Army. Soon after my commission, I attended Transportation
Officer Basic Corps in Ft. Eustis, Va., before getting my
permanent assignment alongside my husband in the 1st Cavalry
division at Ft. Hood, Texas. In March 2004, the 1st CAV division
was deployed to Baghdad. Both Dick and I were in Iraq, but
stationed in different cities.
On April 13, 2004, I was on a routine convoy through Baghdad and
my HUMVEE was hit by a roadside bomb. The blast took off my left
leg, and today I stand as an above-the-knee amputee. My
husband was allowed out of Iraq with me and was by my side from
that point on. I spent a year at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
undergoing multiple surgeries and rehabilitation. One year, one
week and one leg later, I was medically retired from the Army
with a purple heart and a bronze star. Dick was honorably
discharged not long after that.
I went back to school for prosthetics where I learned to fit other
amputees with prosthetic limbs. We moved to Chicago for Dick to
attend medical school at Loyola University and I started working
with a company called Scheck and Siress Prosthetics and
Orthotics. I have put my work on hold until after Beijing.
I was introduced to swimming through physical therapy at Walter
Reed. After learning of the Paralympic Games I started swimming
more with the goal of making the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Swimming
Team. I became competitive with club teams in both MN and IL
and eventually moved out to Colorado Springs in Jan of 2008 to
dedicate myself completely to the sport. The move paid off and at
the U.S. Paralympic Team Swimming Trials in April 2008 I posted
times fast enough to land her a spot on this year’s Paralympic
Team. I will be swimming the 100 free, the 400 free and the 100 fly
in Beijing. Making the team was a dream come true for me and I
credit hard work, love of the sport and the support of my
husband in making it this far. I couldn’t feel more proud and
honored to be representing our country for a 2nd time over in
Beijing.
As cheesy as it sounds, I love my life. I feel so lucky to have such
a great husband and family and live in the great U.S. of A.
| MY FAVORITES |
| Favorite book: The Hobbit Favorite movie: Murderball Music: Some of everything TV shows: Amazing Race Food: At the moment, my favorite is Mexican. |
| melissastockwell@gmail.com |
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