My good friend and fellow paratriathlete Melissa Stockwell was nominated for an ESPY recently! She is nominated in the category for Best Female Athlete with a Disability and she more than deserves to win this nomination!
I met Melissa last year at my first Olympic distance race, the 2011 Accenture USA Paratriathlon National Championship in New York City. I’d been reading about her accomplishments for years so I was incredibly excited when I finally got to meet her! Later, we roomed together in China for the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships where she won her second-straight title. This year, Melissa has encouraged me in my return from surgery and recently was my roommate (again!) at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
Melissa and I after finishing at Worlds. Two VERY happy campers!
Melissa served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army during the Iraq War and became the first female soldier to lose a limb in combat. She has been awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for her service.
I’m truly lucky to call her my friend and admire her so much! So please take a few minutes out of your day to vote for her. Plus, this means she’ll have to come to LA for the awards and then I’ll get to see her!
Click here to cast your vote!
