Cassie’s soul is fed in the outdoors. She grew up in Reno, Nevada and was very active growing up, playing tennis, biking, and spending time on the lake wakeboarding. She graduated high school in 2018 and went off to the University of Nevada that fall.
A year ago, while taking a surf lesson in Maui, Cassie felt a shooting pain in her back as she stood for the first wave. The pain wasn’t unbearable, so she finished the lesson, pushing through the discomfort. By the time she returned to the shore, Cassie was unable to stand. At the ER, it was discovered that she experienced a rare spinal cord injury called surfer's myelopathy, causing her to be paralyzed from the waist down.
Through this unexpected and difficult life change, Cassie has chosen joy and continues to live an active lifestyle. Through the nine weeks, she will focus on gaining strength and developing a competitor’s mindset. Although her injury is relatively new, Cassie has already tried many adaptive sports. She ultimately wants to narrow her focus to one sport and pursue it to the highest level with the hope of one day going to the Paralympics.
Sponsored by:
The Hemperly Family
