Raised in Courtland, Minnesota, Kate Hwang grew up dominating every sport with a ball or puck while singing in choir and playing in the band - always surrounded by teammates and friends.
In 2002 she joined the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. On June 12, 2003, during a routine traffic stop, she and her partner were ambushed. Kate suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, leading to seizures and permanent disabilities that forced her early medical retirement with full honors in 2007. Overnight, her career, marriage, finances, and identity vanished.
It took a decade to rebuild body and spirit. In 2023, while directing adaptive sports for The Whole Person, Kate tried para track & field at the Endeavor Games “just for fun” - and rediscovered her fire. Now she’s in the Hyper program to shift focus to the 100m and 200m, qualify for the Paralympics in 2028, and keep throwing and jumping at the highest level.
