Meet Adaptive Athlete: Lydia Cassard

Lydia grew up in Houston, Texas, where she spent much of her childhood playing sports and enjoying time outdoors with her family. Swimming and softball were her main sports and were great ways for her to bond with her parents. She also participated in Girl Scouts, which gave her an appreciation for nature and teamwork. After graduating high school, Lydia later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

 

Lydia joined the U.S. Navy in 2016. She served as a Chief Gunner’s Mate and Tactical Craft Coxswain as part of the Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron. Her role took her to deployments in Bahrain, Guam, and Djibouti, where she excelled as a coxswain and weapons instructor. In July 2024, while deployed in Djibouti, Lydia sustained a traumatic brain injury when an engine hatch struck her head during pre-checks. Recovery after her injury was difficult and took longer than she wanted. As Lydia’s symptoms lingered, she faced doubt from others, was accused of faking her injury, and began to retreat inward. The isolation during her recovery and the constant pressure to “just be okay” wore heavily on her. Since returning home, Lydia has been navigating the lasting effects of her TBI. She sometimes feels disconnected from her once-active life and experiences a mental toll of having to repeatedly justify her experience.

 

Despite the pain and fatigue, Lydia is stepping forward with renewed purpose. Her niece, who looks up to her as a role model, has become her biggest "why." Lydia wants to show her what perseverance truly looks like and demonstrate that anything can be worked through with time, effort, and belief. Her physical goals include getting stronger, losing weight, and reigniting her love for the gym. Mentally, she wants to use her ReDefine experience to find peace and quiet the critical voice that has shown up during her recovery.