Meet Adaptive Athlete: Sarah Aktepy

 

Religious Programs Specialist (Ret.) Sarah Aktepy grew up with a heart of adventure in rural Montana. She loved being outdoors whether it was skiing, hiking, fishing, or camping, but also excelled in school sports. Upon graduation, she worked as a certified nursing assistant and on a cattle ranch before enlisting in the US Navy in 2000. 

 

Sarah’s family instilled a heart of service into her which led her to the duty of Chaplain Assistant during her military career with deployments in support of combat operations during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (OIF/OEF). While deployed, she sustained a TBI along with other injuries and was honorably discharged upon return from her final deployment at the end of 2003.

 

After military service Sarah hit the ground running, her passion to continue nursing led her back to school. Sarah’s life was extremely goal-oriented and busy –earning her PhD and working in government, academic, and the non-profit sector. She was operating at a 100mph pace, which ultimately caught up to her body. She experienced neurological setbacks due to military-related injuries which led to medical retirement. Ultimately these became a setup for a redirection of her priorities to health and restoration, and a desire to defy her challenges and explore new possibilities.

 

Sarah is looking forward to coming to ATF to expand her knowledge and adopt changes to living a more balanced and sustainable lifestyle. Her goals are to be present and enjoy the process as she continues to grow into the healthiest version of herself - mind, body, and spirit. Beyond ATF, she has a newfound passion for motocross and is excited to see where that takes her. She is also looking for ways to restore hope, encourage and empower others to live a more balanced, healthy, and fulfilling life in her new community.