Meet Adaptive Athlete: Tracy Gariepy

Tracy grew up in Boylston, Massachusetts on a farm where she was very active outdoors and on her family’s property. Tracy became a fitness coach as she grew older and began coaching running programs at her local YMCA in South Carolina. A meniscus tear led to multiple surgeries, each more aggressive than the other, and ultimately didn’t resolve the issue, leading to further complications. 

 

As a result of eight unsuccessful surgeries, Tracy suffered from osteoarthritis in her knee, nonunion of her tibia, and a bone infection throughout her lower leg. She opted for an amputation rather than another surgery, which led to her losing the leg above the knee. Tracy has pursued body building for six year and after her amputation, has returned to competitions and hopes to continually improve herself for future competitions.