The Thing That Makes You Different is Your Greatest Gift!
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We live in a society that likes things to look and be a certain way, but what do you do when an unexpected disaster drastically changes your normal? Ali Truwit was a four-year letter winner for the Yale women’s swimming and diving team. Just days after graduation, she and another teammate were swimming in Turks and Caicos when her life was forever marked by a tragic shark attack that claimed her foot and a portion of her leg. “Swimming was the first thing that saved my life and the second was my teammate, Sophie Pilkinton. She applied a tourniquet on my leg and stopped the bleeding. I’m forever indebted to her,” Truwit said of the event.
Ali was airlifted to Miami where another teammate, Hanna Walsh, as well as a team of trauma specialists aimed to save her life. On the day of her 23rd birthday Ali underwent further amputation of her leg; this young woman was an athlete, but with these new set of circumstances I am sure she questioned whether she would ever be able to swim competitively again. Truwit could have shrunk back in the face of adversity and while she said, “that was followed by lots of tears and pain and devastation, and really big and heavy questions going through my mind in the hospital,” she did not allow that event to steal her identity or future. Instead, she determined within herself not to lose her love for swimming or the water and endeavored to compete for her country in the Paralympics.
Jessica Long, a double amputee and 29-time Paralympic medalist, was connected to Ali Truwit through their mutual therapy office and have become friends during this arduous time. Jessica has taken Ali under her wing and has become a mentor to her, encouraging her and helping her as she navigates the challenges associated with losing her leg as she pursues her future in the Paralympic swimming world. Both of these women have faced difficulties in their lives and have fiercely looked adversity in the face to persevere.
Jessica, who has been mentored herself by Michael Phelps, was bullied as a child because she was different than those around her due to her amputated legs. She is now more decorated than Phelps but always desired to be a competitive swimmer in her youth, today that dream has become a reality, and her story has affected many young women who also have faced tragedy. She passionately believes that “The thing that makes you different is your greatest gift;” based on that belief, she and her dad authored a children’s book that tells her story called, The mermaid with no Tail, to inspire others.
Both of these women faced adversity, yet they have conquered not only what opposed them but also their fears! May we all be like them facing the challenges that life has thrown our way. Both utilized tools provided to them to aid in overcoming their situations, as well as embraced communities and people who stood beside them in the most difficult of times. Jessica talks so highly of Phelps and even named a character in her book after him to honor his role in her life. Ali also speaks very highly of Jessica, as well as her Yale swimming community, stating “the Yale Swimming community has been in the trenches with me since the first day this happened and has helped pull me through with nonstop love and visits from my coach and teammates and even ongoing weekly messages of support from my mom’s teammates from the 1990’s.”
At PRO1TEK® the thing that makes us different is our determination to be a positive voice and force that is steadfast and encouraging amidst the difficulties so many come up against in this world – this is our greatest gift to our community! The desire of our company and team is to provide those in need with tools and skills to overcome the challenges that they may face and to create a positive outcome for the future! We know who we are, and we want to help others become the best versions of themselves! For more information read our About Us section or the President and CEO’s testimonial!
Resources:
Paralympic athlete Jessica Long Mentors swimmer who lost foot in shark attack. YouTube. (2024, February 16). https://youtu.be/TJWq0DUQdME?feature=shared
Yale University. (2024, February 18). Truwit ’23 shares her inspiring story on the kelly clarkson show. https://yalebulldogs.com/news/2024/2/17/womens-swimming-and-diving-truwit-23-shares-her-inspiring-story-on-the-kelly-clarkson-show.aspx