HARTLAND, Wis. — Laura Dwyer never imagined she would be competing for a spot on Team USA's Paralympic wheelchair curling team. That's because until a decade ago, the Oconomowoc woman wasn't in a wheelchair.

"A tree branch, a giant one, happened to break near where I was working and hit me and broke my back," Dwyer said.

Dwyer learned she would never walk again. That's when she went looking for a passion and spotted a flyer for an adaptive curling clinic in Wauwatosa.

"The national coach was there and some Paralympic curlers. They were teaching the camp," Dwyer said.

They saw potential in Dwyer and asked her to consider training. Now she is one of the world's top wheelchair curlers. In January, she became the National Champion in mixed doubles wheelchair curling.

But even with support

See Full Page