Melissa Stockwell
Sport: Para-Triathlon & Swimming
Residence: Chicago, IL
Melissa Stockwell graduated in 2002 from the University of Colorado, where she participated in the ROTC program. In May 2002, she was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the United States Army. In March 2004, her unit was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq.
On April 13, she was on a routine convoy and was hit by a roadside bomb. The blast blew off her left leg, and today Stockwell stands as an above-the-knee-amputee. For her service, Stockwell was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.
Stockwell was introduced to swimming through physical therapy at Walter Reed. When she moved to Minnesota in May 2005, she found a club team and started training with the goal of making the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Swimming Team.
Stockwell swam the 400 free, 100 free and 100 fly in Beijing, but her proudest moment was carrying the American flag at closing ceremonies.
After Beijing, Stockwell turned to the sport of triathlon. In 2010, she was a member of the Paratriathlon national team and became the 2010 Paratriathlon World Champion in her classification.
Along with her athletics, Stockwell works for Scheck and Siress Prosthetics in Chicago and fits other amputees with artificial limbs. She is also an advocate for wounded veterans and believes in living life to the fullest.
Career Achievements
- 2010 Gold Medal- ITU World Paratriathlon- Budapest, Hungary
- 2010 Silver Medal, Paratriathlon National Championships- New York, NY
- 2008: U.S. Paralympic Team member, Swimming - Paralympic Games, Beijing, China
- 2008: American Record, 400m freestyle - U.S. Paralympic Swimming Trials, Minneapolis, MM.
Melissa works closely with The Hartford, Founding Partner of U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, helping to positively change public attitudes and perceptions about disability. To learn more about Melissa, visit her website: www.melissastockwell.com.
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