“The message is bigger than
myself. My story is less
about what’s happened to
me, and more about what’s
possible for others.”
which includes being a two-time ESPY Awards
nominee and the 2009 USOC Paralympic
Sportswoman of the Year, among many other
honors. She’s also a 2016 inductee to the Quaker
Valley Hall of Fame.
“Skiing has been my exclusive focus for the
past 18 years. Being a professional athlete is all-
consuming, from what you eat, to the way you
sleep, to the water you drink,” she explains. “It’s
completely removed me from those stereotypes
of what a person with a disability can do.
Instead, I’m focused on giving my best athletic
performance.”
Today, Victor is still defying the odds. At 48,
she is temporarily relocating to Switzerland to
train for her fifth Paralympic Games, which will
take place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018.
Post-production of her documentary, titled “The
Victor was the first
athlete to win the
Lengths I Will Go,” is on hold while Victor trains.
Super Combined
“It’s been 21 years since my accident, and I’ve
Gold Medal and two
shattered the negative stereotypes about being
Silver Medals in Giant
Slalom and Slalom
disabled and about age,” she says. “I’m so grateful
during the 2010
that I have the support systems in place to
Olympic Games in
overcome these challenges and to keep me going.”
Vancouver, Canada.
She returns to Pittsburgh regularly, both to visit
family and to speak at local schools. She credits
her Pittsburgh roots for helping her to overcome
Photo by Marcel Kuonen
her obstacles.
“I can’t say enough about the value of growing
Not satisfied with bronze, Victor vowed to continue training. Four
up in a small community,” she notes. “You honestly create
years later, she would win a gold medal in slalom at the 2006 Winter
friendships that last a lifetime, no matter where you go in the
Olympics in Torino, Italy. Then, in 2010, at the Vancouver Olympics,
world.”
she would medal in three events: silver in both the slalom and giant
A motivational speaker, philanthropist and activist, Victor
slalom, and another gold in the super combined.
thrives on sharing her story with others. She works with
“I’m incredibly grateful for my skiing career,” says Victor. “If the
numerous organizations, including the Chaffin Luhana
accident was my first act, this has been my second act. It provides me
Foundation, Classroom Champions and Shane’s Inspiration, to
with a backdrop to shake up people’s perceptions about disability—
deliver messages of hope and awareness.
and I get to work with a person I love in an extraordinary way.”
“It’s important for me to share my story. Adaptive skiing has been
Since the 2002 Olympics, Victor has amassed an impressive list
a critical part of my recovery and well-being. If one person could
of athletic achievements: she’s a four-time World Champion, a five-
benefit from hearing my story—if that could be the very thing that
time Overall World Cup champion, and has earned 24 World Cup
opens the door to opportunity—then that is my mission,” she says.
victories. She is the 2003 European Cup Champion and is an 11-time
“The message is bigger than myself. My story is less about what’s
U.S. National Champion. She’s also collected an array of awards,
happened to me, and more about what’s possible for others.” n
Sewickley | Fall 2017 | icmags.com 37