Teen gymnast who suffered spinal cord injury while skiing makes inspiring comeback
A teen gymnast in New York who suffered a spinal cord injury has made an inspiring comeback on the tennis court after a tragic skiing accident.
Queens native Olivia Benedetto, 17, suffered a terrifying accident that left her paralyzed four years ago while skiing with her family.
'There was a ski ramp and my sister was like, "Don't go on it," and I flew up in the air and I landed on my back,' she told ABC 7.
'I shattered vertebrae which left a complete spinal cord injury, which means paralysis from the waist down.'
But Benedetto has since been able to rediscover her love for sport in wheelchair tennis.
'I started playing a year and a half ago. I didn't really start taking it seriously until up about nine months ago. I realized it's something I love and has a passion for,' she said.
At 13 years old, the accident was devastating.
She said: 'The reality check came in that I was the only student in a wheelchair at my school and life was so different... was extremely hard.'
Beforehand, she had been an aspiring self-taught gymnast and a severely athletic teenager.
Queens native Olivia Benedetto (pictured), now 17, suffered a terrifying accident that left her paralyzed four years ago while skiing with her family
Before the accident, Benedetto had been an aspiring self-taught gymnast and a severely athletic teenager
At 13 years old, the accident was devastating but she was determined to be as independent as possible and not let the accident keep her from her passions
Benedetto was determined to not let the accident derail her life.
'I don't want to settle into this lifestyle. It's not my goal to stay in this wheelchair,' she told Daily News four years ago.
And she has now began playing wheelchair tennis to keep herself active and pursue her passions.
'It has been such a game changer specially because I was such a competitive person before my injury,' she told the outlet.
Benedetto is set to play the sport at Clemson in the fall where she intends to complete a degree in psychology.
