Before she broke her spine seven years ago, Emi Perry was a runner, writes Ani Freedman for Fortune.

Accepting that she would not be able to run again was not easy, as it was such a big part of her identity, but turning to “adaptive sports so early on was really helpful for me to get that identity as an athlete back,” she said.

Today, Perry competes in the para triathlon, which is a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride, and 5K run. For the final stage, she uses a racing wheelchair. She recently made her debut at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.

Perry sustained a T12 spinal cord break in 2017. She immediately started looking for a rehab facility for athletes and found Jefferson Moss-Magee in Philadelphia.

“I was kind of optimistic for the first couple months,” she said.

But after that, she accepted that she would never walk again.

Her physical therapists suggested wheelchair running, and she decided to give it a try. Her resilience made sure she did not give up and helped her reach the Paralympics as a para triathlete.

“It really brought back joy and purpose in my life, so I just love the fact that I can still compete,” said Perry.

Read more about Emi Perry amid her Paralympic debut in Fortune.

_____