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Wounded world champ, S.D. spherical artist, land of zero Covid, SDSU swine standouts

Melissa Stockwell was a U.S. Army second lieutenant when she deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, in March 2004. Three weeks after her arrival, her Humvee was hit by an IED, causing the loss of her left leg. The injury made her the first female soldier to lose a limb in combat.

It was the start of a long journey for Stockwell, including overcoming multiple infections and surgery.

Stockwell took the challenge head on, turning to sports. In 2008 she became the first Iraq War veteran to qualify for the Beijing Paralympics. She is a three-time world champion in the Paratriathlon and a bronze medalist in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Most recently, she has written a book about her experience. Titled “The Power of Choice: My Journey from Wounded Warrior to World Champion,” Stockwell recalls her story of overcoming a life-altering wound – one that could have left her shattered, but instead one that propelled her to conquer new challenges.

She is in Sioux Falls April 5 speaking at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance’s VetAidSD-2024 – an event running April 5 and 6 to bring awareness to veteran suicides. Tickets to Stockwell’s speech are $20, and copies of her book will also be available. For more information visit www.vfw628.org.