About Judy

It happened so fast. In a split second, Judy Siegle's dream of playing college basketball was shattered when a drunk driver sped through a stop sign near her hometown of Pelican Rapids, Minn. The car crash left her with a broken neck. At 18, she faced life in a wheelchair.

Months of intense rehabilitation and years of hard work followed. Tempting as it was, she never gave up, never limited herself. The result? In 1984, she found a way to walk across the stage to receive her college diploma. She learned to downhill ski, kayak and ride a tandem bike. She became a social worker, helping others lead full lives despite challenges.

Yet something was missing, something she thought was shattered long ago. "I really thought my days in the competitive arena were done," Judy says. "What could a quadriplegic possibly do in sports other than be a spectator?"

Wheelchair racing grabbed hold of her, or rather she grabbed hold of it, and Judy became one of the world's elite racers, taking over the national record books along the way.

From playing basketball to wheelchair racing to living a full life, the game goes on. And Judy continues to put her heart and soul into it. "I don't always know what is in store for me from day to day," she says. "But this is where I am today. I'll give it my best and do so with a grateful heart."