WELLINGTON — Rebecca Hart was told she needed online training. A ruse to get her off the floor when supporters walked through the doors at the Starbucks on Forest Hill Boulevard and Wellington Trace for a surprise celebration.
So she headed to a back room before a group of deputies, paramedics, village officials and others walked into the coffee shop.
Hearing the cheers, Rebecca reappeared in her USA cap and green Starbucks apron. The barista quickly realized the celebration was to recognize the equestrian’s extraordinary performance that resulted in gold medals in dressage individual, freestyle and team events, equaling the most golds of any Team USA athlete from this summer’s Paralympic Games in Paris.
“It was a – I’m going to cry – it was an amazing experience,” she said, while standing under a MOBILE ORDER PICK UP sign. “We knew we had the talent to get the gold and we didn’t just get the gold, we got three of them.”
Rebecca retrieved the three socks from her pocket that protect her medals, and hung each from her neck.