The Brief
- Elizabeth Mathews, 14, was paralyzed after a wrong-way car crash when she was five years old.
- She gained a passion for swimming after her therapist suggested water therapy.
- She said right now her goal is to shave off her lap times, participate in the Special Olympics and possibly compete in college.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A 14-year-old Gibbs High School student is showing that anyone can overcome anything that life throws at them.
The backstory:
Elizabeth Mathews was paralyzed from the chest down at five years old after a wrong-way car crash. However, her new skill turned into a passion thanks to her therapist.
“I was doing physical therapy and my therapist thought it would be a good idea to start in water therapy, to get used to a new normal,” Mathews said. “I could tell how free I felt in water, I felt like I wasn’t in a wheelchair.”…