Heidi Pearson

 
Challenge: Paraplegia

Sports: Handcycle, Hockey, Paratriathlon

In 2019, a rollover car accident left letterman high school athlete Heidi Pearson unable to walk due to a spinal cord injury at T11. She quickly and unexpectedly traded her lifeguard whistle and volleyball, basketball, and track practice for hours of physical therapy. Luckily for Heidi, her athletic abilities and dedicated work ethic left her poised to tackle a long road to recovery and overcome new physical feats.

As she continued to navigate her senior year of high school and prepare for upcoming Kinesiology courses at Boise State University, Heidi discovered the story of Nathan Ogden, a skier who, after suffering temporary quadriplegia, used his experience to help others through charity and motivational speaking. Heidi ran concessions at school basketball games and hosted social media campaigns to raise over $3,000 for Nathan’s non-profit, Chair the Hope – enough to purchase 26 wheelchairs.

Itching for a way to combine her athleticism with her new involvement in the adaptive community, Heidi soon found her way to CAF Idaho. She became an instant star on the ice at sledge hockey and curling clinics and received a grant for coaching and competition expenses to compete in a half marathon.

As Heidi puts it, when you focus on the good, the good gets better and it’s easy to see that motto resonating throughout everything Heidi tackles.

In The Media

Follow Heidi on Instagram: @heiditha_13