53 Olympic Gold Medals.

Karissa Trinchera was born prematurely, a start that increased her odds of developing more slowly than normal. Soon after, doctors discovered she also had Stickler Syndrome, a condition that causes vision, hearing, and joint problems. She also had traumatic brain injury. The bleak diagnosis was discouraging. “They were kind of giving up on her,” her mother says of the doctors. But Karissa and her parents pushed forward. Swimming began as a sensible physical activity, but Karissa fell in love with the water. She trained harder. She made the varsity swimming team in high school, the first special education student to do so. The competition thrilled her, and she began competing in the Special Olympics. She earned 48 gold medals in her career. And then tragedy struck again.

Karissa was in a car accident, hit by a distracted driver severely injuring her shoulder. Surgery and rehab were difficult. She had a lot of damage and six pins in her shoulder. The doctors told Karissa that she would never compete again. At the time, she had 48 gold medals. Her goal was to get to 50. She pressed forward, training and preparing for more races. When she did compete again, her gold medal tally was 53. It was a special time for Karissa. And an emotional time for her hometown of Elk Grove California. One of Karissa’s best friends growing up was officer Kevin Tonn. He was killed in the line of duty and Karissa pledged her talent and her time to supporting law enforcement. Her last medal was dedicated to another officer she knew who was critically wounded. Her last act as a Special Olympics swimmer was to give back to the community she loves. She wants everyone to know of the selfless sacrifice of law enforcement officers.

After a long and successful career, Karissa moved with her parents to Idaho. But she isn’t slowing down. Unable to swim competitively, Karissa has taken up a new athletic endeavor: Equestrian sports. With the help of her parents, Karissa has adopted a racehorse that suffered a leg injury. It’s fitting that the two work together, beating the odds and preparing for the next competition. Win or lose, it doesn’t really matter. Karissa is winning at life. Doing the most with what you have and taking care of others is the real victory. Karissa’s philosophy of life is to do your best and to try new things. And while there are plenty of people who will doubt you and tell you it can’t be done, a spunky girl with an infectious smile will tell you otherwise.

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