US Paralympian Melissa Stockwell is helping triathletes with physical disabilities reach the starting line

American Paralympic bronze medalist triathlete Melissa Stockwell knows firsthand the struggle athletes with physical disabilities have getting into sports, let alone trying to compete in a triathlete.

Stockwell lost her left leg in a roadside bombing as she served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division during the Iraq War. She received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart, and later became the first Iraq War veteran to compete in the 2008 Paralympics. She competed in swimming events before later turning her attention to triathlon.

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Melissa Stockwell, the first female American soldier to lose a limb in active combat after her vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq, and subsequently became the first Iraq War veteran to qualify for the Paralympic Games, is a member of the B.A.A.'s 2022 Honorary Women's team, and speaks as part of Boston Marathon Fan Fest on April 17, 2022 in Copley Square Park in Boston. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

As she gears up for the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Stockwell is raising awareness about her charity Dare2Tri. Stockwell was the recipient of P&G’s Athletes for Good grant because of her work through the organization. Stockwell told Fox News Digital in a recent interview she helped co-found the charity with her two friends in 2010 to help disabled athletes get the opportunity to reach the starting line of a triathlon and finish it.

"A lot of the times we say that the finish line is just the beginning, just a self-confidence and self-worth of what they’re able to do. And they realize who much and they realize how much ability is in their disability," Stockwell said.

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Melissa Stockwell of the United States during the Para Triathlon Category PTS2-W at the Yokohama ITU Triathlon on May 18, 2019 in Yokohama, Japan. (Nobuo Yano/Getty Images)

"The Athletes for Good grant – we were very humbled and excited to receive it. Was incredibly honored to be one of (the chosen athletes to receive the grant). Our nonprofit is small. The money will go a long way toward helping more athletes get to that starting line and realize what they’re capable of."

Stockwell, who won gold medals in Tri 2 events at the ITU Triathlon World Championships in 2010 and 2011, said it meant a lot to her to be able to give back this way.

"It’s huge. As an athlete with a disability myself, I found my community and my people through sport. A lot of the times, they feel alone. A lot of times before they come to Dare2Tri they’ve never seen another person, much less an athlete, missing a limb. 

"And we bring them into one of our three-day camps and they’re suddenly surrounded by other athletes just like them. Suddenly, they don’t feel alone anymore because they have this sense of community. I can’t say enough about the positive impact it has."

USA's Melissa Stockwell crosses the line to finish fifth in the Women's PTS2 Triathlon at the Odaiba Marine Park during day four of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Japan. (John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)

Stockwell is among the 20 athletes receiving $24,000 in grants to support their cause. The initiative is between P&G, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee. The group recognizes athletes and para-athletes who have helped their communities while also giving it their all in their respective sports.

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Stockwell, Ezra Frech and others are on the roster.

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