by Sydney Marshburn
I watched the 2021 Paralympic Opening Ceremony on the night before I lost my leg. As the athletes marched into the stadium in Tokyo, radiating resilience and a unified spirit, I felt worlds apart from them. I was in my early twenties, many years into an ongoing health battle that had turned life-threatening.
As a former athlete who had to redirect her competitive drive into survival, I felt as if my world was unraveling. I was gripped by uncertainty, not just of the above-knee amputation that awaited me the next morning, but of the even larger unknowns that loomed beyond. How would I adapt to life without a leg? Would I ever feel strong or whole again?
In those final hours before the surgery, I had conflicting emotions. On one hand, I hoped for relief from the years of medical struggles that had defined my life up to that point. On the other, I faced the unsettling prospect of living with a visible disability. My hardware would no longer be internal, nor my scars hidden. Would I still be viewed as a capable, independent person? Or would the world reduce me to my missing limb, overlooking everything else I could bring to the table?
The uplifting scenes from Tokyo filled me with hope, but they also deepened my fear that I wouldn’t be able to muster that level of resilience, either physically or mentally. When Team USA entered the stadium and started making its way along the ceremonial path, I set a goal for myself: to one day compete alongside these Paralympic athletes who inspired me so deeply.
Three years later, I watched the 2024 Paralympic Opening Ceremony in person. This time, the event stirred an entirely different set of emotions. By then I had grown into my identity as an amputee. I had learned not just how to live with my new body but how to thrive in it. I had a clear vision of the life I wanted to lead, the person I wanted to become, and the impact I wanted to have on the world.
Paris, which hosted the 2024 Games, reflected my personal sense of confidence. The Paralympics are not just about sports; they’re about breaking down the barriers between disabled and nondisabled people, challenging preconceived notions, and setting new norms for an inclusive society. I experienced this firsthand in Paris, where accessibility was woven into the very fabric of the city. It wasn’t just about ramps and accommodations—culturally, I felt like I belonged. People with disabilities were not only accepted but celebrated. I remember rolling down the streets in my wheelchair and being welcomed with smiles of genuine recognition. This, I thought, is what the future could look like.
Inside the stadium, the energy was electric. Creativity poured into every moment of the Opening Ceremony, from the artistic performances to the nation-by-nation procession of athletes. As I took it all in, I felt a deep sense of pride—not only for the athletes but for myself. I had come so far since that night before Tokyo, and being present among athletes from around the world gave me a profound sense of solidarity and belonging. I was no longer just a person who had lost a leg; I was part of a global community.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Opening Ceremony, I imagine a new vantage point—one from inside the stadium, not as a spectator but as a member of Team USA. The Tokyo Games reawakened my identity as an athlete. My time in Paris fanned those flames and solidified my desire to represent not only my country but also the broader disability community. Competing as an amputee is not just about personal achievement; it’s about showing the world that people with disabilities are capable of more than what society often expects of us.
In three and a half years, I plan to carry the pride and resilience I saw in Paris into the Los Angeles Paralympics. As I prepare for 2028, I look forward to the journey ahead, knowing that my experiences in Tokyo and Paris have shaped me into the person and athlete I am today. If Tokyo was a time of uncertainty and Paris a moment of discovery, then Los Angeles will be the culmination of everything I’ve worked toward—a moment to stand proudly as both an athlete and an advocate, ready to inspire others to chase their own dreams.
Sydney Marshburn is an amputee mentor for Click Medical and an aspiring 2028 Paralympian.
