Against all odds, Tatyana McFadden has lived her life to the fullest, making her dream a reality. And, for the most part, inspiring others to do the same, to make the best of what we are given.
Tatyana McFadden, who stands 5 feet 3 inches (1.6 meters) tall, is a Russian-born American Paralympian athlete who began racing at the age of eight despite being paralyzed from the waist down.
She was one of the few unfortunate people born with spina bifida, a congenital disorder characterized by a hole in her spine.
Tatyana grew up using her hands to get around as a result of the disaster. Looking back, it was not an easy journey that she completed. Nonetheless, she made the most of it.
Tatyana McFadden: Adoption Story
Today, as Tatyana told her story about how she got this far in her life, she emphasized that her survival was a miracle in and of itself.
A baby was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, three decades ago. The doctor predicted that the infant would die within a few days.
The most heartbreaking part is that the parents abandoned the baby to a local orphanage.
Without medical care and unable to afford a wheelchair, the newborn learned to walk on her arms and continued to do so until she met her savior, Deborah McFadden, the then-commissioner for disabilities in the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Tatyana was soon adopted by her new mother. This is what Tatyana’s “mom” had to say about their first meeting:
I’m still not sure what we had in common, but there was no doubt in my mind that she was meant to be my child.
Tatyana had been neglected for so long before finding her ‘father’ and’mother’ in Deborah and her partner, Bridget O’Shaughnessy, who later adopted two more girls from Albania.
Tatyana was soon able to walk with the assistance of a wheelchair.
Her new mothers eventually got her involved in a variety of sports, including basketball, sled hockey, swimming, gymnastics, and track.
Relationship Status: Single?
Tatyana hopes to experience the ‘Notebook’ type of romance in her life someday.
The romantic film means a lot to her. She aspires to have a happy ending like Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ characters in the film.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Tatyana has yet to say “I do” to a husband. And, until she makes her dating life public, her boyfriend goes unnoticed.
Tatyana, who has a long list of titles and victories to her name, added another to her list when she finished second in the 2019 Boston Marathon.
The multiple Paralympic medalist in several Summer Paralympic Games has yet to reveal the size of her current net worth.
And, with plenty of future victories on the horizon, she has a good chance of gaining more significant fame, followed by even more riches.
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