 There's a lot of buzz surrounding Boston's bid to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, but first we must look to the Rio Summer Games in 2016 to learn about the story of a Massachusetts native who is diving head first into the opportunity of a lifetime. Imagine going from being a regular college student to being confined to a wheelchair over the course of two years. So when I was told that I would be dependent on a wheelchair, a wheelchair bound, I think automatically a lot of doors are assumed to be shut. At just 21 years old, Leanne Smith was diagnosed with dystonia, a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions that cause slow, repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The cause of dystonia is unknown, and there is no cure to stop or slow down its progression. Not knowing what it is at all was kind of, I think, more shocking than anything else because I had never heard of it. At that moment, too, it's hard to imagine where life's going to take you. Dystonia affects more people than muscular dystrophy, Huntington's disease, or Lou Gehrig's disease combined, yet awareness is very limited. Growing up, she was always so athletic, whether it was softball or soccer or cheering or anything. She was just always out and about doing things and doing it well. So to see her come down with that, especially with something you never heard of before, it was difficult. And then to see what it actually did to her and has done to her, it's difficult. Initially, Smith's dystonia affected her voluntary muscles on her entire left side. With only having full use of her right arm, Smith thought she would never again be able to do the things that she loves, traveling the world and playing sports. So to have those two things that I kind of was really looking forward to kind of ripped out from underneath you in the blink of an eye, you know, immediately in my brain was like, well, I'll never be able to travel, you know, in this situation and how do you even stay physically active in this type of situation? But she was wrong. This is Smith's second year making the U.S. Women's Paralympic Swimming National Team. However, she actually began her aquatic career as a part of her therapy, with doctors believing that it would provide some relief from being confined to a wheelchair. I did that first 25 yards and got to the other end and I was just kind of like, huh, that was, you know, freeing to a whole other level. And not only in a physical sense, but also in an emotional way, in a mental way. Because at that moment I was like, okay, I just completed a task that, you know, only using my arms that, you know, the people in the other lanes are doing as well. Yes, they're using their feet, but I just completed the same task that they did to get from one end of the pool to the other end of the pool successfully. And it was from that moment on that I kind of caught the bug of being in the water and I loved being out of my wheelchair and so I wanted to just be in the water all day every day. To get to Rio, the now 27-year-old is committed to following a strict training regimen to prepare for the Paralympic Trials next spring. What would it mean to you to represent your country at the highest level possible? It would be an honor. It's one of those things that very few people have the opportunity to do what we're able to do, you know, prior to a game. But anytime that you get into the water and you put on your cap and it has your country's flag and your name underneath it, the feeling is, it's overwhelming. However, Smith had to overcome unforeseen obstacles in her swimming journey this past year. Last August, during a meet in California, she suffered multiple seizures and was placed in the ICU. Smith returned to Boston and spent time at Massachusetts General Hospital and then at the Spalding Rehabilitation Center. Those setbacks caused her dystonia to progress with the disorder now affecting her right leg. Smith was forced to relearn how to swim and how to make her movements as efficient as possible. You know, every time she has a setback, she gets a little bit more of her independence taken and she fights back against it and I think that's incredible. And so I think for her that, you know, she's a very resilient person and I think that takes a lot of courage so I'm very proud of her for that. If there's one word that can be used to describe Smith, it's determined. I think a lot of people can only get hit so many times before they stay down but she keeps getting back up and coming back stronger. Three years ago, Smith moved in with her aunt, uncle and two younger cousins because her childhood home could no longer be adapted to suit her needs. She still sees her immediate family weekly as her father drives over two hours each day just to take her to practice. Being here with my aunt and my uncle and my two little cousins, they, you know, are my role models only because, especially because they still see the person I was before. And just what would it be like to see Smith compete in the Paralympic Games in Boston? I think that would be great. I think, you know, knowing the city, knowing how Boston is known to overcome some of these things, I think she'd be, you know, the perfect picture of that. Since Smith's meets are held throughout the world, her family and friends don't often watch her compete in para-only meets. Just to have that kind of in your backyard and, you know, have them be able to experience what I get to experience and, you know, be able to relate on a whole other level just to the environment itself would be remarkable, it would really, truly be remarkable. If Smith is not competing in 2024, she still hopes to remain involved in the games. Prior to her diagnosis, she coached gymnastics and said she would love to help young para-athletes get over their hurdles like so many of her coaches have done for her. Smith hopes to start her own para-program or to be part of a club that works with para-athletes competing in the games. For the Boston University News Service, I'm Kelly Langergen.