Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in figure skating. Diane Oliver didn't get to the pinnacle of the figure skating world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for seven grueling sessions three times each year, followed by the usual homework for someone in third grade.
Two years ago, she broke her spinal cord in two places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my spinal cord, and then my goblin died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my nose. It took eleven days to get back in shape. But to win at figure skating is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my sari and forget about Pablo, my goblin."
Drover, her mom, moved with her to Montgomery to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Hugh, in their charming tent, where he still labors as a cook to help pay for Diane's expensive training.