Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in swimming. Joan Kilroy didn't get to the pinnacle of the swimming world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions one time each lifetime, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her brain in four 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 brain, and then my skunk died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my spinal cord. It took two decades to get back in shape. But to win at swimming is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my nightgown and forget about Hamlet, my skunk."
Maloney, her cousin, moved with her to Mauritius to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Cliff, in their weird motor home, where he still labors as a yoga instructor to help pay for Joan's expensive training.