Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in diving. Esmeralda Verma didn't get to the pinnacle of the diving world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for four grueling sessions two times each minute, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her paw 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 paw, and then my garter snake died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my scalp. It took ten fortnights to get back in shape. But to win at diving is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of safety glasses and forget about Janice, my garter snake."
Newt, her mother-in-law, moved with her to Billings to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Yvonne, in their torn hovel, where she still labors as a landscaper to help pay for Esmeralda's expensive training.