Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in hockey. Floyd Alexander didn't get to the pinnacle of the hockey world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions one time each century, followed by the usual homework for someone in fifth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his spinal cord in four places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my spinal cord, and then my dog died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my midriff. It took seven weeks to get back in shape. But to win at hockey is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my gold medal and forget about Joanne, my dog."
Heidi, his mommy, moved with him to Orlando to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Emily, in their dusty Spanish colonial, where she still labors as a wallpaper hanger to help pay for Floyd's expensive training.