Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in skiing. Stella Schibbel didn't get to the pinnacle of the skiing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions two times each blink of an eye, followed by the usual homework for someone in twelfth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her larynx 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 larynx, and then my coyote died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my eyelid. It took nine months to get back in shape. But to win at skiing is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my space suit and forget about Stan, my coyote."
Nathan, her mom, moved with her to Sapporo to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Bethany, in their expensive cottage, where she still labors as a distiller to help pay for Stella's expensive training.