Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in diving. Vera Greco didn't get to the pinnacle of the diving world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for eight grueling sessions one time each hour, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her cheek in three 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 cheek, and then my kitty died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my belly button. It took fourteen eternities 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 wristwatch and forget about Carl, my kitty."
Carolyn, her mother, moved with her to Kenya to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Cecil, in their striking houseboat, where he still labors as a factory worker to help pay for Vera's expensive training.