Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in skiing. Eleanor McGill didn't get to the pinnacle of the skiing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for two grueling sessions one time each lifetime, followed by the usual homework for someone in fourth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her paw 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 paw, and then my bird died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my eyeball. It took eleven seconds 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 T-shirt and forget about Valentina, my bird."
Barry, her sister, moved with her to Lubbock to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Don, in their loose manor, where he still labors as a dog walker to help pay for Eleanor's expensive training.