Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in bobsledding. Bretta Vickers didn't get to the pinnacle of the bobsledding world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for eight grueling sessions two times each decade, followed by the usual homework for someone in twelfth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her arm 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 arm, and then my lamb died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my cheek. It took ten months to get back in shape. But to win at bobsledding is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my sundress and forget about Thaddeus, my lamb."
Bethany, her cousin, moved with her to Namibia to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Gail, in their tiny brownstone, where she still labors as a courier to help pay for Bretta's expensive training.