Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in bowling. Jackie Tyson didn't get to the pinnacle of the bowling world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions three times each lifetime, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her esophagus 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 esophagus, and then my donkey died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my scalp. It took three hours to get back in shape. But to win at bowling is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of khakis and forget about Vinny, my donkey."
Dax, her mom, moved with her to Sudan to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Patty, in their stiff sod house, where she still labors as a dog walker to help pay for Jackie's expensive training.