At first glance, Melissa Stockwell may appear to be the quintessential Mid-western All-American mom, but she is far more. She is an American war hero who has triumphed over personal tragedy to achieve greatness, World Champion status, and she has dedicated her life to chasing remarkable accomplishments while giving back to others, particularly those who face challenges similar to her own.
Melissa graduated from the University of Colorado and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. She deployed to Baghdad, Iraq where a blast from a roadside bomb struck her Humvee, causing the loss of her left leg above the knee. After enduring numerous infections and surgeries, Melissa was medically retired from the Army. She is the first female soldier to ever loose a limb in active combat and has been awarded both The Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.
Following her accident, sports become the road to recovery for Melissa. In 2008, she became the first Iraqi War Veteran to qualify for the Beijing Paralympics where she was honored by her fellow Team USA athletes to be the flag bearer in the Closing Ceremony. After Beijing, Melissa turned to the sport of Paratriathlon and is now a three-time World Champion.
On September 11, 2016, at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Melissa raced in honor of her fellow soldiers and their families who had given the ultimate sacrifice serving and protecting America. After a grueling race, the day ended on the podium, as the newly crowned Paralympic Bronze Medalist.
Six weeks before the 2021 Paralympics, Melissa broke her back in a training accident, derailing her hopes of winning a gold medal. Nevertheless, despite the pain, she managed to compete at the Paralympic Games, finishing 5th. She is currently training for one more shot at a Paralympic Gold Medal at the Paris Games in 2024.
Hear and reflect on an inspiring message of perseverance and maintaining perspective in leadership and in life from of an American hero who has triumphed over personal tragedy to achieve greatness, World Champion status, and who has dedicated her life to chasing remarkable accomplishments while giving back to others, particularly those who face challenges similar to her own. Melissa Stockwell proudly wore the uniform of the United States Army, where she very nearly made the ultimate sacrifice for her country. Today, she proudly wears the uniform of Team USA as a World Champion athlete and Paralympic Medalist. Melissa shares her remarkable story, from the battlefields of Baghdad to the Paralympic Games, in an emotionally powerful presentation that will inspire you to see ability not disability, to maximize what you do have and forget about what you don’t, and to apply, as she details, “…the amazing power of choice.”
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Nearly every ALA Convention attendee made it a point to share that your speech was the highlight of the entire week. All were inspired by your story and the courage and determination you have demonstrated as the life of Melissa 2.0 unfolds. Every Speaker for the remainder of the Convention referenced your Speech. Honestly, Melissa, folks simply couldn’t stop raving about you and P&G benefited by association.
Personally, it was an absolute honor and pleasure to meet you. I had high expectations…..you exceeded mine as both a Speaker and an Individual. The quality (intellect, poise, humor) in which you conduct yourself is very impressive Melissa.”
“Melissa, you forced us to take stock of how we view our own lives with your TEDxVail Talk, “Choose Your Story.” We laughed when you flipped your leg completely around to show off your sweet new dance move. You stand on one leg with more courage and grace than many of us do on two. You moved hundreds to tears in the audience. Thanks, Melissa, for your powerful idea! You entice us all to choose life stories worth repeating.”
“We were so happy to have Melissa speak at our Sales and Marketing Offsite. There was not a dry eye in the audience and she left us all feeling inspired, motivated and incredibly proud to have her on our team.”
“The guests at our Kids Rank: Ribbons of Character Benefit were completely engaged and inspired by our honoree Melissa Stockwell. Her story of determination and perseverance all with an optimistic attitude were exactly why she was chosen for our annual award. Beyond her incredible combat story, it is her continuing life’s journey and her ability to make a human connection with people which made her time with us an unforgettable experience.”
“Melissa’s story and message to our health professional graduates was inspiring, challenging and encouraged each of us to live bold and full lives. It moved, not only our graduates, but the 1600 family members and friends in attendance. It was the first time in my 25 years of academics to see an entire audience spontaneously rise to give a commencement speaker a standing ovation…and that ovation was well-deserved.”
“Thank you again for being our keynote speaker. The sharing of your experience gave all present, a new heightened sense of our mission. You truly delivered a ‘gold- medal’ message that set a can- do, must- do direction. Thank you.”
“Melissa Stockwell tells an American story that is all about inspiration and not at all about self-pity. I have seen her bring a whole roomful of legislators to tears with her straight talk and sincere patriotism.”
“Melissa’s story inspires and drives home an important message fitting for any audience: success is driven by focusing on what you do have as opposed to what you don’t. What Melissa has already accomplished in her life is remarkable and it is clear her best is yet to come”
“It has been a great week in large part to such an AMAZING kick off by Melissa. It is not an exaggeration to say I have been stopped at least 50 times on campus this week so that someone could tell me how much they were moved by her talk, or how much they loved it…students, speakers, professors, and Trustees alike. I have NEVER had that happen before! Just for reference, that standing ovation was the first one at SII for an Opening Keynote in 12 years.”
