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A Paralympic Athlete Turns Her Disability Into Success A Paralympic athlete turns her disability into success

By Adriana Loh

ADRIANA LOH: It’s not just her endless of hours practice that catches people’s attention on the field… but so does her leg.

Around the age of 16 years old, Desiree Vila was preparing for the 20-15 European acrobatic gymnastics championships.

She suffered a leg injury during practice and due to medical negligence, she had her leg amputated and was forced to quit the sport.

DESIREE VILA: I was in the ICU because my life was actually in danger, so I was about to die. So when they told me they had to amputate my leg I was very scared because I was 15. So I didn’t wanna look. Because it was like if I look it was gonna be real.

LOH: Desiree fell depressed and depended on her psychiatrists and physical therapists to help her with recovery.

VILA: Walking with a prosthetic leg is one thing but running with a blade runner is completely different so you really need to have some professional surround you to help you out.

LOH: Preparing for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, Desiree keeps up with her training here at the Romney field house in Oswego, before she returns back to her team in Spain.

VILA: Yeah I just try again, and again and again. And then I found out there was a team in Madrid so I got in contact with them and start competing, and then there was that moment where I decided I wanted to go to the Paralympic Games.

LOH: Now, the college athlete traveled from Spain to Central New York as an exchange student for the semester, and her teammates both in Spain and Oswego have continued to support her journey along the way.

AINHO IEPA: She doesn’t care that she has a disability because she wanna try it. If she sees she cannot do it, she won’t be disappointed and be like ‘okay maybe next time.’ So she keeps trying and never loses hope, so that’s the way she inspires me.

LOH: She hopes more people give Paralympic athletes the same recognition they do for others and spreads awareness through her new sponsorship.

VILA: I am the first paralympic athlete sponsored by Adidas in Spain.

LOH: Through Adidas she brings more awareness to paralympic athletes like herself.

VILA: Some people they don’t even know there are paralympic games. So when the Olympics are over it’s like no now there’s the Paralympics.

LOH: Her story of disability has given Desiree a new ability to be an inspiration.

VILA: After the amputation, I wouldn’t be able to be a successful person or you know I thought life was going to be super hard.

LOH: And against all odds she did. For NCC News, Adriana Loh.

OSWEGO,  N.Y. (NCC News)– Desirée Vila was only 15 years old when her dreams turned into her worst nightmare. The Spanish junior youth gymnastics champion from Vigo, Spain was practicing for her next championship when she suffered an injury while training. During practice, she broke her tibia, fibula and meniscus resulting in a severely damaged artery in her right leg. Due to lack of medical attention, Vila’s leg had limited blood supply causing her right leg to be amputated. 

“I was in the ICU because my life was actually in danger, so I was about to die,” Vila said. “So when they told me they had to amputate my leg I was very scared because I was fifteen. So I didn’t wanna look. Because it was like if I look it was gonna be real.”

Vila relied on her team of professionals, medical staff, and her family to support her during the recovery process. 

“Walking with a prosthetic leg is one thing but running with a blade runner is completely different so you really need to have some professional surround you to help you out,” Vila said,

Her parents knew the active and competitive spirit Vila had, and encouraged her to partake in several sports such as tennis, basketball, and track. Through many trials and errors, Vila found a passion for athletics. 

“Yeah I just try again, and again and again,” Vila said. “And then I found out there was a team in Madrid so I got in contact with them and start competing, and then there was that moment where I decided I wanted to go to the Paralympic Games.”

Traveling from Spain to New York, Vila has kept up with both her training and education. Aside from school and competing, Vila has also maintained a lot of attention through her social media and new sponsorship with Adidas.

“I am the first Paralympic athlete sponsored by Adidas in Spain,” Vila said. “ I have a pretty big following on my Tik Tok and Instagram and use my platform to spread awareness about my story and other athletes like myself.” 

Vila has been able to turn her disability to give her the ability to inspire others like her friend Ainho Iepa. 

“She doesn’t care that she has a disability because she wanna try it,” Iepa said. “If she sees she cannot do it, she won’t be disappointed and be like ‘okay maybe next time.’ So she keeps trying and never loses hope, so that’s the way she inspires me.”

Vila anticipates competing at the upcoming Paralympics hosted in Paris, 2024.  

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