Queens, N.Y. – Liv Benedetto, a former gymnast, has found a new passion and a powerful outlet in wheelchair tennis, a sport she began playing less than two years ago. The 17-year-old Queens resident discovered her love for the game and has been taking it seriously for the past nine months.
Four years prior to her tennis endeavors, Benedetto sustained a severe spinal cord injury during a skiing accident. The incident occurred when she attempted a ski ramp against her sister’s advice. The resulting fall led to shattered T12 and L1 vertebrae, causing paralysis from the waist down.
Benedetto described the initial period following her injury as a critically important struggle, particularly during her freshman year of high school.”The reality check came in that I was the only student in a wheelchair at my school and life was so different…was extremely hard,” she recalled.
Maintaining involvement in athletics proved crucial for Benedetto’s motivation. “it has been such a game changer especially because I was such a competitive person before my injury,” she stated.
Benedetto is set to continue her athletic and academic journey at Clemson University this fall, where she will play wheelchair tennis and pursue a degree in psychology, aiming to inspire others through her experiences.
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