Tracy Otto’s resilient journey to the Paralympics and motherhood

After having to relearn how to work her new body following an attack that left her almost for dead, Tracy Otto has just given birth to a baby girl, demonstrating the power of life and resilience.

The 29-year-old describes her new life as more “beautiful and exciting” than ever, while she is still undergoing rehabilitation after a life incident that left her with a traumatised body.

On the night of 24 October 2019, Tracy and Rick Riessle were attacked at her home in Tampa by her ex-boyfriend. She was left paralysed from the chest down and lost her left eye. She can no longer sweat or regulate her body temperature properly.

“I laugh and smile more than I ever had,” she said. “My life is more colourful, full of love and laughter.”

And why not? Five years since rising from deathbed, Otto went on to live her dream of competing at the Paralympic Games in Paris last August. In doing so, she became a role model, a beacon of hope for women across the globe.

“The Paralympic experience was out of this world and couldn’t be more grateful that I was able to be a part of it. I feel like it was a dream,” said Otto, who competed in W1 individual as well as the mixed team event pairing with Jason Tabansky in Paris.

After announcing that she was going to become a mother during the Games last August, Tracy and her fiancé Ricky – who proposed to her under the Eiffel Tower – welcomed their first child,  little girl called Rylee, on 4 January.

But as expected, the journey to motherhood wasn’t an easy one.

The pregnancy was considered high risk due to Otto’s spinal cord injury – a cervical check towards the end being part of the weekly routine.

“It was incredibly tough,” she admitted. “I was sick all day, every day, and had some other complications during the pregnancy.”

Otto, who was already a fighter, still had to fight to meet these new challenges.

Baby Rylee’s arrival has brought the couple new reasons to celebrate life. She has already become the centre of their world.

“We are absolutely in love with her and are over the moon that she is here. I’ve dreamt of being a mother my entire life and now that she is here our hearts are so full.”

But the journey has been long and gruelling. 

That night five years ago changed Otto’s life completely. There have been times when you would normally give up, but not Otto. It was her grit and resilience that drove her to keep going and never give up – from the horrific incident to the peace found in archery and, today, motherhood.

“It’s been a very long process – been the hardest thing I have dealt with, recovering from that catastrophic injury,” said the resilient archer. “The last five years I’m still learning about my body, how it works – it’s exhausting, having to deal everything manually, making my shoulders work and there’s more beyond that.”

She admitted that she’s not that kind of person who just give up.

“I must just see it through like I can’t let something take it all away,” she said.

Tracy wanted to do something meaningful with her life, become a light and an inspiration for others. And it was in March 2021 when she told her boyfriend Ricky that she wanted to start doing adaptive sport.

“I couldn’t do traditional job, I didn’t have a hobby. So, we thought to give it a try,” she said of the adaptive archery programme she took in Florida.

For Otto, archery began at the All People’s Life Center in Tampa, when she was introduced to Earl C. Brown, who was her first coach, helped and taught her how to rig a Genesis bow with a bite tab.

“As I shot the first arrow, it was magical, and I just wanted to do it,” she said with a grin. “I wanted to go for Paralympics right away. In my second week of practice I was asking ‘What does competing at Paralympics look like?’”

There were challenges too in the process – her hands don’t work properly, she couldn’t hold the bow and had to draw with her teeth.

But within months of her training, she was competing in qualifying tournaments for Paris.

She won her first international medal at the 2023 Pan American Para Games in Santiago – individual gold – just months after making her international debut at the 2023 World Archery Para Championships in Pilsen. 

Otto followed this up with the 2024 Pan American Para Championships in Sao Paulo, where she won two gold medals – individual and mixed team with teammate Tabansky.

“The whole journey to the Paralympics has been so magical, so much positive, and so much fun,” said the 29-year-old, who was the only US female archer in her category to qualify for Paris 2024.

“I was in awe about myself competing in Paris, three years since I started shooting. It’s been a dream come true.”

Archery was one of the best things that happened to Otto – it helped her healing, recovery and brought her the peace.

“Archery really saved my life. It gives me the feeling that I am free again and I don’t have to struggle.”

She also admits that none of this would have been possible without her fiancé – the man who has always supported her.

“I haven’t been able to do all of these without him. He’s been like my rock, my life, everything. He’s the reason I woke up every day.”

With Ricky by her side, Tracy’s sole focus now is to become the best mother she can.

And as far as archery goes, she is currently working on setting goals.

“I look forward to working on as I recover from having Rylee,” she concluded, keen to take on new life challenges.

Additional images courtesy of Tracy Otto.