Salmon Arm threw a celebration on Friday to honour hometown hero Natalie Wilkie.
The 17-year-old cross country skier won three medals at the Paralympic Games in PyeongChang: a gold, a silver and a bronze.
“I didn’t expect to win any medals at all so in the sprint, when I realized I might actually have a shot, that was a great moment,” Wilkie said.
“My mom jumped over several barriers to get to the finish line to give me a hug.”
Her achievements at the Paralympics come less than two years after she lost four fingers in a school shop class accident.
“I didn’t think I would be skiing at all after my accident. I was lying in my hospital bed with my mom thinking it would be over. I didn’t think I would be able to hold my pole anymore, even ski,” Wilkie said.
On Friday, Wilkie was celebrated in her hometown of Salmon Arm with a fire truck parade around downtown. It was followed by a ceremony at City Hall where the mayor addressed Wilkie in her speech.
“What you have accomplished tells us all that even when we meet adversity we should not give up,” Mayor Nancy Cooper said.
The teen was even given a symbolic key to the city.
– with files from Kevin Smith