Cary double amputee swimmer bringing home 2 gold medals

By Lora Lavigne and Bryan Mims, WRAL reporters

Swimmer Morgan Stickney will come back home to Cary with two gold medals after competing in the Paralympics in Tokyo.

Stickney had her left leg amputated in 2018 and her right leg amputated 17 months later after doctors determined she had a rare vascular disease.

She said the gold medal represents "a lot of blood, sweat and tears."

"This isn’t something that was very easy to get," she told WRAL News. "It’s taking a lot of hard work and dedication.”

Stickney's unbelievable journey veered off course several times beginning with her diagnosis at just 15 years old. Still, her love for the water only grew deeper.

"Ever since I lost my legs, it’s like the one activity I can do that I can just take my prosthetics off and I don’t feel like people are staring at me," she said. "I just feel like I’m Morgan, and I’m not Morgan the amputee. And so I think for me it is just so freeing to be in the water."

Stickney won the woman’s 400 meter S-8 freestyle then finished the women’s 4x100 medley relay off strong with a thrilling comeback in the final lap.

"It doesn't matter who you are -- everyone faces challenges in life," she said. "And I think it’s how you approach those challenges. So it’s really important to have goals and dreams and not let struggles knock you down."

After moving from New Hampshire to Cary, Stickney began training for the Paralympics at the Triangle Aquatic Center.

She already has her sights set on Paris 2024.

“It’s such an honor to be able to represent our country, and I’m just really, really grateful," she said.

Stickney is studying to become a pediatric oncologist.