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Subscribe to RSSRetired U.S. Marine Angela Madsen once lived out of a locker at Disneyland. But the 52-year-old paraplegic turned her life around and has since rowed across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. She's now competing for Team USA at the Paralympic Games in London.
LONDON -- Angela Madsen's journey to the London 2012 Paralympics is nothing short of extraordinary.
Complications following a back injury she sustained while serving in Marine Corps at the age of 20 led to her becoming a paraplegic when she was in her 30s.
Bound to a wheelchair, she fell into a deep depression. She lost her job. Her marriage dissolved.
"I lost my house ... I ended up homeless, kept my things in a locker at Disneyland. Happiest place on earth, right?" she told NBC News at the USA track-and-field training camp at RAF Lakenheath, near Cambridge, England, last week.
But the native Californian missed surfing, so she set out to find a way back to the water, determined to turn her life around.
Some of the hottest tickets at the London Paralympics are for wheelchair rugby. The sport is so violent and fierce, that it has been dubbed "Murderball."
"I started taking responsibility … and started making the changes and decisions to move positively forward in my life,” she said.
Now, her definition of a disabled person is "somebody who doesn't believe they can and doesn't try.”
'Meet the Superhumans': Paralympians burst onto world stage
She competed in the 2006 world surfing championships and then fell in love with rowing.
She turned this hobby into history by rowing across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Ahead of the London Paralympics, L.A. Galaxy midfielder David Beckham spent a day learning blind soccer from Team Great Britain.
"I didn't row across my first ocean until I was 47,” she said with a laugh.
"I have six Guinness World Records for rowing oceans. I've circumnavigated Great Britain ... I've been places on this planet that no human being has ever been before. A thousand miles from land in any direction ... it's been a pretty amazing life."
Read Angela Madsen's profile at the Paralympic Games' website
Next year, she plans to row solo across the Pacific Ocean.
Madsen rowed for Team USA in the Beijing Paralympic Games, narrowly missing the podium. "I missed the medal rounds by 7-hundredths of a second.”
Centra "Ce-Ce" Mazyck, who was paralyzed during a parachute jump with the 82nd Airborne in November 2003, will compete in the javelin at the London Paralympics.
In the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the 52-year-old is trying her hand at track and field events, competing in the women's shot put and javelin.
"I don’t have any regrets about anything. If I could go back and change anything I wouldn't, except for the amount of pain I have with the rods in my back,” Madsen said. “That could definitely go. But I can’t foresee change in anything. I'm very, very satisfied with the life that I have now."
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Leave a Comment:
Not "Ex-Marine," it's "former or retired." Once a marine, always a marine. Just saying...ooorah.
She exemplifies the spirit of the Marines, that's why I sleep so well at night knowing that they are Duty.
Semper Fi
Semper Fi brother, got that right. I prefer In-Active duty status Marine myself. I could never stand "ex" in front of Marine. We are never former Marines either. Those terms are used by civilians and pogues.
Your writer and editor of this story should be unemployed for making such a statement as EX-Marine... I've lost a great deal of literary respect for your agency since reading this headline. Its sickening to think such uneducated people are writing these columns with no clue as to the formality in which to address those who have served our country.
Vine gets this wrong nearly everytime, no matter how many times they are corrected by posters:
FORMER MARINE - one who has served admirably and was honorably discharged
EX-MARINE - one who has been given a general or dishonorable discharge.
Is it asking too much to honor these people in such a small way?
I agree. The Ex-Marine term refers to those who did not have the intestinal fortitude to be a true Marine, and were kicked out because of that flaw. I served mother Corps for 22 years, and would love to do it all again.
GySgt of Marines
The media never gets it right she is a former Marine! Why is it that the media never check thier stories and make fools of them selves. They if any have never been in the military and yet they write like they have. Idiots! Semper Fi
I always use the term "Prior Marine Corps" when talking about my service.
There are in fact "Ex-Marines"...those are the ones that got a BCD or a Dishonorable discharge...they don't deserve to be called "Marines" in my eyes.
The only ex-Marine is one who was dishonorably discharged-and don't merit being called a Marine. It's retired or former Marine.
Phil, I was thinking the exact same thing. You beat me to the punch. My sincere best wishes to Angela Masden and all the other atheletes competing in London.
Corpsmen rock!! USMC 75-81. You do for free what we have to do!
Bravo1-6. Just did our jobs as best we could. Would not have wanted any other. My thanks.
HM1/FMF USN/RET 1972 - 1993
Semper Fi!
The Marines have found their few good men - US Navy Fleet Corpsmen.
The Gunny.
Tango Yankee Gunny! Best years of my career were with the FMF! I was one of those who chose to go Marine regs on uniform and grooming standards. Was very proud to wear the Marine dress greens. I loved the strange looks I would get from regular Navy folks not assigned to or familiar with Navy FMF HM's!
Back to topic, this Woman exemplifies the spirit of the Corps. Carry on Marine.
Thank you for your service to our country. Rising up from your disability shows the world the person you are.
Semper Fi.
What I should have added above is that people like Angela Madsen are the ones that really rock!
Like everyone else has said, there is no such thing as an Ex-Marine. Please fix the story because with that sentence it's actually offensive to us Marines.
Casey
Semper Fidelis
You can not expect the civilian main steam media to have an iota of a clue about anything close to that. Loyalty and Faithfulness to them is the next buck, their forever is the next story, and we (warriors, soldiers, and sailors) are just more fuel for their political agendas. Now if it should appear in the Stars and Stripes? Yes, offended. But NBC? Consider the source, these people (the media) have NO honor and do not care who they offend.
CSM USA (Retired)
She's exactly right, that includes able-bodied people who don't "try" to do their best! Whether she wins a gold or not, I think she has a heart filled with gold - keep breaking record's Ma'am, you are inspiring!
I do have a disability called Asperger Syndrome. I try very hard to keep my employment but employers do not like the way in which I am different. It is not my intention to offend people because of some of the social cue communication problems I have. I try very hard also despite the many who say, "Give it up," "You can't" "Don't bother yourself to even try," "You are a dud," "Everyone is better than you at everything," and so on. It is too bad I can't literally kick the !@@## of those who tell me that AND get away with it because they are the ones being rude and crude, not me. What do I do about bullying in the workplace? We aspies seem to pull the bullies out of the woodwork because they see us as weak. I DO have a disability I have to contend with EVERYDAY mostly defending myself against those who think it is OK to eliminate us from existence because we are "defective" in some way. I DO try. Bigot idiots constantly get in my way, and it seems like the only way to get them OUT of the way is to commit assault and battery.
Best of luck Angela! The medal is yours this time around!
When are you people in the press going to get it right? An "Ex-Marine" is one who has disgraced the Corps and Country and subsequently, has been kicked out! All others are either Marines or Former Marines. John Glenn is NOT an Ex-Marine and neither is this incredible Olympian! Ooh-Rah!
Bless you Angela,you are my kind of MARINE.After 68 years of in-active service I am still !00% MARINE .
My best wishes for Angela.I like her definition of disabled.It is sad that many of our veterans end up on the streets due to depression and their disabilities.It should never ever happen in this country to our Vets.Fresno Calif. built a beautiful V.A. home but because of budget cuts have no money to open it up to the Vets.Nothing is more ridiculous and unacceptable to me than this V.A. housing sitting vacant while the most vulnerable vets are sleeping outside.
The only problem I have with the article is the end where she says she wouldn't change a thing. She is happy with how her life turned out. The problem I have with that is she states earlier she lost her job, her marriage, etc due to her illness. Then started taking responsibility and the rest is history. I can only imagine how much hurt was felt by many people during those tough times... enough to destroy a family. I am surprised she wouldn't want to change that if she could... at least to ease some of the pain for all (her too).
She is a perfect Marine example. Semper Fi.
To any who would disparage USMC, "first to fight" doesn't always mean combat. She's a credit to Corps & our USA.
@ DevilDoc44........
I am 34 woman with a spine injury also. Though I am not a Marine, to help you understand why she wouldnt change a thing. I will tell you why I wouldnt. My marriage ended ect., but all the things people with injurys go thru, most feel are not as bad as what some others go thru. We survived. We may not have what we use to have, but because of what she ,I and many others have gone thru. We are who we are today. It is hard for you to understand, and explain for that matter. If you havent gone thru it.....
I admire her, and thank her and all others in the Military for what you provide for us.
As the wife of a former Marine, I can understand & appreciate the sentment. Semper Fi Ang & to all Marines & thank you to all our service men & womem from proud & grateful nation.
No such thing as an ex MARINE !!! Once a MARINE always a MARINE !!! That means for life !!!!!! SEMPER FI !!!!!!!
There's no such thing as an "ex-Marine". Once a Marine, always a Marine. And Angela exemplifies that! Semper fi Marine.
It's a wild ride, I never became really alive till I survived being a victim of a hit and run and left to die at 3:00 am on a country road. I lost my leg, but after getting off my pity pot,my appreciation for life, additude for what is important, and how grateful I am for the country I live in, the God I believe in, all the blessings I have recieved, oh I was homeless for 2 years, just got my own place this year and I have a job. I know so many, and love these stories about the power of the human spirit to over come, and really feel sorry for people who get so upset over little trival little things. God bless you Angela.
Kudos to Ms. Madsen for turning her life around, and best of luck in the Paralympics!
But I echo what others have said. There are no ex-Marines, only Marines.
MSN, why must you continuously disrespect the Marines in this way? For their service and sacrifice, they deserve better from the media.
Thank you love this story...
shes a hottie. you go girl?
Angela, you lift my heart and inspire my soul with your courage. Godspeed in all your endeavours.
Angela...you are the inspiration in my sail and your courage exemplifies what a true marine is and will always be. I salute you in your endevors, big and small....mostly big by the looks of it. You go girl....we're all behind you 100%.
I went to the "contact us" page at NBC News and left the following:
There is a serious error in the article about Angela Madsen, the paralympic athlete. She is a former Marine, not an ex-Marine. The term "Ex-Marine" implies an other than honorable discharge, and is considered to be highly insulting. There are dozens of comments to this effect at the article, but nobody at NBC News seems to be minding the store.