MELISSA STOCKWELL had always dreamed of serving her country and was full of pride when she joined the 1st Cavalry Division in the US Army.

In such a demanding job things don’t always go to plan and on April 13, 2004 she lost her leg to a roadside bomb and her left leg above the knee.

However, Melissa’s passion and love for life did not end there and she has gone on to achieve and succeed in a remarkable manner. Having competed in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics she is currently training for Rio 2016 and is also a three times paratriathlon champion.

In this inspiring interview Melissa talks about where her inspiration comes from and also explains more about the charity she co-founded – Dare2Tri.

To read more about Melissa and the work she does visit www.melissastockwell.com or follow her on Twitter at @mstockwell01.

What inspired you to join the US Army and could you tell us about some of your early experiences there?

I joined the Army because I love my country. From a young age I loved the flag and the red, white and blue. I recognised how lucky we were to live in America and I wanted to give back and to wear that military uniform with that flag patch on my shoulder.

I did ROTC at the University if Colorado at Boulder and loved it. The camaraderie, the pride of wearing the uniform, the leadership skills – it re-affirmed that I had made the right decision.

After I was commissioned into the Army I had my first duty assignment at Fort Hood, TX as part of the 1st Calvary Division. I got to Ft Hood in late 2003 and deployed with my unit over to Iraq in March of 2004.

What were your first thoughts and feelings when you found out that your leg had been amputated and how long did it take you to start getting into a positive frame of mind about life again?

Honestly, I never lost my positive frame of mind. Sounds silly and cheesy, but I had few bad moments or bad days. I remembering feeling glad it was me and not someone else who had lost their leg and I really felt lucky to be alive.

When I got to Walter Reed I saw so many other soldiers who had it worse than I did. Some missing two, three or four limbs, their eyesight, traumatic brain injuries. I considered myself one of the lucky ones and promised to live my life for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice as too many had.

Could you tell us about some of the challenges you then started to set yourself and what have been some of your biggest accomplishments during this time?

The biggest challenge was waiting for my body to heal before I could get on with my life. Too many infections, too many surgeries and laying there in my hospital bed waiting was tough.

My greatest accomplishments were regaining the strength I had lost down in the PT gym. And then 52 days after I lost me leg I stood up for the first time and walked in the parallel bars. THAT was a good day!

What was it like to represent your country at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic and how is training currently going for Rio?

There is no better feeling than representing the greatest country in the world on the worlds biggest athletic stage. Wearing a uniform with USA on it and knowing that by competing, I was honouring those who no longer could.

The Beijing Paralympics were an amazing experience. Athletically I didn’t do what I wanted but looking back, that trip for me was about celebrating the journey to get there and all I had overcome to make it that far.

My training for Rio is going well. After the birth of my son last November, it’s been a little challenging to get back into things and back up to the competitive level I want to be at. It didn’t happen overnight and I had to learn to be happy with my little successes along the way and taking it day by day.

I got bronze at the World Championships a few weeks ago in a USA sweep which was pretty exciting. My qualification race will be this March and hopefully I can claim my spot to Rio then.

Could you tell us about all your success in the sport of paratriathlon. Which area of the sport are you strongest and where do you have to work hardest?

I am a three times World Champion in the sport from 2010, 2011 and 2012. The sport continues to get more and more competitive which is so exciting. More competition is always a good thing and drives the sport forward.

My best discipline is the swim and my weakest is the bike.

When did you start Dare2Tri Paratriathlon Club and how has the organisation helped other para-athletes to date?

I co- founded Dare2tri in 2011 with two friends with the mission to get other people with a physical disability into the sport of triathlon. We provide training, coaching, camps, clinics, financial assistance and whatever else it takes to get someone to that starting line. Our mission is ‘One Inspires Many’ and we inspire anyone else out on that race course! We have currently touched the lives of over 300 athletes with physical disabilities, showing them what is possible.

What would your words of advice be to anyone who may have found themselves in a similar position to you and is struggling to come to terms with life?

As hard as it is, I would tell them to stay positive and to surround themselves with people who love and care about them. Also, to take opportunities and go try something they may think they can no longer do. Once they try it, they may be surprised to see how well they still can do it. Sometimes getting through a difficult time can help us learn what we are truly capable of. And many times we end up even better on the other side.