Steve Emt's life changed forever when doctors told him he would never walk again after a devastating car accident in 1995. Just a year removed from playing as a walk-on for UConn alongside future NBA stars like Ray Allen and Donyell Marshall, the 25-year-old was paralyzed from the waist down. The former UConn player faced years of despair before discovering wheelchair curling.

Emt's path to the Paralympics began with a chance encounter in 2013 when U.S. Paralympic curling coach Tony Colacchio approached him on a Cape Cod street. Colacchio, impressed by Emt's determination pushing himself up a hill, promised to make him an Olympian within a year. Emt, intrigued by the word 'Olympian,' learned about curling and quickly fell in love with the sport's precision and challenge.

Now 56, Emt is competing in his third Paralympic Games as the most decorated Paralympic curler in U.S. history with 10 national championships. His journey from UConn basketball to motivational speaking and curling excellence showcases remarkable resilience. 'The opportunity to wear the red, white and blue and represent the greatest country in the world, on the grandest of stages is just something that I cherish,' Emt said.