CHERYL ANGELELLI

Cheryl Angelelli's plunge into a swimming pool that broke her neck at age 14 didn't drown her dreams -- she got back into the pool after her long rehab and became a national swim champion. In the 1998 International Paralympic World Championships for Swimmers with Disabilities, she finished 10th and 11th in her swim events. She captured one gold and four silver medals at the 1999 U.S. National Disability Championships, and later earned a spot in the 2000 Paralympics in Sidney, Australia. As Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 1991-92 and First Runner-up Ms. Wheelchair America 1991-92, Angelelli traveled as a motivational speaker, dispelling myths and stereotypes about disabled people. The Paralyzed Veterans of America gave her its most prestigious award, the Brooks Royal Award, in 1998, and the Pilot club of South Macomb and Pilot International Foundation named her Disabled Professional Woman of the Year 1992. The Oakland University graduate co-founded an annual award that highlights the accomplishments of disabled Michiganians, called "Profiles in Triumph – Turning Disabilities into Possibilities".

For more information about Cheryl, please visit www.untolddreams.net.