Christie Raleigh Crossley Encounters Doubt Regarding Her Disability Upon Breaking a Record!
American swimmer and Paralympian Christie Raleigh Crossley faces questioning over her disability at the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024.
The 1987-born athlete representing the United States at the Paralympics sets a new world record for the women’s 50m freestyle S9.
Following the achievement, Christie faced controversial comments online questioning the extent of her impairment and whether it was as impactful as it appeared.
Christie Raleigh Crossley Endured Series of Mishaps Leading to Disability!
Christie Raleigh Crossley endured a sequence of mishaps during her lifetime, ultimately resulting in her physical limitations.
According to Team USA, in 2007, a drunk driver hit the swimmer while she was crossing the street.
This adverse situation resulted in three herniated discs in her neck and one in her lower back.
Despite the severe incident, she continued to pursue her dream of becoming an Olympic swimmer showcasing her resiliency and determination.
Unfortunately, a year later, another accident occurred when a car struck Christie while she was walking.
The forceful impact triggered a non-cancerous tumor in her brain, leading to loss of function on her left side.
Additionally, during a ski trip in 2018, her son accidentally struck her head with a ball of ice.
It eventually led to paralysis on her left side due to the bleeding of a previously undiagnosed blood tumor in her brain.
Regrettably, her dream of competing in the Olympics came to an end when she had to get the tumor removed.
Christie Raleigh Crossley Expresses Disappointment Over Online Bullying!
In the ongoing Paralympics, Christie made a new world record, finishing the women’s 50m freestyle S9 in 27.28 seconds.
However, the netizens harassed the swimmer, questioning her medical condition despite her remarkable performance.
Christie expressed her deep regret stating,
I went from enjoying a world record to being utterly devastated that the entire world seems to think I was a cheater and that I was somehow faking the hole in my brain and the cyst in my spinal cord.
Regardless, she secured a silver medal in the finals, finishing behind China’s Chen Yi, who holds the world record for women’s 50-meter freestyle S10.
This demonstrates her strong mentality and impressive sportsmanship, displaying her ability to focus on her sport.
She further exclaimed,
To be told online by all of these bullies that I am not somehow disabled as I appear, just because I can swim faster than them, it’s pretty devastating.
Hence, she expressed the bitterness and dissatisfaction she felt because of the netizens and her teammates.
In light of this situation, Christie highlights both strong dedication and deep sorrow caused by the unfair criticism.
Additional Information
- Christie grew up playing several sports including basketball and baseball.
- The athlete is married and is a mother of three children.
- On January 7, 2019, she had her tumor removed.
