TULSA, Okla. — In 2011, Gabrielle Platt's life changed forever.
At just 24 years old, she was shot in the back three times and left in a ditch.
"It didn't really register to me that I was paralyzed, that I had lost the use of my legs," said Platt. “I pretty much thought my life was over, that I wouldn’t be able to carry on my life moving forward in a wheelchair. I remember telling my mother, how am I gonna be able to move forward not being able to walk.”
In the years that followed her injury, Platt found an outlet through The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges.
2 News first shared Platt's story back in 2017:
Local News
Victims use race weekend to overcome adversity
She started with basketball, but then found a love for cycling. That's when her life changed again.
Four years after losing the use of her legs, the second act of Platt's life began.
“It kind of kept me sane, it got me away from the wheelchair," said Platt. "Cycling has always been so liberating for me because I can get on my bike and go 20, 30 miles away from the wheelchair. It’s played a huge role in my life.”
Since she strapped into her bike, Platt traveled all over the world to compete against the strongest and fastest.
But this race is special.
“I’ve done marathons here, I’ve done rides here, but I’ve never raced here," the 38-year-old said. "I feel good about that, being able to have some of my family and friends come out.”
After such a tragedy, it would be understandable to sit in the loss of the life you used to know, but not Platt.
2 News Oklahoma's Stef Manchen asked what she credits her perseverance to.
“My family, my son, and my two younger sisters," she said. "They’ve kept me going. I remember in the hospital, and even when I came home from the hospital, just seeing their sad faces is one of the things that kind of made me want to move forward and show them what I could do instead of focusing on what I couldn’t do.”
Platt put in the work to ensure that being relegated to a chair wouldn't limit her.
She said her story isn't a one-off. Platt offered some words of encouragement to anyone who might be facing a similar situation as hers.
“You can’t let anything stop you. I mean, you know, we all go through things in life, you know that’s life, but the biggest lesson is to keep moving forward. Take it a day at a time, a step at a time, a push at a time. Just keep moving forward.”
After racing through Green Country, Platt's sights are set on LA 2028.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
