How a Six-Year-Old Plane Crash Survivor Became a 2x Paralympian | EP03

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, host Umer Farooque sits down with Tammy Cunnington, a two-time Paralympian, author, and resilience advocate whose life story redefines what it means to overcome adversity. At just six years old, Tammy's life changed forever when a plane crashed at an air show, leaving her in a wheelchair and severely damaging her left arm. What followed was a year in the hospital, 25 surgeries, and a lifetime of learning to navigate a world that wasn't built for her. But through it all, Tammy chose the harder path—the path of strength, courage, and relentless forward motion. This conversation goes beyond athletic achievement. It's about identity, self-acceptance, and the power of perspective. Tammy opens up about the hospital moments that shaped her resilience, the relationships that carried her through, and the loss of her father just months before the Rio Games. In this episode, we discuss: The plane crash at age six that changed everything One year in the hospital and 25 surgeries before age eight How her parents refused to coddle her and why that mattered Shifting from a hospital wheelchair to a sports chair Facing judgment, invisibility, and ableism throughout life The power of small steps: from nose tubes to independence Finding identity through wheelchair basketball, hand cycling, and triathlon Losing her Paralympic triathlon dream and pivoting to swimming Her father's passing just months before the Rio Games Competing at the Rio and Tokyo Paralympic Games Using pre-race anxiety as fuel instead of letting it paralyze her Life after retirement: finding purpose beyond the podium Writing her book Still Fighting and what it means to keep moving forward CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Plane Crash That Changed Everything 00:00:30 Choosing the Path of Strength and Courage 00:02:44 Fighting for Life: The Initial Recovery 00:03:28 Still Fighting: Why the Title Resonates 00:04:58 Self-Acceptance and Overcoming External Judgment 00:07:34 The Power of Internal Strength 00:10:47 The Importance of Support Systems 00:13:22 Finding Identity Through Sport 00:15:37 Perspective Shifts: The Key to Moving Forward 00:29:47 The Hand Cycle: A Gateway to Freedom 00:31:18 From Triathlon Dreams to Paralympic Swimming 00:34:07 Battling Self-Doubt and the Clock 00:42:11 Grief and Performance: Losing Her Father 00:36:17 Using Anxiety as Fuel for Excellence 00:46:17 Overcoming Relationship Stigma 00:45:20 The Role of Autonomy and Independence 00:51:37 Resilience: Continually Fighting and Dreaming 00:53:01 Finding Purpose Through Small Goals 00:56:00 Balance Over Burnout: Rejecting Hustle Culture 00:59:06 Closing: Still Fighting, Still Growing Follow Tammy Cunnington Get the Book — https://www.tammycunnington.com/ Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/tj_cunnington/ LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-cunnington-ply-570377152/ Follow Umer & The Path We Choose Instagram — https://instagram.com/umerfarooquee LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mumerfarooque/ TPWC Instagram — https://instagram.com/thepathwechoosee Website - https://thepathwechoose.com/ The Path We Choose: Real conversations about identity, growth, purpose, and the choices that shape who we become. Subscribe for more episodes and behind-the-scenes content.