Declan Farmer

Paralympic sled hockey player Declan Farmer made a name for himself at an early age. He was born a bilateral amputee on Nov. 5, 1997, to Matt and Patti Farmer. His parents quickly introduced him to prosthetic limbs, which he began walking on while he was still an infant. He played in sports with able-bodied peers, but he found his true athletic inspiration after a sled hockey team brought a clinic to his hometown of Tampa, Fla., when he was 8 years old. Eager to become a competitive player, Farmer joined with a sled club established by the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team. He quickly found a knack for the sport. Although right-handed, he became adept at shooting the puck with his left hand as well, which he credited for giving him more shooting opportunities than the average player. At the age of 14, he was named to the U.S. national team, becoming the youngest sled hockey player in its history. In his first international season, he led the team in scoring at the IPC World Championships, helping them finish second to Canada. He went on to play in Sochi, Russia, at the 2014 Winter Paralympics and celebrated with his team when they earned the gold medal. In recognition of his achievements, Farmer won the 2014 ESPY Award for best male athlete with a disability. In his second IPC World Championships in 2015, he helped the U.S. win the gold in a rematch against Canada. He continued in school throughout the tournaments and was accepted to Princeton University in 2016. He made it back onto Team USA for the 2018 Winter Paralympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, this time as an alternate captain.