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Community Corner

Enfield Adaptive Athlete Andrew Haraghey Skis His Way to Podium and College

PARK CITY, UTAH — Andrew Haraghey of Enfield, Conn., whose on-snow career began as a 10-year-old with Center for Human Development in Springfield, Mass., and AbilityPLUS at Mount Snow, Vermont, has taken a giant step toward achieving his dream of winning Paralympic Gold by taking bronze at the recent Huntsman Cup race here, taking the podium with two US Paralympic Team racers fresh off competition at the Paralympics in Sochi.

The Huntsman Cup is one of the premier races for people with disabilities and this year drew more than 60 elite athletes from throughout the world.  While in Park City, Andrew received Westminster College’s Exemplary Achievement Award for overcoming adversity, and a $100,000 college scholarship. 

Andrew’s determination and tireless work has taken him on an incredible and improbable journey. With the assistance and love of his family, friends and community that extends well beyond Enfield, Andrew has worked his way to training and competing with top coaches and athletes throughout the United States and Canada, with a goal of representing the United States at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in South Korea.

One of only six Nor Am level events in North America during the 2013-14 season, The Huntsman Cup paired with US Adaptive Alpine Nationals for two days of giant slalom and two days of slalom. Andrew medaled on the final day of slalom competition.

“I am so incredibly proud of Andrew and his dedication to skiing and to receiving a great college education,” said his mother Sheryl. “I bet he was the only athlete here who trained with his mother the two days prior to competition! His Dad and brother Ryan too couldn’t be more proud.”

Andrew, 18, who has cerebral palsy, became a member of the AbilityPLUS program at Vermont’s Mount Snow Resort eight years ago, and immediately embraced the opportunity to apply his natural skill and determination to learn to ski.  

At age 12 he joined the AbilityPLUS mentoring program, enriching the lives of others by helping them experience the joy and sense of independence and accomplishment that comes with skiing and snowboarding.

He has volunteered at the Mount Snow AbilityPLUS center every year since, taking time from his rigorous training and school schedule to serve as inspiration for young people and adults; able bodied and those challenged by a disability, alike. Andrew will be graduated in June from Enrico Fermi High School.

For more information about Andrew’s quest for 2018, please visit www.andrewraces.com. For more information about AbilityPLUS adaptive sports programs for people with disabilities visit www.abilityplus.org.

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