COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah — A Marine veteran is reaching for the gold, hoping to compete in the 2026 and 2030 Paralympic Games.
Annika Hutsler was forced to lose a leg to amputation after a tumor was discovered while she was at Marine boot camp several years ago.
The aggressive tumor caused her months of pain, surgeries and trauma.
“At 22 years old I said, ‘cut it off now,’" she reflected. "I am not wasting the next five to ten years wasting my life knowing this is going to happen."
Hutsler said the decision was one of the best she has ever made.
With the tumor removed, Hutsler found freedom from medical issues and an opportunity to pursue new dreams.
“After I had my leg amputated, I had so many opportunities come to me that I never thought were possible,” she said.
One of those opportunities was alpine skiing.
Hutsler, a Colorado native, recently moved to Utah to train at the state’s world-class skiing facilities.
Skiing provides her with an unmatched feeling.
“The day I started skiing, I was like, this is amazing. I will give up everything to ski,” she said. “I can just ski all day long. The adrenaline of going fast down the mountain and feeling like you are flying.”
The journey from training to be a Marine to training for the Paralympics is one she hasn’t taken alone.
Annika credits Semper Fi & America’s Fund with helping her on this path.
The Fund provides financial and community resources to critically wounded, ill and injured military service members and their families.
“22 veterans commit suicide every day,” Hutsler said. “The fund is a really big push towards getting veterans to stay away from being one of those numbers.”
As she trains hours a day with her sights set on the Paralympics, Annika wears the organization’s logo proudly on her clothing.
She realizes that as an adaptive athlete, she now has a platform to give a voice to other veterans.
As her adaptive skier training continues, she is not going to stop sharing her simple message to those who may be facing struggles.
“Just get out and celebrate the little victories,” she said. “Every little thing that you are doing is working towards a bigger goal.”
