Cortney Truitt has paralysis in the left side of her body due to cerebral palsy. In 1998, at the age of seven, she would take up the sport of swimming. Ten years later, she would compete in the first of three Paralympic Games, winning 12 medals, including one gold. Cortney was also named a team captain in 2012, 2014 and 2015. Since then, she has also completed her master's degree in education.