After earning a master’s degree in international affairs, Laura Root was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy. In 2011, during her first tour, she was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. A few years later, Laura competed at the Invictus Games and then became a National Air Rifle shooting champion in 2015. But also, she is an avid Nordic skier and gets on the snow as much as possible to prevent a more severe onset.