As soon as McKenzie Coan earned her first Paralympic gold medal, she removed it from her neck and placed it around a stranger's neck.
After the swimmer found her family in the crowd at the 2016 Rio Paralympics Games,giddy to show her new hardware to loved ones, a crowd started to form.
On the outside of this crowd, a little girl in a pink wheelchair tried to push through, eager to get Coan's attention. The girl, about 8, had traveled across Brazil with her mother to see Coan swim. She had the same condition as Coan: osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease.
"I took my medal off. I put it around her. That really struck me because that's what the movement is all about," she said. "Winning gold medals and breaking records, all of that is really fun. But in that moment, right after winning my first gold, I've realized it really all comes full circle for me to share this with other people."
Coan, 28, began swimming during aquatic therapy when she was about 5. At 8, someone told Coan about adaptive swimming, where she could swim competitively. Coan spent the next few days on a deep dive into the Paralympic Games and quickly discovered legends like Jessica Long and Erin Popovich. At that moment, a light bulb flashed in the young girl's mind.
"Sure, I was completely comfortable being McKenzie, the sassy blonde in the pink wheelchair, racing up and down the pool deck before taking to the water. Still, there was something extraordinary about seeing people who looked like me on top of the podium," she wrote in an article for Team USA. "Their stories of triumph and overcoming resonated with me and triggered a belief in myself that I was not limited. I could be the best in the world because their stories told me I could."
After learning about these Paralympic athletes, the 8-year-old declared she would become one herself one day. Although Coan moved around in a wheelchair, her dreams drove her to spend hours in the pool, honing her craft.
In 2012, Coan made her Paralympics debut at the London Games. In 2014, she began her Division I career at Loyola Maryland while continuing her Paralympic career two years later at the 2016 Rio Games, where she earned three gold medals and a silver. At the 2020 Tokyo Games, she earned another gold and another silver medal. She's back at the 2024 Games in Paris, where she will compete in the S7 category.
At Loyola, Coan swam in the inclusive swim program. She partnered with Loyola's head swimming and diving coach, Brian Loeffler, and trained with para and able-bodied athletes. Coan said there were never differences or barriers, a mentality she still employs in every race in which she competes.
"We might have some physical differences, but in the water, we're all equal. Somebody told me that one time, … 'everybody's equal in the water,' and it was very true to me," the 4-foot-3 swimmer said.
In addition to graduating at the top of her class with a degree in political science, Coan worked to create an inclusive and accessible campus. Her collegiate legacy includes not only winning championships and impacting the lives of her teammates and coaches but enhancing the experiences for future para student-athletes.
Now, the Paralympian inspires others as a motivational speaker and author. She wrote a book, "Breaking Free: Shattering Expectations and Thriving with Ambition in Pursuit of Gold." She travels around the country to share her experiences while fostering connections with others. In addition to her public speaking, Coan started theKenzie Kares Foundationto provide support to children being treated for life-threatening conditions and solicit donations of games, toys and arts and crafts to families and hospital pediatric centers. After this year's Paralympic Games, Coan will attend Rutgers Law School and specialize in Title IX law.
Throughout her Paralympic journey, Coan has prioritized sharing her success with others. This desire to include and empower others began early in her life. In elementary school, Coan remembers an Olympic swimmer visiting her class, bringing their gold medal for the kids to see.
Coan, who felt excitement and awe around the Olympian, moved toward the medal to get a better look. Yet as she got closer, someone stopped her.
"Back up. You're breathing on the medal," they said.
In that moment, Coan knew if she could ever earn a Paralympic medal, she would share it with as many people as possible.
"I always promised myself I've never been that way. So these get loved on quite a bit," Coan said as she held up her gold medals with a smile. "I want them to see it and hold it and know that this is something that is within their reach. I feel like it just has such a big effect on them and their dreams and knowing that everything is within reach."
Coan understands the adversity para athletes fight through on a daily basis. Growing up, Coan spent every three months in the hospital, often spending many holidays getting treatments. Now that she has a large platform, she uses it to be a positive role model to represent Paralympic athletes.
"I get emotional talking about it just because it was a long road to get here," she
said. "It gives us Paralympians maybe a deeper perspective on life. I will always take the time to speak with someone who wants to speak with me. I will always try to make an effort to go out of my way to hear them and recognize their story and tell them that they're capable of really great things, despite what they might be going through.
"That's the impact, and I'm looking forward to showing them that they can be the next generation to do it."
