Team USA Paralympian & Bend resident, Anna Soens’ journey exemplifies Olympic courage

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)-- Right now, Bend native Anna Soens is in Milan-Cortina representing Team USA and Central Oregon at the Paralympic Winter Games.

Over the weekend, Soens competed in the alpine downhill event but crashed early in her run and was unable to finish.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, she reflected on the experience, writing in part:

“I came to Cortina with exactly zero downhill training or experience and I was super unsure I would even try it… I’m proud that I pushed out.”

Even with a DNF (Did not finish), Soens’ positivity didn’t waver, a trait she’s developed through years of challenges.

Ten years ago, Soens was climbing at an indoor rock gym when she fell and broke her back. Since then, she has fought to get her life back.

“I think adaptive skiing is one of the most free adaptive sports available to us,” Soens said. “You know, the lift access brings you up, and then with it being a gravity sport, we're kind of on an even playing field with able-bodied skiers, so we can rip around just like anybody else. So that was really empowering.”

Her recovery journey started at Oregon Adaptive Sports in Bend, where she not only began reclaiming her life but also found a strong community and even met her future husband.

“I first learned to ski with Oregon Adaptive Sports and then, it is something to reclaim my life and identity and get me moving, get outside,” she said. “Part of the reason why I moved to Bend was because of OAS, and because of the community that I have through OAS. I met my husband, he was an instructor at OAS when I was still learning to ski.”

In 2018, Soens became the first paraplegic woman to climb Mount Hood, a goal she had set alongside her father.

“Once I healed a bit and started considering what was possible, I recruited a ton of friends and I didn’t care whether I got dog-sledded up the mountain or whether it was under my own power, but I wanted to stand on the summit with my dad,” Soens said. “And so we did.”

On Monday, Soens placed an impressive fourth in the alpine Super-G. Unfortunately, she did not finish her alpine combined race today.

She’ll be back on the slopes for the giant slalom on Thursday and the slalom on Saturday.