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Muffy in Paris
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron receive the Paralympic committee, including Muffy Davis, at the Palais De L’elysee. PHOTO COURTESY OF MUFFY DAVIS
Idaho's gold medalist ignites the city of lights
BY APRIL NEALE
Muffy Davis is, among other things, a Paralympic champion. Currently the county commissioner in Blaine County, Idaho, Davis also sits on the governing board for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), where she was elected in 2017. From there, she is helping to steer the future of the International Paralympic Movement, wrapping up its Paris showing with over 4,000 athletes competing this year. The sporting event is the world's third most-watched, something not lost on Idaho's three-time gold medalist in alpine skiing and cycling. Davis had no way of knowing her journey would take her there. In 1989, the same year the Paralympics emerged, her life was upended in a devastating ski accident.
"Every athlete in the Paralympics has had some adversity that they've overcome to get there and compete. I'm thrilled to be a part of it,” she said.
“I didn't have to give up my dream of being a competitive athlete or a ski racer who evolved into a cyclist. I was fortunate I had those same opportunities because this existed,” said Davis. "Athletes have said it forever; we just need people to see it.”
According to Davis, once NBC started airing the games, held in Salt Lake City, people who saw it loved it. The London Paralympics blew up. “People realized this was real athleticism. Viewers were addicted,” Davis said. Wheelchair rugby—nicknamed “Murder Ball”—is a favorite for Davis, who notes that, with chairs crashing into each other and even flipping over, she can’t move her like they move theirs, even after 34 years.
“The Olympics are always looking for a good backstory. Every athlete in the Paralympics has that story," she said.
For her, it began at age three, when she began skiing. “And by age seven, I told my parents, 'God made me to be a ski racer.' Living in Sun Valley, we had all these other amazing athletes like Gretchen Fraser. I would ski her run and say, 'Someday, I am going to win a medal, and they're going to name a run after me.' And I was lucky, good at a young age. It felt natural [to be] on skis,” Davis said.
After her accident, life looked a little different, but meeting adversity took Davis through pre-med undergrad at Stanford University, then a robust public speaking schedule—and Idaho politics, too. "The first few years after [the injury], coming to acceptance and tolerance took a few years. I wanted to get better, live a full life, and do my things. It evolved into sports. And the word I would always get from people is, 'Wow, you're such an inspiration.' I'd come home to my dad, saying, 'Oh, dad, they used the "I" word. I can't believe it.' It drove me crazy," she said.
With the help of Davis, Idaho has become something of a powerhouse in adaptive sports. She credits the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation’s decision to back the Challenged Athletes Foundation of Idaho, who created the Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse, which added programming and funding for athletes with disabilities. They also sponsor Mission 43 for veterans in Idaho.
“My family created a Sun Valley Adaptive Sports nonprofit, which evolved into Higher Ground in Sun Valley. They have an amazing adaptive ski program, fly fishing, mountain biking, and more. Any athlete with a disability can apply for a grant for equipment and training. Adaptive sports are expensive, and insurance doesn't cover adaptive recreational equipment," Davis explained.
Despite such barriers to competition, Davis never wavered in her resolve. "I went to the Paralympics and got up on that podium seven times, three times on the top, and saw how that motivated people. It made me turn it around and realize that it's a real gift. If I can do what I love and encourage other people, that's a blessing,” she said. Davis does not take any of it lightly, and cherishes her ability to speak and share her challenges and triumphs through the support of family and friends. She’s eager to share her story, and hopes it offers access to the tools people need to help them achieve their own goals.
“I get to inspire people. I didn't let the accident stop me from pursuing that dream,” Davis said. “I love that. That's what everyone needs in life."
