When Life Starts With a Battle
Some people chase Olympic dreams from childhood. Others are forced to fight battles just to feel normal.
Jadin O’Brien’s story didn’t begin on a frozen track in Lake Placid. It began with a diagnosis.
As a child, she was diagnosed with PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections) — a rare autoimmune condition that can cause sudden, severe physical and psychological symptoms. According to the Associated Press, the illness dramatically affected her health and wellbeing at a young age.
For many families, that kind of diagnosis reshapes expectations.
But adversity, when faced early, often builds something powerful: resilience.
Building Strength Through Track and Field
Despite her health struggles, Jadin grew into a high-level athlete. She became a standout track and field competitor at the University of Notre Dame, specialising in throwing events.
Her talent and dedication were undeniable.
But her journey didn’t smooth out once she reached college.
Injuries followed.
Multiple setbacks tested her physically and mentally. For an athlete whose identity is built around performance, repeated injuries can be devastating. It’s not just pain — it’s doubt. It’s uncertainty. It’s the fear that your body won’t cooperate with your ambition.
Most people, after battling childhood illness and then repeated athletic injuries, might step back.
Jadin didn’t.
The Instagram Message That Changed Everything
Here’s where the story takes a remarkable turn.
According to AP News, Jadin received a direct message on Instagram inviting her to try out for the U.S. bobsled team.
She had never competed in bobsled.
Not casually. Not competitively.
Never.
But instead of dismissing the opportunity, she drove 12 hours to Lake Placid to try something entirely new.
Think about that decision.
No guarantees.
No promises.
No prior experience.
Just courage and curiosity.
That single “yes” changed the trajectory of her life.
Reinvention Requires Risk
Switching sports at an elite level isn’t common.
Switching sports and reaching Olympic level within a year? Almost unheard of.
Bobsled is physically brutal and technically demanding. Athletes sprint, load into the sled, and race down an icy track at speeds approaching 90 miles per hour.
There’s no room for hesitation.
But Jadin leaned into the challenge.
She trained relentlessly, adapted quickly, and absorbed everything she could about the sport.
Reinvention isn’t glamorous.
It’s uncomfortable. It’s humbling. It requires becoming a beginner again — even after years of being advanced in something else.
That takes courage most people never tap into.
The Crash That Could Have Ended It
As if early illness and athletic injuries weren’t enough, Jadin faced another major setback.
Just one month before the Olympics, she was involved in a severe bobsled crash, according to AP News.
At high speeds, crashes aren’t minor.
They shake confidence. They create fear. They leave physical pain.
For many athletes, that would have been the breaking point.
Olympics approaching. Body battered. Doubt creeping in.
But Jadin chose resilience over retreat.
From Beginner to Olympian
Within one year of beginning bobsled training, Jadin O’Brien earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
Pause on that.
From complete beginner…
To Olympic athlete…
In twelve months.
That kind of progress doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens because of:
- Discipline
- Adaptability
- Mental toughness
- Relentless work ethic
- Refusal to let setbacks dictate outcomes
Her journey was documented by Associated Press as one of unexpected rise and remarkable perseverance.
You can read the full original reporting here:
https://apnews.com/article/b0febd295e1a4d027bfb427bd2623798
Why This Story Matters
Jadin’s story isn’t just about sport.
It’s about life transitions.
Most people experience moments where their original path changes:
- Career plans collapse
- Health challenges interrupt momentum
- Injuries derail progress
- Opportunities come disguised as risks
The key question isn’t whether life shifts direction.
It’s how you respond when it does.
Jadin could have stayed in the comfort zone of what she knew.
Instead, she embraced the unknown.
The Power of Starting Over
There’s a misconception that starting over means failure.
But often, it’s evolution.
Jadin’s shift from track and field to bobsled wasn’t abandonment — it was adaptation.
She didn’t lose her athletic identity.
She expanded it.
How many people stay stuck because they’re afraid to pivot?
How many dreams die because someone is unwilling to look foolish as a beginner?
Reinvention requires humility.
And humility unlocks growth.
Lessons From Jadin O’Brien’s Journey
Here are the key takeaways for anyone facing their own storm:
1. Early Adversity Can Build Future Strength
Battling illness as a child developed resilience that later fueled athletic success.
2. Injuries Don’t Have to End the Story
Setbacks can redirect you toward something greater.
3. Say Yes to Unexpected Opportunities
One Instagram message changed everything.
4. Courage Often Looks Like Driving 12 Hours Into the Unknown
Opportunity rewards action.
5. Reinvention Is a Superpower
You are not locked into one path forever.
The Unleash Your Storm Perspective
This story embodies exactly what it means to unleash your storm.
Storms aren’t optional.
Everyone faces them:
- Health challenges
- Career uncertainty
- Physical setbacks
- Fear of change
But storms can sharpen you.
They can build resilience you didn’t know you had.
They can push you toward opportunities you never would have considered.
Jadin O’Brien didn’t avoid the storm.
She accelerated through it.
Final Thought: Your Next Chapter Might Be Unexpected
If Jadin had clung tightly to her original athletic path, she might never have discovered Olympic bobsled.
If she had let illness define her, she might never have pursued elite sport at all.
If she had let injury dictate her limits, she might never have reinvented herself.
Your next breakthrough may not look like your current plan.
But it might be waiting just beyond your comfort zone.
👉 Full original reporting:
Associated Press – Jadin O’Brien’s Olympic rise
https://apnews.com/article/b0febd295e1a4d027bfb427bd2623798