Canada's Brianna Hennessy chasing Paralympic dream in 2 sports after life-altering injury

Brianna Hennessy's journey is a true testament to the power of sport.

An athlete all her life, Hennessy leaned on that background to move forward after a life-altering injury. While elite athletes dedicate their lives to their craft, she saw sport take on an even greater importance after tragedy struck.

The Ottawa native was 30 years old when she was hit by a speeding Toronto cab in 2014, leaving her a tetraplegic. Hennessy excelled in boxing, hockey and rugby growing up, developing a mental fortitude that became essential after her injury.

"I grew up as an elite athlete. It's all I've ever known; it's been the biggest part of my identity. When I had my accident, those are the tools that I pulled from my tool belt to keep going, to keep fighting," Hennessy told CBC Sports. "That's what stems my survival story, that resilience and tenacity."

The now 38-year-old represents Canada in two sports and continues to reach new heights in both, competing in Para canoe and wheelchair rugby. But for Hennessy, being an athlete is about so much more than medals, going far beyond winning or losing.

"That's where I have my passion and my purpose to get out of bed every single day of my life now, to just feel a little bit like my old self. It's the only time I can feel kind of alive again or normal," Hennessy said.

She was introduced to wheelchair rugby two years after her injury by the Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, beginning a crucial chapter on her road to recovery. She quickly went on to make the Ontario provincial team and became the lone Canadian woman to play on an American squad with the Tampa Bay Generals.

Hennessy's quick success continued on the water. She picked up Para canoe in 2020 when the pandemic impacted team