Haven Shepherd

Haven Shepherd (born March 9, 2003) is a Vietnamese-American Paralympic swimmer.[1][2] In 2018, she was included on the BBC 100 Women list.[3]

Haven Shepherd
Personal information
Born (2003-03-09) March 9, 2003
Do Thi Thuy Phuong, Vietnam
Sport
SportSwimming
ClassificationsS8
Medal record
Representing  United States
Parapan American Games
2023 Santiago200m individual medley SM8

Early life

Shepherd was born Do Thi Thuy Phuong in Quang Nam province, Vietnam after her parents had an affair.[4][5][2] When she was 14 months old, her parents died in a bomb explosion, either as a double suicide or as a murder-suicide perpetuated by her father.[4][5] Although Shepherd was also intended to die in the explosion, she was instead blown 40 feet away and only sustained damage to her legs.[6][7] An older half-sister also survived the explosion.[4][5] Shepherd was brought by her grandmother to a hospital in Da Nang, where both her legs were amputated.[4][5] At age 20 months, she was adopted by an American couple from Carthage, Missouri, who had six older children.[5][6]

Shepherd learned to swim by age 3.[6] She was homeschooled.[1]

Athletic career

Shepherd began swimming competitively at age 10.[6] By the time she was 13, the US Paralympic team began tracking her as a potential candidate based on her times.[5]

At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, Shepherd came fifth in the Women's 200m Individual Medley SM8.[7][6]

Personal life

Shepherd uses prosthetic legs.[4]

References
  1. "Haven Shepherd". www.teamusa.com. 2023-08-31. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  2. "Finding safe Haven: Suicide prompts swimmer's family journey". AP News. 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  3. "BBC 100 Women 2018: Who is on the list?". BBC News. 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  4. Gregorian, Vahe (August 22, 2021). "From bomb survivor in Vietnam to life in Missouri, this paralympian is a living miracle". Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  5. "The girl who was never meant to survive". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  6. Wang, Selina; Ramsay, George (2021-09-01). "Paralympian Haven Shepherd on surviving a family suicide and the 'gift' of being an amputee". CNN. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  7. "Haven Shepherd – the US swimmer who survived a family suicide attempt to become a Paralympian". olympics.com. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
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