OCONOMOWOC, Wis. — Family and friends of wheelchair curling Paralympian Laura Dwyer held a viewing party in Oconomowoc to cheer her on during her first mixed doubles curling competition at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan.
Dwyer, a Hartland native who now lives in Oconomowoc, has inspired her community after overcoming a life-changing injury. In 2012, a tree branch fell on her while she was landscaping, broke her spine, and left her wheelchair bound. Her friends and family have since raised $45,000 to help fund her Paralympic journey.
Margaret Dwyer, Laura's mother-in-law, was emotional watching her compete on the world stage. The pride extends well beyond the family, with Laura's name recognized wherever her in-laws go.
"I'm trying not to cry!" she said. "Everywhere we go, 'Is Laura your daughter-in-law?'"
Margaret described watching Laura's recovery and rise to the Paralympics as a testament to her daughter-in-law's character.
"We were just getting through the day, getting through the week—just watching her," she said. "She's tough. She really is tough. She really didn't have a choice, so she got up and got it done!"
Watch party organizer Lou Kowieski helped bring the community together to celebrate Dwyer's achievement and said her story carries a powerful message.
"Through curling, she's inspiring others," he said. "When she was pinned on the ground, there was electricity going through the ground, and now she's in the Paralympics."
Kowieski drew a striking contrast between the accident that changed Dwyer's life and where she stands today.
"It's literally like the American dream," he said. "She's living it and showing other people how to do it."
Dwyer and her curling partner Steve Emt, another Wisconsin native, have already defeated Latvia in competition. Their next match is Thursday at 3 a.m., followed by another match at noon.
Another watch party for Dwyer will be held at the Kettle Moraine Curling Club in Delafield on March 11 at 8 a.m. — a match in which she and her partner could medal. Her in-laws are taking the journey one game at a time.
"I don't even want to think about that yet!" they said. "It's too soon! Yeah, one game at a time!"
All Paralympic Games and events will stream on Peacock. Some events will air on NBC on weekends, with weekday coverage on USA Network.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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