Brenna Huckaby: I Forge My Own Path

This 3x paralympic champ is on a mission

When asked what she wants younger athletes to know, Brenna shared, “I want you to know you have a choice. You have a choice in how your story is told.”

Adaptive athlete stories are frequently co-opted and portrayed through an ‘inspiration lens’ whether or not that resonates with each athlete. That is part of why Brenna co-founded Culxtured, a media collective revolutionize the way the world views para sport. Culxtured is a movement to educate and challenge societal perceptions around disabilities — to eliminate the “UN” from uncultured.

In this episode of Making It to Milan, co-host Dani Aravich sits down with Brenna Huckaby, a Paralympic snowboarder representing Team USA, to talk about her road to the Milano Cortina Paralympic Games. Brenna shares how she went from growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a gymnast to being diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 14, undergoing an above-the-knee amputation, and discovering snowboarding on a rehabilitation ski trip in Utah. She opens up about moving across the country at 17 to pursue the sport, qualifying for her first Paralympics at 22, and the legal fight she led to ensure her classification category could compete in Beijing. Brenna reflects on motherhood between Games, managing PMDD and ADHD, navigating prosthetic fit while gaining strength, and embracing her role as a veteran leader on Team USA as she prepares for Milan. She’s joined by a very special guest, her 9 year-old daughter, who shares how she can’t wait to cheer for her mom in Milan.

a few of our favorite brenna quotes

how does a paralympian prep for the games?

We caught up with Brenna Huckaby just months before Milano Cortina—right in the thick of her season, with multiple World Cups still ahead.

She calls them “the battle before the war.”

For Brenna, preparation isn’t just physical—it’s strategic. Not every competition carries the same weight, and learning to rank what matters most has been key to sustaining her energy, focus, and longevity across a demanding season.

And of course, we had to ask: how did it all begin? From her first introduction to snowboarding to becoming one of the sport’s most dominant forces, Brenna’s journey is anything but ordinary.