← Duologue with Leslie Heaney
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- [00:08]
A
Hey, everybody, this is Leslie, and you're listening to Duologue with Leslie Heaney. I am so excited about our first guest. My first guest with our new name Duologue, formerly the Interview with Leslie Heaney. And it is Ally Truett. Allie is one of the most incredible people I've ever met. Her story is truly inspirational. She is a absolute dynamo, superstar, and I can't wait for you all to get to know her. A little over two years ago and just two days after her Yale graduation, Ally was in the Turks and Caicos snorkeling when she lost her leg and almost her life to a shark attack. From there, this D1 swimmer from Yale set a goal to join the Paralympic team, which was just one year after her shark attack. And not only did she make the team, but she medaled at the Olympics. And from there, she's gone on to start a foundation named after one of her mantras, which is Stronger Than youn Think. And among all the amazing things that Stronger Than youn Think the foundation does, it raises money for women and girls who can't afford prosthetics. Ali is running in the New York City Marathon in a few weeks to benefit Stronger Than youn Think. And she also has a documentary that just came out. It premiered at the Nashville Film Festival last month, and she has another screening coming up just this weekend in Newport Beach, California. The documentary is also aptly titled Stronger Than youn Think, and it chronicles her journey from amputee to paralympian. It's a film you will not want to miss. Ally, as I mentioned, is one of my personal heroes. Her story is one of resilience and resolve. She's a true inspiration to me, and I know that her story and just her as a person will be to you. So with that, here's Ali Truitt. Ali, I'm so happy to see you. And I am so grateful to you for taking the time to come on the podcast. As I mentioned to you before we started recording, I don't know how I came across you and your story on Instagram, but I just found it so inspiring. Your resilience and your resolve and all you've accomplished in your young life, but particularly you taking this event that happened to you and sort of transforming it into this incredible triumph. And this weekend is the premiere of the documentary about that journey called Stronger Than youn Think. We're in Nashville, and that's where it's premiering. And so tell me about how that. How does that feel?
- [02:44]
B
I am also just to start Thrilled to be here. So excited to be joining you. So thank you for having me. It feels really exciting, I think, you know, to be in Nashville, first of all, just for the Nashville Film Festival. It's one of the longest running film festivals. It's their 56th year this year. And I am just blown away that Stronger Than youn Think gets to premiere here. And I am so excited to continue my work to turn trauma into hope, to spread that message of hope and the message that, you know, we can overcome, we can rise back up when life knocks us down to as many people as I can. And also, Nashville is really close to my heart because Sophie, who was in the water with me during the shark attack and applied a tourniquet on my leg to save my life, was born and raised in Nashville. So it is, you know, a moment to come out and witness her heroicism and just, it feels like such a beautiful, unique blessing to get, you know, her whole hometown to come, get to see what an incredible person she was and is and her courage and composure, you know, after just having been attacked herself, too.
- [03:53]
A
In preparation for this conversation, I sort of watched different clips of you in the pool with other athletes during the Paralympics, and they all would say about you, that you always would compliment them and talk about them and all of their accomplishments. And so the fact that you're talking about your friend Sophie and sort of how she was there, and that this celebration or this incredible tribute is not just about your journey, but about her heroicism and everything that she did that day. So without getting into too much detail, and for people that don't know the story, you were a swimmer at Yale, right? You graduated, and then you decided to go on a trip with your friends Sophie to the Turks and Caicos.
- [04:39]
B
Yes. So Sophie was actually the captain of the Yale swim team my freshman year, and we were super close friends. And then when she graduated, we. Over those next four years, we stayed very close friends. So we were on a celebratory trip. It was two days after my college graduation, and she was also celebrating her graduation from medical school. Oh, wow. Yes. And while we were there in Turks and Caicos, we were snorkeling. And seemingly out of nowhere, we were in a very common, shallow tourist area, snorkeling reef, and seemingly out of nowhere, a shark appeared and started attacking us. And we fought back, but pretty quickly, it got my leg in its mouth, and the next thing I knew, it had bitten off my foot and part of my leg. And we screamed for help, but no help came. So Sophie And I made the split second decision to swim for our lives back to the boat, which was roughly 75 yards away in the open ocean. And I was footless and bleeding, and we had a shark in pursuit. And immediately on the boat, Sophie asked the captain for a tourniquet and applied it to my leg to stop the bleeding and save my life. And I think, you know, when I think about that moment, a lot of people do look and they say, gosh, what a gift that. And what a miracle that she had just graduated from medical school and knew about a tourniquet. And that's so true. What a gift. But also, if you can be someone who knows those skills and in a time of duress, of massive pressure, of having just been attacked by a shark yourself and swimming to safety yourself, was she also.
- [06:21]
A
She was also injured.
- [06:23]
B
She was not physically harmed, but she also was attacked and fought the shark. And so to think about, yes, what a gift she had, you know, the knowledge, but what a gift she is who she is and has the composure and the selflessness and the skill to look, you know, and the courage and the strength to look at your best friend footless and bleeding and get a tourniquet and apply it and tighten it. When she realized it wasn't tight enough and hold my, you know, footless leg to her chest. I just. I could talk for hours about her heroicism. And, you know, to me, just looking at those moments of two females who saved themselves and showed just unimaginable strength in that moment amidst, you know, this terrible thing, to look for light in those moments. But I was taken from there to the Turks and Caicos Hospital. I spent several long, painful hours there. My family was in the United States at the time, and I spent a lot of time on the phone with my mom.
- [07:20]
A
I was gonna ask, so, Sophie, you get to the hospital, and then she calls your parents. And then at that point, probably it was, how do we get you from that hospital to another place that can sort of take your care to the next step?
- [07:34]
B
There was a lot of question around whether or not I was stable enough to survive a flight. So we did have to wait. In the beginning, they didn't think that I was stable enough to survive a flight. And that ended up changing. But initially, yes, the doctors at home wanted me to get back to the US and also, I think, you know, I wanted to be with my family. My family wanted to be with me. And that was really hard to be in two different countries at that time. But my mom stayed on the phone with Me for six hours, you know, helping me do breathing. And she's a cognitive behavioral therapist, so any skills she could help, you know, for me to manage that pain. We did a lot of mantras. And I was ultimately airlifted to a Miami trauma hospital where coincidentally, Sophie and I had a third best friend in college named Hannah who was a diver. She was a senior diver my freshman year. And Sophie and Hannah had been best friends. And then I came in as a freshman and kind of got to join them. And Hannah was coincidentally in medical school rotations at the exact trauma hospital that I was airlifted to. So she was with me in the resuscitation.
- [08:34]
A
Stop it. Did you all. You knew that you and Sophie knew that she was there, or did you?
- [08:40]
B
Sophie. Actually, yes. Sophie was talking to her sister Ophelia, letting them know what had happened. And Ophelia, I think, I believe, was the one who put together that Hannah was at that Miami trauma hospital and got in contact with Hannah. And it was actually such a blessing too, because at the time I was having to take this flight alone. And so to know that, like I was leaving some support, but I was flying to land and immediately, see, Hannah was so comforting.
- [09:05]
A
To get me through that flight, you had to be. So it was a. So you had to be airlifted by plane and Sophie could not go on the plane with you?
- [09:13]
B
Correct.
- [09:13]
A
Okay.
- [09:14]
B
So, you know, such a gift to have Hannah there and to see her face crossfield in. And then I met my parents there and I had life saving surgery in Miami and fought off serious infection and blood transfusions. And then I was ultimately airlifted again to New York City to have my third surgery of the week at HSS, which was a trans tibial amputation on my 23rd birthday. And, you know, those were just really hard, painful, sad days. You know, I was 23 years old and had just become an amputee for the rest of my life. And I think, you know, I realized pretty quickly all those feelings were there. And at the same time, I had been given a second chance at life. I was lucky to be alive, be it in a hospital bed, losing a left leg, but I was lucky to have that chance. And I didn't want to waste it living in fear or wallowing in what could have been. I wanted to use it to make the most of it, to make meaning of it, to continue, you know, doing everything I could to have positive impact on the people around me. And so I really tried to use that to motivate me, to kind of get. Get myself Back up and start recovery and process and heal and look for the light in a dark moment and situation.
- [10:26]
A
As you said, it's your 23rd birthday, as you mentioned, you're probably thinking about, you know, I don't know what the timeframe was from when you were airlifted to the time you were at hss, but a week, two weeks, something, and just sort of how your life has changed so much in that moment. And then, as you said, you sort of had these conflicting feelings of, I can't believe this is happening, but at the same time, I'm so grateful to be here. So you're going through the surgery, and then were you just thinking, I just need to get to the next step of just figuring out how to kind of find my new normal? What was your. You talk about just looking at. Thinking about the resolve and thinking about the positive part of it, which is so strong and so impressive in your mind, what did that look like?
- [11:11]
B
Yeah, I mean, I do try to be pretty authentic about, like, the recovery from any trauma, and it's messy. Yes. There's positive mindset, and there's resolve, and there's resilience and grit, and you try really hard to stick to that. But also there's fears and doubts and worries and tears and. And it's filled with all of it. So what it looked like was when it was a moment where I needed to cry on a couch. That's what I did. And. And then I hit the reset button and got up and said, it's a gift. I'm here. I'm gonna make the most of it. I'm gonna work to recover. But it was filled with both sides of it. In the beginning days, it really was. I mean, on one hand, it was those big, heavy questions, like, my world had been turned upside down overnight. I had no idea how I was even gonna take my next step. And so it was a lot of questions around, am I ever. I'm a lifelong athlete. I love exercise. I'm someone who, like, when I'm in a bad mood, I go for a run and I feel better. And I had swole my whole life, and so I. So for me, it was, am I ever gonna be able to be an athlete again? Am I gonna enjoy all of the things I love doing. Running, walking, traveling. When I become a mother later in life, what happens if my kid runs down the street? Can I run after them? Can I jump on a trampoline with them? Like, I had 23 years old. I was like, I'm never gonna wear short Dresses again. Jess had graduated college, and so I.
- [12:25]
A
Think I had read that you had said, did you say to your parents, just throw away all my short dresses?
- [12:29]
B
I throw away Goodwill, I'm never wearing them again. And they, you know, gave some away and put some in a basement bin because they kind of had hope that maybe one day I would get back to it. But, you know, and again, like, concerns around, was anyone ever gonna find me beautiful? Was I ever gonna find myself beautiful again? I think there are, like, it's easy to. And you do fall into those really big, heavy questions immediately. And at the same time, you're also focused on, like, the day to day of how am I crutching on one foot upstairs? I don't know how to do that. And I need that to go home. The day by day recovery, that builds to a larger recovery. And so it was kind of, I had the questions, the fears, the worries, the I can'ts and I'll nevers. And I verbalize them with my family. My family did such a great job, really kind of moving at my pace, meeting me where I was. Sometimes that felt too fast and sometimes that was probably a little slow. But I think with those questions, it wasn't that we always had an answer. Like I said, give my dresses away and we put them in a bin and took them down. It wasn't like, oh, no, no, you're gonna wear them. It was like, that's where we are right now. That's where we are.
- [13:36]
A
I love that, like, your parents being wise enough to have you sort of take the lead and how you wanted to manage that.
- [13:43]
B
And I think, like, that's so hard too, because there is no manual on how to parent through a shark attack. Like, no one knows how to do that. So I, I can't imagine how hard it was for them, but they did such a great job and all of my support, like, people came out of the woodworks to be there for me. And it has made all the difference in my recovery.
- [14:01]
A
You're thinking about, as you said, sort of like, how do I go up the stairs with one crutch, Right. How do I take that first step? Literally and figuratively. Right. And then you set this goal for yourself, like, because you said you're a lifelong athlete, right? So you having thinking about, like, when am I going to be able to do all these things I love doing, Running, swimming, all those things. When did you learn about the Paralympics? When did you decide to set that as a goal? Tell me about all of that.
- [14:28]
B
Yeah, So I knew about the Paralympics before, but I don't think that in the immediate aftermath of the. I know that in the immediate aftermath of the attack, that's not where my mind was. Like, I was not thinking about it. I actually had two people. One was my mom's college teammate, had coached a Paralympian, and she had kind of brought it up with my mom and said, like, I don't know if it's too soon, but this could be something she really enjoys. And then Noel Lambert, who is a Paralympic track and field athlete, had reached out to be supportive to me in the first month, and she had said, you know, for me in the hospital, I was thinking about going for it, and I would encourage you. Just think about it. It's really healing. I love it. It gave me so much strength and got me back. And at the time, I was like, that sounds amazing for her, but I'm a month in, and I don't even know how I'm walking. I don't even have a prosthetic yet. And the Paris Paralympics are in a year, right? Like, there's no way. And so I kind of, like, let it go and was like, that's just not going to be possible, kind of. And then kind of early on in my recovery, I realized that I was feeling really afraid of the water. And I have loved water my whole life. Like, the pool is my happy space. I get in and I get an uncontrollable smile. Like, I don't control it. It overtakes my body. I feel at peace. I feel joyful. It's a safe space for me. And after the attack, because I was conscious for the attack, the water was feeling really scary. And even the sound of water when I tried to take a shower would trigger flashbacks to the attack. And so I kind of realized, like, there are some things in my story that I have lost that I'm never getting back. The things I could get back, I want to fight for. And my love of the water and swimming was one of those. And I decided to put it first on the list. And so I got back in my backyard pool, I think, six weeks after the attack. And we laugh now because I got in with a floaty around my waist because we weren't sure how I was gonna respond mentally or physically. You know, like, the temperature of a water would basically send. Like, I had new nerve endings from the amputation, so the temperature with water, the cold water, would feel like electric shocks throughout my leg because they were all getting desensitized.
- [16:41]
A
It is now, after Time, it's better.
- [16:43]
B
You have to desensitize. But, like, I built from, like, rubbing a fuzzy blanket on my leg, which would feel like electric shocks and fire. And then we graduated to a towel, and then we. And you graduate to tougher surfaces. And so the pool was another. Like, different temperatures are another kind of thing you have to conquer. And so physically, we didn't know how I was gonna respond mentally with flashbacks to the attack being back in the water. But, you know, I was a Division 1 college athlete, swimmer, and I'm getting back in with a floaty around my waist. So, you know, I started. It really was like, kind of exposure therapy. Like, I dipped my toe in, and then I got a foot, and then I got into my waist. And for a while, I didn't dunk my head or do turns just because that felt like too much. And then I did have moments where it felt, you know, like a flashback to the attack.
- [17:29]
A
Yeah.
- [17:29]
B
And I had to learn. And I had my mom there helping me and my physical therapist, by the way.
- [17:34]
A
I mean, another sort of blessing, having your mom have training in cognitive behavioral therapy. Right. Which is a really helpful tool for dealing with trauma and anxiety, all the things that come out of that.
- [17:48]
B
And she can't be my therapist, but she has the tools that our relationship. I'm so grateful for that. We're so close that those tools can be helpful. And they're almost like she says, life skills of how to view things in those moments. And then, you know, once I got back in, I did have these little, like, kind of moments where I felt joy and peace in the water again. And I really clung to that hope that I could reclaim it. And I worked at it, and I worked at it. And as I got more comfortable in the water, the dream kind of came back that, you know, hey, what if in less than a year, I could qualify for Team USA for the Paralympics? And a lot of times I feel like I have what ifs that are like, what if I fail? What if I don't do well? What if I choke? What if all the bad what ifs? And I was like, this is a really exciting, cool what if to say, what if in a year I could recover from a shark attack and an amputation and get to go represent my country at the Paris Paralympics? I want to kind of ride that. Exciting what if? And initially, honestly, before that, I was also doing it as physical therapy, like, exercise, because I couldn't run, I couldn't walk, I couldn't be fit for a prosthetic at that time, because you have to let the injury heal. And so this was my form of cardio. It was my release. My coach came out of retirement to come coach me.
- [19:02]
A
Oh, that's amazing.
- [19:02]
B
Yeah, he's my high school coach. And so it really was exercise. And then.
- [19:06]
A
So you were learning how to swim, obviously, in a totally different way, because you couldn't swim with any kind of prosthetic or any other sort of assistance. So it's your one leg and then your other leg and trying to figure out what that new rhythm feels like.
- [19:21]
B
Cause it's a completely different center of gravity and balance in the water to be only having one leg. You're not allowed to compete with a prosthetic on. So I did have to relearn, you know, a sport I'd known since I was 7 years old. And that was frustrating and challenging at times, too. And then something, you know, I was really surprised to learn that. I think a lot of people are surprised to learn. I had always respected Paralympians, grit and fortitude and strength and thought they were amazing. I don't think I ever realized how fast Paralympians are.
- [19:49]
A
Yeah. And like, you're like, these people can actually really run super fast.
- [19:54]
B
So, like, for some context, for me to make a medal at the Paralympics, I had to swim roughly the same times that I had swum to get recruited. Division one to swim at Yale with two legs, this time with one. Wow.
- [20:08]
A
I couldn't get over when I had watched clips of the other athletes that were competing with you on the American team, just how incredibly fit and strong I mean, this is, just as you said, this is. You know, qualifying is a serious, serious accomplishment. You know, above and beyond. Just as you're saying. Just Even being a D1 swimmer in.
- [20:27]
B
College, yes, it was a big. It was like pulling a rabbit out of a hat to decide I was gonna kind of delay my post grad job and go for it and try to make it. But I think one, ultimately that I was so glad. Even in the daily pursuit of the goal, the Paralympics massively expedited my recovery and let me focus on all that I still had and all that I could still do, as opposed to wallowing in that other side. You gave me so much strength and hope in that first year.
- [20:56]
A
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- [22:21]
B
Yes.
- [22:22]
A
And again, you're sort of just learning how to swim again. And then how soon after that did you. Are we looking at like, late in the summer, early fall? How many months after the attack did you decide this was gonna be your goal?
- [22:37]
B
So I didn't fully decide. Basically I was back in six weeks after the attack, but I was in like, I was wearing a floaty belt, kind of like aqua jogging. I wasn't like serious training. And then I kind of said, hey, what if? And I called the director of US Paralympic Swimming just to understand what I would need to do. And the last meet for me to qualify for nationals, which was a requirement in order to be able to make the Paralympic team. And nationals were in December, was this meet in September. So that was three and a half months out from the shark attack and amputation. And that was the first I went to that meet. And I had been in like a real pool for a few days at that point, like two or three days. So that was three and a half months out from the shark attack and amputation. We went to this meet in Georgia. I got my, my parents thought it was a terrible idea. They were like, where we, we don't even. Like, I was still on crutches on the pool deck. Like it was. But I really just wanted to give myself. Leave the door open.
- [23:35]
A
Right. Let's just try. Right? Let's try.
- [23:37]
B
So I qualified for nationals there, and I decided that I was gonna train, see how nationals went. And. And so in December, I decided that I was gonna go for it. And trials were in June. So that was what, six months after the decision? Yes. Yeah. So it was really, you know, ultimately, from that first meet in September, it was nine months away to qualify, so it was a really fast turnaround. And then to layer in, of course, physically and emotionally recovering from a shark attack and amputation.
- [24:05]
A
So those are the big meets that lead to the actual. The trials. Right. So there's not. It's not like, you know, in tennis, there's so many different matches for the. For to qualify for the Paralympics. You have those. You've got. You had that sort of late summer, then you had December, and then the next big one is in June.
- [24:23]
B
Yeah, there are a few other ones. So, like, I had to do an international competition, so I went to European Championships. That was another requirement. And there were a few kind of more local meets I went to as well. But the big requirement was nationals, which I needed to get a cut for or at that other meet, European Championships, and then trials is where you find out. Like, that's where you find out whether you make it or not.
- [24:43]
A
Right. If you make the team. So this is all happening. And then at what point did you get fitted for a prosthetic? And I wanna talk about prosthetics and how you decided to start the foundation at the same time, Ali. Because that I'm just so impressed by, again, this sort of talks and speaks to sort of. You always kind of looking to boost others and talk about other people and think about other people that didn't have the same access to prosthetics that you perhaps did. And so when did you get fitted for one? And what did you learn about them? And how did you learn about sort of the piece of them not being covered by insurance, which I was shocked to learn and thinking about our conversation today.
- [25:23]
B
Right. So I think I got fitted roughly two months after the attack and amputation. You do have to let your incision heal before you can be fitted for a prosthetic. And so I had to wait. And I spent a lot of time on crutches in one leg.
- [25:39]
A
Yeah.
- [25:40]
B
And I. So I was, you know, it was really hard to learn to use a prosthetic, but I was also so grateful for a little bit of, like, a semblance of independence and being able to walk Again, but when I got fitted and, you know, just becoming an amputee, I was shocked to learn how expensive prosthetics are and how little is covered by insurance relative to what's needed. So, like to give you an idea, obviously it varies case to case, person to person, insurance to insurance, but basically, typically a leg can cost anywhere from $10,000 to over $100,000 and. Right.
- [26:13]
A
Stop it.
- [26:14]
B
Isn't that. Yeah. And typically insurance covers one basic prosthetic every three to five years. But I think, you know, life as an amputee for, for me felt like it was hard enough that we shouldn't also have to be concerned with how we're going to afford a part of our body that we need just to live. And prosthetics really are tools. So if you want to run, you need an entirely different system.
- [26:40]
A
That's what I was going to ask you. So it's not just. It's not one prosthetic for one thing. Right. You need. I've seen your training for your marathon, right. You have one for running and then you have another. So insurance only covers you usually for one base prosthetic.
- [26:56]
B
So also that's the other thing is, like, as someone who loves a lot of functional movement and enjoys exercise and hiking and strength work and whatever that may be, more functional prosthetics allow for a fuller life, a more healthy and active lifestyle, and typically those won't be fully covered things like for an above knee amputee, a microprocessor knee that moves right then. So, right. There's a lot of kind of like even the nuances within a prosthetic that make or break a recovery. Make or break kind of you getting back to your career, your life, passions, your full mobility. And so I really wanted to do something to help. You know, it is a. You know, I feel so grateful that I can have the prosthetics that I need to get back to this life that I love. And I want everyone that I can help to get to. And so, you know, I knew early on the support for me was a complete game changer. The people who came out to support me in any way they could. There are so many different examples of people who gave everything they had to be there for me, big and small, different timelines. Like there was no expiration date on the support.
- [28:02]
A
And your town was right? My town came out. Yes.
- [28:06]
B
And that support for me is what took me from the lowest low to the podium at the Paralympics. It is such a game changer in a recovery. And so I knew early on, I'm so lucky to have this. I can't wait until I can pay it forward. And learning about the cost of prosthetics and how essential they are to reclaiming mobility and life joys and your happiness and independence, I knew that that was going to be an area that I really wanted to focus in on. And then with the nonprofit stronger than you think, it focuses on the three pillars I say that saved my life and helped me rebuild it. So one is funding for prosthetics for young women and girls. The second is the Paralympic movement, and the third is water safety. You know, knowing how to swim and swim well saved my life. It saved Sophie's life. And everyone deserves access to learning how to swim. So it is really healing work for me. I think, you know, to be able to take this kind of senseless trauma, it would be so easy to sit here and say, why me? And to take this senseless trauma, this bad thing that happened to me, and use it for good, to impact others and help them, that is so healing for me. That is so helpful in my recovery, too. And so I've really enjoyed, especially since coming home from the Paralympics, being able to pour my efforts into continuing to grow the foundation and to have impact there. And, you know, what I love about it, too, is those are the three pillars that it helps. But the message is for everyone. That is the biggest learning over the past two years. For me, I just think we are all so much stronger than we think. I think we have so much more in us. I really do believe, like, we are sitting on wells of capacity that we don't know we have within us. And if we can open even just a little bit of our minds to the possibility that when our brain says we're done, we might have a little bit more in us, we will surprise ourselves.
- [29:54]
A
But I think, you know, what you said earlier is that, you know, having having you there as an example for others, like you had that woman who reached out to you in the first month, who had done.
- [30:04]
B
Who had.
- [30:05]
A
Was a paralympian herself, you had all this support from your community kind of helping, as you said, sort of inspiring you to have that final, incredible moment of being on that podium. You are serving as an example to others. And whether it's someone who's suffered a trauma from being an amputee or just all of these young women or old women like me are just so inspired by you having that resolve. Because while that is true, we all are stronger than you think. Sometimes people just don't have the, you know, the ability to kind of sort of dig down and find it. And seeing your example sort of serves as. Doesn't sort of. It serves as a real inspiration for those to dig down and find it. But tell me, so you've. I know you've raised enough money to provide prosthetics for, I think, eight new prosthetics or maybe even more by now.
- [30:57]
B
Yes, we've given 11 prosthetics. 11 for women and girls.
- [31:01]
A
Amazing.
- [31:02]
B
Yes.
- [31:03]
A
And so you've got that. And then I was also very just so sort of horrified to learn that the leading cause of death from children ages 0 to 4 is drowning. And then I forget, the statistic from 5 to 11 is also pretty. Yeah. How is that? Are you funding different Learning to swim programs in different communities?
- [31:25]
B
Yes, we give water safety grants, and it's provided, you know, thousands of hours of swim lessons to children in underserved areas. And it feel, you know, like, really impactful and needed work. And it can happen when you least expect it. Even, you know, as a capable Division 1 swimmer, that was a skill that I needed to save my life. And you never know when you need it. And so I feel really excited to be able to contribute there as well. And then we have some exciting gifts coming or grants coming to the Paralympic movement as well.
- [31:54]
A
Oh, that's so. Okay. So let's talk about the documentary, which is coming out or premiering, I should say, in two days. I'm very excited to be going. As I told you before we started, I was, you know, emailing my friends in Nashville who have daughters, saying you have to come out and see Ally and learn more about her amazing story and all the incredible work that she does. But how did that come about? So the documentary itself, and, you know, were you sort of tracking your progress as you went along, or tell me how they got sort of the footage and how the whole thing kind of played out in terms of production, but also how you were approached to share your story.
- [32:29]
B
I was connected with Impact Partners. We were connected. And they are a almost all female documentary crew, or the company is. Janice Molinari was the filmmaker. And they have a lot. They have a long history of powerful female athlete stories, and they are incredible at telling them and they are incredible at focusing on the impact side of it, of what message do we want to share here and how is this going to impact the people around us as well? And so I. I'm so grateful to them for really walking into, you know, a home filled with trauma.
- [33:05]
A
Yeah.
- [33:06]
B
And Learning how to have the courage to navigate that. And I was kind of being told early on, you know, like, even three months into my recovery that the way that I was approaching my journey, the way that I was healing and recovering and what I was doing was helpful to other people and that was healing to me to think that something good could come of this bad thing. And what an honor and a privilege to be in a position where something that I'm doing is helpful to someone else. Like, that is a gift and one that if I am in the position that that's the case, I want to continue spreading that message and helping other people, you know, realize their capabilities too, and their strength. And so it was completely new to think I'm going to have cameras around me. And we started filming in.
- [33:54]
A
I was going to ask how soon after did they hear about your story?
- [33:57]
B
And, yeah, so we started filming in March of 2024, which I think is like nine months after. And so it really was in those early months of trauma, you know, the first year after this life changing attack. And it also, you know, we started filming when the outcome of my story was uncertain, right? We didn't know if I was gonna make the Paralympics. We didn't know if I was gonna medal. Like, we really didn't know how it was gonna unfold. And I think for me, that was a decision that, like, I did not want to wait and do this documentary five years down the line retrospectively, where I can tie a pretty bow on it and say, like, here's what I did. I wanted to film in what I call the mess of now.
- [34:37]
A
Yes.
- [34:37]
B
Like, I think, and that's what it is. There are highs, there are lows, it is messy. That's recovery, right? And so I hope that if someone else is in their own challenge, be that, you know, financial struggles or abusive relationships, I get all these people writing me notes of all different challenges, right? To understand that, like, we can turn trauma into hope, we can rise back up, we can bounce back. But that's not to say that it is not filled with a lot of challenges and unwanted news and highs and lows and ups and downs along the way. And so really, you know, starting that filming in the uncertainty of how it was gonna play out, with this looming unknown of could I pull this, you know, rabbit out of the hat and also recover from trauma and navigate infections and leg issues and learning how to use a prosthetic and realizing what my new reality looked like. You know, when I started filming, I actually didn't even want to be in an athletic prosthetic. I only wanted one that looked exactly like my other leg. I thought I would never wear a running blade because it doesn't look anything like a leg. And now I'm sitting here, as the documentary is premiering, training for the New York City Marathon.
- [35:43]
A
Yeah, I can't wait to talk about that.
- [35:45]
B
It's such a cool kind of. Of like they really were there for all of these learnings and the mess. And so that was.
- [35:53]
A
Which, by the way, is such another amazing part of your story. Your message. Right, is that it's not, as you said, it's not all gonna be. You're not gonna just see the pretty bow at the end of you being on the podium. It's the real life. It's the humanity of all the things that you go through to get to that. That moment.
- [36:10]
B
Right.
- [36:11]
A
So let's talk about the moment you qualify, right, at the trials, and then you're competing. What was that like? And what was it also like? And maybe you're meeting other people that you know along the way that are other Paralympians. But I would think, too, being around other people who've had. I don't know what their stories are that led to their amputations or their having lost a limb, but just being with other people that you could share, sort of share your stories and sort of the ups and downs and the struggles of training for it and competing and all the things that go into being an athlete that has lost a limb. Yes.
- [36:44]
B
Paralympic movement is incredible. Yeah. And it is unifying, and it highlights just, you know, to me, it was this way to show myself all that I could still do, and I could look to other people and learn that around me and see them, and. And then I could see it in myself. And to have the example set around me, to have, you know, the team welcome me in, as I was learning all of this newness. And then to be at the Paralympics was just an amazing journey. And I just felt like that movement was so. And is so healing. And also, I think it's such a message to change the perception of what people with disabilities are capable of. And that is, you know, something that I'm still working to continue doing. I think, you know, now more than ever, I really understand how much representation matters. If you can see it, you can be it.
- [37:35]
A
Yeah.
- [37:35]
B
And, you know, the Paralympics was my first kind of understanding there of really what that means to say, okay, like, this is showing me that I can do this. And to be, you know, Paris did such an Amazing job. It was so cool. And to walk out to a sold out.
- [37:51]
A
How many countries compete? Is it the same number as the, as the, as the Olympics itself, I think. Okay, who else was sort of in that? So you, you, without stealing the punchline here, tell us about the medals that you won. But maybe who else was on the podium with you or what other countries was it were the US who, who was the silver and the. I mean, sorry, who was the gold? Who was the bronze? What was the gold?
- [38:16]
B
Was Canadian.
- [38:17]
A
Okay.
- [38:17]
B
And I think, you know, it is all these different countries at the Paralympics and everyone wants medals for their countries and you are in the same. You know, the Olympic village and the Paralympic village are the same village. We were in the same arena.
- [38:30]
A
Amazing.
- [38:31]
B
We walked out to a sold out crowd of 20,000 people and lights and music, and I had never.
- [38:37]
A
How did that feel. And representing your country with the flag.
- [38:40]
B
So, you know, for me, my recovery is on the shoulders of so many everyday American heroes who rose up and saved my life and helped me rebuild it. And so getting to race with the American flag on my cap felt like a thank you to all of those heroes. And so for me, getting to race to represent your country is such an honor. To get to thank them is such an honor. And then. So to be able to bring home two silver medals and two American records just felt like a really special way to be able to thank them and also to continue showing myself. I'm so much stronger than I thought. That's never where I would have envisioned myself. A year out from a shark attack and an amputation. And then to get the second day. Well, both days I had over 50 friends and family who took time off of life and work and family to fly to Paris to be in the Sandstitute.
- [39:26]
A
For me, amazing.
- [39:27]
B
Yes. And that felt, I mean, at moments it felt like I was like, oh, my God, everyone's here to watch me. I'm a little nervous. But it was also like to get to walk out and hug them and to have their support in the stands just like meant more than I think they will ever know. And to know that they were there for me and they were there for the whole Paralympic movement felt so special. And then I got to get off the podium the second night and go hug Sophie, Hannah and my mom.
- [39:51]
A
Oh, stop it. You're gonna make me cry. Oh, my God.
- [39:54]
B
So it was, it was these really special moments of, of just all of us realizing, like, rebuilding is possible.
- [40:00]
A
Yeah.
- [40:01]
B
Coming back after trauma to a more hopeful space is possible. And look at what we can do.
- [40:08]
A
And just one year in. Just one year.
- [40:11]
B
Yeah.
- [40:13]
A
So Stronger Than youn Think is the name of your foundation. How did you. Was it something that you were just sort of would say to yourself or others would say, like, allie, I'm just so blown away by how you're moving forward and how you're so gracefully handling this situation. And did you say sort of like, well, I guess you're stronger than you. So tell. How did it. It's just such a. It's such a inspirational title and such a great message.
- [40:38]
B
Thank you. You know, a few things. The first is that I had heard David Goggins talk about how we are only operating at 40% of our capacity. Okay. And when I initially heard that, like, I think before the attack, I was like, oh, that's like, some hype. That's like, not really, like, okay, but living life as an amputee. I was like, he's right. We have so much more in us than we think we do. And our brain says, we're done, and we're not. We have more in us, and we really are only operating at, you know, I don't know what the number is, but it is not our full capacity. And so realizing that was like, we have more in us. And then to look back at my own journey and Sophie, for that matter, and say, do you think that if you got attacked by. If someone asked me, what would you do if a shark bit your foot off and part of your life off and you're bleeding out in the ocean and no one is coming to. Right. Like, what would you do? I don't think my answer would be like, fight the shark and swim myself to safety, stay conscious, then recover and make the pit. Like, the whole journey for me, I have surprised myself and Sophie and her courage and strength and grace and all the people who came out and supported me. But I think the message of that is, I'm stronger than I thought I was. I have more in me than I would have ever given myself credit for. And so realizing that in myself, I was like, yes, it's unique that I got attacked by a shark and lost my leg. That message that we all have more in us, that's not unique to me. We all have that. I think our minds can limit us sometimes. And so that message, you're stronger than you think. You have more in you. I do now tell myself it. And I actually have a lot of friends and family who reach out, and they're like, I'm on a run, and I'M telling myself, and it works.
- [42:18]
A
I'm. You know, I just started a diet alley, and I'm like. I was like, you know, we have friends visiting this weekend. I'm like, I'm not. We're going out tonight. I'm like, not gonna have any wine. I'm gonna not try not to have any of the cheese plate. And I'm gonna. I'm gonna. Excuse me.
- [42:32]
B
Stronger than it's gonna.
- [42:34]
A
No, it works.
- [42:36]
B
Who knew?
- [42:37]
A
Who knew? But so right after this, so you have this incredible moment, right? You win the silver twice. You set a record, and you've got your family there and your two dear friends, one, as you said, who saved your life. They're there sharing that moment. And then you go home and you know, at all that you've accomplished in that year. And then how do you decide, okay, next. My next goal is to run the New York City Marathon.
- [43:03]
B
Yeah. So that goal had definitely been on my mind, honestly. Felt pretty unattainable in the early phases. It wasn't necessarily even a goal. It was like, I thought about it basically because 10 days before the shark attack, I had run a marathon with my mom. And so literally on the boat ride back, right after having been attacked, this first responder, Matthew, came on the boat. And I looked at him and I was like. I was trying to keep myself conscious and calm. And so I looked at him and I was like, well, at least I got my marathon in before this. Basically saying, like, I'm never running again. I don't even have a foot now. Yeah. And he looked back at me and was like, you're gonna run another one. And I am so grateful to him in that moment, obviously for everything he did, but also, like, he didn't let that doubt live in my mind for a moment. We were on the boat ride back. I was not even in a hospital. I was still in very much life or death. And he was quashing that doubt. And I think for me, that was so powerful because even though I was kind of doubting it myself at that moment, like, he planted the seed of, like, you're gonna do another one. And sometimes it does take someone else believing in you to like, just these.
- [44:12]
A
Little angels kind of just these messages.
- [44:15]
B
And so initially we ran. My family's a turkey trot family. Yes. We do it every year. We're very competitive. And the first year I ran it in like a non running leg. Okay. And it was painful and awkward. You don't have an ankle, so there's no, like, I see it's really hard. And I ran it. Ran it. And.
- [44:36]
A
And is it hard? I mean, not to tell me if I'm asking too many personal questions, but I would think the leg. At your leg itself, when you take the prosthetic off, is it just, like, hurts. Yeah.
- [44:46]
B
And especially not having the blade, like, it's the most painful. It just jams in the bottom and, like, it's an awkward gait. You're probably going to hurt yourself if you run too far.
- [44:56]
A
Right.
- [44:56]
B
It's uncomfortable. It's. And so after that turkey trot, I was like, oh, that's something that's gone. Like, I just won't run. And eventually, after I came home from Paris, I got a running blade, and my prosthetist was like, I know you don't think you're ready to wear something that doesn't look like you're like. But, like, we think you're ready. And. And I.
- [45:17]
A
You're a paralympian. You're like, you're feeling good, right? You're like, I think this. Maybe I can take this next step.
- [45:22]
B
Ultimately, I realized, like, I'm carrying so much with me that I have so many things to learn and to grow and to kind of, like, be focused on that. I can't continue, like, burdening myself with how someone else is going to react when they see a prosthetic leg. And that's hard. Like, I'll be honest, I still have moments where I'm, like, watching people's eyes to see if they're staring, and it hurts and it's hard and upsetting. But I was like, if that's what it costs for me to get back to something I love to run, then I'm going to do that. I love running. And, yes, it looks different, but that is what I can do right now. And the people who love me love me for my heart, not for my left leg. And I am going to back to what I love. And so I started learning how to use this running blade. And that was about a year ago. And from there, I started again. What if. What if I could do that? And what a special moment that would be to have run a marathon 10 days before the attack with my mom on two legs, and to now run with. Run with her, you know, the New York City Marathon, on my blade two years after the attack and kind of show myself again. This is something else you could reclaim. It takes work. It takes pain and tears and all of it, but you can get back to your life choice. And you know what also is A really big motivator for me with the New York City Marathon is that I can fundraisers stronger than you think.
- [46:33]
A
Yes.
- [46:34]
B
I am running to raise money for other young women and girls so that they can get running blades and run too. And so it is a hugely deep why of not only do I want to continue showing the world what people with disabilities can do, like run a marathon, but I also want to fundraise. So at mile 21, when I am in massive pain and my leg hurts and there's all these nuances with the prosthetic blade, I'm thinking about our first prosthetic recipient, Talia, a beautiful seven year old, full of life, you know, so joyful. And I'm thinking about Celeste, a quad amputee we were able to support, who's a pediatric speech pathologist, back helping our kids. Like there's just a million examples. And so to have such a strong why has really like honestly fueled my fight as I work to train.
- [47:17]
A
You're training well, you. Why I let you know you sort of set the Paralympic goal. Right. To help you get back swimming and get sort of reclaim that part of yourself and then to get to reclaim this other love, this other sport of running by having that goal but knowing. Which is very true to you. Ali, I don't know you so well, but I feel like I know you pretty well from preparing for this conversation and chatting with you about how you're just so selfless and always thinking about others. So having this other goal, to know that you're raising money for other amputees and what an impact you can make for their lives and their journey has got to be such a motivating. It sounds like it is your motivating force.
- [47:54]
B
It really is. And being able to, you know, with the 11 prosthetics we've already given, to see the impact. Yes. And really what a game changer and a life changer it is to get in good fitting, high quality prosthetics that are massively expensive. I just want to continue doing that as much as I can. I want to grow the foundation, I want to have more impact. I want to increase education and awareness and funding. And so it is the cause.
- [48:16]
A
I don't think people are aware. I was not aware of it until learning about the foundation or until I became a Right, right. That it's not covered by insurance and how limiting that can be to someone who doesn't have the resources to try to explore passions of theirs or to have the multiple different prosthetics available or Even just one that is the right one for them. Right. Because it sounds like there's varying levels or degrees of prosthetic based on the cost of it. So you told me that tomorrow you're running a 14 mile training marathon or training run. We're in Nashville. It is not. The weather can be a little steamy, little steamier. September 19th. It's today. It's September 20th. Tomorrow you've got your big premiere on Sunday, which I cannot wait to go to. And then what is the date for the marathon?
- [49:08]
B
November 2nd. Okay, it's coming up.
- [49:11]
A
It's coming up.
- [49:11]
B
I did my 20 mile training run last weekend, so.
- [49:14]
A
Oh, my gosh. You know, my husband was a marathon runner. He has run like 13 or 14 marathons. So I have a bit of a, you know, I'm always the one who would, you know, like when he ran the Paris Marathon, I'm like, I'm going to grab a glass of wine. I'll see you at the finish line. I'm always the finish line person.
- [49:30]
B
I love that. It's a good sign.
- [49:31]
A
Yeah, exactly. I'm never the one who's helping with the training, but I am familiar with the amount of effort that it takes and just what an incredible accomplishment it is. And I'm just. I can't wait to see you get across that finish line.
- [49:45]
B
And I'm doing it with my mom, my dad, Sophie, Hannah.
- [49:48]
A
Stop it.
- [49:48]
B
A lot of other friends. It's gonna be so.
- [49:50]
A
And you're all raising money for Stronger than you Think. Okay, so let's talk about that. So people that are listening and are as inspired by Ally as I am and as moved by the incredible work that she's doing. People can go to your website to learn how to support Stronger Than youn Think and probably even to maybe even sponsor your run. Is there a link there?
- [50:08]
B
Stronger than you think do is our main website. And from there you can click into the marathon page or I can also send you the specific campaign page.
- [50:16]
A
Great.
- [50:17]
B
I would be so grateful, really. Every dollar does count. And it is what's continuing to fuel me to train and to get through this and to really fight for this marathon. So, you know, which is not easy. It's grueling training. And so it really, you know, sometimes when I'm struggling on a run, I pull up our campaign page and look at the donations. Talent myself. So it really matters. I really appreciate it. So great.
- [50:39]
A
So it's been a little over two years since this event. Right. That took your life. An entirely different and incredible Direction. You've got the foundation that you started. You're doing all this incredible work. You're a Paralympian now. You've got the marathon coming up. What is the next. I just don't even running for president. Like, what is next, Ally? What is next on your goals? Or have you had a chance to think about that yet?
- [51:08]
B
I sold my book, so I sold my proposal and I'll continue writing it. Yes, great. That will come out in 2027, which I'm really excited about. And then I think for me, you know, I feel like if there are eyes and attention on my story, I would like to use that to have as much impact as I can to help other people, to shine a light on so many other incredible Paralympians and people with disabilities and to do what I can there. And so I really am focused on continuing to be an advocate, continuing to use the attention on my story to help us all. And I also, you know, find this work on my nonprofit, so healing. And so I want to continue growing it. Ideally, you know, someday it is stronger than you think, is a household name impacting millions. And so that is going to be, you know, a big focus for me, is continuing to grow that, continuing to fundraise and have impact there. And. And then, of course, LA is gonna be a home game, so I'm looking forward to that as well.
- [52:07]
A
What's happening in LA 2028.
- [52:08]
B
Paralympics are in LA. Oh, a home.
- [52:10]
A
Oh, yes, a home game. Now, I'm sorry. Yes, I know about this because they're also. I mean, anyway, our daughter did a couple programs out at usc, and so we were out there visiting and they have a whole new setup there for Ubers because they're preparing for this. Sorry, when you said home game, I lost the thread there.
- [52:27]
B
Yeah.
- [52:28]
A
Hashtag, thisis51. Sorry about that. No, you. But I cannot wait. So you're. You're. So that's going to be on the horizon, too.
- [52:36]
B
So once I kind of. Right now, I'm not competing this year because I'm focused on the marathon.
- [52:39]
A
Right.
- [52:39]
B
But once that's over, I will get back into training with eyes towards making the team for LA 2020.
- [52:45]
A
Oh, my gosh. I cannot wait. I cannot wait. I mean, I, I'm gonna follow your story, Allie, like a. Yeah, I appreciate it. And I, you know, I can't wait to see you back on that podium because knowing your resolve, all of your. Just your passion and your grit and your enthusiasm, I know you're gonna get there. And I know you're gonna make stronger than you think a household name. And I so grateful to you for taking the time and sharing your story. You know, as I said, it's such an inspiration to me and I know it will be to everyone who's listening. Thank you.
- [53:12]
B
I'm so grateful to you for sharing my story.
- [53:14]
A
Oh, my gosh, it's my pleasure. And I can't wait for Sunday, the big day. And I will. And I, you know, I'll get all the information to everybody, too, on all the different premieres that are coming out where you can see the documentary so you can even get more up close and personal on Ally's incredible journey. So, Ali, thank you so much.
- [53:32]
B
Thanks so much.
- [53:36]
A
That brings us to the end of this episode of Duologue. A huge thank you to Ali Truitt for joining me. I loved every minute of my conversation with Ali and I can't wait to see what she does next. She's an absolute dynamo and we'll be cheering her on from afar at the New York City Marathon in a couple of weeks. Also, a big thank you too, to our sponsor, Karun and all of their incredible products. Be sure to check out their website, www.rent. and looking forward to next week. We have another great episode of Duolog coming out, so be sure to tune in and don't forget to rate and review us wherever you get your podcast, Apple or Spotify or wherever. We really, really appreciate those reviews. And I hope you'll check out our substack and subscribe and check out some of our new merchandise on our new website@duologpod.com and until next Wednesday, this is Leslie. And thank you so much for listening to Duologie.