SOLEDAD: WELCOME BACK TO "MATTER OF FACT" THE 2020 PARAOLYMPIC GAMES ARE COMING TO A CLOSE IN TOKYO THIS WEEKEND. ATHLETES FROM MORE THAN 160 COUNTRIES HAVE INSPIRED THE WORLD WITH THEIR STRENGTH AND ADAPTABILITY. 37 YRSEA AGO AT AGE 19 ALPINE SKIER BONNIE ST. HNJO BECAME THE URFIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO MEDA TATHE PARALYMPICS WITH A SLAVE AND TWO BRONZE. AFRTERA GDUATING FROM HARVARD SHE WAS A RHODES SCHOLAR, FORTUNE 500 EXECUTIVE AND ADVISOR TO THE WHITE USHOE. SHE WAS NUMBE ONED OF THE FIVE MOST INSPIRING WOMEN IN AMERA.IC OUR CORRESPONDENT JULIA SUN GOT THE CHANCE TO MEET HER AT HER HOME INPS UTATE NEW YORK TO TALK ABOUT SPORTS, DETERMINATION AND RESILIENCE. >> WHENHE T U.S. DELEGATION MARCHED INTO THE ARENA AT THE 8419 PARALYMPICS GAMES IN INNSBRUCK NOBODY INCLUDING BONNIE ST. JOHN GUESSED THAT SHE WAS ABOUT TO MILWAUKEE SPORTS HISTORY. >> HITTING THE RED AND BLUE POLES I GET TO WHERE I COULD SEE THEIN FISH LINE AND I THINK I HAVE MADE IT AND WON THE GOAL APPEAR THAT'S WN HEI HIT THE ICE AND I TRIED TO HOLD ON TO MY EDGE WITH ONE LEG AND YOU FELL IN THE SNOW. I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED. I THOUTGH IT IS ORVE BUT MY TRAINING WAS TO FINISH. I GRABBED MY EQUIPMENT,OT G OVER THE FINISH LINE AND WE THE DUST CLEARED I WAS STILL IN THIRD. I GOT TO STAND ON THE WINNER'S PODIUM. >> IN THAT MOMENT BONNIE REALIZED HOW FAR SHE HAD COME FROMER H CHILDHOOD. >> US BORN WITH ONE LEG SHORTER THAN THE OTHER AND I HAD A BRACE ON MY LEG AND THE OTHER KIDS WOULD TEASE ME. WHEN W IENT TO THE HOSPITAL TO GET MY LEG AMPUTATEDT A 5 I THOUGHT WILL IT BE BETTER. >> HOW DID YOU BECOME A IER?SK WAS IT A HOBBY OR SOMETHING YOU LIKED DOING TO TIME PASS OR YOU ALYSWA WANTED TO BECOME AN OLYMPIAN? >>KI S WAS NOT GO-TO SPORT FOR KIDS IN SAN DIEGO BUT I WAS INVITED TO GO WITH A HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND. AND I THINK IT WAS COOL. SHE IS WHITE, I'M BLACK, SHE HAS TWO LEGS YET SHE LOOKED AT HER ONE LEGGED BLACK FRIEND FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS AND SAID LET'S GO SKII.NG >> WHAT WAS THE MOMENT YOU SAID THAT WAEUPBGED MY LIFE AND I WANT TO DO IT PROFESSIONALLY? >> BECAUSE I HAD TO FIND THE SPECIAL EQUIPMENT AND FIND SOME INSTRUCTION ABOUT HOW DOES A ONE LEGGED PERSON SKI I CONNECT WITH OTHER AMPUTEES THAT CONDECE AND THEY ALL RACED. ANYONE CAN GO TO THE RACES AT THAT TIME. I SAW A PICTURE ON YOUR WALL. IT SAYS NORMALS I OVERRATED. >> THE WHOLE QUOTE IS NORMAL IS OVERRATED. AIM HIGHER. I NEVER GOT TO BE NORM.AL I WAS NOT LIKE OTHER KID BUT I GOT TO DO EXCITING THINGS TO GO TO COLLEGE, TO TRAVEL THE WORLD. TO SKI IN THE PARALYMPICS. >>HE TSE DAYS BONNIE HOPES TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE AS AEN MTOR AT HER EXECUTIVE COACHING COMPANY BLUE CIRCLE LEADERSHIP AND THROUGH HER WRITING. HER LATEST BOOK "MICRO RESILIANCE" IS AUTBO SMALL WAYS IT BOUNCE BACK. >> PARALYMCSPI TEACHES US TO BE RESILIENT. THEY HAVE STKAPBLTS. HALF THE TIME THE EQUIPMENT IS NOT DESIGNED FOR YOUR BODY. WE LEARN TO BE RESILIENT AND INNOVATIVE AND ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK AINSTGA THE ODDS. >> WHAT METHOD SHE USES IS FIRST AID KIDDER YOUR ATTITUDE. >> LITTLE THINGS THAT HELP REMINDOU Y OF YOUR STRENGTHS AND PIVOT YOUR ATTITUDE. SO ITOU CLD BE TNKHA YOU NOTE FROM CLIENTS. IT COULD BE PICTURES OF YOUR CHILDREN. ONE PERNSO I KNOW HAS BOTTLES OF SAPPED FROM DIFFERENT VACATIONS THEY HEAV BEEN ON. IT IS FASCINATING. I'M GOING TORY T IT. >> LITTLE SOUVENIRS, ANY LITTLE OBJECTIVES O QRUOTES UNEXPIRING QUOTES BUT HAVING A GO-TO PLACE ATTH IS YOURST FIR AID KITER YOUR ATTITUDE. >> IN HER OWN KIT THERE'S A PHOTO FROM HER MOTHER THAT SAYS CHERISH YOURSE.LF SAY 100 YEARS FROM NOW SOME RENCRHES I LOOKING YOU UP. WHAT IS THE ONE THING THAT YOU WISH HE OR SHE SEES FIRST? >> I HOPE THAT THEY SEE THAT I BROKE THRGHOU BARRIERS AND CHANGED EXPECTATIONS BUT THEN SOAL PULDLE PEOPLE BEHIND ME WHO WANTED TO DO THAT FOR THEMSELV.ES IF THE ONE LEGGED BLACK GURLE FROM SAN DIEGO WITH NO MONEY AND NOW SNO CAN MAKE IT TO BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL SKIERHA WT CAN YOU DO THAT MAYBE YOU THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T