Wheelchair curler Marie Wright back at it and basking in Paralympics success

Marie Wright became the face of wheelchair curling at the Paralympics earlier this month — in a lot of ways, she became one of the faces of Team Canada at the Games as well.

The 57-year-old Saskatchewan native won over fans with her contagious smile and never-give-up attitude while playing lead for the Canadian team that won bronze in Pyeongchang, South Korea. 

• WATCH | Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championships semis, 7 p.m. ET

Now just a week after returning from the Paralympics, she's the skip for Team Saskatchewan competing at the wheelchair nationals in Leduc, Alta.

"People have been asking me if I'm tired, but the truth is I haven't really had time to be tired since I got home," she said. "I'm not tired. I'm not jet-lagged. I think I'm still on cloud nine."

When Wright flew into Regina on March 19 before traveling to her home in Moose Jaw, she was met by family, friends and fans who erupted when she got off the plane.

Since she's been back Wright has been at the curling rink nearly every day preparing for this week's bonspiel and has already talked to students at a local school about her time at the Paralympics.

"When I spoke at the school I told them the moral of my story was that no matter what happens to you in life never give up. Just keep on believing and you'll become something," Wright said. 

She was also thrown the surprise party of her life this past Saturday night. After attending a Moose Jaw Warriors hockey game (and getting stopped for photos at every turn), Wright was ready to head home to pack for nationals. Her friends hijacked that plan.

"They stopped the elevator at the second floor and I told them all I wasn't going out for a drink with them because I wanted to head home and get ready for this trip," she said.

They insisted she come by for just one celebratory beverage. When they got into the room, the place went wild. 

"It was packed. It was a surprise party for me. I couldn't believe it," Wright said. 

Soaking up the experience

Wright is still in awe of how her life has gone. It hasn't been easy.

Thirty years ago she was in a horrific vehicle accident on a rural road in Saskatchewan, leaving her paraplegic and her youngest daughter with a serious head injury. To make matters worse, her husband left her two years later.

Wright would have to learn to adapt to life in a wheelchair while raising four young daughters on her own. She didn't stop. She wasn't going to quit on her daughters. They were what kept her going during the darkest times. 

And then there she was, all those years later, playing the game she loved most on the biggest stage at the Paralympics. Her two oldest daughters were able to travel and watch her compete.

"After the accident I thought my life was going to be about raising my kids, and that's incredible too, but you don't dream there's a sport out there you can compete at. And then to go to the Paralympics, it's amazing."

Her daughters are already starting to get after her about the next Games.

"They said, 'Mom, you have to stay young for at least four more years because we want to go back to the Paralympics.'"

Skipping the Saskatchewan team 

As if the experience and thrill of the Paralympics wasn't enough, Wright is now the skip for Saskatchewan at the nationals this week in Leduc. 

She's played skip at a couple of nationals in the past with Saskatchewan, but has never been the skip from the start, leading the team throughout the event. 

"I was a little nervous at first. I do enjoy skipping. It helps when my teammates are making their shots," she said.

Wright's rink is undefeated at the tournament entering Saturday's semifinal and she's loving every second of it, smiling and laughing with her team, but also with the other competitors. 

"When you come here a lot of the people are the same. We all know each other and we're friends. To share the experience of the Paralympics with them has been such fun," Wright said.

They've also been asking to take photos with her and that bronze medal. 

On Tuesday afternoon in Leduc, Wright had a special moment on the ice going up against two of her Paralympic teammates in Dennis Thiessen and Jamie Anseeuw, who were playing for Manitoba. Thiessen was the second for Canada in PyeongChang and Answeeuw was the alternate. 

Wright and Saskatchewan defeated Manitoba 9-2. 

"It was a fun game. We joked and talked but I had butterflies," she said. "Maybe it was because we were teammates, but I know I play better when I have butterflies."

Wright isn't getting ahead of herself about her team's early success at nationals, but has thought about what it might be like to get another podium finish at another big wheelchair curling event.

"Could you imagine?" she said. "Two medals in one year would be pretty special. That would be so sweet."