Cardston’s Payden Vair named a finalist in “Faces of Wellness” competition

“My surgeon that performed my surgery actually performed a surgery on another young athlete a few years prior and she was part of the sitting [volleyball] program, so he kind of got me connected with her. Then, a program called War Amps, which helps young amputees afford prosthetics, also got in contact with me and connected me with another young female who was another sitting volleyball player.”

Vair eventually took up sitting volleyball as her sport of choice and excelled at the game.

After securing a spot on Canada’s national team in 2019, she made her official debut at the 2019 Parapan Am Games, taking home a bronze medal.

Her team went on to win gold at the 2020 World ParaVolley final Paralympic qualification tournament, earning her a ticket to the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

“To compete at the Paralympics was definitely a big eye-opener. It was never something that I saw coming for myself. I was just so grateful that the team had selected me for the roster and I was able to compete and represent such an amazing country.”

For anyone who is going through a difficult period in their life and are not sure where things will go in the future, Vair urges them to never give up on their dreams.

“With my accident, I thought sports were going to be out of my life for good, but I didn’t want to give up on that part of my life and I kept working hard and pursuing those dreams and they came true in the end. I got to compete and I still get to play sports and do everything I love – I mean, it definitely takes some hard work and determination, but if you keep pushing forward, you’re going to achieve those things.”

Vair is currently enrolled in the education program at the University of Lethbridge, hoping to become an elementary school teacher.

by David Opinko

Cardston’s Payden Vair named a finalist in “Faces of Wellness” competition

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