Candice Price describes her childhood self as pretty typical. "I was just very…energetic. They used the world hyper sometimes," says Price.
So her family decided track and field would be a good way for her to blow off all the steam. But it wasn't exactly love at first sight.
“I was like 'this is silly!' Running around and it’s hot and he’s yelling at us," she describes.
She may not have known it at the time, but that’s the day her passion for running was born. "This year, I’m now going for my third Olympic trials," says Price.
She is a Team USA hurdler. During the 2012 Olympic trials she was pregnant with her daughter, Gianna. "All the training I had done all year made childbirth all worth it. It was only two and a half hours. We were in and out."
Now at age 30, Price is making one last run at the podium. But one day last September — all the hard she’s done — was shattered in a matter of seconds.
“So I was just on my way to training. It was still September, so September in Michigan; it was still pretty," she remembers. "As i was coming through the intersection -- now replaying it my head I feel like I might have saw her. I don’t remember."
Price’s car was hit by a woman running a red light.
"I remember being in the car and it just happening so fast. And saying out loud ‘I have to live for Gianna, I have to live for Gianna' and dragging myself from the car."
Price had suffered a severe concussion. “Ultimately when I came and saw 'Dre Day' I told her that was my motivation. Like, yes I want to run, and I want to represent the American team but it’s like... My daughter. I need to take care of her. She looks at me as her mother. She doesn’t see me as somebody who just got in a car accident and can’t even function.”
‘Dre Day’ is the co-director of Neurosport — Dr. Andrea Almeida.
“I saw her and immediately there was a connection personally," says Price.
"She’s a strong personality. She’s driven, she’s motivated and she’s positive," says Almeida when talking about what has helped the most in Price's recovery.
Price has had broken ribs, and a torn labrum. but she says the concussion is by far the worst.
"I was just so defeated when I came in because…concussions…. you just don’t recover. You’re just not the same," says Price.
"It’s very challenging because it’s a very complex type of injury. There’s a lot of other factors that play a role in your symptoms," says Dr. Almeida.
Price is now months behind in her training, but after weeks and weeks of rehab with Dr. Almeida, she is getting things back on track.
"It’s going really really well. My confidence is high and that’s because I have an awesome team," says Price.
The next challenge for price is the Olympic trials in early July. "If you can make it through the Olympic trials in America, you can win a medal at the Olympics," she says.
Despite the setbacks, Price has something none of her competitors do. "Gianna keeps me….thats’ my secret weapon. After training at home you have to come home and keep up with her. If you can do that, you’re bringing home a gold….in anything."
