Dom Cozzolino

Dom Cozzolino grew up in Mississauga, Ontario. Since he began walking, he dreamt of playing in the NHL or representing his country at the Olympics in hockey. Dom would spend all of his time on the outdoor rink in the backyard, on the driveway shooting pucks, or at practice with his teammates. At 14 years old, in a playoff game, Dom was hit from behind into the boards and suffered a spinal cord injury. Doctors informed him that he would "never play hockey again" and he would be lucky to get back on his feet at all. After many years of recovery and rehabilitation, Dom relearned how to walk again. He was introduced to Para Hockey 5 years after his injury. It didn't come easy and was frustrating at first, but his love for the game propelled him to make Team Canada in 2016. Since then, he has become a World Champion, Paralympic medalist, and represented his country in the sport of Para Ice Hockey for 7 seasons. Although it may look different than how he imagined as a kid, Dom is still living out his dreams.