On Thursday, March 6, the Belmont Hill community gathered to hear the incredible life story of Paralympian and American record holder Noelle Lambert.
Born in Londonderry, New Hampshire, Ms. Lambert grew up in a home surrounded by athletic brothers. As a child, she learned to be gritty in the face of friendly competition with her brothers. After a stellar career as a high school athlete, she committed to play Division 1 Lacrosse at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. She had an outstanding freshman year on the field, beginning her college career seemingly destined for greatness.
When on a trip with friends in the Summer of 2016 on Martha’s Vineyard, Ms. Lambert mounted a moped for the first time ever. On her joyride with friends, she crashed into a truck, suddenly losing her entire left leg. Rushed to adequate care, Ms. Lambert was put in emergency surgery, and doctors saved her life. She began her recovery journey quickly, aiming to play lacrosse at any point in the following season. Months after her accident, she rejoined practice, making clear to her coaches that she wanted to be held to the same standards as her two-legged teammates. In her first game back, she scored a remarkable goal, that she describes as the best of her life.
After college, many track coaches pressured Ms. Lambert to join the sport, citing her determination and work ethic on and off the field. After graduating from UMass Lowell cum laude, she pivoted her career to become a track and field athlete. Following many trials and tribulations, such as only finishing seventh in national qualifiers, Ms. Lambert was en route to Tokyo for the 2020 Paralympic Games. At the games, she broke her own American record in the 100m for her disability class.
Following four more years of intense training—including picking up the long jump and a stint as the first-ever above-the-knee amputee on Survivor in 2022—Ms. Lambert competed in Paris last summer, placing a remarkable fourth in her new event. Looking back at her Olympic career, she lamented not having won: she promised Belmont Hill to bring a gold back home to Massachusetts after the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Throughout her career, Ms. Lambert has prioritized giving back. Her accident “has made [her] realize what’s important in life.” Accordingly, she founded the Born to Run Foundation, an organization that helps children and adults alike obtain often expensive prosthetics.
At the end of her speech, Ms. Lambert reflected, “When I look back on my accident now, I view it as such a positive and I view it as something to be extremely grateful for.” The entire Belmont Hill community is incredibly grateful to Ms. Lambert for offering her honesty and wisdom to make every single member of the community a better athlete, teammate, and student.
