Former Auburn swimmer Dave Denniston has had highs and lows in his career, but he has found a way to climb from the deepest valley to the tallest mountain.
Denniston was a three-time NCAA individual champion and a 15-time All-American during his tenure at Auburn in the late 1990s.
After leaving Auburn, Denniston set his sights on making the Olympic team in 2004, but came up short.
The swimmer then decided to brush it off and get ready for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, however his career took a devastating turn in 2005.
While sledding in Wyoming, Denniston suffered an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down, an enormous blow to any swimmer.
His resolve was unwavering.
Denniston made it to Beijing, and competed in the Paralympics.
This summer, Dennison had the opportunity to coach Paralympics athletes in London, after shelving his career as a competitive swimmer.
Denniston said he feels his career as a Paralympics swimmer helped him coach the athletes in London.
"I love coaching," Danniston said. "After being a competitor, I feel like I have a better feel for the athletes' wants... Instead of them having to tell me, I kind of already had a feel for what they needed."
The American swimmers benefited from having an experienced coach, and were able to rake in 41 medals, 14 of which were gold.
"There were swimming events every day of the games," Denniston said. "And most of our time was spent at the pool, but the experience itself was phenomenal. It was just great to get to meet so many people with a lot of different backgrounds."
Denniston and the team worked together for two and a half years before the Paralympics this summer in Colorado Springs, Colo.
"Before the games we went to Stuttgart, (Germany)," Denniston said. "We had to adjust to the time change before going to London. That was a great experience."
After a successful run in the Paralympics, Denniston has his sights set on the future.
"I'm committed to continue coaching," Denniston said. "We're getting geared up for Rio de Janeiro, and we're going to be ready to hit the ground running this coming January."
While he is not in the water or coaching, Denniston tells his story to inspire youth and adults.
Denniston's website, davedenniston.com, welcomes visitors to learn about swimming, whether it be swimming strokes, safety or technique.
The site also has links to inspirational books and stories, as well as a charitable donations tab which redirects to numerous charities such as Operation Smile and the American Cancer Society.
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