Miami Proud: Wheelchair Table Tennis Champ An Inspiration to All

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A lifelong athlete, Terese Terranova has won 64 national titles, including 30 gold medals in six different sports. Her specialty is table tennis.

Terranova plays ping pong with razor-sharp focus and a huge smile. You can find her playing and coaching at Broward Table Tennis Center seven days a week.

In January of 1987, she became the women's wheelchair world champion.

"I went in number 10 in the world, and I came out putting put an x on the zero and became number one in the world. Held number one for about 8 years," she said.

Growing up in New Jersey she was a natural athlete.

"I was always a jock, I played semi-pro softball in New York. You name it, I did it. I love sports."

She wasn't always in a wheelchair. Her life took a drastic turn when she was 23 years old and driving south to live in Florida.

"I got halfway down, and someone ran me off the road. I wind up in the hospital. They flew me up to New York. I was in the hospital nine months recovering, I broke my back in five places."

Facing the life ahead in a wheelchair, she resolved not to let that define her.

"You're doing something a little different than someone else, but you can still do it, there is no reason you can't."

She jumped right back into sports. Track and field, swimming, and archery before ping pong.

"I found myself a coach in Miami, one of the best coaches in the world. I'm kind of prejudiced because he became my husband."

Honing her skill, competing in the Paralympics, world games, all these years never losing her spirit and optimism, and impacting everyone she meets. Retired for 20 years now, Terese is a recent widow and doesn't have any biological children, but she surely has built a family here.

Veronica Dam-Swanson is like family.

"When I came here I looked for table tennis in our area, and when I found Terese it was the best thing that happened to me. I met Terese, and she became my USA mom... and I love her."

Last year, Terese was convinced to come out of retirement and compete in the Pan American Games in Peru. Veronica, a Peruvian, didn't miss a chance to make the trip with her.

"At 72-years-old and I played in Peru after not playing for 20 years I retired 20 years ago from competition," said Terranova.

Here at home, she has coached champions and provided therapy for people with all sorts of challenges from autism to Alzheimer's. She often is asked to be a motivational speaker and frequently gets asked the same question.

"They ask, 'if you could go back to before the accident, would you?' and I said no. I've been all over the world and I've touched people all over the world."

She may be famous for the gold medals but it's the diamond-bright smile and optimism that you will never forget.

"Nothing exists (she refers to the wheelchair), except you. As long as you believe in yourself."