TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Tampa woman is proving that obstacles do not have to define what a person can achieve.
Elizabeth Leah White, who goes by Leah, is 50 years old and recently captured a gold medal at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, which wrapped up in Minnesota.
“They’re not disabilities anymore,” she said. “I don’t think of them as disabilities. I think of them as abilities now. The ability to bring hope.”
For White, life has become a platform for encouraging others while continuing to push past the odds in front of her.
“I’ve reached a lot of my goals, and I’m proud of myself. So, you all should be proud of yourselves too, out there,” White said.
White was diagnosed in her 30s with autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, but she has refused to let those diagnoses limit her path forward.
“I have this gold medal,” she said. “It’s not just for the Special Olympics. It’s for life. My life challenges, and I made it through.”
She spends her time teaching at Miracles in Motion, a place for people with intellectual disabilities learn everyday skills.
“I teach them to count money, I teach them to figure out whether it’s a dollar bill or a 5-dollar bill,” White said.
“The entire structure is designed to teach people how to budget, do laundry, take care of their health, get a job,” said Juwanna Zier, Owner of Miracles in Motion.
White said she would not have been able to bring home the gold if it wasn’t for her village supporting her.
“It was so surreal, I wanted to pinch myself to make sure it was really real. It was a great experience, I had great teammates and I have never been a part of a team like that before,” she said.
White now embraces life, loves to inspire home, and overcomes every obstacle thrown her way with a smile on her face.
“I used to not have friends and now I do, I have so many that I can’t keep track,” she said.
“Hoorah to her! She already brought the gold home in our world,” Zier said.
Even though White has already accomplished so many things, she still has other goals on her bucket list that she wants to accomplish, like getting more involved with the Special Olympics.
