Kristina’s Story

As a former police officer working on the gang unit in South Central Los Angeles, Kristina Ripatti spent her career fighting inner-city violence, a cause that nearly took her life. Four years ago, this retired Los Angeles officer was on the job when she gunned down while in pursuit of a robber. Thanks to the heroic efforts of fellow officers, paramedics and surgeons, Kristina survived. But when she awoke from her ordeal, she was faced with the devastating news that she was a T2 paraplegic, paralyzed from the chest down.

During her rehabilitation, Kristina drew strength from the support of her family and friends. Always a dedicated athlete, she took refuge in daily workouts of weight training and swimming, never letting anything stand in her way. Her story caught the attention of the producers of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and in late 2006, Kristina and her family were featured on the show.

Kristina still has the same philosophy today that she did four years ago: “train for life.” She continues to set goals for herself, pursuing them with the same energy and drive that she did before her injury. With the help of the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Kristina began training with a hand-cycle, and in 2009 she completed the Boston and Los Angeles Marathons.

Now Kristina is getting ready to head a team of cyclists in the Race Across America (RAAM), a 3,000-mile transcontinental bike race from Oceanside, California, to Annapolis, Maryland, beginning June 12. Along the way, Kristina and her team will be raising money for Operation Progress, an LAPD-sponsored, non-profit program that provides college scholarships for kids who live in the dangerous and impoverished neighborhoods that she once patrolled.

Kristina is also preparing to attend law school, with plans to advocate for the rights of the disabled. To learn more about Kristina, visit her website.