PARIS, France — Paralympian athlete Tracy Otto announced two major milestones while in Paris competing for Team USA.
The Plant City native posted on Instagram that she was pregnant after sharing a video of her partner, Ricky Riessle, proposing to her under the Eiffel Tower. In the heartwarming video, you can see Riessle getting down on one knee and Otto not even realizing at first. The touching video shows Otto getting emotional while Riessle puts the ring on her finger and people cheering and clapping in the background.
A day later, she shared a picture showing off her ring and the next slide was a picture of an ultrasound of her baby.
“We have been keeping a secret …Paralympian ✅🏹 Proposal ✅💍… Pregnant!👶” Otto wrote on Instagram. “Baby Riessle due January 2025!!”
The Paralympics and USA Archery shared the video of the proposal and pictures on Instagram sending their "best wishes."
"Cupid’s bow was fired," the post read. "Huge congratulations to you both, we wish you all the love and joy for the future. ❤️ 🎉"
Otto's story of how she got to the Paralympics is inspiring and moving.
In 2019, she and Riessle were attacked in bed by her ex-boyfriend when he shot Otto through her left eye with a high-powered pellet gun, punched her repeatedly and knifed the back of her neck. Riessle was also seriously injured.
Otto took up archery two years after the attack, which she openly talks about because she wants victims of violence to know they are not alone.
“You honestly have to love yourself through it ... and keep going,” Otto previously told the Associate Press. “Your circumstances don’t define you. You can do anything you set your heart out to do.”
Otto can't regulate her body temperature, she has bowel and bladder complications and her brain doesn't communicate properly with her body but Riessle has been by her side every step of the way.
“He helps me, not only physically with things that I have to do throughout life, but mentally and emotionally. His support means the absolute world,” she said in the past.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
