16-year-old athlete Sami Stoner always loved to run. And when a rare disease made her irreversibly blind, she decided to keep on running.

Stoner suffers from Stargardt’s disease, a genetic form of muscular degeneration that caused her to lose her vision. Her dream was to run cross-country; and breaking all barriers, she recently became the first legally blind cross country runner.

To help her navigate through the terrain, her guide dog, Chloe runs with her throughout each race, becoming a solid member of the team.

So what’s in store for Sami’s future? She’s planning to compete on the collegiate level, when she starts Otterbein University next year.

“If you love something enough, you’ll find a way to do it,” she said with her endless optimism, “even if you have struggles.”