If you ask Samantha Love what weightlifting has given her, she won’t start with medals or titles. She’ll talk about stability, strength, and the drive to keep showing up—even on the hard days.
An adaptive Olympic weightlifter based in Seattle, Samantha didn’t grow up chasing the barbell. She spent her youth running cross country, earning a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and dabbling in team sports. “I wasn’t singularly focused on one athletic pursuit,” she says. “I just knew I felt best when I was moving.”
It wasn’t until years later—after serving in the military, becoming a mother, and receiving a life-altering diagnosis of multiple sclerosis—that lifting entered the picture. By then, Samantha was navigating physical instability, vision loss, and a completely new relationship with her body. She found CrossFit first, then weightlifting. “What began as survival became a passion,” she says.
From Setback to Strength
The early days weren’t easy. During her military service, Samantha began experiencing symptoms no one could explain—numbness, weakness, and episodes of sudden immobility. “There were times I couldn’t walk,” she recalls. “People thought it might be a brain tumour or lupus.”
A spinal tap and lesion-filled MRI eventually brought clarity: relapsing-remitting MS. The diagnosis marked the end of her military career—but also the beginning of her next chapter.
She came back to movement gradually, rebuilding basic strength and structure through CrossFit. Working with CrossFit HQ to create a Hero WOD to honor Corporal Christopher Coffland—a close friend she had served with who was killed in Afghanistan on her birthday—gave her training a greater purpose. It helped her process loss, channel grief, and stay grounded when the world shut down in 2020.
That shift deepened through Catch A Lift Fund, a veterans’ organization focused on strength-based recovery. “Olympic weightlifting gave me something that MS couldn’t take: a sense of autonomy, strength, and stability.”
Those early training sessions were tough. Fatigue hit without warning. Her balance was unsteady. She had to relearn how to move safely. But she kept showing up—because lifting gave her structure, and it gave her hope.
Approaching Competition Differently
For years, Samantha competed in standard weightlifting categories while managing both MS and deteriorating vision. Optic neuritis left her blind in one eye, with visual “glitching” triggered by exertion or heat exposure—something that could be dangerous with a barbell overhead. She began wearing an eye patch during lifts—not for show, but for safety.
“It wasn’t just physically demanding—it was isolating,” she says. “Most people didn’t see what I was managing behind the scenes.”
When USA Weightlifting introduced an adaptive division, it offered long-overdue visibility. It’s still new and far from perfect, but stepping onto a platform without having to explain or justify her presence was powerful. She finally felt seen.
In 2024, Samantha became the first adaptive Masters Triple Crown winner. She didn’t pursue the title for recognition though—for her, it was about persistence. Every lift was hard-earned, often through periods of uncertainty, physical limitation, and self-doubt.
Progress Isn’t Linear—But It’s Always Possible
One of her most memorable turning points came at a meet she nearly skipped due to a flare-up. Her legs were weak, her vision was compromised, and she wasn’t sure she could safely compete. She missed her opening lift—but instead of walking away, she refocused and hit her next two. “That moment solidified something in me: I could continue to show up for myself, even when I wasn’t at my strongest.”
Progress with MS is rarely linear. Her baseline shifts constantly. One week she might feel strong and capable; the next, she could be dealing with numbness, blurred vision, or overwhelming fatigue.
Physically, she adapts her programming to what her body feels capable of day to day. Mentally, she’s learned to prioritize grace for herself over glorifying the grind. “Showing up looks different each day,” she says. “And I’ve come to respect that.”
That perspective informs not just her own training, but the way she coaches others. As a Certified Counselor, psychology PhD candidate, and founder of Love Neurodiversity Consulting, Samantha’s work extends far beyond the gym. She supports neurodivergent families, advocates for adaptive athletes, and mentors those navigating injustice and systemic exclusion.
“My lived experience with MS, vision loss, and systemic barriers has deeply shaped how I coach,” she says. “I lead with empathy, flexibility, and honesty. Whether I’m coaching on the platform or conducting an autism assessment, my mission is to help people feel seen, supported, and empowered.”
One of her proudest moments came when she helped an adaptive athlete reach their first competition. Watching their confidence grow in real time reminded her exactly why this work matters.
On Fueling, Flare-Ups, and Showing Up
Living and training with MS means recovery isn’t optional—it’s foundational. “I take recovery seriously: consistent sleep, hydration, reducing stress, and knowing when to step back. I also put just as much intention into what I put into my body as I do into what I lift.”
Blonyx has become part of that foundation.
“I use HMB+ Creatine, which helps with strength development and muscle recovery—especially during heavy phases or flare-up rebound periods. I also use their Egg White Protein Isolate, which is easy on my digestion and supports my training without any unnecessary additives. The Multivit+ has been one of my favorite daily tools to keep my system supported through the ups and downs of training with a chronic condition.”
She also works with a nutrition coach at Cedars Nutrition to stay in tune with her body and build sustainable, long-term habits that prioritize longevity and health.
Building the Future—For Herself, and for Others
Right now, Samantha is preparing for the 2025 Masters World Championships—refining her technique, building strength, and staying healthy through the season. But her bigger goal is systemic.
Adaptive athletes are currently excluded from international Olympic weightlifting competition—there’s no pathway to the senior stage, no Paralympic inclusion. “I want to help change that. I hope to be part of the push to get adaptive Olympic lifting recognized at the international level and eventually included in the Paralympic Games. That kind of change doesn’t happen overnight—but someone has to start. I’m hoping to be one of the trailblazers who opens that door for others.”
No Permission Needed
The biggest lesson Samantha’s learned? You don’t have to wait to be perfect—or even fully ready—to show up. “Use the body you have today. Meet yourself where you are, and build from there.”
If you’re an adaptive athlete—or navigating chronic illness, injury, or a system that doesn’t yet recognize you—her advice is to, “stop waiting for permission. You already belong on that platform, in that gym, in that space. You don’t have to prove your worth just to get access.”
“I wish someone had told me early on that progress would look different—and that different doesn’t mean less. You’re not falling behind because your path is nonlinear. You’re leading in a way others haven’t seen before. That alone is powerful.”
The best advice she’s ever received still guides her: You deserve a seat at the table. On the days her vision falters or her body feels unfamiliar, those are the words she comes back to.
You can follow Samantha on Instagram, or learn more about her work at Love Neurodiversity Consulting.
That’s all for this week! If you enjoyed reading Samantha' story, head over to the Blonyx Blog for more stories of athletic ambition.
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