American Swimmer, Sgt. Elizabeth Marks, Gives Prince Harry Invictus Gold Medal

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Photo Courtesy: Getty Images, Today News

At the 2016 installment of the Invictus Games American swimmer and military medic, Sgt. Elizabeth Marks, refused one of her four gold medal that Prince Harry, founder of the Invictus Games, attempted to bestow upon her.

Marks won all four of her swimming events at the Paralympic Event. When asked why she passed the medal back to Prince Harry, Marks explained that she wanted the medal to be given to Papworth Hospital in the United Kingdom. In 2014 when Marks flew over to participate in the inaugural Invictus Games she was admitted into the hospital after a near-fatal lung condition led doctors to put her in an induced coma.

She later expressed to the Press Association,

They absolutely saved my life and I can’t thank the U.K. enough for having that kind of medical support and taking such good care of me. So I gave Prince Harry one of my medals and hope it will find its way back to Papworth.

The Invictus Games were founded by Prince Harry after a visit to the Warrior Games in 2013 where he saw how the power of sport could help people heal physically, psychologically, and socially. In 2014 London hosted the inaugural Invictus Games as an international sporting event for service members who have been wounded, permanently injured or are sick. Prince Harry has also discussed his own military experience and how it has impacted his life and influenced his drive to create the Invictus Games.

The full Today News report can be found here.

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