Caroline
Viau

Updated as of September 2017

Caroline Viau is a Canadian Paralympian who competed in Para alpine skiing. She won one gold and two bronze medals during the 1992 Albertville Paralympic Winter Games, in France.

Caroline lost her left forearm at the age of five in a butchering accident. Ever since her late teens, she has been an active member of various organizations helping people with a disability. She worked for nearly eight years for the War Amps of Canada in the communications department. In recognition of her remarkable dedication towards her peers and her community, Caroline was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013.

A mother of four boys, Caroline took a break from work in 2001, after having suffered a situational depression (a short-term, stress-related type of depression). Her desire to dedicate herself to the education of her children led her to undertake a lot of volunteer work at their school. In 2010, she resumed work, part-time.

At the age of 45, in 2017, Caroline decided to follow her dream and start a career as a speaker. Her background as amputee, athlete and mother, combined with years of volunteering and interacting with people from all walks of life, led her to realize the importance of a positive mindset and resilience to push past the hardships that we all encounter along our journey.