Lee Jarratt figured she would bookend her military career with trips to Whistler 鈥� except this time she was celebrating as an athlete in the 2025 Invictus Games.
Also competing in sitting volleyball and swimming, Jarratt was in Whistler Tuesday (Feb. 11) to compete in alpine skiing.
鈥淚 was in Whistler 31 years ago, before I left for the military,鈥� Jarratt told Black Press Media after finishing her run. 鈥淚 left two weeks later and now I鈥檓 back 31 years later to close out my career.鈥�
Jarratt, who wanted to end her military career on a positive note, recently retired out of the military.
Originally from Alberta, Jarratt currently lives in Petawawa, Ont. Her military career in the air force has taken her across Canada, including Victoria, Comox, Gagetown, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Kingston.
She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2016, according to her profile on Soldier On. She silently struggled with her mental health following the diagnosis.
Jarratt joined the Canadian Invictus team as a way to demonstrate that her illness doesn鈥檛 define her.
She said she initially felt some nerves at the top of the run, and while 鈥渋t was a little touch and go,鈥� she made it through.
Alpine skiing was just one of several sports athletes competed in for the second day in Whistler. Athletes also competed in snowboarding, skeleton and biathlon.
Justin MacDonald was one of the medallists in the biathlon. MacDonald, an infanteer with the Royal Canadian Regiment and was posted to Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, took home the bronze in the Men's Novice IB14 Open Biathlon.
He said being a medallist is just a big contributing factor of teams and coaches "always pushing each other to get through barriers."
MacDonald, who was deployed twice to Afghanistan in 2007 and 2010, sustained both mental and physical injuries in his years in the army, according to Soldier On. It adds his injuries "cut him off from living, being weary of people and places," along with "anxiety over small trivial things, chronically overthinking, and deals with chronic pain that now makes him second-guess his body's abilities."
It was seeing stories through the years of friends who competed, as well as watching inspirational stories from other people through social media and word of mouth that made MacDonald want to take part in the Invictus Games.
"I've always been in sport, and I got out of it for a while, and I just I needed something to push myself, and I came at the right time, so Invictus means everything to me right now."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the duke and duchess of Sussex, were in Whistler for the day, with both attending a tubing event open only to friends and family of the athletes. Prince Harry attended both alpine skiing and biathlon to watch the events and award medals.
The Games continue for a final day in Whistler, with the remaining events in Vancouver through to Saturday. The closing ceremonies will be Sunday at Rogers Arena, featuring Jelly Roll and the Barenaked Ladies.
