More than Just a Game: “Born to Lax”

MANCHESTER, N.H – On Friday, June 4, the Born to Run Foundation held its first annual New Hampshire golf outing where founder, Noelle Lambert, donated her thirteenth prosthetic to an athlete in need. Lambert presented fellow amputee and fellow collegiate women’s lacrosse player, Courtney Pabst, with a state-of-the-art running blade prosthetic. In addition to being the thirteenth recipient, Pabst is also the first women’s lacrosse player to receive a specialized prosthetic courtesy of the Born to Run Foundation.

Pabst, a former Division II lacrosse player at Pace University, became an amputee almost three years ago. On November 1, 2018, while attending Pace, Pabst underwent her second ACL surgery. During surgery, she went into cardiac arrest causing complications with her heart and lungs, that led her doctors to putting her in a medically induced coma. These complications resulted in Pabst having her right leg amputated below the knee.

Following Pabst’s surgery, Pace women’s lacrosse head coach, Tricia Molfetta, was able to connect with fellow Northeast-10 Conference head coach at Stonehill College, Katie Conover, who just so happened to be the cousin of Noelle Lambert. With a little help from the amazing network of the women’s lacrosse community, Pabst and Lambert were able to connect through text messages and began to create an indescribable bond.

Lambert, a former Division I lacrosse player at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, had the entire lacrosse community buzzing when a video of her scoring against the University of Hartford went viral on social media in April 2018. Lambert’s goal against Hartford was not just her first goal of the season, but her first time returning to the field after having her left leg amputated from the knee down after a serious moped scooter accidentin 2016.

Lambert’s resilience and perseverance did not stop at the lacrosse field. Since graduating from UMass Lowell, she has dedicated her time to founding the Born to Run Foundation, whose mission is to help young amputees obtain specialized prosthetics. Lambert’s comeback story has been an inspiration to many, but specifically to Pabst and her family.

Lambert and Pabst were finally able to meet face-to-face at the Born to Run Foundation New Hampshire golf outing. The two former women’s lacrosse players are seen smiling and posing with Pabst’s new running blade prosthetic in thephoto above, posted on the Born to Run Foundation’s Instagram account. The heartwarming bond between Lambert and Pabst in the face of adversity is an inspiration to the entire lacrosse community and athletes everywhere.