Carli Clesmere 
New Jersey has a way of shaping some of the most driven people, and Kelsey O’Driscoll is proof. Raised in Essex County and spending her summers at the Jersey Shore, Kelsey proudly considers herself a Jersey girl through and through. That Garden State grit has followed her from local slopes to the national stage, where she now competes as a member of the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team. Currently training with the National Sports Center for the Disabled, she is preparing to compete in Cortina at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy. From early Olympic dreams to navigating a life-changing injury, her journey is rooted in perseverance, resilience, and a deep love for her sport. Carli from our team chatted with Kelsey about her path, and along the way, the two bonded over classic New Jersey lore, beach therapy, and what it truly means to be a Jersey girl at heart. Keep reading to learn more about Kelsey O’Driscoll.
The Backstory
Kelsey grew up in Caldwell and has dreamed of competing in the Olympics since 2002. She originally chased that goal through track and cross-country, competing through college before health challenges forced her to step away from athletics. Skiing, however, had always been part of her life. As a young girl, she grew up skiing at Gore Mountain, located at 793 Peaceful Valley Road in North Creek, New York, with her family — a place that would later become one of the most meaningful settings in her remarkable comeback story.
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During a period of transition, Kelsey stepped away from nursing school and moved to the Adirondacks, where she leaned further into her love for the mountains while working as a ski patroller at Gore. She eventually returned to nursing school and graduated in 2019, going on to work in the pediatric ICU step-down unit at Albany Medical Center. All the while, she continued patrolling at Gore, balancing two demanding careers centered around helping others.
In 2021, during the pandemic, Kelsey’s life took an unexpected turn. While sledding with her now-fiancé in the Adirondacks, she suffered a devastating spinal injury. She shared that in those early moments, she truly believed life as she knew it was over. After several weeks in the hospital and rehab, relearning how to walk, Kelsey made a decision that felt very on brand for a Jersey girl at heart — she headed to the Jersey Shore to heal.
“If I’m going to sit all summer, I might as well do it at the beach,” Kelsey told Carli.
The ocean had always been a place where Kelsey processed her emotions, something she spoke about openly during her conversation with Carli. “There’s something about the salt water and the sea air that helps quiet the chaos,” she said. Sitting by the waves each day, with a proper NJ bagel in hand, she realized she didn’t just want to be near the water.
“I needed to be in it.”
Just four months after her injury, Kelsey connected with the High Fives Foundation, an organization that helps athletes with life-altering injuries return to the sports they love. Only days after deciding she needed to surf again, she was back on a board, a moment that became a turning point.
Being on the water reminded Kelsey that her life wasn’t over. It was simply changing.
Naturally, her next goal was getting back on skis. And when Kelsey wants something, she makes it happen. As she told Carli, “Us Jersey girls go after what we want, you know?”
Once back at Gore Mountain, Kelsey connected with the adaptive team and was introduced to outriggers — specialized handheld forearm crutches with small skis on the bottom, designed specifically for adaptive skiing. Starting slowly on the bunny hill, she took her first turns back on the snow and slid down, feeling absolutely victorious.
She shared with Carli that it was the first time since her injury that she truly felt like herself again. The moment was emotional, not just for Kelsey, but for everyone watching.
“It was truly an amazing moment and one I’ll never forget,” she said.
That experience marked the beginning of her return — to the snow, to the sport she loved, and to feeling like Kelsey again.
It didn’t take long for Kelsey to become Gore Mountain’s first adaptive ski patroller, and she soon began making waves in competitive racing. She was recruited by the National Sports Center for the Disabled, where she continued to impress on a national stage. In 2025, Kelsey made her FIS Para Alpine World Ski Championships debut, finishing sixth in slalom and eighth in giant slalom in an incredibly competitive field.
Kelsey has officially made Team USA and will be competing in Cortina at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, and Team Jersey is ready. The best way to support this fellow Jersey girl is by tuning in to watch her compete, following along on Instagram at @kelski_odriscoll for updates from the slopes, and cheering her on every step of the way. Competing at this level also comes with expenses, and those who feel inspired can contribute to her GoFundMe to help offset the costs and keep her racing for gold. The GoFundMe can be found here.
We can’t wait to watch Kelsey on our screens and will definitely be keeping our eyes out for her after the games when she’s back in the NY/NJ area, whether that’s at Gore, soaking up beach days at the Jersey Shore, or returning to her Essex County roots. Kelsey is also set to serve as the commencement speaker at her alma mater, Mount St. Dominic Academy, bringing her journey full circle in true Jersey girl fashion.
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Few Rapid-Fire New Jersey Q + A
Favorite NJ bagel spots?
“Sam’s Bagels in Caldwell and Delicious Bagels in Point Pleasant.”
Go-to NJ restaurant?
“Forte’s in Caldwell. The pasta fagioli soup and the pizza are musts.”
Where would you take an out-of-state visitor to see the real NJ?
“Honestly, a full tour of Essex County. It has everything — incredible food, diverse communities, beautiful parks, and neighborhoods that all feel completely different.”
Thoughts on NJ’s reputation?
“I love NJ. It gets such a bad rep, and for what? New Jersey, especially Essex County, is an amazing place to be, live, and grow up. And let’s be real, it’s the land of Bruce!!! Come on now.”
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