DAVENPORT, Iowa — If Kevin McKee’s gold medals could talk, they would each tell a story.
“This is probably my favorite game I’ve ever played in,” said McKee, a three-time sled hockey Paralympic gold medalist as he pointed to one of his golds. As he grabbed another, he described what it felt like playing in Russia and feeling like he was taking on the world.

A Davenport, Iowa, native who now lives in the Chicago area, Mckee’s talents in sled hockey have taken him to some of the sports most memorable Paralympic moments. He captured gold in Sochi, Russia; Pyeongchang, South Korea; and Beijing, China.

McKee was born with Cuadal Regression Syndrome that impaired the development of his lower half. He said he’s missing the lower part of his spine.

As a boy Kevin’s family saw a flyer for sled hockey while taking his sister to figure skating lessons.

“So, I went and tried it out and when I got into the sled and was able to get out of my wheelchair, I was like ‘man this is for me,'” recalled McKee.

From home ice practice in Iowa he would go on to feeling at home in front of thousands at his first Paralympics in Russia.

“I did warmups, just like looking around and I barely even skated. I just looked and I was like, ‘This is unreal. This is so cool.’ You know, you feel like a pro then. It’s that moment. I won’t forget that,” he recalled. “My first opening ceremony of 70,000 people yelling and screaming. Yeah, those are quite amazing times.”

McKee has been netting goals ever since, but also netting three gold medals with eyes on a fourth in Italy. It would serve as his farewell to a long Paralympic career.

“We lost a couple of years ago in the World Championships. This year we’re fortunate enough to get it back and gold medal. So I’m one going in now and I think the competitive level in the drive that each one of the guys have on the team, I think like there’s no way we’re we’re not going to come back with gold,” he said.

The Paralympics take center stage at many of the same Olympic locations in Italy March 6th through the 15th.