ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (WFRV) – Ashwaubenon senior swimmer Mo Couch is known for her bright smile as much as her strength in the pool. But behind her upbeat personality is a story of resilience that began long before she made a splash with the Jaguars.
Couch was diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis — a rare autoimmune disease when she was just 3 years old. The condition causes the immune system to attack muscle and skin tissue.
“I have JDM — Juvenile Dermatomyositis,” Couch said. “It happens at the cellular level — I have too many white blood cells, and it destroys muscle. For a while, I couldn’t walk. It also affects skin, so I’d get rashes on my cheeks.”
Doctors didn’t expect her to live a normal life, let alone become an athlete.
“It’s a life-threatening disease, so I wasn’t expected to live,” couch said. “My nurse told me I would never really get to do endurance sports… or even walk.”
But years of physical therapy and determination helped Couch defy the odds. She turned obstacles into motivation.
“Doing my physical therapy was tough,” she said. “But looking back at how far I’ve come, younger me would be so proud. It definitely keeps me going.”
Now a senior competing in the 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly and multiple relays, Couch has become a leader for the Jaguars.
“As a teammate, Mo’s amazing,” said teammate, Katelyn Seder. “She’s really nice and fun to be around. She always lights up a room.”
Head coach Kari Klezeka said Couch’s positivity pushes those around her to be better.
“She could’ve gone down so many different paths, but she chose positivity,” Klezeka said. “What happened when she was young didn’t define her — it built her.”
This season, Couch hit a lifetime best at sectionals. It’s another milestone in a journey filled with them.
“Don’t let people tell you what you can and can’t do,” Couch said. “I was told I’d never swim or do sports, but here I am. Just keep trying, even when people say you can’t.”
Couch recently committed to swim for UW–Oshkosh next fall, a move her coach says is just the beginning.
“She’s creating dreams for herself, and I can’t wait to see what she does next,” Klezeka said.
From fighting for her health to racing for her team, Couch has already made waves at Ashwaubenon, and she’s ready to make even bigger ones at the next level.
