Blind Dacula Swimmer Makes Paralympic Team

DACULA, GA -- A Dacula teen who is legally blind has qualified to represent the United States on the U.S. Paralympic swimming team.

McClain Hermes, 15, qualified this weekend at trials held in Charlotte, N.C.

She joins 20 other women and 10 men on the swim team, which will compete in Rio on September 7-18, following the completion of the Summer Olympics.

"I think that I am still in shock... but I am going to Rio!!!" Hermes wrote Monday in an Instagram post. "I am so honored to represent Team USA at the 2016 Paralympic Games! Thank you everyone for your love and support on this crazy journey!!!"

A student at Gwinnett Online Campus, Hermes was a bronze medalist at the Parapan American Games last year in the 400-meter freestyle.

She currently holds multiple American records in her classification, which is for legally blind athletes who have some limited vision ability.

In 2009, she also founded her own charity, Shoes for the Souls, which benefits the Atlanta Mission.

The foundation collects recycled shoes to serve the homeless population in metro Atlanta and, in its six years, has donated over 12,000 pairs of shoes to the mission.

(Photo via McClainHermes.com)