Katarina Roxon offers advice, answers questions at Easter Seals headquarters

Despite several decades in age difference, Cecil Whitten wanted to let Katarina Roxon know she was a true hero.

The 23-year-old Kippens swimmerfielded audience questions during an episode of CBC Radio's CrossTalkat the Easter Seals headquarters in St. John's on Wednesday, the day after she arrived back inherhome province from Rio de Janeiro, where she captured Paralympic gold in the 100-metre breaststroke.

• 'In awe right now:' Katarina Roxon returns home with gold medal

"I'm old enough to be your grandfather, but you're still an inspiration to me," said Whitten, who lives with cerebral palsy.

"You're going to be an inspiration to my granddaughters. You've shown what independence and women's liberation is all about."

Whitten was one of many audience members with a question for the three-time Paralympian. Also in attendance wereParalympic curlerJoanne MacDonald, and Mark Nichols, a member of Brad Gushue's2006 Olympic champion curling squad.

Nichols advised the young swimmer to just be herself throughall the attention over the coming days and weeks. He recalled the first time going grocery shopping with his wife after coming home from the 2006 Games.

"She left me in the corner of the produce section, went and did her shopping and came back and I was still signing autographs," he laughed.

'Anything is possible'

Roxon's gold medal comes at a high point in her life. After struggling with accepting her body through her teen years, thenewfound fame comes at a time when she's never been more comfortable.

Following the medal presentation in Rio, Roxon and the silver and bronze medallists Great Britain's Claire Cashmore and Ireland's Ellen Keane posed with their arms in the air.

"We stuck our nubs in the air, kind of like in salute. It was something fun to do," she said.

"All three of us have the same arm missing... It symbolizes something more than just having fun. It kind of shows the world anything is possible... We were comfortable being in our own skin."

It'sa source of motivation people like Whitten are happy to see.

"I come from a generation where people with different abilities were looked at differently," he said.

"I'm glad to see there's a new generation coming up to inspire people."

Roxon, for her part, is a well of inspiration.

"Dream big and dare to be bold," she told another audience member.

"Making small steps in life doesn't get you very far. But making big steps and being bold in anything, you're going to succeed."