GERMANTOWN - Becca Murray returned to Germantown Thursday night after a gold medal winning trip to Beijing.

The 18-year-old wheelchair basketball player was part of a U.S. team that won gold in the 2008 Paralympic Games.

Murray's neighbors lined the streets of her Germantown subdivision waving flags and sparklers and cheering as she made her way home. The gold medalist had a police escort on her trip from the airport.

Murray has spina bifida and began playing wheelchair basketball at 8 years old. She has always dreamed of making it to the Paralympics. She says it was overwhelming when her team won gold.

“It was amazing. Just looking over at the bench and seeing all these smiling faces and tears falling. It was awesome," she said.

Murray has already received a message from one mom telling her she has inspired other girls with disabilities. Murray says she's glad to be a role model.

Murray was the youngest woman on the U.S. Team, and now she's on her way to UW-Whitewater to start up their first ever women's wheelchair basketball team.