Danny Casper, the 24-year-old skip for Team USA's men's curling squad, has overcome the effects of Guillain-Barré Syndrome to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Diagnosed in June 2024 after months of debilitating symptoms, Casper guided his team to a victory over Czechia in their opening match on Wednesday. Despite lingering pain and weakness, he remains focused on pursuing a gold medal.
Danny Casper's journey to the 2026 Winter Olympics has been marked by a rare neurological disorder that began in February 2024. Initially dismissing neck and back pain as fatigue from a mixed doubles tournament, Casper soon faced severe symptoms including sharp pains in his arms and legs, tingling in his hands and feet, and difficulty with basic tasks like eating or texting. Medical tests initially yielded no answers, leading to dark thoughts where, as Casper told Yahoo Sports, "for awhile, it was like, forget curling. What about getting to tomorrow?"
In June 2024, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee arranged further testing in Florida, resulting in a diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a condition where the immune system attacks the nerves, causing muscle weakness. Doctors informed Casper there is no cure, but recovery through treatment and therapy could take eight months to a year. He sat out the early part of the 2024-25 curling season, with teammates using replacement skippers, before gradually returning.
Casper, originally from the New York suburbs, started curling at age 11 at the Ardsley Curling Club, influenced by his parents' involvement. A multi-sport athlete, he chose curling over soccer after watching John Shuster's 2018 Olympic gold and receiving encouragement from a coach. At 18, he moved to Minneapolis in 2019 to study at the University of Minnesota and train at the Chaska Curling Center, joining forces with Luc Violette, Ben Richardson, and others.
His team, now including lead Aidan Oldenburg and alternate Rich Ruohonen, secured silver at the 2023 World University Games and finished second at the 2023 U.S. Nationals. In November 2025, they dethroned Shuster's squad in the Olympic Trials, followed by qualification at a December global tournament. Ranked sixth worldwide, the part-time athletes—Casper works in an administrative role for Alfa Romeo—face challenges balancing jobs with training, unlike full-time international rivals.
Though still experiencing hand weakness—such as needing help tying shoes or opening bottles—and constant discomfort, Casper's determination persists. As alternate Rich Ruohonen noted, "For him to be able to go out there and play like he’s playing with this condition, it’s incredible." Casper's goal remains unchanged: "The goal is always to win."
