One of this country’s most decorated cross-country skiers has overcome many obstacles on his way to the top and is our Inspiring Albertan this week.

Coming home from the Paralympics with gold medals around his neck is not a new experience for Brian McKeever.

The Canmore resident has established himself as the fastest visually impaired cross-country skier in the world.

McKeever began losing his eyesight at 19 because of Stargardt disease, a rare, inherited form of macular degeneration.

His father has it too and McKeever says he dosen’t let it get him down and considers himself fortunate.

“Just to be able to do what I love to do which is cross-country skiing and I mean I've been doing it for so many years and to be given a chance to do that professionally whether it's on the able-bodied side or on the Paralympic side you know is a really big thrill for me and I count myself as one of the lucky few that gets to be a professional athlete,” said McKeever.

At the Sochi 2014 Paralympics in March, McKeever won Canada's first gold of the games in the 20 kilometre visually impaired event.

In the one kilometre sprint, he and his guide Graham Nishikawa put on a show for the history books and won gold even after McKeever fell when a Russian skier stepped on his pole.

He went on to win a third gold in Sochi and his total medal count from four Paralympics is ten gold, three silver and one bronze.

Now in his 30s, he's not ruling out competing in 2018.

‘At this point we're gonna try and it's gonna be very much how my body holds up,” said McKeever.

McKeever believes in giving back and is getting involved with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind as a speaker.

He says the CNIB has always been there for his family.

“Seeing my dad take advantage of visual aids and you know they helped him continue on with his job as a school teacher even though he had five percent vision,” said McKeever.

John McDonald is CNIBs Executive Director for Alberta and Northwest territories.

“I think it's incredibly inspirational not just for our clients but also for our staff and employees who work with people who have vision loss to meet an individual who's done so much with his life in spite of his," said McDonald.

For all he's accomplished as an athlete and how he's using that to be an ambassador, Brian McKeever is our inspiring Albertan this week.

(With files from Darrel Janz)