(NEXSTAR) - Paralympic wheelchair curler Sean O'Neill expressed pride following his debut performance at the Games in Cortina, Italy. O'Neill, who grew up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, said he feels an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the support he received during the international competition. O'Neill noted that the competition did not yield the specific standing the team had hoped for, but he remains focused on the support system that surrounded him. "You know, it's a mix of emotions, certainly not the outcome and the results we wanted," O'Neill said. "So a little disappointed there, certainly, but the overall feelings, sort of the more stronger emotions right now are sort of pride in my teammates and just a lot of gratitude for all the support we've had throughout the Games, both at home and over here in Cortina." O'Neill first discovered curling about five years ago after attending an open house at a local club near his former high school. Despite being an athlete prior to an accident that led him to adaptive sports, O'Neill said he never imagined he would eventually compete on a global stage in front of international fans. Before his accident, O'Neill considered himself athletic but only imagined completing personal milestones, such as a marathon. He said the reality of competing on television in front of international fans was difficult to grasp. "It's so far beyond what I could have imagined," O'Neill said. "It's very hard to grasp even as it's happened." Beyond the physical competition, O'Neill emphasized the community aspect and "the spirit of curling," which he described as an environment of inclusion. He noted that his motivation comes from both the mental strategy of the game and the welcoming nature of the wheelchair curling community. "The spirit of curling is really one of inclusion of bringing people in," O'Neill said. "I feel incredibly blessed to have found those things and to try and, you know, sort of live those ideals of inclusivity and welcoming people." O'Neill plans to take a few days to rest in Italy before traveling back to Massachusetts to return to work and his home life. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published.