The Special Olympics International World Winter Games are half a world away across the world's most vast ocean in Pyeongchang, South Korea, but the nearly-5,000 mile distance from home didn't stop one Silver Valley resident from following her dreams and representing Shoshone County, Idaho and the United States in the event held every two years.

Alpine skier Andrea Mousseau is one of only three athletes from the state of Idaho to compete in the 2013 World Winter Games, joining Sun Valley-native Jerry Smith and Boise-native Brandon Stanley in representing the northwestern state at one of the flagship events of the Special Olympics promoting equality, tolerance and acceptance around the world.

Andrea's mother, Joey Mousseau, said while it's only her daughter's fourth year competing in the Special Olympics, she has excelled in her events and has become a face of the organization in the Northwest giving speeches at schools and other places.

Joey Mousseau said her daughter has been having a great time representing her state at the 2013 World Winter Games. She said her daughter's joy comes in part from the passion for skiing, but also from the joy she gets from her teammates.

"She loves to ski, and she really loves her team members," Joey Mousseau said. "She's made a lot friends [while competing in the Special Olympics] and is having a great time. "

Andrea has been skiing for nine years, her mother said, and has done well at competing. So far in the games, she's placed fourth in the Alpine Intermediate Slalom, the Alpine Intermediate Super G and the Alpine Intermediate Giant Slalom, while competing in two more events.

Andrea is getting back to her home state Friday when her plane arrives in Boise after flying thousands of miles from the games in South Korea where she proudly represented American and the Silver Valley.