Piper Sutton, 8, fixes her hair as she talks with Paralympic swimmer Lizzi Smith on Aug. 21, 2024, at the Panzer Main Exchange in Boeblingen, Germany. Five members signed autographs and chatted with members of the U.S. military community around Stuttgart. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

BOEBLINGEN, Germany — Army Maj. Jacob Heath and his children, Noah, 8, and Rachel, 3, can say for now that they’ve spent most of their tour in Germany in contact with the U.S. Paralympic swim team.

The Heaths just arrived Tuesday, where Jacob Heath joined the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group. They ended up staying in the same hotel as the squad, which is training in the surrounding Stuttgart area for the 2024 Paralympic Games. The family then saw the Paralympians at dinner.

Prior to leaving for Germany, the Heaths already had planned to be at a signing event Wednesday at the Panzer Main Exchange, where they were some of the first in line.

“Noah’s been really excited once we got here, and I told them (the Paralympians) were going to be here,” said Jacob Heath, while Noah gave a thumbs-up.

They were among 100 people who showed up to meet with five members of the Paralympic swim team: Army Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks, David Abrahams, Jamal Hill, McKenzie Coan and Lizzi Smith.

The event was part of a weeklong stay with U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart before the team heads to the Paris Paralympic Games, which runs from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8.

This marked the second time the U.S. squad has trained in the Stuttgart area prior to a Games. The last time was in 2012, when London hosted.

Petty Officer 1st Class Alex Wesley shakes hands with Paralympic swimmer Jamal Hil during a signing event on Aug. 21, 2024, at the Panzer Main Exchange in Boeblingen, Germany. Welsey had all five members sign a Paris 2024 T-shirt he bought while at the Olympic Games in August. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Paralympians Jamal Hill, back left, and McKenzie Coan, center, chat with Ivan Grubbs, 3, front left, and brother Xavier Grubbs, 7, front right, during a signing event on Aug. 21, 2024, at the Panzer Main Exchange in Boeblingen, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Army Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks, right, poses with Evie Bolton, 12, during a signing event on Aug. 21, 2024, at the Panzer Main Exchange in Boeblingen, Germany. Marks was one of five Paralympians signing autographs right outside the food court. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Paralympian Lizzi Smith signs a swimming kickboard during a signing event on Aug. 21, 2024, at the Panzer Main Exchange in Boeblingen, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Coan said that when she heard they were coming back to Stuttgart, her “heart exploded.”

“I had such a good experience here back in 2012,” said Coan, who was 16 at the time. “And I have to tell you, it was the same thing all over again. The hospitality, everyone who is here welcoming us into their home, into their base, it’s just incredible.”

An enthusiastic group met the Paralympians, who chatted with all for an hour and 15 minutes. The athletes signed everything from photos to articles of clothing and even a swimming kickboard with an American flag printed on it.

Petty Officer 1st Class Alex Welsey, who works at U.S. Africa Command, came to the signing with a Paris 2024 T-shirt he picked up while watching the Olympic Games earlier this month.

Welsey said he can’t wait to frame the signed shirt.

“I wanted to meet our American Paralympic heroes,” Welsey said. “I actually had the pleasure of meeting (Olympic wrestling gold medalist) Kurt Angle several years ago. So I wanted to come out and support (the Paralympic swim team) as well.”

Seeing the crowd and the people’s passion lit a fire under Coan. She mentioned that everyone encouraged her and the team, and talked to some who are traveling to Paris to attend the swimming events.

“The energy that I feel right now, I could go out and swim right now in the Games. I’m just so amped up,” Coan said. “It’s really meaningful to have people come up and go, ‘We’re rooting for you,’ who have never met us before, but here they are, standing in line for half an hour just to say ‘hi’ and ‘good luck.’”

The line of people seeking autographs from five Paralympians wraps around the hallway outside the food court of the Panzer Main Exchange during an event on Aug. 21, 2024, in Boeblingen, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)