On September 28, 2024 I was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke at the age of 31. The day I was supposed to be marking off the bucket list and traveling to South Bend, IN with my best friends quickly turned into five days in a Norton Hospital room and three days in Frazier Rehab. Everyone hears about the physical limitations that follow a stroke, but never the emotional side. To be completely honest, I struggled very badly with being myself. I had no emotions, frankly, and a filter disappeared. The first thing that came to mind was the first thing that came out of my mouth — good and bad.

In 2025, I turned that experience into purpose. Together, we raised over $6,000, and more than 55 people joined me in the walk. It was incredibly meaningful, but I have even bigger aspirations for 2026.

I've come to love this quote as of late:

"The past is unchangeable, a chapter already written. But the future is still ours to shape, and our actions today are the pen. We may not rewrite where we've been, but we hold the power to decide where we go from here."