|||I went to a specialist and the|||specialist looked at me and said this|||child has muscular distrophy and my mom|||shares her world shattering sure and as|||she began to pick up the pieces she|||spoke th that word those words thy will|||be done and so they put me in the water|||to move those muscles okay so they they|||put you in water and that that was a|||
GameChanger because you were able to be|||different in the water so tell us about|||going from from that diagnosis to|||becoming a World Champ absolutely um the|||was my freedom I you know I was the same|||as everybody I could do everything and|||actually do it a little better and and|||so I got this little Competitive Edge|||growing up in a very Sports family um|||and so I started swimming swimming to|||
get healthy and then swimming to get|||faster and as I started understanding|||living with a disability I set my goal|||on going to the par Olympics and in the|||year 2000 I was honored to represent our|||country at the par Olympic Games and and|||W have winning success and standing on|||the podium your life went through a|||drastic change because I know you have|||three kids yes yes and then you went|||
through something that you you you got|||sepsis you had a 10% chance of|||survival tell us like yeah so what going|||from you know an Olympic Athlete and and|||getting married and and celebrating that|||you know normal life and I had my um|||third child um her birth was perfect and|||my recovery was anything but and a true|||Testament to relying on my faith I was|||in the hospital for 28 days after she|||
was born um you know just begging God|||and and praying of there's got to be a|||purpose I went home for a few short|||hours only to kiss my kids goodbye to be|||sent back to the hospital in an|||ambulance afraid of you know I may never|||come back home to them and to find out I|||was in a severe sepsis infection battle|||well with a 10% survival rate uh we were|||chatting before we came out here you|||
told me this incredible story my son|||Corbin yes how old was he at the time|||and tell us what happened cuz it's just|||unbelievable yes so a 10% survival rate|||and I was put into a medically induced|||coma um and at my time in the coma um|||later on when I came home from the|||hospital Corbin shared a story of um the|||doctors had gone to my family and said|||you know this is when we need her to|||
fight we need everything to happen um|||and Corbin shares the story of he was|||sleeping and I came into his room um and|||I sat on his bed and I shared with him|||Corbin Mommy's body is too sick and I|||need to go home to heaven and Daddy's|||going to take care of you and Corbin|||says he said Mommy I looked at the man|||standing behind you and I said please|||don't take my mommy and he put his hand|||
on your shoulder and he said okay later|||to find out that very next morning my|||husband called my mother-in-law to say|||mom she opened her eyes and the doctors|||are finally cautiously optimistic Corbin|||later goes to school and comes running|||home from his grade school and says|||Mommy that man is everywhere in my|||school I see pictures of Jesus|||everywhere unbelievable I mean I know|||
that something like that when that|||happens to you it does something to your|||faith I I want to quote you okay he said|||something beautiful you said I'm here|||not because of science or or medical|||intervention I'm here because of the|||power of prayer and the miracle that I|||was given and my mission now is to share|||the light of my faith so that if even|||one more person may come to know God my|||
goal is to walk into those Gates of|||Heaven one day and hear the words well|||done my child absolutely how does this|||impact your faith on a like I mean|||there's a overview but like on a daily|||basis I mean I give thanks to God|||putting that incredible medical team in|||in my path so I don't want to minimize|||that at all but I absolutely believe|||there was an amazing prayer vigil that|||
was started when I was sick um it has|||grown to over 1500 people still three|||years later people are coming together|||to pray together every night um and for|||me I laid in that hospital bed one night|||Joe when it was 3:00 in the morning and|||I said God there is a purpose for this|||pain and I'm not not going to doubt you|||I'm going to trust you and I know you|||are going to carry me through this I'm|||
scared I'm worried and I want to raise|||my babies but I trust you so like those|||words my mom said thy will be done and|||let's use this for as good as we can|||well that's the question then how does|||God you know use that pain and how does|||he turn it into purpose how has he done|||that in in your life I think from the|||very early age of of living with the|||struggles of a disability and and you|||
know having that those tools that have|||been given by God to get through that|||next struggle to move through to be able|||to then you know only have a 10% chance|||of survival and say hey I've done this|||I've had this Warrior behind me this|||whole time and being able to honestly|||say you know what God I need you to|||carry me right now I can't do it I need|||you to do this till I can walk again um|||
and so being able to just go step by|||step and taking those moments to say you|||know I need that and and feeling that|||pure faith of he was right there so how|||does faith help you on a daily basis I'm|||sure there are things that frustrate you|||they I wish I could do this without you|||know issue H how does that get you|||through the day for me um now to be able|||to be home with my kids and my my|||
husband and and raising my family I give|||thanks as as often as I can but I also|||say you know sometimes jokingly okay|||like I've had enough um but also I can't|||wait to see what the purpose of this one|||is so instead of that why me attitude|||I'm always having conversations with God|||of okay let's try me through this one|||and I can't wait to see for me every|||struggle I go through just brings me so|||
much closer to my relationship with God|||Amen and he can use he can use all|||things he doesn't cause all things but|||he can use all things and now you've|||been given this platform nationally|||where we can go and be a voice for|||others tell us a little bit about that|||absolutely um I made my mission that|||after I got healthy I would share my|||story and being able like you said to|||
even just touch one person who may be|||struggling and you know being able to|||walk alongside people through their|||Journey so it's my mission to share my|||story to whoever wants to listen and|||even if they don't I'm going to make|||them|||listen well there are a lot of people|||listening right now and if there's|||somebody that that's going through a|||
difficult season whatever it might be it|||could be a diagnos it could be a|||financial thing a mental health what|||would you say to a person who says Ah|||it's not worth it I just feel like I|||need to give up because you were given|||10% survival you're in a medically|||induced coma then you go into a actual|||coma you come out of it what do you say|||to people who might feel like giving up|||
I say hold on to him I say this is the|||air we breathe and he's not going|||anywhere so I know sometimes it's so|||hard and it's allowed to be difficult we|||feel like we have to be okay with|||everything and sometimes you know just|||having that moment to say this is the|||air I breathe and it's going to get|||better|||[Music]|||
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