Warrior Strong

“He needs to go on long walks every day.” That’s what Preston’s surgeon, Dr. Valle, prescribed during Preston’s time at home between surgeries. Or at least something to that effect; it has been 5 years. And so that’s what we did. We live in rural Mississippi, or more exact, the woods. And to get to our home in the woods, our driveway stretches for a quarter of a mile. It’s quite beautiful, really. Serenely peaceful, I would put it. The path, or road rather, is long and winding. Okay, it’s really curvy. We have my grandmother to thank for that. She’s a North Carolinian in her roots, but her heart beats for Mississippi. And with her North Carolinian roots, she designed the driveway many years before me that now leads to where our home sits. Thus, we have a long and curvy driveway.

Picture this. A 16-year-old boy sporting a shaved head in compression socks that stretch to his knees and Chaco’s. Then there’s Rocky, a small dog who sees himself as a Great Dane who carries more confidence within his >1ft. tall body than a quarterback coming off a Super Bowl win. Oh, and let’s not forget the mini speaker attached to Rocky’s harness to play Preston’s country music playlist – a genuine must have. And lastly, but certainly not least, my mom is there holding the leash of our Great Dane at heart. It’s quite a crew, really. Looking back, I laugh because the thought of this team making multiple daily walks in a neighborhood would have been a sight. Fortunately, the only witnesses we had were the cats, and they didn’t seem to mind. This eccentric crew would make their daily walk with the country tunes 3 times a day- a sure way to keep in line with Dr. Valle’s instructions and keeping up appearances with whatever all lives in our woods.

So, you may ask- compression socks? Yep, and we even threw in some Bengay to keep things interesting. Truly though, during Preston’s journey he underwent a procedure multiple times called an angiogram. If angiogram sounds foreign to you, I’d probably consider that in your favor. So, from my non-sciencey (Yep, 100% just made that word up) understanding, an angiogram is an invasive procedure that provides doctors with the best view possible next to an actual surgery. For Preston, these involved going in through the groin and up to his brain. From here, a special dye (embolization) would be released into the blood vessel. The process of undergoing many angiograms ultimately left Preston to experience nerve issues, primarily in his feet, for obvious reasons. This pain became severe and ultimately hindered his walking. Putting on regular shoes was out of the question. That’s when the Bengay, compression socks, and Chaco’s came into play.

Now, picture this. A 16-year-old boy sporting a shaved head, sitting on the couch with his legs outstretched, yelling at the top of his lungs in a fashion that can only be compared to opera. Then there’s my mom, rubbing the Bengay onto his feet, the reason for all the opera, as his feet were sensitive to the touch. The most handsome cat to ever walk this earth, Serviver, is also there. Serviver’s ears remain pointed in a backward manner in response to the private concert we’re receiving, but he never made the effort to walk away. This was a nightly treat for some time to help the nerves in Preston’s feet heal and prepare for another day of walking.

Like Preston, not all warriors can participate in a workout. Walking was his only release and opportunity to really move. As if it were yesterday, I can still remember sitting next to my mom and Preston for an office visit with Dr. Valle one day. We were discussing the next surgery he needed, and it was no small feat. To remove the AVM, the right frontal lobe of Preston’s brain would need to be removed, and the risks were significant. Discussing all options, including the possibility of not even having the surgery, somehow led us to if Preston were to experience a fall. What Dr. Valle said next stopped me cold, “It would be catastrophic.” He needed the surgery.

After considerable time recovering from that surgery, Preston returned to karate and also took up Cross-Fit. Incorporating these activities into Preston’s daily life was a key beneficial step in Preston’s journey, both mentally and physically. I always recognized the significant benefit physical activity plays in the lives of all, but for warriors and survivors like Preston, I’ve seen firsthand the progress it provides in all facets.

So, I had this idea. AVMs are rare, that’s a given, and everything I’ve fulfilled to date with Preston Strong has revolved directly around his rare disease to an extent. But the truth is, more often than not, we all have someone in our life who has faced a battle just like Preston, and that unites so many more than just the rare disease community. If you know me, you probably know I love my binder, as it’s my favorite way to maintain organization on the go. In my notes, I had set a goal to create some event that incorporated everyone, regardless of the disease/trauma you may have experienced, and it would be called Warrior Strong.

Warrior Strong ultimately became a reality when I first pitched it to Steve McAlister, Owner of Versus Strength and Conditioning. I shared my overarching goal to unite and celebrate all warriors in a fun workout that also paid tribute to the Rare Disease Day proclamation Mayor Barker of Hattiesburg would soon sign. Steve was immediately on board and began brainstorming many of the ideas that went into the event itself. Sitting there, I knew instantly that not only had I come to the right place, but this was his sweet spot, whether he realized it or not. There’s a reason Versus holds the success it does today. The spirit it emboldens with each sweaty workout, the status of the “V” bumper sticker on cars, and most notably, the community that every person instantly receives once they join.

Commemorating Rare Disease Day 2/28/23

The day of Warrior Strong finally came, and in true Mississippi fashion, the weather did a complete 180 from what it had been for weeks. For reference, it was March 18, and this morning, mother nature decided to be in the low, with emphasis on low 40 degrees. The last thing I wanted to do was get up early on a Saturday morning to go workout in a likely chilly gym. Let’s be honest, if I felt that way for my own event, would anyone else even come? Now, I was nervous.

I met Mary Godbold for the first time that morning. She’s warm, funny, and, fortunately, a fun coach when you’re trying to build up body heat! Mary understood the purpose of the event and was absolutely phenomenal in setting up each class with time for me to share the Preston Strong message. A message of how it had brought us together, where Warrior Strong comes in, and its overarching purpose.

And then we have the one and only Nathan Day. I don’t know how to describe Nathan best, so I will leave it at my first thought as I write this, he’s a beast in the gym. Nathan was the first person my mom, Preston, and I met at Versus. And now, he’s my coach as I prepare for Miss Mississippi. We have a lot of fun together, really. From him driving me to wear a weighted vest across the gym or increasing my weights every round. Plus, just to keep it interesting, he’s even added interview coach to his impressive resume as he randomly quizzes me on hot topics, and I try to find my breath to answer. And to top it all off, he came in on his day off to support Warrior Strong and thank goodness he did.

It wasn’t until the 8am class began that I learned that Saturday morning workouts at Versus tend to have less than 10 people at each class. Like 5 people would be a good crowd normally. That's when I knew it would come down to whether I marketed the event enough.

I was genuinely happy with our turnout for 8am and felt we had a good crew. But out of nowhere, as 9am slowly approached, it was as if I turned around and people were consistently streaming through the doors. I was amazed. People would continue streaming in until we reached the 30-person mark! It goes without saying, having both Mary and Nathan there to lead the class was a godsend. I genuinely had the best time sharing the message of Warrior Strong and spending my morning with every person who faced the cold weather. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to every Warrior Strong participant. It is because of each of you that this was a success and a morning to remember, I know I will. Finally, to top it all off, we collectively raised over $500 within two hours for The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation to fund research! A successful morning celebrating all walks of life in the unique journeys we each face to make a difference. Thank you to all.