People are not living perfect lives; what seems perfect is not. Her story was similar. Her life from another person’s perspective was extraordinary. She seemed to excel in everything, whether having good friends or being the class topper. However, not a single day passed when self-hatred was not present.
It was deep-rooted inside her, which made her fall into depression, and what made it worse was how she was bullied in school and gained weight because of her already declining mental health. All these events took place quickly, and the events that followed made her life even worse. She dropped out of school, spent time in a psychiatric unit to feel better, and even attempted suicide multiple times.
However, when she noticed how she was making things worse for herself, the girl decided to rebuild her life and thus sought a GED. She also tried joining the school, but weighing over 450 pounds meant she would be made fun of, and no one would like her at school. Thus, she took her time mentally preparing herself for a better life and soon exercised and took healthy measures. She also made the major decision to undergo a significant surgery for weight loss- gastric bypass surgery.
The surgery had a considerable positive impact on her life, as she lost several pounds after it, and most of the excessive skin was reduced. Although it did bring her some satisfaction and body positivity, what about the mental health that did not seem to get better, no matter what she did?
She started college soon. However, it also added a beautiful new relationship to her life as she fell in love. So many new beginnings in her life that were previously full of cries, and it was a life she wanted to give up on every other day, were now beautiful. The man seemed nice; however, it lasted only until they married. After that, abuse took place of the love they had.
It was not just limited to verbal or emotional abuse, but he hit her multiple times and took control of all her decisions and actions. The woman filed for divorce and filed multiple times against him, but she was still stuck. She had nowhere to go and did not know what to do now, as the couple had three children.
Once, when they had a heated argument regarding parenting, the husband did something beyond terrifying: He looked her up in the basement with no food. There was no clean water, but she survived on tap water for days. What bothered her the most all those days was not her well-being but how her kids would be. Eventually, she let her out, but she feared that what happened was life-threatening.
Her husband was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder that could not be treated and died after committing suicide. When this incident took place, she did not know how to feel. The doctors declared him brain-dead, and she sat in the ICU, wondering if life would get any better, as at last the abuse she went through was now over. She felt free, but at the same time, the grief and anger were taking over her. She could finally breathe without being scared.
Although it took her a lot of time to recover, she opted for multiple ways, as you never know what would work best. She spent most of the day with her kids, attended therapy sessions, and started focusing on her physical health. All these healed her in one way or another. Moreover, she decided to re-enroll in college and return to work. This time it was different as she was happy and ready to conquer all the challenges that had previously stopped her. Nine months passed, and she felt happier than ever with over 115 pounds lost and by rediscovering her passion. It felt like she was on a journey of rediscovering herself.
She is not just an inspiration for the public after she shared her story and was praised by millions, but also inspires her kids daily. With a 4 GPA in nursing school, her weight loss journey that she is still covering, and raising three exceptional children—only someone extraordinary would do that, and God chose her! Her story is a lesson for all: no matter how heartbreaking your past is, your future can be way better and more beautiful if you are resilient.
