Health & Fitness
From the brink of death
to the finish line
I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in high school and managed it for years with immunotherapy. Then in December 2021, a routine trip to Las Vegas turned into a crisis — I collapsed at the airport, was rushed to an ER, and when my condition kept spiraling I was airlifted to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
What they found was a rare fungal infection that had triggered an extremely rare blood disorder. Emergency colon surgery. Chemotherapy. Two months fighting for my life at 26 years old. The odds were not good.
I made it. Recovery was a daily practice — incremental progress, small wins, milestones. The physical rebuilding happened alongside the mental one, and eventually both became something I wanted to chase rather than just endure. I started running. Then racing. Then longer.
In October 2025 — less than four years after emergency surgery — I crossed the finish line of a full IRONMAN triathlon. 140.6 miles. That arc isn't lost on me for a single day.
Race Accomplishments
Annual Fundraising for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude is close to my heart — and close to my alma mater in Memphis. I've fundraised for them every year and have raised over $50,000 to support their mission of finding cures for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.