On Tuesday, January 23rd, I was given the opportunity to sit down with celebrity trainer, TV fitness expert, neuro performance specialist and TBI survivor, Shawnee Harkins.
For those of you who don't know, TBI stands for traumatic brain injury. TBI's can be anything from slipping and falling, concussions, or in Harkins case, being hit by a car.
In Harkins' young adult life she sustained a total of three TBIs that took a toll on her body, soul and future.
Her first one was in California when she was 18 years old. One "beautiful" day, she was rollerblading and was hit head-on by a Chevy Suburban. Witnesses said she "bounced off the driver's window three times before hitting the concrete."
That day she experienced what not very many 18-year-olds have. She was in the ICU, flatlined and on life-support.
That night, the doctors had called her family, told them about the situation and explained how they didn't think she would make it through the night. She was also diagnosed as a quadriplegic and took her about a year to overcome the brain and spinal injuries.
In between her first and second TBI, she experienced what she calls her "one pushup test." She was at the point where she could finally get out of bed and needed a "sign" telling her to not give up on her dream of being a firefighter. If she was able to do one full pushup, then she should keep pursuing that career path.
"I couldn't even walk from the bed to the floor. I had to crawl, roll over, and fall, because I wasn't yet walking. I was praying out loud, talking out loud saying 'you can do this, you can do this,' and slowly but surely I put my hands under my chest, extended my arms into this full pushup position, and then collapsed onto the floor. I started crying because I just performed this pushup when I was supposed to be dead. I was supposed to be a quadriplegic."
In between her training to be a firefighter and EMT, she sustained another TBI at the age of 20. She was "double attack assaulted in downtown LA," but that still didn't stop her from chasing her dreams and eventually achieving them at age 21.
When you have sustained a TBI, you're more susceptible to them in the future. At the age of 24, she had a slip and fall, giving her the third TBI and putting her back on life-support.
"I decided that there's a different reason that I'm here on Earth. For me I have a different calling, and that's to help other people."
With each injury, more people told her that she wouldn't be able to do anything when it came to her goals, but not only did she overcome her paralysis and TBIs, but also filmed her first television show in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, was on Dr. Phil's "The Ultimate Weightloss Race," became the Shake Weight brand ambassador and so much more.
She defied all of her doctors' predictions as well as her family and friends'.
For those of you who are struggling with an illness such as a TBI, a bodily injury or anything that has you struggling, Shawnee Harkins says to "find your own advocate."
Find someone, or something, that will keep you trying, a way to keep you going rather than just waiting for things to come along.
She also gave four things to help:
1. Don't listen to negativity
2. Invite positivity
3. If you're spiritual, invite it
4. Take care of your health, fitness and regeneration.
Harkins' story is not only inspiring but unique. Not every day does someone come around saying how they survived three TBIs and accomplished as much as she has.
If anything, this should show how you should never give up on your dreams, no matter how many "can'ts" or "won'ts" you're hearing. Follow your dreams. Keep going. Keep fighting.
Shawnee Harkins also revealed that rowing was a sport that helped her recover from her paralysis. If you're interested in knowing more go to USRowing.org and click on Learn To Row to learn more about rowing and find events near you.
