Autumn

Autumn was 21 years old.

Autumn was 310 pounds.

Autumn was a mother of a young baby.

“You will die before you reach 30”.

This is what a brave doctor told this young lady. Instead of enjoying another 50 years she was planning on less than 9.

Autumn was shocked.

Can you imagine this young mother being told that she’d be dead before her kid turned 12? Autumn was told she should be dead because she was so unhealthy at 21 that her body just couldn’t handle it for  9 more years.

Autumn had a choice as a very young lady.

She could do what most people do and have a pity party. She could whine and complain and blame the world. She could be to have some silly surgery that may or may not work. She could go on living her lifestyle and chalk it up to “bad genetics” or “luck of the draw” or “stress” or any other reasons people have to being morbidly obese.

She did none of that.

Instead she started changing her diet; slowly at first. She went to seminars to learn how to eat properly. She saw specialists. She really started to focus on doing the simple things. She drank lots of water, cut her portion sizes down, and cut way back on soda and sweets.

She started walking and doing exercise tapes.

All of a sudden the pounds came off and the self esteem went up.

Within a few years Autumn had lost the weight. She went from 310 lbs at 21 to 120 pounds at 26.

Was it an overnight success story for Autumn? Nope. Did she stay a pillar of health at 120 lbs? Nope. Has it been easy? Nope.

Now at 32 Autumn has 4 kids. She isn’t 120 lbs anymore but doesn’t want to be that light. Today she is working hard to get back to a comfortable weight.

Autumn had a choose 11 years ago. Be dead in 9 years or live.

She chose life.

I’m glad that she made that choice because just a few weeks ago Autumn and her kids were at the park with a friend.

Autumn’s friend had a heart attack and died right there.

This man’s heart stopped.

Autumn (The 32 year old who was supposed to be dead at 30) and a bystander at the park did CPR and brought him back to life. Today Autumn is a lifesaver and a hero.

Not just that day in the park. Not just THAT day but also because of that other day 11 years ago. The day she decided to save… HER OWN LIFE.

I bet her kids are thankful and I bet the man she saved is thankful.

I know I am thankful because today she is a very close friend and one of the hardest working members of my program.

Autumn is a hero to me.