From no fan….to super fan….in two months.

There have been critics to my Ronda story, most voicing their displeasure on how she is not a good role model for kids. She swears, has done nude photo shoots, fights people for a living, or whatever. My intention for Ashlynn is not to look at anyone’s faults or judge their decisions. My intention for Ashlynn and all the other kids out there was to see that someone not only beat apraxia, but that they went on to be the best at what they do. The VERY best at what they do. That they give interviews in which they are speaking articulately, and acting in movies that have a lot of speaking parts.

However, now that I have learned a lot more about Ronda since that fateful day I met her and knew virtually nothing about her, I can firmly say even more I think she is a standout role model for our kids with apraxia.

I also am surprised that I have come to respect the sport of MMA and the UFC behind it. I would have never paid attention to the sport if not for Ronda. Lumping it together with WWE in my mind, I had no interest of ever watching it. Since I’ve been following it now though, I was impressed after her most recent fight in which Ronda said the UFC and the sport of MMA is the only sport to not delineate champions from the champion, and the “women’s” champion. She was proud that is the only sport not to do that. As it currently stands, she is THE champ.

That’s not the best part though. The best part came yesterday. Upon reading my story, the chief editor Seth Kelly of UFC: the Official Magazine, sent Ashlynn and autographed glove worn by Ronda Rousey in one of their magazine photo shots. He had heard about my story when his wife forwarded him it and decided he wanted to send this glove to Ashlynn. As if that wasn’t amazing enough, the box came yesterday, but a typed note from Seth was included. It said,

“I read your mom’s story about meeting Ronda Rousey. I’m proud of you for going up to the champ and talking to her….all by yourself. You are clearly a brave little girl on your way to becoming a brave, strong woman. Hopefully it (the glove) reminds you of one of Ronda’s greatest qualities for years to come. She never quits and neither should you.”

Honestly, I couldn’t read it the first time without tearing up. I had just written yesterday a blog post about how Ashlynn never quits, ending my post with “it’s hard to beat a person who never gives up,” and then this shows up on our doorstep.

I tweeted out a thank you, and he wrote back

Have I mentioned I don’t believe in coincidences? Another message. The timing….perfect. I hope one day when Ashlynn is feeling discouraged, uncertain, or if she is doubting herself, as we all do at one time or another; she will remember this experience, read about this experience, and know with absolute certainty she is a fighter and an overcomer. And it wasn’t just her mom who loves her who thinks so.

That was going to be the end of my post. I didn’t get this post out last night though like I had planned, but I guess I wasn’t supposed to. This afternoon the MMAJunkie.com posted an article based on my story and an interview we had last Wednesday.

Ronda Rousey, Apraxia of Speech, and the Space Between Luck and Coincidence

I’ve been pretty nervous to give interviews. After USA Today first ran my article and decided to choose the title:

Ronda Rousey discusses the rare disorder that made her think she was stupid as a child,

I was pretty pissed. I know they write headlines, but this was just disrespectful. Anyway, last Wednesday I spoke to a nice gentleman named Ben Fowlkes and we had a great talk. After I hung up the phone, I started freaking out worried he would twist my words.

I was pleasantly surprised. I was also surprised, and then giddy to see he had interviewed AnnMaria De Mars, Ronda’s mom! Everything she said was perfect. I texted fellow apraxia moms and we all agreed, that woman is one of us:

“That was one of the things that, when I was interviewing there, I specifically asked about, was if Ronda could get speech therapy services there, and more than once a week,” DeMars said. “When I talked to the woman who was the head of the clinic there, I said, ‘I really need the best speech pathologist you’ve got.’ She said, ‘Oh, they’re all good.’ I told her, ‘Look, this is my baby we’re talking about here.’”

I couldn’t help but smile. De Mars, so intuitive, so strong, an advocate, a mother, and most certainly, the mother of a champion.

I read a comment once that said there is no limit to what a mother will do for her child, and De Mars is no exception. She knew to advocate, to question, to pursue before we ever had all this information about apraxia like we do now. Fowlkes wrote Ronda was uncommonly lucky to have DeMars for a mother, but I must respectfully disagree. I personally think it was no accident Ronda had DeMars for her mom…….but that’s just me.

After reading this article, I now had a new-found respect for the MMA. This journalist handled my story with integrity and professionalism.

I’ll end this story like Ben did in his article. What do I think of the UFC & MMA after only learning what it was 2 months ago?

“I follow it now, baby.”