The Ruthless Report: Cheryl Brown—Calm in the Eye of a Storm
You never know what's going on in people's heads, even in the obvious situation of an athlete competing at a major event like the Arnold Sports Festival. Take figure pro Cheryl Brown. The trainer, nutritionist and mother of three from Lake Mary, Florida, who won three contests in 2011, was her cool, calm and collected self when I snapped the accompanying photo at the expo—and happy with the eighth-place finish she'd achieved in the lineup of 29 the night before. Not an inkling of the challenges she was facing on the home front.
A couple of weeks later Brownie revealed via Facebook posts her connection to something that was about to become major news from coast to coast. I was vaguely aware of the story of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old high school student who'd been shot to death in Florida, but couldn't have told you the details. Her post brought it front and center.
Five days before the Arnold, Cheryl's 13-year-old son, Austin, had been taking the family dog out for a walk and become an earwitness to the shooting, which took place 20 yards from their back door. Although he didn't actually see the shot—the dog got away from him at a critical moment, and he had to retrieve it—Austin did seen a man on the ground about 10 seconds before he heard the shot. He could not really make out the details in the dark, but the police pressured him to say that the person on the ground had been wearing a red shirt, referring to the shooter, George Zimmerman. Cheryl was not happy when she realized that and took steps to set the record straight.
The basic outline of the Trayvon Martin shooting is well known by now and very much a story in progress. In the weeks that followed, thanks to cable news channels, I saw video of Austin being interviewed on local Florida news followed by Cheryl in a couple of prominent interviews with the Rev. Al Sharpton and Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC. Very much the mama bear protecting her cub, she told her story quietly and with no emotion. She also revealed that the lead investigator, when he'd interviewed Cheryl and her son, told her that he didn't believe Zimmerman's story that the unarmed teenager had attacked him and he had shot in self-defense.
Flash-forward another couple of weeks. Another Facebook post about her younger brother, Mark Smith, based in Atlanta, who'd had a sudden heart attack and was in dire straights. Mark was without health insurance and in very bad shape. His sister had started a fund.
Having found herself inadvertently in the eye of a storm—and then some—Cheryl was showing amazing grace under pressure. Double-checking the facts, I realized that the shooting, on February 29, had occurred just five days before she got onstage at the Figure International. And Cheryl had mentioned in her interviews and postings that the police had not followed up with her son for five days after the event. Not hard to do that math.
In a recent conversation, Cheryl confirmed that she was having quite a spring and affirmed that she and her family would ultimately get through it.
What was the timing of events during your trip to the Arnold? The murder occurred the Sunday prior to the Arnold. I left for Columbus on Wednesday. I received a phone call on Friday, March 2 from the lead investigator just a few hours after the prejudging. We scheduled the interview for the following Monday.
How did you manage to keep your contest prep as well as your training business steady with all that going on in the neighborhood during that last week? Training is a stress reliever for me.
How were your time in Columbus and your performance at the Figure I a
ffected? What was in your head that weekend? Several weeks before the Figure International, I received results from a biopsy. I had precancerous cells, which had to be treated with cryotherapy—freezing—as soon as possible. I scheduled it for right after the competition. Some people were surprised that I was still competing. My thoughts were that I had trained so long, and getting up onsDSC 1081 BAZMOCCJKZtage would not make a bit of difference in my diagnosis. The same was true for the shooting. Stressing about it was not going to change a thing. I made the decision to give the competition my all, both physically and mentally. My time in Columbus was extremely focused on doing my best and presenting my best package, perhaps even more so than usual. I feel I was successful and was very happy with what I presented to the judges. My prayers were for mental strength and calmness. My focus was on nothing but positiveness and gratitude.
Were you and your son successful in convincing the investigator that he could not, in fact, identify the person on the ground? Yes. Also please note that about 10 seconds after Austin saw the one person on the ground, he heard the gunshot. This might be something police feel contradicts Zimmerman's story.
You have said that your son was very upset that he'd been unable to help the person who was calling for help that night. How's he doing now? He is doing as well as can be expected. This is a lot for even an adult to cope with, but he is a tough kid, and with time and counseling he will be okay.
Both you and Austin have been interviewed by print media as well as TV reporters. How did that come about and what was the experience like? There are media that want to inform and bring awareness by gathering facts and telling the truth. Unfortunately, others have a different agenda. I think it has been an eye opener as well as a good thing for my son to see that firsthand, especially since he has aspirations to become a sports reporter.All of this was going on throughout March.
Then April came, and you got hit with a biggie. What happened to your brother? On Wednesday, April 4, 2012, my younger brother, Mark, was found unconscious and alone is his apartment. Doctors believe he had been that way for approximately 36 hours. He was admitted into the ICU at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, where doctors gave him a 1 percent chance of survival. Mark suffered two massive strokes (which have affected his vision, coordination, motor skills, and some cognitive skills), kidney failure, and numerous blood clots in his hands and feet, and is now facing amputation of both feet and his right hand. Many, many tests have been performed, but the underlying cause is still unknown!He has many obstacles to overcome but is now out of ICU and is stable.The doctors said one thing, but he is still with us. What's happening there?The only explanation is that the power of prayer is immeasurable—stronger than any doctor's prognosis!
You've set up a fund for his medical expenses that people can donate to, is that right? Yes, as I said, Mark has a long road ahead of him: occupational therapy, physical therapy, dialysis, surgeries, prosthetic costs, etc., And he unfortunately does not have medical insurance.
If people want to help, where can they go to donate? http://www.gofundme.com/MiracleForMark
Raising three kids and running a business, you already had a pretty full plate. What is life like now, and what have you been doing to stay strong for your family, mentally as well as physically? This is my life, and I choose to focus on all the things I am blessed with. I know everything happens for a reason, and God never gives me more than I can handle! I continue to make time for me (praying, meditating and working out) so that I can be there for them. I also have some truly great friends who are always there to help me when I need it.
Will you be competing anytime soon? Any chance I will see you at the Pittsburgh, which you won last year, in a couple of weeks? Possibly. Actually, any competitions I do this year will be dedicated to my brother. And if I earn prize money, it will go to his fund.
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