Unbeatable Determination

 I met Natalie about 3.5 years ago when our sons both played hockey together. Natalie is such a beautiful person inside & out. It is truly an honor to call her friend. She is a single mom to an amazing boy named Sami. Everything she does is for him.

Natalie's journey started at the beginning of that hockey season. Our team held a "parent/son" skate session just for fun. Natalie desperately wanted to be able to skate with Sami, but due to her physical incapacities, was unable to.  Natalie told me it was a devastating moment, to see her baby out there by himself, while all his teammates had their parents with them. She went to her car & just broke down in tears. She knew at that moment that something HAD to change. There were so many times where she couldn't participate in things with her son & as his only parent, it just wasn't okay. This was her rock bottom.

Natalie decided that day, to change her life for her son. The journey has been tough, but she has the strongest sense of motivation & determination I've ever witnessed. It has been a complete transformation, not just weight loss. She is healthier & looks younger at 42 than she did at 22.

 There were about 6 months from that turning point to the end of the hockey season & NONE of the parents on our team (myself included) could believe the transformation in just that short amount of time. After the season was over, Natalie had lost enough weight that she could now ice skate with Sami!!!

Natalie didn't stop there though. To this day, she continues to follow a strict dietary regiment & work out routine. She is extremely active & often goes on bike rides or hiking trips or just a run in the evening. (typically joined by Sami) Natalie has dropped a total of 94 pounds & has gone from a size 24 to a size 14!!! She did this with the help of an amazing product called Isagenix. However, none of this would have been possible without her hard work, unwavering determination & ultimately, her love for her son.

It was such an honor to be asked to take part in Natalie's journey & to photograph her amazing progress so far. I can't wait to capture some amazing moments with her & Sami in an upcoming session this summer! CONGRATULATIONS Natalie!!! I am so proud of you & so inspired by you.