Business
In this powerful Red Shoes Living Podcast, Lonnie Mayne talks with Bronze Medal Olympian, Kellie Wells Brinkley. This is a special and talented woman you want to know. Her story keeps you on the edge of your seat and you find yourself cheering her on throughout the podcast. Kellie shares the incredible hurdles she powered through, over and conquered, to go on to win the Bronze Medal in 2012. It was considered one of the most dramatic stories in the history of the Olympic games.Kellie shares with us her belief that "not all types of movement is progress. Sometimes, you have to stop to move forward." She also believes that when you think you have reached your "glass ceiling", set a new one and keep pushing. Kellie Wells hails from Richmond Virginia. She attended James River High School where she graduated with honors and then chose to attend Hampton University in Hampton Virginia. During her time at Hampton University, Wells was a four-year letterman, three year Captain, elected the school’s most valuable athlete, earned all Mid Eastern Athletic Conference honors, and made history by becoming the school’s first NCAA Division 1 All-American in any sport. While she thrived on the track, she managed to graduate college in three and a half years and go on into the University’s five year MBA program and complete that early as well. Kellie suffered a heartbreaking injury at the 2008 Olympic Trials where she was unable to compete in the finals due to a severe hamstring tear. Wells made an impressive comeback in 2011 by winning her first USA outdoor and indoor national titles and dominating the 100-meter Hurdles. Wells’ winning time of 7.79 at the 2011 USA Indoor Championships was the No. 1 time in the world for the year and at the ninth fastest of all time. In the summer of 2011, Wells also went public with another heartbreaking struggle she faced – being sexually abused by her mother’s boyfriend. Wells moved out of the abusive house in the 10th grade and a few weeks later her mother passed away in a car accident along with her mother's boyfriend. Wells unknowingly drove past the accident site on her way home, not realizing her mother was in the car wreck. Her honors include: • Four-time National Champion (100-meter hurdles); two-time National Champion (60-meter hurdles); Co-National Record Holder (55-meter hurdles)• 2012 Presidential Rising Star Award; awarded by President Barack Obama • Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame Inductee• Olympic Ambassador• United States Army Athlete Ambassador• USA Track and field ambassador • US Olympic committee safe sports advisor and Ambassador Kellie has a foundation called “The Hits and Hurdles Foundation”, that services people that have taken major hits and overcome many obstacles in life. Kellie enjoys helping Men, Woman, and Children that have overcome obstacles, sexual abuse, and all types of violence. The foundation also teaches self-love, empowerment, and taking care of their Mind, Body, and Soul. Kellie prides herself on being a champion for the voiceless and empowering women to take back what was stolen from them and not only surviving but thriving.