Imagine lying on a hospital bed;paralyzed from the neck down due to an anesthesia malpractice while giving birth to your child. When this nightmare became Christina Kearney’s reality; doctor’s told her that she would never live a normal life again as they tried to medicate her with pills and bed rest. Kearney recalls having to be suctioned via mouth to refrain from choking on her own spit; upset that she was unable to see her baby for the first time. A moment that was supposed to be filled with joy was replaced with fear. When Kearney refused to take pills with a temporary fix, she reached for something more familiar and substantial; fitness. Kearney created her own story when she walked across the stage of the NashvilleFit Show in 2022. 

Growing up in a military family, Kearney says that fitness has always been a big part of her life. Having a father that used fitness as a means of discipline, Kearney has competed in bodybuilding competitions since the age of 17. “When you are younger, you think that being disciplined using fitness is harsh. It is not until you are older that you realize the mental toughness that fitness brings out can carry you through the hardest seasons of your life”, Kearney states. From divorce, to loss;, Kearney knew from past experience that fitness could carry her through the season of being labeled disabled as a result of her anesthesia nightmare. 

In preparation for  competing for her next show, the medication provided to Kearney began to make her ill.. After coaches told her that she would never be able to complete her goal due to her sickness, Kearney felt defeated. During a season of doubt, Kearney befriended Whtiney Wisner (Savage) who invited her to compete in NashvilleFit. When Wisner shared her own past of struggle and self doubt, Kearney felt determined to find a coach that believed in her like Whitney did. When Kearney met James Flint she felt like a prayer had been answered. Not only was Flint willing to coach her for Nashville Fit, he was willing to make the adjustments that were needed for Kearney to make her goal a reality. Alongside Flint, Kearney found her family of encouragement when she joined MG Sports and Fitness in Shelbyville. Even on the days that Kearney felt were too heavy for her to do the bare minimum in the gym, her friends at MG Sports never let her give up on herself.”I was so used to being on my own and just getting my workouts done. Without the encouragement from my friends at MG, I would have probably never completed my goal. It’s one thing to have your coach hold you accountable; but it is another to have friends who do the same.”

When Kearney stepped on the stage for NashvilleFit, all self doubt was erased. When asked what her message is for those going through hardships, it is “you can overcome anything that you set your mind to. You just have to allow mental toughness to settle in.”

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