00:00I've had somebody ask me, was I contagious before?
00:03I felt like I wanted to hide the tumors
00:07because I didn't want to make other people uncomfortable.
00:11I'm like, I probably shouldn't completely unclothe myself,
00:15you know, when I go to the pool or to the beach.
00:19Today, I get to go hang out at the beach.
00:22I want to wear something cute and revealing.
00:24I'm going to go without my shorts.
00:28I'm just going to be free.
00:32My condition is neurofibromatosis.
00:35It started probably in middle school.
00:38They start to like grow in size and grow in number.
00:41The tumors first started appearing probably
00:46like the chest, belly area, I believe.
00:50Hiding my skin, like hiding my, you know, self.
00:53I have a couple of like shirts that are like turtleneck,
00:58wearing long jeans on a hot day.
01:00If I could wear long sleeve, I would wear long sleeve shirts.
01:04I've always kind of wanted to cover up
01:07to avoid having to explain.
01:09I didn't want to make other people like uncomfortable.
01:13And I didn't want them to further make me feel
01:18not confident in myself.
01:19You have those people that were just cruel,
01:22like they'll look at you and be like,
01:25oh, what is that?
01:26You know, why you look like that?
01:27And I've had somebody ask me, was I contagious before?
01:31It's still difficult.
01:33It's a work in progress, like every single day.
01:37Some days I have good days and I'm like, girl, you bad.
01:41And then other days I'm in the mirror like,
01:44this big old bubble in my face is just getting on my nerves.
01:48I hate it.
01:49I hate everything.
01:50But I'm thankful that as I grow in age and maturity
01:54and wisdom and all of that good stuff,
01:56that I'm like, forget, forget whatever it is
02:00that's causing me to feel this way.
02:02My own irrational thoughts,
02:04the opinions of other people, forget it.
02:07I want to be just as free as the bikini wearing
02:10and crop top and sports bra wearing girls
02:14that nobody questions.
02:16Today is the big day.
02:18I get to go hang out at the beach.
02:20I want to wear something cute and revealing.
02:22I'm going to go without my shirt, without my shorts.
02:26I'm just going to be free, like normal.
02:30My boyfriend and my daughter, oh my gosh,
02:32I wish she was here so you guys can meet her.
02:35My daughter, she's a major confidence builder for me too.
02:39Every day she tells me she loves me.
02:41Mommy, mommy, I love you.
02:45Every day she tells me how beautiful her mommy is.
02:49When I met Anthony, my boo, close to you,
02:55I met him at work and literally it's been five years
02:59since that time.
03:01First waking up in the morning,
03:03the first thing he tells me is,
03:05babe, you're so beautiful.
03:07He calls this one, the meatball.
03:11And they do not want me to remove it
03:12for anything in the world.
03:14It's so perfect.
03:16It's so weird.
03:19I believe she's absolutely gorgeous.
03:21So when she covers herself up
03:24and I know that she doesn't really want to,
03:27I'm usually the one that's just like,
03:29don't do that, don't do that.
03:30Be you, be the best you.
03:32And if you do that and go at her confidently,
03:36just the same way I see you're beautiful,
03:38your beauty is going to be undeniable
03:40to anybody else who sees it.
03:42I want to show more because I can.
03:47I mean, I can.
03:48Like, why not?
03:49Just slightly nervous.
03:51Just, you know, it's the weekend.
03:53So if it's a lot of people there,
03:55I don't really want that vibe of, you know,
03:58where people stopping and looking,
04:00but I'm excited.
04:02I'm excited to go to the beach.
04:03I like this one.
04:06If there is any point in time
04:10where you're ready to learn
04:12or where you're ready to have an open conversation,
04:15then my doors are wide open.
04:19I actually am a little bit more anxious
04:21than I anticipated.
04:22There's a lot more people here
04:24than I thought would be.
04:26Gonna be like some unveiling.
04:40I am incredibly proud of Alex,
04:59and she's come an incredibly long way.
05:02I know it's been a journey.
05:03Now that I'm not hiding my body anymore,
05:06I feel normal.
05:08I feel like I belong here.
05:13I get to put my story out there,
05:15and I get to be in a position
05:17to kind of let other, you know, ladies and guys know,
05:21like, if you have something going on
05:23that people can physically see about you
05:25that is outside of normal,
05:28you know, what we call normal,
05:30you are still fabulous.
05:31You are still beautiful.
05:33You should let your light shine,
05:35you know, for the world to see.
05:36So, the future for me and Anthony,
05:41he better put a ring on it, you know.
05:46I'm just kidding.
Comments