Daring To Live A New Life
Sheri Hunter
Image Courtesy of Sheri Hunter
In her Book Daring to Live, Author Sheri Hunter is taking audiences into her true-life story of loss, grief, friendship and empowerment
“Life is either a Daring Adventure or Nothing.”
-Helen Keller
In 2012, Sheri Hunter’s life took a dramatic and unexpected turn when at the age of 50 her husband of 21 years suddenly died of a heart attack. As anyone who went through the passing of a loved one can imagine, her entire world fell apart and the profound grief catapulted her into depression.
Being a woman of faith you might expect that during such a difficult time she would turn to God to give her the strength to overcome the immense loss and extreme pain she was going through. Instead, she turned to anti-anxiety pills and after her doctor cut her off, alcohol became her best friend which only added to her already unstable psychological situation.
Fortunately, that’s not where her story ends. As a matter of fact, this true-life story has a happy ending even leading to a movie deal, the adaptation of her book Daring To Live, which will bring the inspiring story about her recovery and newfound life of adventure to the screen.
It all began with Sheri’s three Christian friends, Brenda Jegede, Mia Lewis, and Angenette Frink, who came to her rescue by gracefully intervening in her destructive ways without an ounce of judgement, Sheri explained.
What happened next resulted in these four women, who met at the Christian Tabernacle Church in Michigan, to be known as the Dare Divas now. Together they embarked on a daredevil-inspired life by ziplining through trees, skydiving, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and even driving NASCAR race cars, which allowed Sheri to return to a life of self-confidence. Was she terrified, yes, of course, who wouldn’t be, but it also gave her back the zest for life and taught her to act even when scared beyond belief. And that’s the message she wants to share with anyone going through the same situation without suggesting that they must do something extreme.
“In the end, when it comes to healing there’s no need to do anything as extreme as I did. Simply pushing outside your comfort zone in some small (or big) way will force you to seek God’s face…and he will meet you there,” she describes the healing journey.
How To Get From There To Here
Sheri, who is a freelance writer, journaled her experiences, which can be therapeutic when having gone through a traumatic event. From there, she wrote articles about the Dare Diva’s adventures for MORE Magazine and National Geographic Traveler. The idea for a book came following the first article with MORE Magazine. Her articles received enormous interest from people who had experienced the loss of a loved one and the grief that comes with it. A number of these readers reached out to her on social media to inquire whether she would write a book about her journey.
Her articles had also attracted the attention of some filmmakers which resulted in Paramount Pictures optioning her book Daring To Live. DeVon Franklin, the best-selling author, spiritual coach and award-winning producer of Breakthrough (2019) will produce the film. A perfect match, in my opinion.
In addition to her freelance writing, Sheri is the CEO of Lyons, Hunter Media Group, a marketing and consulting business. She has also taken on speaking engagements at k-12 schools, universities, community groups, faith-based organizations and corporations. Some of the topics she speaks about are
Channeling Fear into Positive Action
Loss/Grief and How to Get Unstuck
Struggles with Depression and How to Rise Up
The Imperfect Christian
Sister-Friends and the Love and Work that Shepherds Them
All “A” Students are Not the Masters of the World
What’s important to Sheri is for people to understand that she started with very little in life and got where she is today by working hard and because of the support of her family.
“My mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and beyond were domestic workers. They cleaned houses and hospitals. I come from strong, loving, hard-working women, but there was little money. Because that is my history, does not mean that’s where I had to end, or, that I had to replicate the lives of my family. I was fortunate to live in a time with options, and parents and grandparents that wanted more for me and worked hard so I could excel. The thing I inherited and learned was the importance and significance of hard work, and not being too proud, not believing any work is beneath me.”
With a successful book and a movie about her life coming down the road, she’s become a role model for recovery from a difficult situation to a blessed life. So how does she give back?
“I champion people living outside their comfort zones, no matter what age. I am well into middle age and there is a tendency to believe that if success, fulfillment, achievement doesn’t occur in our 20s, 30s, or even 40s, it will never happen. Not true. I got a book and film deal in my 50s. I hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro in my 50s. I got remarried in my 50s. Those things occurred not because I am usual. I kept doing the things I was doing in my 20s, albeit not with the same vigor, but definitely the same passion. I am an active learner, I engage, I open my heart, I fail, I stumble, I get rejections, I love people, I pray, I believe in myself, and I keep going. So I champion people to keep going and operate outside those areas where you feel comfort. When you do, you allow great things to manifest in your life.”
Her favorite charity to support is the American Heart Association because her first husband died of a heart attack. Needless to say, heart health is very important to her.
She volunteered with Detroit public schools to read to pre-school kids to give them a head start on the fundamentals.
“As a writer, for me, it’s always great to give back using my gifts and talents in some small or big way,” she says.
And who would she want to have dinner with given the opportunity, we asked her.
“Hmm, I will categorize with someone who is still living and deceased, if I may.
Living: Melinda Gates, as she is a global warrior (along with her husband Bill) of climate change, health care advocacy and women’s rights. I would like to hear her insight into how we all can change the world for good.
Deceased: Harriet Tubman… I would like her insight on courage, fear, and strategy as she managed to free so many slaves.”
As far as grief is concerned, here’s Sheri’s advice on how to deal with it.
“Grief is singular. No one can really know how you feel. Though I was a widow, I can have empathy and compassion, but it doesn’t automatically mean I understand all the complexity of emotions a fellow widow may have. Therefore, don’t let anyone make you feel that you are unusual. My hope is that each person weathering grief understands they need to eventually, with time, move forward with grace and hope.”
Her favorite quote is one of her own, which she uses to encourage herself and others not to just dream, but to act, “Jump! Plan, pray, work like mad…then Jump!”
For more about Sheri, the Dare Divas, and to read an excerpt of her book, please visit her website here https://www.sherihunter.com