Page 40 - Final Inspirational Women Issue

Inspirational Women

hen you meet Debbra was by herself, knowing that checked into the E.R., and then specialty being the Saxophone.
WSweet, it is easy to see something felt different, very I blacked out. Later coming This was not an easy time for
what a dynamic individual she different. too, I was released from the her, yet ever visionary and en-
is. When she speaks, people "Helmets weren't required hospital with a guarantee that trepreneurial, Debbra moved
listen; not only due to her de- at that time. I stood back up I was fine, that there was no forward with her life moving to
livery and positive attitude but and fell down. I stood back concussion or anything, but California to follow her deepest
because she is right on target up again and fell down. I got if something changed to call passion: music.
with what she has to say about mad and then reached up to them. This was the beginning "Since the accident, I have
what it takes to be a successful my head. I had a pear size welt of a very long detour in my life. had three seasons, periods,
business person in today's on the top right side my head. I was functioning, but things where I lost normal function
economy. No blood, but it hurt. Out of were not the same." and mobility. I couldn't talk,
Debbra was introduced to couldn't walk, or remember,
business early. Her father, an and my internal organs started
entrepreneur, bought his first shutting down. In 1991 I was
bowling alley when she was working in Mission Valley. I
just four. He ended up owning went to take a break, went into
several bowling alleys through- the ladies room. When I stood
out Wisconsin. As family busi- up, my back snapped. That was
nesses, there was no question the beginning of one of the
that everyone in the household worst season of my life. I call it
would contribute. "I got my round 2.”
first paycheck at the age of During this period, her
nine making $2.15 an hour. By life entailed visiting a wide
the time I was 17, I was manag- variety of doctors. She wanted
ing one of my father's busi- to know why she couldn't
nesses. Innovative for the time, walk. They kept saying it was
I came up with creative ways to multiple sclerosis. Not one
get more customers and make to sit quietly on the sidelines
money. My dad approached and let status quo be status
me about buying one of the quo, she dug deeper. After
companies that year." a year and a half of medical
They could not see eye to Photos by Marcy Browe/www.MarcyBrowe.com visits, not happy with their
eye on which one she should narrow focus of MS, she fired
buy. She wanted the one in the her doctors. "During this time
city. He felt she should buy one I met my husband. He had
in the smaller town. Debbra’s some knowledge of Alterna-
instinct was that she was tive Approaches to medicine.
meant to be on stage sharing He brought me a ton of books
her creative side through mu- from the library, and I started
sic. She chose college, know- my research."
ing she would have her own Highly sensitive to drugs,
businesses someday. Debbra needed a solution
Just a week before high Debbra Sweet that did not require the use of
school graduation her life was medication. Trailblazing here,
impacted in a way she would they started using alternative
never have imagined. "In a mo- AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL methods until they created a
ment of time, I had a life-alter- program that worked to im-
ing experience. I tried to move By Judith A. Habert prove her condition. Eventu-
a brick wall with my head!" ally reintegrating into ‘normal
Debbra loved riding her bicycle life,' yet without an under-
and one day competed in a standing as to the cause of the
bike marathon raising money sheer will and determination, She was unaware the health issue, they married and
for charity. At the end of the I got up, stayed up, got to my accident shocked, locked and had two children. "My husband
52-mile event, she was riding bike and then rode back to the rocked the very foundation of and I started a carpet cleaning
to cool down and swerved to event to tell the coordinators her life plan. She was just 18. business, and that was a pivotal
avoid a car coming up behind what happened and that I was Leaving her father’s busi- time for us in our professional
her. Instead of colliding with going to the hospital." ness she attended college for career. He did the jobs, and I
the car, the bike flipped out “No one believed it was a a while with a major in Music handled the business end of
from under her. Flying over serious incident. Even at the Performance. Debbra’s musical things. We are both musicians,
the handlebars of the bike hospital, I had to convince talents include; singing, writ- so we ran the business by day
she hit a solid brick wall, head them to admit me. Thankful- ing, singing, writing,and play- and continued playing music
first! The car drove on. Debbra ly they eventually did. I was ing many instruments, with her at night.”

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