“Brave is moving forward, one step at a time”
CAROL
Some stories are made of bravery, others of heartbreak — Carol’s is both.
She met her first love at fifteen. What began as young romance slowly turned into a lifelong struggle as he battled alcoholism. Together they tried everything: compassion, counselling, hope. But sometimes love isn’t enough to save someone who’s still learning how to save themselves. Eventually, Carol had to make the hardest decision, to walk away for the sake of herself and her children.
A few years later, he passed away from cancer. Even after all the pain, there was love and deep sadness. “He was once my best friend,” she says. “Watching someone you care so deeply for slowly have their life stolen away, it’s heartbreaking.”
Yet even in the midst of grief and loss, Carol kept moving. She learned that healing isn’t linear, it’s messy, full of bumps and small moments of light. But it’s in that messiness and authenticity where true connection is formed.
IG@HerCourage_Carol
Through dance, she found joy again — and she found Michelle, a kindred spirit. Together they created Her Courage Speaks — a series of heartfelt events where Carol and Michelle share their raw stories of struggle and strength to empower others, creating space for women to turn pain into purpose through vulnerability and connection.
Her children have grown up watching her rebuild. When she once asked her daughter Bella, “Do you think you try to be me?” Bella’s answer was simple: “No, I don’t try — I just am.”
That exchange captures Carol perfectly, a mother, a survivor, a woman who keeps showing up. Her words echo long after the conversation ends: “Brave is moving forward, one step at a time, even when it’s hard.”
And like the little green sprout growing from the crack of an old tree, Carol is proof that resilience doesn’t need perfect soil, it only needs heart, hope, and the courage to grow, even in the roughest places.
