Interview with Maria Papalia-Meier
Interview with Maria Papalia-Meier
Affaire de Coeur's
June Calendar Girl
Maria Papalia-Meier is a fighter. She may have been KO'd, and down for the count, but she proved them wrong. I am a Runner is about surviving sepsis, a coma, and amputation. Maria has a BBA with an emphasis in Human Resources, and has worked for Fed-Ex for twenty years. As an athlete she has many accomplishments. Before her battle with the river of death she'd competed and ran in multiple 5K’s. She was told she'd never run again. She proved the naysayers wrong. Her athletic accomplishments include running in a 5K, and a 1/2 Marathon.
I am a Runner - the Memoirs of a Sepsis Survivor is available in print and e-book.
- What inspired you to write this story?
I am hoping my story will help motivate others to never give up. My journey was not easy but if you have an end goal in mind, and live each day to reach that goal, you will succeed. Nothing is impossible!
- Tell us about your new book.
It is a story of who I was, what I went through after surviving sepsis, and who I became.
- What motivates you for a perfect running day?
Somedays when I don’t feel like running, when it is cold and wet, I am reminded that I have been given the gift to run again and every day I can is a blessing. When I think back to the days when I was told I couldn’t, and now I can I feel like if I don’t I am not using the blessing I was given. After a run the feeling of accomplishment I have and the way it makes me feel can’t be explained.
- What is your favorite thing about being a runner?
The peace it gives me, it relaxes me. I try and block out all the things that stress me and look at the beauty that surrounds me. I live in the moment and forget reality for a bit.
- Where do you get your inspiration?
I get my inspiration from my “cheerleaders”. The people that have seen me go thru the struggles I have had with my feet and being able to run again. When they tell me how strong I am. I am also inspired when they tell me how I have helped inspire them,
- What is the most difficult thing you had to conquer?
The ups and downs are hard. Learning how to deal with the setbacks and still motivate myself to move forward and not give up. There were times when I had worked so hard and then I would have a huge set back and I would want to quit. But in the back of my mind I never wanted to be the girl who said “I remember when I used to…” I wanted to be the girl who was still doing it,
- Pass on some words of wisdom, to those seeking help in situations like this.
Never give up. Nothing in life working for is ever easy. No one is going to hold you by the hand and walk you step-by-step, and tell you what you need to do. You need to do it on your own, somethings will work, some things won’t but you have to remind yourself everyday of what your goal is, and live each day working towards reaching that goal. I would wake up each day and say what steps I need to take today so I can work towards my goal to run again. Not every step you take will be a big one, count the little victories and have patience which by the way I don’t have so this was a huge struggle for me. Be open minded, try things you never thought you would try.
Purchase I am a Runner
Price goes up to 7.99 on July 15th
Personal web page: www.PamelaAckerson.com/PapaliaMeier
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PapaliaMeier
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/papaliameier
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/papaliameier
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