Sophia Marie Herrick:  

Life Let's just say I spent over 13 years in higher education, which included the following schools: Mount St. Mary's College in LA,CA; Univ. of MS, Oxford, MS; Auburn University, Auburn, AL; Univ. of Southern MS, Hattiesburg, MS; Southern Union State College, Opelika, AL; Univ. of Pittsburgh's Semester at Sea; Ross University School of Medicine, NY,NY. Prior to obtaining my BA I got my license as a Paramedic and worked in that field as I attended college. Got a double major BA in English & Psych, minors in Math, Health Sciences, and Foreign Languages. And of course, was just 6 weeks shy of my 5-yr MD. (See below.) Oops, found out I have a minor in Music, short 2 courses of getting my BA, lol! Was about to start interviews for Residency in Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine (to start in 1997) & start a one year Family Practice/General Medicine Residency in Sept. of '96, when I was struck by a series of massive strokes in May 1996 (first 1 on Mother's Day) that ended my medical career. Over the past almost 17 years I've been through extensive therapy (from speech to physical to occupational), was divorced, and moved from Chicago back to Opelika, AL, then Atlanta, GA, & now Tampa Bay, FL-PERMANENTLY! I work for my Dad, an Orthopaedist, as an administrative assistant when needed, at home. We closed our offices in AL and Atlanta and Dad has taken a wonderful job down in St. Pete, FL. Of course, I followed the boss down. We currently are residing on N. Redington Beach, right on the Intercoastal waterway watching the dolphins and manatees play! Then of course we have to walk a whole 6 blocks to the Gulf Beach access. What a hard life! Despite the pain in my past I am learning to live and love life again. In 1999 I finally got back in the game as an International Category I Referee for Powerlifting (just for Paralympics & Special Olympics now). I am also a new Category II International Referee for Olympic Weightlifting as of 12/2009. I've been involved with Anti-Doping since the 80's with my parents in both sports, so it wasn't any wonder that I was nominated to the IWF Master's Anti-Doping Commission in 2007. I was then appointed as the Chairman of the Committee and served 4 years, putting my renewed medical knowledge to much use. As Referees in these Sports & the Anti-Doping Chairman I've been traveling an awful lot these last 10 years. I've been lucky enough to go back to Brasil and Poland, and then on to Thailand for 3 wks. We spent a whole month in Poland with Busia, when I also got to run off to Prague for a 4 day visit and to Budapest for a whole 20 hrs, lol, after a 16 hr train trip there and then back to Poland. 2008 I headed off to Hungary again (only longer this time thanks to a competition). Unfortunately, it was while we were in Cali, Colombia that Busia died. Then there was a quick trip to Puerto Rico before we had to attend the Olympics in China (my second time there, I hadn't been there since 1988, & boy had Beijing changed!) for another 3 week stay. My final trip that year was to Kefalonia, Greece with a few days to linger in Athens. Whew! Olympic years are the busiest. I went to Spain in 2010. In 2009 Romania was also on the calender, and I turned down Argentina. Funny that, since later in the year I was sent to Argentina to do out-of-competition testing. Thank God they didn't need me at the Master's Games in Sydney, Australia, I just don't think I could have handled that trip last year, lol. Nest was Bulgaria, Singapore & Turkey. I honestly can NOT remember where else I am supposed to go this year. Besides, I have a new career that seems to be blossoming and all this time gone could put a damper on it. (See below.) Since these trips 2011 and 2012 were different. I had another stroke in March 2010 that kept me state-side after Spain. My first real foray internationally after that was to work the 2012 London Olympic Games as an Official Volunteer, or Games Maker as we were known. I was assigned to work the Weightlifting Venue, specifically I was part of the team that was in charge of the competition area and keeping out the riff raff, like referees who aren't on duty and coaches who don't have athletes competing at that particular time, lol. Since my last stroke I've been more involved with the IPC, Paralympics, and will be in Argentina October 11-20 for the 2013 Pan American Paralympic Youth Games as both the IPC Technical Delegate AND Competition Secretary. The TD is the highest ranking official at any event, and the CS is the person who runs the show and is the highest ranking Referee at any event. Somehow, I lucked out as both, so I get my own room, woohoo! Then on my way home I stop off in Salvador, Bahia, Brasil, for a very short visit to see all my old friends from my Senior year in High School there at Escola Pan Americana da Bahia. I haven't been back to Salvador since 1983 or seen almost any of my friends since then. Only one guy from my class is from Auburn, AL originally and comes back sometimes to see his mom who lives there now. I can't wait to see everybody! I returned to singing about 12 years ago in church choirs, mostly to get back my speaking voice. However, about 8 years ago the choir director here took me under his wing and began developing my voice again. The turkey got me singing at 4 Masses in 2 days for a while, in 2 different churches, at 2 different ends of the county! That was a little too stressful, so I reduced it to 2 Masses, 1 each day, at each church. When they changed the Mass schedule at the southern church I just stuck with the later Mass in the northern county church. Of course, that was also the Mass with the Teen music (guitars, drums, etc) so it was more to my liking as well. Later, he was moved to yet another church and we moved. Then there was the new stroke. I found myself attending the Catholic church closest to us with my parents. Wouldn't you know it I got recruited to sing in two Masses here, too! Fred had even more challenges for me than Michael. I was to sing Alto for the Adult Choir at 10:00. Then at the 11:30 Mass he wants me to sing Soprano and be one of the Cantors. After My stroke I had to learn to read music again and the ladies in the Adult Choir were helpful when I didn't catch on quickly sightreading new music at first. No ugly looks from Fred either when a wrong note came blaring out of my mouth. After 6 months hard work with my vocal coach, Melody, and in the choir, I was finally able to read music again. That's when Fred put me back to work Cantoring at the LifeTeen Mass. Apparently, they really miss me when I am on the road these days. In August 2004 Mom & I attended a seminar by the Tampa Bay Stroke Association on the Train to End Stroke program. At that time I wasn't walking too well yet & sure couldn't speak well. The next thing I knew she had me signed up to train for a 1/2 marathon. When the ASA learned my story they made me the local Tampa Bay spokesperson for the Stroke Association, telling my story, and why I was doing the training. At the Marathon's Celebration dinner I was recognized and made the Florida/Puerto Rico Stroke Hero. So for 2 years I did local speaking engagements, as well as TV & radio interviews, telling my remarkable recovery story & about my marathon experience. Talk about having to learn to speak better! In April 2007 I bought a house in Redington Beach. I had a great Karaoke New Year's party there that year. The KJ, who was a patient of Dad's told me I was actually pretty good, and needed to come do Karaoke where he works. So I discovered Karaoke only in 2008. I know, WHERE HAVE I BEEN? Then that February I entered a Karaoke competition and made it to the local Finals. I entered it again, and this time I qualified for the Regionals in both Women's Pop and Women's Country. There was a new representative there judging who is putting on a new competition starting next month, and he told me to enter it as well, after he heard me sing last night for fun. Who knows, this could be a whole new career in the works. Update! I went to Nationals at the State Representative! I didn't win but I did place in the top 20. This year I am in a different contest, the one that is on TV. Wish me luck everybody. So far I'm just in the locals... I've met a few people since my Karaoke success before. I sang for a while with a Country/Western band last year as the female lead, until the band broke up. I al...Expand for more