About Me

Wendy was born July 16th 1985 in Durham, North Carolina. She graduated from Riverside High School in May of 2003. She then attended Vance Granville Community College where she studied the Cosmetology Program. She made the Dean's list for her spring semester in 2005. She graduated in 2006 earning her cosmetologist license then began working as a hairstylist at a local salon. After a year in the salon she decided she wanted to try something different and started working at a local law firm as a legal assistant where she worked for over 2 years. She left the law firm to pursue her acting and modeling more intensely.

Wendy has competed in several pageants and has earned the titles such as Mrs. South Boston Speedway 2007, Mrs. Granville County 2007, Mrs. NC America Swimsuit 2007, Hawaiian Tropic finalist 2007, Mrs. Tarheel Queen Preliminary winner 2008, Mrs. Capitol City 2008 and Mrs. East Coast 2008. She has appeared in many of the Marc Jacobson Toyota Commercials, as well as being featured in the remake of April Fools Day as 'a cute young actress'. She has also been in local films, and has had the opportunity of being an extra on One Tree Hill, and Whittaker Bay. In May of 2008 she received a call that she was one of the finalist on a new show from MTV and Paris Hilton; Paris Hilton My new BFF. She went to Los Angeles where she met with producers, however she didn't make the final cut but what a great experience she had!

Wendy has also volunteered for numerous events in the area. A few she has worked with include the Cherubs: Angel Ball & Golf Tournament, Kaitlyn Classic, Relay for Life - Granville County, and the past 2 years for the Duke Children's Classic. She has recently committed herself to Cherubs - The Association of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Research, Advocacy, and Support. Not only is this her platform but also she is the spokesmodel (please see the 'platform' page for more information).

Platform

Cherubs - The Association of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) Research, Advocacy, and Support
 
I want to take a moment to explain Cherubs and CDH and the involvement that I have.

I was online one day and I was looking for volunteer work and ran across some ad that simply said Angel Ball and Golf Tournament. It said nothing about what it was about, and nothing about who was the leader of this. So I emailed the address it gave me and waited for a response.

I was on the way to dinner with Jason and some friends and I received an email with all of the information about the events and then at the bottom of the email it said "BTW... you know me, I took photos at your wedding". I immediately remembered her and I emailed her back! I told Jason about it and I kept saying what a small world it was! I honestly believe it was fate that we connected again. I know that God put her back in my life for a reason!

I knew absolutely nothing about CDH. I couldn't even tell you what CDH stood for or who it affected. I went online and read a bit about it so I would know something. When I went to the Angel Ball it was the first time I actually talked to parents and heard their testimony. A parent explained to me how the lungs do not develop properly due to the organs growing in the chest cavity (these are my words) the actual definition [The diaphragm is formed in the first trimester of pregnancy and controls the lungs' ability to inhale and exhale. CDH occurs when the diaphragm fails to form or to close totally and an opening allows abdominal organs into the chest cavity. This inhibits lung growth. The cause is not yet known.] I also learned that CDH happens 1 in every 2,500 births. 1,600 of those are in the US, and about 50% of those babies do NOT survive. Babies are not surviving because the is no cure, because there is no research, because we didn't even know this existed, because we haven't been directly affected by this. Do not wait until your baby becomes a Cherub. Babies don't deserve to go through this but we can ALL do our part to help out anyway that we can. Even if you buy a t-shirt, or a pin. I can guarantee someone that sees Cherubs on your T-shirt will ask "What is Cherubs" and that is another person to learn what this is and what this all about. We can't make CDH not happen but with knowledge about this we CAN help cure this! Please help save a baby's life.

I didn't know Dawn was affected by this. Her son, Shane was 6 when he lost his battle with CDH. She didn't say my son had this, she is more concerned about stopping this illness rather than just telling people about what has happened to her. When I learned that she had been affected by this I was so amazed at how she cares so much for everyone that she would take something bad that has happed to her and has turned it into something positive. Her story is quite amazing and definitely she should share it however she is so humble, and so genuine that she knows the time to share. She is amazing!

So, now... go online: http://www.cdhsupport.org/
Read about this so you can learn.
Learn about this so you can stop this.
..and buy a hoodie. They are really cute!
 
<3,
Wendy ;)