NEWBERRY — When Heather Alexander, Newberry High School softball coach, attempted to provide safer equipment for her players it ended up with a surprise visit from WWE superstar Lacey Evans Monday afternoon.
Evans’ visit came after Alexander reached out to Evans on Twitter telling her about the softball team and how they did not have the appropriate helmets needed in order to play.
“She was finding people and asking for re-tweets to help raise money. When I clicked on it and read a little more about it, I went ahead and took care of the helmets and then I Googled how far y’all were,” Evans said. “I live in South Carolina, about a two hour drive (from Parris Island) and I have the day off, so I drove down here to not only take care of the helmets, but to show up to the softball tryouts and see if they have what it takes.”
Evans added that coming in contact with Alexander was just another opportunity to use her platform for the greater good.
“Life is saturated with negativity and to be able to find people that have a good heart, that are motivated to help people the way this teacher is, is what motivates me,” she said. “The minute I saw there was a teacher doing everything she could to get better equipment for her softball team, I knew that I wanted to help. One thing led to another and not only was I capable of getting them what they needed, sports gear-wise, but I got to come in and verbally let them know, and remind them what they are capable of, regardless of what they are going through. So it was like a package deal – I get to help them on the sports side and the education side — putting those two together and using my platform to give back is what motivates me and drives me to continue to do what I do.”
In addition to providing safer equipment for the softball team, Evans spoke to students from each grade level about her upbringing and breaking the cycle to be the best they could be.
Before she was in the WWE, Evans — who is portrayed on television as a sassy, southern belle — was in the United States Marine Corps, where she was a military police officer.
“The reason I was in the Marine Corps was because I have been through a lot of things in my life — if you even knew half of it you would wonder how I even made it to be the woman I am today, making the money that I make today, living the life that I live today,” Evans said. “I travel all over the world — my daughter Summer travels with me. I home school her so that’s one thing I juggle. I’ve been with that man (husband Alfonso) since I was 15 years old and that’s another thing that I juggle and I’m a WWE superstar.”
With parents who were addicts and her mother leaving when Evans was 10 years old, Evans said her upbringing was hard.
“So going through puberty, as you females know, going through life and learning how to be a lady without a mother is very hard. Then having a father who was addicted, falling over in the chair — can’t even sit up straight, is hard,” Evans said.
It was up to Evans to make the right choices in life.
“I didn’t even have to go to school. You know why? Because my father wasn’t even awake. I made the choice to wake up and continue to show up and continue to work hard. One thing I knew, regardless of what I’ve been through, my father, my siblings — which I have seven — if you know that having money is already hard, having addicted parents is hard and then having seven brothers and sisters next to you, to raise these babies, is hard,” she said.
Had Evans not made the right choices she said she would not be the woman she is today.
As Evans spoke to each class, she wanted to leave them with three words: success, mindset and break the cycle. Evans said success was up to the students, not their parents and in order to do that, they had to have the right mindset.
“When I was 19 years old I was a nurses assistant/phlebotomist. In high school, I was an amateur state champion wrestler — first in the state of Florida undefeated, ninth in the nation both freestyle and folkstyle wrestling. I promise you that did not come in my DNA. Every single one of my siblings are either obese, addicts, no teeth — I know that because I had to buy them dentures because they lost it to the drug addiction,” she said.
Evans said the overall experience of getting to interact with the students at NHS was “pretty cool.”
“I can tell when there’s a lot of different struggles that students face. The important part is to be able to tell my story, to help motivate the kids who are going through rough times and even the ones who aren’t — to show them how important sports, education and success are,” she said. “It’s why I am who I am and my success today is because of my education, sports, staying busy and out of trouble and breaking the cycle. It motivates me — every group I can speak in front of and all the students I can motivate, it motivates me to continue to use my platform to pick them up and show them what they’re capable of.”
She added that if the students took anything from her presentation she hopes it would be her key points: success, mindset and breaking the cycle.
“Whatever they’re going through, just continue to push themselves and make the best decisions, the right decisions and work hard. I’m a testament to that. It doesn’t matter the cards you were dealt, it doesn’t matter how hard my life was — I made good decisions, I had a strong mindset, I continued to push forward, I broke the cycle and success is what you make it,” Evans said.
For those interested in contributing to the remaining equipment needed or to learn more about the project, a Donors Choose page has been created. It can be accessed at the following link: https://www.donorschoose.org/project/softball-eq-for-safety/4652925/?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=page&utm_campaign=project&utm_term=teacher_6774021&rf=page-dc-2020-02-project-teacher_6774021&challengeid=21479221.
