Karen Nazor-HillMy husband took me to Jamaica recently to celebrate my 63rd birthday.
And, though it was a wonderful, relaxing getaway, the timing wasn't perfect. I missed my youngest daughter's (Karah) successful participation in Chattanooga's Ironman. Family and friends, thankfully, kept me informed via Facebook - including photos - of her progress during the competition.
Karah, an open-water swimmer, is an incredible athlete. She has major accomplishments in her sport, ranging from being one of the area's top competitive All-American swimmers throughout her childhood to a college athlete and a successful English Channel swimmer. But it's unlikely she would tell you any of that when you meet her. She wouldn't mention that she's a Ph.D. either.
The reason? She's a selfless, incredible human being and is a wonderful role model for my grandchildren - Tilleigh, 8, Evie, 5, and William, 3.
Karah didn't enter Ironman to win (but she nailed the swimming portion despite pacing herself), though she did quite well. She was in it to raise money for Emily's Power for a Cure, a local organization that raises awareness about neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that often shows up in the adrenal glands. As a scientist/teacher, she knows firsthand how important it is to fund research.
Until recently, she's never been a competitive biker or runner but, because she's an athlete, she enjoys the challenge. Her busy schedule as a teacher, swimmer, high school assistant swim coach and founder/director of Chattanooga Open Water Swimmers (COWS), left her little time to run and bike, but she did both whenever she found the time.
Being one of the first to cross the finish line in the Ironman was not on her agenda. That's why she took time along the way to greet family and friends who stood on the sidelines holding signs and cheering for her. She says she enjoyed everything about the race.
But it was what Karah later posted on Facebook that brought tears to my eyes. She saw a photo of herself with Tilleigh. Karah had stopped along the route to talk to the kids.
"Thank you, Kacee (my oldest daughter and my grandchildren's mother) for hanging out in front of my house (along the bike route) for hours yesterday with the kids and with little Ruthie (Karah's dog)," Karah wrote. "I looked for you from blocks away, and I could see your blonde hair very easily and tell that you were there, and it made me so happy."
The kids didn't mind waiting. They love Karah, and they know how hard she works to achieve her goals.
Just last spring, the kids saw their mom and aunt successfully compete in the half-Ironman. While the event was a breeze for Karah, it was challenging for their mom. But with Karah's encouragement, Kacee worked out for months to prepare for the competition and crossed the finish line. Kacee was always an athlete, but single motherhood sidelined her workout time. It was Karah's influence that caused Kacee to enter the race.
The children have been to Karah's classroom at McCallie, met some of her students, and know all about Karah's jelly fish project. Karah and her students are raising jellyfish for the Tennessee Aquarium. It's a phenomenal project that has garnered national attention.
Several years ago, when my family flew to California for my son's wedding, Karah took Tilleigh to swim with hundreds of leopard sharks off the coast of La Jolla Shores Beach. While the average person wouldn't dream of getting in the water with sharks, Karah taught Tilleigh that these particular sharks, which annually come close to shore during August and September, were friendly.
Tilleigh has been swimming all her life and had no fear of swimming with the sharks. In fact, Karah has taught Tilleigh so much about ocean life that Tilleigh wants to be a marine scientist - or an actress - when she grows up. She is very knowledgeable about sharks, often watching documentaries about them, and has given presentations about sharks at school.
While Karah's knowledge about the ocean has greatly influenced Tilleigh, it's Karah's interest in bugs that Evie likes. How many 5-year-olds will put a slug on their arm to watch its mobility? Evie has been doing it since she was 2, thanks to Karah. Evie also likes frogs and a host of other creatures, including snakes.
I am in awe of my children, and it's reward to see that my grandchildren are, too.
Contact Karen Nazor Hill at khill@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6396.