LG’s Brown fights through illnesses to impact, inspire - Daily Ardmoreite

April 02, 2019 at 08:31PM

LONE GROVE — For most high school student-athletes, the worst thing they have to worry about during their careers could range from stressing over a tough exam, or the upcoming big game.

But for Lone Grove senior cheerleader Destiny Brown, her worries run far deeper than any test or sporting event.

Everyday, this Lady Horns cheer member fights to just make it to school and be amongst her friends and classmates.

Brown was diagnosed during her high school life with both celiac and chron's disease, which affects her stomach and digestive system in multiple ways. She also deals with anxiety issues on top of her double-diagnosis.

On certain days, Brown is forced to miss school due to flare ups making it physically impossible for her to attend school.

During her sophomore year, Brown gave up doing track and basketball at Lone Grove to focus solely on cheer. The decision has paid off in ways she never imagined possible.

"I'm very blessed to be a Lone Grove cheerleader," Brown said. "Cheer means a lot to me, and the community of Lone Grove has accepted me for who I am. It's been difficult dealing with my diseases, but cheer amazingly has been able to help me deal with both of them. I wouldn't be as far as I am today as a person if it hadn't been for cheer."

"As a cheerleader I don't feel like a lot of the attention is on me," Brown added. "Not having the attention on me helps with my anxiety. When I was running and playing basketball, it was the complete opposite, but cheer has been my escape from it all. I feel like if I can push through these diseases, then I can be the reason why someone else is able to push through and succeed."

When she isn't cheering on the black and white of Lone Grove, Brown applies her work ethic after school for the Red River Company cleaning service, as well as helping her mother, who is the business owner/coordinator for Event Divas. Above all though, Brown values the time she gets to spend not just with her biological family, but her cheer family as well.

One member of her cheer family which has been directly impacted by Brown's strength is her fellow senior and best friend Haylee Burris.

"Destiny inspires me more than she knows every single day," Burris said. "Some days when I don't want to push through, I just look at her with a smile on her face, and it inspires me to be better. She's my back spot and has never let me touch the ground. Everything I do, I do it for her. She pushes through no matter how bad she is hurting, and she's never let it get in her way. She really is amazing."

This season, the Lady Horns cheer squad was led by Kaitlyn and Susie Solley as the coaches.

Brown credits both of them with helping make her senior year one of the best she has ever spent in a LGHS cheer uniform.

"I love Kaitlyn and Susie," Brown said. "Having someone like Kaitlyn who is close in age with us is a lot of fun, and honestly she is better than a lot of us at cheer. Susie is just amazing and is so wonderful to work with."

Brown plans to attend Murray State college in the fall and begin working on her basics, before transferring to East Central University in Ada and majoring in Speech Therapy.