God Is So Good

It was a normal day for Yolanda Strong. She got up as usual, got dressed and headed to Apollo Elementary School where she was a school teacher. Little did she know that her life was about to change. Yolanda started to feel bad that day at work. She felt like she was getting a cold so she headed to an urgent care facility later that afternoon. They diagnosed her with strep throat and sent her home with an antibiotic. She started taking her meds, but she rapidly got worse. She reached out to her dad for help, called 911, and was rushed to the ER. This is where her nightmare began.

As a result of the strep throat and flu, she had Systemic Vasculitis or inflammation of the blood vessels throughout her body. Ultimately Yolanda suffered multiple organ failure which led to the amputation of both her legs and little use of her arms.

She was in the hospital for six months in and out of ICU. She survived the ordeal with the help and love of God and her friends and family.
Although Yolanda survived the illness, the long road to recovery had begun. Yolanda and her family soon realized after coming home that many changes would have to be made. Her space was of most importance since she would now need more and bigger spaces due to her wheelchair and handicapped accessible areas in her home. Yolanda’s parents, Andrew and Girther Strong, had many questions to consider. Should they buy a new home? Should they remodel or add on to their current home? The Strongs decided to remain in their home, and they secured the services of Eugene McBride of Kemac Contactors and Whitney Harmon with Whitney Harmon Interiors.

”When I first met the Strong family, I knew this project was going to be special.”Whitney Harmon

“Working with Eugene McBride, we were able to give Yolanda a complete addition to her parents’ home. A beautiful new master bedroom and large master bath. She needed a special bathtub and walk in shower. She also needed a space that was comfortable for her to fit her wheelchair underneath that gave her ample knee space. We were able to provide all of this for her. The colors we chose were “light and bright”. A relaxing spa like environment for Yolanda was just what she needed.” said Whitney Harmon.

Whitney went on to say, “When I first met the Strong Family, I knew this project was going to be special. Anyone can slap some paint on the wall and move furniture around, but this was going to be way more than that. Yolanda needed her own space. She needed a few specific requirements but most of all somewhere to just relax and call her own. As a designer, one of the ways I can give back is helping people feel good in their home. Our homes are our safe space, our sanctuaries, where most memories are made and shared. It is so important to me to walk inside my home and be able to unwind and relax from a busy day. Designing spaces and picking out materials comes so natural to me, but it’s more than that. I’m blessed with a gift that helps people, and I hope to continue to help people in that way.”

I have to admit that when I went to meet with Yolanda, I had no idea what to expect. As I visited with Mr. and Mrs. Strong in their living room, Yolanda came around the corner to greet us. She was stunningly beautiful with the biggest smile on her face. She was dressed to the nines, with her makeup done perfectly and her jewelry sparkling. I was blown away. She was picture perfect. She asked, “Where do you want me?” She proudly got up and walked, with the help of her prosthetics, to her have her picture made. At first, she was a little hesitant to show us her bathroom and have photos taken, but once we got in there she lit up and was so proud of her space! And boy was it beautiful!

Her parents were just as proud! Mr. Strong loved showing off all the details of the new space. He said, “Do you know why all of this was possible? Do you know why we survived this tragedy? Because of God! “God is So Good!” he said as he pointed to the button he was wearing!
An organization has been set up to help assist Yolanda and other survivors with ongoing financial burdens involved with prosthetic limbs, physical therapy, and other resources. Please visit staystrongyolanda.org for more information