Intro from Megann: A recent trend has emphasized learning to ‘say no’. While I agree and sometimes need to remember it is okay to say no to things that overextend us or are not good for us, I also have learned from Allison that sometimes we need to ‘say yes’. I have witnessed Allison giving, doing, and achieving so much. Through spending time with Allison, I have been inspired to say YES more often. But rather than agreeing to do things I don’t want to do when already overcommitted, I have learned to say YES willingly with an open heart and mind. Sometimes the ‘yes’ is to volunteer or donate my time, money, and love. Yet other times it is saying yes to a girl’s night in the middle of the week or to running faster or longer than I thought possible. All this saying yes has not left me more exhausted; it has left me feeling inspired and accomplished yet also humble. I challenge you to say YES to more things in life that challenge you, force you to grow, or are simply fun and frivolous. Because we may not all have 9 lives like the Mayfields.
Allison Bio:
I do believe in 9 lives! I was born and raised in Natchitoches, LA where I was a NCHS chief in high school and an NSU Demon for college. My degrees include bachelor’s in science, Kinesiology, NSU and a Master of Education, plus 30 with add on certifications in Health and PE and Adapted PE, NSU. My husband and I celebrated 23 years this November. We moved to Shreveport 22 years ago for him to go back to Nurse Anesthesia school. We have one child, Kinsley Mayfield, 13, who attends Caddo Middle Magnet. I’m passionate about running, giving, and helping others, and I love my special kiddos! Daily I remind myself that “faith overcomes fear”!
You were nearly killed in a car accident as a teenager. Do you mind sharing that story as well as how it may have changed your life?
I was in a very traumatic car accident my sophomore year in high school, March 1994. A parent’s worst nightmare, getting a phone call that your daughter has been taken by ambulance from the scene of a car wreck to the hospital. I was airlifted from Natchitoches to Shreveport where I coded 13 times in the helicopter. I’m pretty sure when the doctor comes in the middle of the night to your parents and says “all we can do at this point is pray” that is nothing short of a miracle. Without a doubt, Angels were with me this tragic evening. I suffered multiple internal injuries that included collapsed lungs, punctured liver, a broken jaw, and my right hand severely injured. Several days later after my internal injuries were stable, Dr. Bridges of Bridges to Beauty saved my right hand from being amputated with a tendon and skin flap surgery that was very successful. I went through intense physical and occupational therapy to learn to reuse my hand that lasted over a year after the accident. I can remember not even being able to move the fingers on my hand the week after I was released from the hospital but after intense therapy, I have full use of my fingers and right hand! My hand is scarred and looks a little different than other people’s right hand, but scars are a sign of life experiences, the ups and downs and all that is in between.
In many ways the wreck changed my life. I missed many things in school after that, but I knew God had a plan and purpose. He used me as a testimony to others. God was gracious to me; he knew that my time here in this life wasn’t over and wanted to use me for bigger things in life. I might not have realized this in the weeks after this accident or even years after. However, I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today or living the life I have today if that accident wouldn’t have happened when it did. Accidents make you realize how fortunate you are and not to take the life you have for granted.
You are an Adapted PE teacher in the Caddo School system. Do you feel your life events, such as your wreck, helped lead you to this profession? Or was this inspired by something else?
Life events such as being in a car accident definitely led me to my profession. I was in and out of physical and occupational therapy for nearly 3 years after this car accident learning how to use my right hand again. First, I always wanted to work with children. I was one of those kids that played school all the time at home. Then, when I went through so much P.T. and O.T. I became interested in these areas, too. I decided to study Kinesiology thinking I would pursue a career in P.T. instead. After graduating from NSU in Natchitoches, I got married and continued my education. I received my Health and Physical Education certification with an add-on in Adapted PE. I got a job immediately when done with certification in Adapted PE and haven’t looked back for 22 years. Adapted Physical Education is working with special needs children that may by mentally or physically challenged and improving their motor weaknesses. I honestly can say I love my job! I kind of got both, the teaching aspect and therapy all in one!
You have many jobs: Adapted PE teacher, Fitness Instructor for YMCA, and Cross-Country Coach for Caddo Middle Magnet. You hold many voluntary and charitable roles. How do you juggle all of this? How do you determine which programs you will engage with?
I do have a full-time job as an Adapted PE teacher for Caddo schools, coaching cross country for Caddo Middle Magnet and sub fitness instructor for the Y right now. I’m a mom and wife so those are big roles as well. Also, I’ve been dipping my toes in personal running coaching lately, too, which I’m really enjoying. I serve on the board for the local running community in the area as Vice President, the Red River Roadrunners, serve on the board for the CRD foundation that gives back to special needs, and serve on the board for the GUMBO organization. I am one of the coaches for the Youth fit running program in the summer and have been a previous run coach with the Red River Roadrunners Advanced Learn to Run Class. The past few years I’ve served on the committee for the Iron fish and River Cities Triathlon as volunteer chair, a part of the running team at Sportspectrum and active pusher for Ainsley’s Angels for our area. I coach kids for GUMBO games and Special Olympics, too. Recently, I became involved with the Wyldlife program for Middle Schoolers through Younglife as a “parent volunteer’’ and have loved seeing kids learn about faith all together from all religious backgrounds.
As a mom and wife, you learn to juggle and prioritize schedules and lists. Truly, my husband Eddie is wonderful and does a lot of duties for our family. His love language is acts of serving too! He shows this by doing many household chores and making sure our home life is good! As women though, we must learn to make ourselves a priority. I get up at 5 in the morning and start my day by running, I take the time to read my devotionals, read the news for a few minutes all before the day begins! Then my day is more productive, and I am ready to be there for my job duties and other events outside of work. You just learn to juggle it all and usually it all seems to work out just fine! I try not to have to decide between which programs I want to engage in, I want to do it all somehow, someway!
Ainsley’s Angels is an amazing and uplifting charity you helped me discover. You have helped spread awareness, engagement, involvement, fundraising from friends as well as provide love, kindness, awards, friendship, pride, and purpose to those sweet angels. Please tell me more about Ainsley’s Angels and how you became associated with their program.
A question that we hear a lot at events is, “Who is Ainsley?” People see our gear and want to know. They expect us to turn around and point out someone in our group. Instead, we get to explain how a little girl with a beautiful smile inspired her family to spark a movement that has changed the lives of thousands of people across the nation. Whether it be through rolling, running, volunteering, book readings, or witnessing our members at an event, people have been changed. Some of us never had the honor of meeting Ainsley in person, but the course of our lives has been forever altered, nonetheless.
Eddie and I first encountered Ainsley’s Angels when we ran our first marathon at the LA marathon in Baton Rouge. I remember seeing this huge organization at the start line and the Angels being pushed during the race and I was like I must be a part of this organization! We contacted several Ainsley’s Angels chapter members in the area but never connected with them. Then a few years later Mr. Eric Kirkendall started an Ainsley’s Angels chapter in the Northwest LA area. We became involved pushing Angels in races and I have gotten many of my students involved with the organization. They are like family and make my heart full of joy pushing any of them across the finish line. Lending my legs for someone that could never run a race and push them to victory is the best reward ever. My whole family pushes with Ainsley’s Angels when we can, even my daughter. I’ve enjoyed seeing her push with me an Angel. Seeing her spread joy to their lives, really makes a momma’s heart full! We’ve done 5k and 10 races to half-marathons! Pushing for a full marathon is on my bucket list!
Your husband, Eddie nearly died due to illness. During his treatment, you began your health journey that ultimately led to your passion for running. Eddie is a very active and motivated man as well. Was he always passionate about exercise or did this come later in life?
My husband, Eddie almost died due to cancer. When our daughter was 2 months old, he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s’ Lymphoma. He went through intensive Chemo for 6 months after this and then 3 years later it came back. The second time around he received a stem cell transplant to cure the cancer! He fought the battle and won! Now almost ten years later he has run in 8 marathons since and is about to compete in his first Half-Ironman! I did begin my health journey during Eddie’s sickness. I had never run before and when he was first diagnosed with cancer and Kinsley was 2 months old, I was like l have to do something. It kind of became my therapy during this time. Then I was like who could ever run a marathon, ha! I never imagined I would love to run or run marathons! We both became very active in the running community once he recovered. Eddie has always been passionate about exercise and being active. He ran track in high school and always has been a strong runner! After some running injuries in the past few years, he began cycling and swimming which lead him to a desire to complete a Half-Ironman!
Running gave you a new lease on life: a hobby you are passionate about, new friends, new charities, new personal goals, and victories. But running nearly took your life in November 2022 when you were hit by a car while running. Tell me more about the journey of running in your life.
Running is part of my identity now, yes. It’s become a big part of my life and for my family. From running races, pushing with Ainsley’s Angels and coaching; I am very passionate about this hobby. In 2020 when the pandemic hit, running and biking was my outlet.
Yes, I nearly died last November when I was hit by a car while running. Guess you can say I’m a walking miracle literally. Miracles are real and I am a sole believer in them. I’ve seen them more than once in my 45 years of life. I honestly don’t know how I walked away from getting hit by a car with no broken bones or head injury. I remember very clearly and vividly as I never lost consciousness! One of my best friends, Linnae Magyar, and I were running the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. We were close to the end of our 6-mile run and were at the red light intersection of Ockley and Line in front of Betty Virginia Park. It was bright and sunny out, a little after the noon hour and the light was red. Linnae and I were debating to go left or through the park and then a lady that was turning right motioned for us to go and I remember telling Linnae “Let’s go through the park” and I started running across the intersection and as I took off the light turned green. Linnae screamed “ALLISON” and I heard tires screeching, a sound I will never forget, and I turned to look left and bam a car struck my left side where it pushed me in the air. It’s like I was in slow motion as I remember thinking to myself when I fell to the ground, I have to move because the car was still rolling. However, when I came back down to fall on the ground the car had stopped, and I landed on the car on my left ribs and rolled down to the ground to my side. I was sitting up in the intersection and Linnae and the driver of the car were immediately at my side, holding my hands. Sirens were in the distance, and I knew I was going to be ok. I could move all my body parts and I didn’t hit my head. The EMS came and transported me to Ochsner for trauma. After several hours of CT scans and Ex-Rays, I had no broken bones, just bad bruised ribs and horrible bruises and a banged up left side of my body.
If you don’t believe in God or have lost faith, then this accident might have your faith a little stronger. God has a mysterious way of showing up in unexpected ways! See that day, Linnae said there must’ve been a thousand angels surrounding me when I got hit as the car striking me was hard and she said it was like I was an acrobat balling up in the air. Well, my husband was a few hours away that day spreading his grandmother’s ashes that had recently passed away! I honestly believe sweet Nana was my guardian angel that day and God’s arms were wrapped around me tight as I survived that day!
You have a daughter; she is precious, and I personally adore her. What do you try/hope to model for her? Is there anything that concerns you regarding the future of our children? Is there anything that excites you for our children?
She is precious and I adore her too, not only because she is my child, but she has a kind heart, too. She’s my miracle baby. God gave her to Eddie and me at the right moment because he knew what was coming ahead in our lives with Eddie’s cancer. I tried 3 years to conceive a child and basically told God, “This is all in your hands now.” She was born October 21, 2010, and God knew we needed her. I try and model kindness to others in a big way and giving to others. I always tell her you are a child of God, let’s do what he would want us to do. I hope to model to her to be successful in all areas of life, remain healthy and active, and to be the best that she can be no matter the circumstance. I get concerned with all the things that I’m sure other parents concern themselves with, safety, health, the environment we live in, society, peers, etc. However, I believe if you raise your children right in a loving, Christian home and teach them good and bad that hopefully their future will be bright. Yes, there will be trials and errors but as we said earlier in this interview those are life’s experiences.