"When Life Knocks You Down: Rising Strong Against All Odds"

On a brisk, sun-washed December Saturday morning, we returned to the legendary Stroud’s Fitness. It was my first time crossing that threshold since the passing of its founder — and one of the greatest men I’ve ever known — Mr. Kirk Stroud. The moment lingered. The air felt heavier. Some places remember you back, and this was one of them.

I stepped into this cornerstone of the DFW iron culture alongside my boss and the owner of Optimum Fitness, greeted by the familiar warmth of McKenzie at the front desk — a constant in a space built on legacy. We were there to support the gym’s new ownership, and to reconnect with my brother in iron, Kelvin Tatum, and the family that is Team Steele.

Sitting in Kelvin’s office, surrounded by neatly framed photos of the countless athletes he’s guided — including my own from NPC Nationals 2018 — I felt that familiar gratitude. Honored, yet again, to be part of this family and this way of life.

As a few of Kelvin’s athletes drifted in and out, checking in with him on programming or technique, one encounter stood out above the rest. I had stepped out for a moment, and when I walked back into the office, she was there.

And everything shifted.

Before me stood one of the most mesmerizing individuals I’ve ever seen — not simply for her physical presence, but for the unmistakable energy she carried. There was a story in her eyes, a strength in her posture, and a quiet power that spoke of battles fought and victories earned. She was beautiful, yes, but also formidable… almost mythic, like a Greek goddess touched down in the middle of a training day.

Her voice was soft but assured. Her ink — every line and detail — seemed to tell its own story and command its own attention. I instantly knew I was standing before someone with enormous potential.

Kelvin introduced us with a grin, the kind that says, Yeah… I know exactly what you’re thinking.

And he was right.

Because as the VP of Marketing and Manager of the Athletes Division at Optimum Fitness, my instinct never sleeps. I’m always watching, always sensing who’s next, who has it. And when someone has that spark, that intangible star quality…

They don’t have to say a word.

And she didn’t.

She didn’t have to.

After we wrapped up training that morning and took a quick group photo, I knew I wanted to reconnect with Cheyenne. There was something unmistakable about her presence — the look of someone who had lived, fought, overcome, and risen stronger each time.

Months later, we crossed paths again at the Heart of Texas, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I told her about the new features we’re rolling out for the Optimum Fitness website and how I wanted her story to be one of the first we highlight.

She didn’t hesitate for a second.

She lit up, excited, ready — and that’s when I knew she was exactly the type of person I wanted representing us in 2026. A woman of grit, power, authenticity, and depth. A former powerlifter turned wellness competitor who stood on top of the podium with a gold medal at the WBDL World title meet and who has survived more than most will ever know, including a near-death experience and the journey of motherhood.

Her story needed to be told.

For those who don’t know you yet, who is Cheyenne Lalonde at her core?

At my core, I’m a woman who rebuilt herself from a place most people never return from. In 2024, I survived a near-death medical emergency that shut down my organs, put me in cardiac distress, and left my daughter and I both flat-lined during delivery. I spent days in the ICU and weeks on a transplant floor while doctors tried to figure out how to keep me alive.

Coming back from that didn’t just make me stronger — it made me clear about who I am.

I’m a fighter.

I’m a mother.

I’m a woman who refuses to settle for the life she almost lost.

I live with purpose now. Discipline, resilience, and gratitude aren’t buzzwords to me — they’re the foundation of my second chance. Everything I do, inside and outside the gym, comes from that place.

That is who Cheyenne Lalonde is at her core.

How did you first get into training — was it powerlifting, bodybuilding, or something else that sparked the fire?

I’ve always been an athlete and always loved bodybuilding, but in 2019 my friend Jaquie was the one who made me realize this was truly what I wanted to do. I just didn’t have the discipline yet.

After my near-death experience, everything changed. I was six months pregnant when I decided it was now or never, and I started focusing on my health — which honestly might be part of what saved me.

After my daughter was born, I finally committed. I started with powerlifting, competed for a year, and ended up placing 2nd in the world at the WABDL Championships in Vegas. That’s when the fire really took over.

What originally drew you into the strength world? Was it athletic background, personal escape, or something deeper?

Even though I’ve always been athletic, what really pulled me into the strength world was something deeper. Lifting became my escape when life felt heavy, and it became the one place where I could rebuild myself mentally long before my physical transformation ever started. Strength training gave me purpose, stability, and a sense of control at a time when everything else in my life was falling apart. It became my therapy before I even knew I needed it.

You’ve competed in both powerlifting and wellness. How did that transition happen?

I got into powerlifting during a time in my life when I needed strength more than anything. I wanted to take control of my body again after everything I’d been through, and powerlifting was the first place where I felt powerful, grounded, and alive. I fell in love with the feeling of getting stronger every single week, and that’s what pulled me into the sport.

What was the experience like competing at the WABDL World Championships in Las Vegas, and what did placing 2nd in the world and #1 in Texas mean to you?

Competing at the WABDL World Championships in Las Vegas was surreal. Standing on that platform, surrounded by athletes from around the world, was a moment I’ll never forget. Placing 2nd in the world and #1 in Texas meant everything to me — it was validation that all the sacrifices, the discipline, and the hours spent rebuilding myself had purpose. It proved to me that the girl who once doubted herself was capable of stepping onto a world stage and dominating.

What mindset did powerlifting require from you—both mentally and physically—while training for elite-level competition?

Powerlifting demanded a mindset that was unforgiving and laser-focused. Physically, it required discipline, precision, and the ability to push past discomfort. Mentally, it required resilience — the kind where you show up on the days you don’t feel strong and still give everything you have. You train your mind to trust your body, trust your preparation, and trust your ability to rise to the moment when the bar is in your hands.

Looking back on your journey, what did powerlifting teach you about yourself as an athlete and as a person?

Powerlifting taught me how to push through the limits. Wellness taught me how to refine myself.

When you compete for strength, its about performance - the weight doesn't care what you look like or how hard your day was. When you compete for aesthetics, its about the long game: structure, nutrition, posing, mental discipline, and showing up perfectly even when you don't feel perfect.

Powerlifting made me strong.

Wellness made me intentional.

Powerlifting taught me resilience,, but wellness taught me transformation.

Powerlifting showed me that I could overcome anything in the moment - that I could fight, push, and dominate whatever was in front of me. But wellness taught me the long game: discipline, consistency, and the ability to rebuild myself piece by piece.

Wellness is where I learned the most about myself., because it demanded the version of me I almost never gave myself permissions to be - patient, intentional, and fully committed.

You’ve faced battles that would break most people — including a near-death experience. What happened, and how did it change you?

During the birth of my daughter in 2024, my body went into complete crisis. I developed kidney stones, a blood clot, pancreatitis, an infection that spread through my abdomen, preeclampsia, and complications from multiple emergency procedures. My daughter and I both flat-lined. I went into cardiac distress. I spent days in the ICU and two weeks on a transplant floor where doctors were preparing me — at just 28 years old — for the possibility of not making it.

But the fight didn’t end when I left the hospital.

I spent months going from doctor to doctor, taking handfuls of medications, and dealing with the aftermath of everything my body had endured. I was over 100 pounds heavier than before, mentally exhausted, and trying to heal while caring for a newborn. I had survived… but I didn’t feel like myself.

That’s when I made the decision to take my life back.

I turned to fitness — not out of vanity, but out of survival. The gym became the place where I rebuilt myself one rep, one day, one choice at a time. I healed my body and my mind through discipline, consistency, and a commitment to not waste the second chance I had fought so hard for.

That experience didn’t just change me — it transformed me. It taught me my purpose, my resilience, and the strength I didn’t know I had.

.Did that experience alter the way you view your body, your health, or even your purpose?

tt changed everything. When your body shuts down on you and still fights to keep you alive, you stop taking it for granted. I stopped seeing my body as something to “fix” and started seeing it as something to protect and honor. My health became a priority, not an afterthought.

And my purpose became clearer than ever:

I wasn’t just meant to survive — I was meant to rebuild, rise, and show other women what’s possible after trauma. That experience didn’t just change how I see my body… it changed how I see my entire life.

How has becoming a mother reshaped your approach to fitness, discipline, and life?

Becoming a mother made everything sharper. My discipline isn’t just for me anymore — it’s for my daughter. Fitness stopped being about looks and became about longevity, strength, and showing her what a powerful, resilient woman looks like. Motherhood gave me a deeper “why,” and that changed everything about how I move, train, and live.

What’s one lesson from that chapter of your life that you wish more women understood?

I wish more women knew that it’s okay to fall apart — what matters is that you get back up. You’re not “ruined” because life broke you. You’re not behind because you had to start over. Your strength isn’t defined by what hurt you, but by how you rise after it. You’re allowed to choose yourself. You’re allowed to rewrite your story. And you’re allowed to become someone you never imagined you could be.

When you walked into that room at Stroud’s Fitness, you carried a presence — a strength beyond physical. Do you feel like you're in a rebuilding era, a rising era, or a reinventing era right now?

Right now, I’m in my rising era. I already rebuilt myself — physically, mentally, and emotionally. Now I’m stepping into the version of me I always knew I could become. This era is about elevation, momentum, and finally claiming everything I fought so hard to come back for.

What goals are you chasing next — inside and outside the gym?

Inside the gym, I’m chasing my pro card and continuing to build the physique I know I’m capable of. Outside the gym, my focus is on creating stability, building my brand, and giving my daughter the life she deserves. Everything I’m doing right now is about elevation — physically, professionally, and personally.

What part of your journey are you the proudest of today?

I'm proudest of the fact that I proved everyone wrong — including the version of me who once doubted herself. So many people told me that once you become a mother, your life stops belonging to you. That I’d have to be selfless, that I’d never lose the weight, never get healthy again, never have time for myself, and never move past what happened to me.

But I did.

I’ve been able to juggle motherhood, healing, discipline, and rebuilding my entire life — all at the same time. I took control of my health, my body, and my future while raising my daughter and showing her what strength really looks like.

That’s what I’m most proud of: the fact that I didn’t just survive… I rose. And I rose while carrying everything they said would break me.

You’ll be joining us as a brand representative in 2026. What does that role mean to you personally?

Being a brand representative in 2026 means more than just wearing a logo — it represents everything I fought to become. It’s a chance to stand for strength, resilience, and discipline. To me, it’s proof that the woman who almost lost her life is now strong enough to inspire others. It’s an honor, and it’s a responsibility I take seriously.

How do you want women — especially those who’ve battled trauma, motherhood, or reinvention — to feel when they see you representing Optimum Fitness?

I want women to feel hope when they see me. I want them to know that you can survive trauma, become a mother, lose yourself, find yourself again, and still rise higher than before. I want them to feel understood, supported, and inspired — not intimidated. If my journey shows even one woman that she’s stronger than her circumstances, then I’ve done my job.

What message do you want to bring to the Hawklife and Optimum Fitness community as you step into this new chapter?

I want to bring a message of strength, resilience, and possibility. No matter what you’ve survived — trauma, motherhood, setbacks, or losing yourself — you can rise. Your past doesn’t define your potential, and your struggles don’t disqualify your dreams. I want this community to feel supported, inspired, and reminded that transformation is possible at any stage of life. Strength isn’t just built in the gym; it’s built through life. And every single one of us has the power to rewrite our story and become someone we’re proud of.

Looking ahead where do you see yourself in the next 12–24 months — as an athlete, a mother, and a woman?

In the next 12–24 months, I see myself continuing to grow into the woman I fought so hard to become. As an athlete, I will have earned my pro card and be preparing for the Olympia stage — proving that motherhood and elite-level success can coexist. As a mother, I’m building a safe, stable, and joyful life for my daughter and showing her what resilience and ambition look like. And as a woman, I’m stepping into a chapter of peace, confidence, and purpose. This is my rising era — mentally, physically, and emotionally.

If you could write one line that describes the next era of Cheynne Lalonde, what would it be?

This next era of my life is simple: I am unstoppable.