Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Richardson.
Jasmine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Well, it all started when I was 21 weeks pregnant and I went in for my gender ultrasound. What I thought would be this happy day that all first time moms can’t wait to experience turned out to be one of the most life-changing experiences. That day was the start of a new journey in my life that I was neither prepared for, but looking back now, I know was meant to make me who I am today.
Finding out my son has CHD or a Congenital Heart Defect pushed me to grow as a person. It forced me to be strong at a time in my life when I was lost; A time where I felt hopeless without a purpose in life looking for a way out. It gave me a reason to push through the dark times and fight because if my son had to fight from the moment he was born, then he wasn’t gonna do it alone. I would be right there by his side. September 5th, 2018, changed my life forever as I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy who against all odds didn’t need his first open heart surgery until he was three months old.
So, On December 20th, my son had his first open-heart surgery. It was a very emotional experience to say the least. A few months later in April, actually four days before my son’s second open heart surgery, I had this crazy idea to start a blog, a Pinterest and an Instagram page dedicated to my son to help raise awareness for CHD. Before my son, I had no idea what CHD was and when I found out it was hard to even find anything on his specific diagnosis, I figured why not help inform other mamas out there like me who might be looking for information or experiences on what it’s like to go through surgery and just being a Heart mom and raising a child with CHD.
I’m the type of person who always gets ideas and I go hard for a few weeks, maybe a month, and then I’m over it. So, I ran the idea by my husband and he thought it was great and that same day he built me a website which is named after my son DeMarcus Bryson and helped me upload my posts and photos. It all really happened on a whim. Luckily for me, I had been writing about my experiences from the beginning in my notes so it was somewhat easy to turn them into blog posts. I also always wanted to have a blog. I even started one in college for a while but never really had anything I was passionate about until now. I also really love photography as a hobby, so what better way to practice than to take mini photoshoots of my son which all moms do anyways.
In all honesty, I never really liked writing. I’m more of a reader but I’m passionate about what I’m doing. I’m having fun and advocating for my son. Never would I have thought some random crazy idea would turn into what it is today. I’ve met so many new people, inspiring women, families in the heart community, and people who have grown to be great friends. It’s been almost a year and I have come farther than I could have imagined with no plan to stop anytime soon. I’m hoping to expand my blog and maybe one day start a Non-profit. That’s still in the works, just an idea for now, but the social worker in me wants to give it a try when I feel the time is right. I truly believe I found my purpose and I’m gonna follow it all the way through to wherever it may lead me.
Has it been a smooth road?
Not at all like I said, I started this whole journey just a few days before my son’s second open-heart surgery. That surgery was one of the hardest things I had to watch my six months old go through. It was a completely different experience compared to his first surgery. I could tell he was in so much pain and there was nothing I could do to help. Blogging and Instagram were the last things on my mind. Overall, there have been long periods of time where I haven’t put up a new blog post or posted on Instagram because I’m either tending to my son and everything that comes with raising him. I’m going through my own life struggles such a depression and social anxiety, financial hardship, and just life in general.
In those times, it’s not easy to get online and make content or go out into the world to take photos and interact with people to help grown my brand. Especially when you get online and see how well other people are doing, it honestly can make you want to just give up but, everyone’s life has a different path. Things will happen when they are supposed to not when you want them too and sometimes what you hope for is not what is meant to happen for you. Just have to be grateful for what you do have and how far you have come.
I would say my biggest struggle would be my social anxiety. I’m really not a people person. I like to think of myself as a true introvert. I literally want to break down and hide in a corner in social settings so networking and doing things to help grow my blog/brand has been hard for me, but I’m trying and challenging myself every day to take one step at a time. Staying consistent can be an issue for me too. I tend to just go ghost every now and then and some people don’t really like that. It’s all a learning process. Luckily, I have a great support system.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
DeMarcusBSean started as a blog to bring awareness to Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) but has since grown into a brand chronicling the journey of my son, DeMarcus Bryson, as he successfully overcomes this defect. From facts that spread awareness to sponsored photography to just his beautiful little smile, my brand DeMarcusBSean illuminates the wonderful moments we have while navigating a lesser-known, terrifying disease.
Even though blogging can be tough, I’m most proud of the strength we exude in helping to navigate this unknown world and shedding light so others can do the same. What sets DeMarcusBSean apart from others is our ability to relate to other Heart moms and their struggles. By not holding back from the good and bad, Heart families all around the world can relate and feel a sense of relief that they are not alone.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Over the next 5-10 years, my brand will see tremendous growth. At our very core, we wish to spread awareness on Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). How this gets done will be through multiple avenues, many of which I cannot fathom. For example, I wish to start a non-profit organization that caters to our Heart community. This is more of a distant dream of mine. In the short term, I plan on growing our Instagram following and blog community. By engaging with others in the Heart community, I’ve been able to culminate groups of Heart moms who know they are not alone. I plan on being one of the industry leaders on blogs about CHD. Who else can give a detailed perspective than a Heart mom who has went through multiple open-heart surgeries with their beautiful son?
All in all, I expect a big shift in this rather unknown world. Congenital Heart Defects remain one of the most common types of birth defects, and as time goes by, more and more Heart moms-to-be will be searching for all of the answers that I provide. Our niche is continuously growing and this shift will provide our brand with success.
Contact Info:
- Website: DeMarcusBSean.com
- Email: Jasmine225.k@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/demarcusbsean
- Facebook: Facebook.com/demarcusbsean
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/demarcusbryson/
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