Today we’d like to introduce you to Chaundra J. Dewberry.
Hi Chaundra J., thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After my 1st semester of college at UT Arlington in 1999, I went home (Tyler, TX). I was working at JCPenney wrapping gifts, which I love to do. A friend of mine invited me to her family gathering and I told her that she could come pick me up when I got home from work. She drove up in her Ford Explorer Sport with her cousin and 2 of their friends. I made it a full load making it 5 of us which was the capacity of the vehicle. I remember it was dusk and it started to rain. I got in the back seat, in the middle. I remember trying to put the seatbelt on and having trouble with it clicking into place. By this time, we had driven out of my driveway and that is all I remember (everything that I write next is because my mom told me). My godmother had received the call from the paramedic, and she called my mom. I had been ejected from the backseat, headfirst through the windshield and care flighted to the hospital. I was told that I didn’t know anyone. My Godmother said that I was just lying there looking into space. After a few months had passed. I had been in the hospital for I believe mom told me 3 weeks. I was then discharged to a therapy facility, Health South, where I received Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy for I believe it was 3 weeks as well. I had to start all over again relearning how to groom myself, how to walk, how to talk all at the age of 21 which I turned while I was in the hospital. I was back home with no recollection of anything. I have a cast on my left arm. My head has been shaved on one side (the right). When I walked inside my room, I noticed that my answering machine was full! It was a big deal to have my own phone line, but the answering machine is full too lol!!! I was so excited to listen, but my mom wouldn’t allow me to. I asked her why not? Her answer was, “you won’t know anyone”. I didn’t understand what she meant until she started telling me about all the family and friends who came to see me in the hospital and at the rehabilitation center. I didn’t remember anything let alone anybody! This was my first time ever experiencing vertigo as well and when I tell you that I understand when people talk about having that, it is the worst! More time passed as I continued to get closer to the old me, I was ready to return to school but not UT Arlington just yet. I went to Tyler Jr. College to take a class or two to see how I would do. I was never a straight A student, but I passed because I was an athlete. I didn’t have to think about HOW to be athletic, but I had to think about how to do school. The no pass no play rule was all I needed to know to keep me on the court and on the field! But now I didn’t have that incentive, but I had the drive. This was the first time I ever needed accommodations. I had to record class and if possible, have someone take notes for me because I write down EVERYTHING because it all sounds important. I had to have more time to take tests because it took me longer to read and comprehend. I had to take my tests in a separate, isolated room because of my lack of focus. Until I had those things, I did not know that I needed them. I would start studying for tests weeks in advance and still bomb them. Talk about a blow to the self-esteem! This was so frustrating! I had problems finding my words to speak and therefore, I just remained quiet. I eventually started passing the texts after being provided more resources that helped me retain and take notes more efficiently for my new way of thinking. Finally, I returned back to UTA in 2001 with my accommodations in place for all of my classes. School was not my favorite in the first place; it certainly was not now since I had to work even harder only to not pass tests that I had prepared for well in advance. I remember one professor, Dr. Ison, he took the time to figure out what I needed. I was in class every day, at the front, writing notes like a crazy person, while recording, and turning in my homework but still not passing any tests. Professor Ison asked me to stay after class. He was so puzzled as to why he saw that I was putting in the work and showing up to class but still not passing his tests. He started asking me questions from the tests. I was answering them correctly. Dr. Ison figured out that I needed to take verbal tests, not written tests. So, for the remainder of that semester in his class, I took his tests after class, in his office where he read the test questions out loud to me and I would answer them verbally. That’s how I passed my tests and passed his class. I eventually graduated in 2005, majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies. I remember being told that’s a major for when you didn’t know what you want to do. I knew I wanted to work with kids but now that becoming a pediatric nurse was no longer in my reach, I thought I could be a teacher and a coach because playing sports was my life growing up but I never passed the teachers exam for ECL. After, not passing several times I finally figured God was telling me something and I should listen because that was not what He called me to do.
I remained in Dallas, working a few places that just paid the bills. Nothing that I was passionate about, just an insurance call center and a law office. In 2011 I was working as a receptionist in a law office. At this time my mom’s cancer that first appeared in 2004 as breast cancer, had been in remission but reappeared at the end of 2009. My mom had been going to chemo after she got off of work, like nothing had changed. One morning I didn’t have to go into the law office until later in the day. My mom and I always talked multiple times a day. This morning in October 2011 was different. When we talked, she sounded like she was dragging her words. Mommy what are you doing? “I’m watching The Price is Right”. Just hearing her it was like her works where slurring. I looked at my phone to see the law office was calling. I told my mom I’d call her right back. Once I finished the call with the office I called my mom back, but the phone was busy. I knew that was weird because with 3 lines there was always an open line. So, I hung up & called back. Busy! I did this a few more times and then called a family friend, who would take her to chemo if she wasn’t feeling well enough to go by herself. I also tried to contact my dad. The family friend answered and let me know that she was already on her way to pick my mom up for her chemo session that day and she would let me know what’s going on as soon as she makes it to my mom. After, waiting for the call back, the family friend calls telling me they are taking my mom to the hospital. Now, I am calling the law office to tell them that I will not be in today because I had a emergency with my mom. The law office was a personal family law office, so they already knew about my mom’s cancer, and they had no problem telling me to go home to Tyler to see about her. I drove to Tyler and went straight to the Mother Frances Hospital. I called the family friend when I parked so she could guide me to exactly where they were in this enormous hospital. I look up to see the family friend coming out to meet me at the car. She says before I go inside, she has to tell me something. “Your mom has been knowing this since the doctors told her the cancer had come back… it’s terminal. They’ve tried all they can. Cynthia never wanted you to know that because she knew that you would stop everything to come home for her.” She was right. My mom was my best friend, and I would be there for her just like she always has been there for me. The tears came streaming while we start walking to go to see mommy in the emergency room. Mommy was sleeping but I was there for whatever the next steps were going to be. I found out that her cancer was more than just breast cancer. She had colon cancer, and the cancer had spread. The slurred speech that I noticed as we talked that morning was due to her having a seizure from the tumor on her brain that had metastasized. I found out the tumor has been there, but the doctors had previously decided not to remove the tumor because the cancer would have a higher chance of spreading. Now that the tumor is affecting her as well as the cancer is already spread, they removed the tumor that day. After, she recovered from the surgery she was discharged to the Trinity Mother Frances, Health South, Rehabilitation Center. We got there and I started feeling the familiarity because that’s the same place I received my physical, occupational, and speech services. As a matter of fact, many of the therapists who worked with me remembered me. This time I was looking from the outside and was able to understand what the therapists did. I was able to see firsthand for myself and that is when I knew that God was showing me that is what He was calling me to do! I was there with mommy every day to know for a fact that physical therapy is my niche. When she did her exercises, whether they were one on one or with a group, I was there to retain all of it. Before she was discharged from the rehab, I told her that I was going to go back to school to do physical therapy. When we got settled at home, she started calling me her physical therapist. Her question for me was, “What exercises are we doing today physical therapist?” During the 8 months I was blessed to have with her, I was her caregiver making sure she took her medication on time, made sure she ate, bathed her, cleaned her wombs from her mastectomy. etc. I had to make drives to Dallas because I was still paying for the apartment that I still had all of my things inside. The lease was not up yet but I was able to put all of my things in storage. I took my godmother to help me clean the empty apartment. When I would make my runs to Dallas, they would be during the day so that my mom wouldn’t be needing me as much. I would call making sure she took certain meds and I would be back home in time for the rest of evening. She slept in the bed with me and I made sure she got to the restroom during the night if she needed to go. Now, that my driving back in forth to Dallas was complete, it was time to see what I needed to do to get into a physical therapy assistant program. I needed a certain amount of observation hours from the hospital, the nursing home, and an outpatient clinic. I got started ASAP and while I was gone the 4-6 hours during the day I had my friend Kameshia to call and check on my mom because I wasn’t allowed to have my cell phone on me. I eventually completed all of my hours. I also, enrolled into TJC to take my Anatomy & Physiology I & II classes again. When I took it the first time, I didn’t have the fire under me like I did this time. I think I made a C in them both back in college which I was just trying to pass. This time I knew that I needed to do more than just pass! I needed to make a higher grade to level up. I also worked as a physical therapy tech at the Health South Rehabilitation. For the purpose of trying to stand out, so I thought, I made an A and B in the Anatomy & Physiology classes that I retook, as well as hands-on experience in the rehab setting. I then applied to get into the physical therapy assistant program at Kilgore College with the plans of commuting 30mins from my home in Tyler. That was my plan anyway but after I was invited to be interviewed twice for the Physical Therapy Assistant program, I was denied. Discouraged but not ready to give up because I knew what God told me. Mommy was getting worse and now we had a hospice nurse coming to the house to inform an prepare us for what we were about experience. Mommy’s hospice nurse was the best! She was always available to answer any questions I had while she was at the house or not. Before mommy got too bad, I asked her what she wanted to wear for her funeral… who did she want to be on program… who did she want to give her eulogy… who did she want to sing… what songs etc. I am her only child, but she has siblings and I didn’t anyone to try to tell me what they wanted for her. I wanted her to tell me what she wanted while she still could. Her favorite color was blue, so I knew what casket I wanted for her as soon as I laid eyes on it. When she began to get closer to transitioning, that Friday, March 4th, I called her 3 brothers in Houston and let her parents and sister right there in Tyler that they need to come because from what the hospice nurse had taught me, we need to get ready to say goodbye. Everyone came to our house Saturday. Mom was laying in my bed still making her breathing noise called, the death rattle. I had to start sleeping in the living room on the couch to keep myself together because that sound was almost unbearable. That Friday, I allowed everyone else to love on mommy while I went on a walk with my good friend Sonya, who had come down from Dallas to be with me. After I returned home from the walk, noticing that everyone was laughing, talking and watching television, I asked my uncle Mike, “is anyone back there with mommy?” He says to me, “I don’t think so C.J.”. So, I go back to the room to see her, and I crawl up beside her, hugging and kissing her. I start telling her that it’s ok, she can go, I’m going to go back to school to become a physical therapist assistant so that I can help people like they helped us. I told her that I am going to be financially stable, I’m going to love what I get to do, and everything is going to be fine, I will be ok. Mommy then finally took her last breath. That Saturday night mom passed away on March 5,2011. I was on a mission to make sure that I kept my word. I didn’t get accepted into the program at Kilgore College, but I got into a program in Dallas which was the 3rd program I applied to. The number 3 being symbolic of divine completeness in the bible, it took me 3 times to get into a program. It took me 3 times to pass the entry exam in order to start the program. Then it took me 3 times to take the state boards exam to pass and obtain my Physical Therapy Assistant License (October 2016) …by ONE point! So, when I say that what I get to do has nothing to do with money, it’s all about Gods divine favor and calling on my life to do this for His glory,
In 2017 I finally joined Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church, and they encourage you to join a ministry. When I saw they had a fitness ministry, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to be in that ministry. I hesitated because I wasn’t confident to teach but I eventually spoke to the head of the ministry who at the time was, Floyd. He was so supportive and encouraging. I was seeing clearly how God had already been preparing me, but I never realized it. I had previously worked in an assisted living where I taught Pilates in their health and wellness department. While I worked there, I was preparing for my state boards exam to become a PTA. In the past I was a regular in Zumba classes where I was on the front row all the time. Individuals would often ask me, “do you teach a class yourself?” Of course not, that’s not what I wanted! As, I entered the fitness ministry, they needed more instructors and what do ya know, I was in the position to be one. I’ve been instructing a fitness class at OCBF since 2017. For a long time because nobody really knew me, I didn’t have anyone in my class, but I continued to show up. Then I had one young lad who would come. It was her and I for a long time. But I knew the word says that I do works unto the Lord, not to man because He called me, not the participants or lack thereof. I also knew that Gods word told me that if He can trust me with a little, then He will trust me with more. So, I just kept showing up and the class began to grow, and people began to know me, and they wanted me to teach them to move. As the years went by, individuals would ask me was I a personal trainer? Even when I worked at the nursing home/assisted living, I would be asked. I would always think it was so silly as I let them know that I was all about my physical therapy, helping people regain their function. Well in 2020 as the pandemic hit, I decided to finally listen to Gods prompting about personal training because God works through people. One evening after meeting with my small group from church, I obey God’s calling for me to become a certified Personal Trainer. I have been a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant since 2016 and that is where my passion has been since 2010. However, I loved to move via fitness classes also, but I just liked being a part of the classes, I never wanted to teach. People would ask did I teach classes and was a I personal trainer. I’d tell them no & they would ask me why not? I have never been the person who jumps to be in the spotlight. I’m ok with being in the background, in fact I’ve gotten used to being there (that’s another story from sports trauma). Any who, the only knowledge I had about personal training is that people who wanted to lose weight got them. Very limited knowledge! Well, 2020 came and after many inquiries from people asking me if I was a personal trainer I finally told God that if He wants me to become a personal training, He’s going to have to show me a good program that He wants me to get accepted into. I didn’t know any programs, no specific brand names that were highly recommended, it was Friday night, and I just asked Google for personal trainer programs. I don’t even know which one I clicked on, because there were several, but I do remember that I didn’t want to go any further because I was afraid of choosing the wrong program. So I turned the computer off and went to bed. The next morning, I received a call. It was from National Academy of Sports Medicine aka NASM. I had no clue what was about to happen. This guy starts talking to me and asking me all these questions. Sounded perfect until he asked me was I ready to get started? In my head I was talking to God telling him that if this was from Him, then He has to make it affordable because I was sure this program was not going to be something I could afford because it sounded expensive! Then the guy tells me only $25 today and we’ll work with what you can pay per month. I was in shock because of course I had $25 to start. When he told me how much per month, that was also reasonable. I started my journey to becoming a certified personal trainer. Everything was self-paced. We had a book but everything else like practice quizzes were online. That was very difficult for me because I need the classroom to be able to engage and see the teacher and be taught in person. I didn’t do well when I took the practice quizzes therefore, I didn’t know how taking the real thing would be any different. Remember when I told you earlier that after the car accident, I went to take a few classes at TJC and could never pass the tests the first time, even with my accommodations? The same at UTA and with my PTA state boards exam. Well, it came test time for me and I couldn’t be placed in a different room, however, they gave me extra time and headphones for noise cancelation. I finished the test, and we got the scores immediately. I passed! That was the first time that I passed a test the very first attempt taking it. I knew that was God too! I got my certification as a personal trainer August 30, 2020. I still didn’t want to be a personal trainer; I was just being obedient. I literally told God that I was not going to look for a personal training job and I didn’t. God just laughed as He told me, “You don’t have to look for one because I’m bringing it to you”. In October my Physical Therapy Supervisor, Malen who had been supervising me for many years now. On this particular day were performing supervisor visits. That day she questioned me, “you exercise with people, right? Aren’t you a certified personal trainer?’ My answer to both questions were, yes. Malen continues to tell me, “I’ve worked with you as my pediatric physical therapist assistant for about 4-5 years now and you do fantastic work and your countenance with the families and kids are great. I want you to work with my daughter”. I am looking a bit puzzled as I ask her, what do you mean”? My daughter is highly functioning autistic, and she doesn’t move enough, so I want you to help her become more mobile. At that time, it was like something in me got so excited! I said to God, “OHHHHHH that’s the kind of personal training you want me to do! You needed me to get the credentials so that I can work with the neurodivergent brain, the cognitively impaired, the invisible injuries, to regain or show them how mobility helps enhance brain function!” It all made sense to me the. How, fitting is it for someone who has been living with a traumatic brain injury since the age of 20, now recognizing that at the age of 43 all the milestones in my life have been steps to get me here to this point. The late Mrs.’s Loise Evans told her son, Jonathan Evans, who is now my lead pastor, that “our greatest misery is our greatest ministry”. As, I look back at my accident, what my mom had to go through seeing me like that. Then her going through her illness and what I went through seeing her like that. All of the doors that seemed open for a moment, were actually closed doors. The hurt, the pain, the disappointment, it was all God’s plan to develop me to get me where I am today.
Malen and I discussed time, meeting spots and pricing for me to start working with her 12, almost 13-year-old daughter at that time, to move her body. This was so seamless because I never would have thought of this from my own finite mind. Now this young lady, who is absolutely gorgeous and looks what people would call typical has neurological challenges. I look typical as well, and unless I tell you about my accident, you would never know that I’m challenged with different tasks and actions daily but on the outside the external doesn’t show my struggle. She and I understood each other because of that. We could laugh at things that we would feel that someone else would think doesn’t make sense. I would meet them at their church’s fitness area, and we’d talk and laugh while simultaneously moving our body on a machine, skipping, hoping, hitting the volleyball or whatever it took to be active. Keeping her attention. doing something that wasn’t so strenuous that she didn’t enjoy it but not so boring that she wondered why her mom brought her there. We’d end with prayer about her and or people at school. She begins to bring her best friend who wore a tiny hearing aid; you could barely see it. These two young ladies had nothing functionally keeping them from moving but the invisible injuries interfered with they’re ability socialize via sports and simply belonging. This is how the Holy Spirit gave me the name of the business. Because I know they don’t feel like they fit in, I used my last name to call my business, “D.E.W.|F.I.T.” At first glance people automatically assume that it’s fitness, but it’s much deeper than that. There is a level of spiritual growth, a level of mentorship, and discipleship. The letters stand for Doing Excellent Works Favoring Innate Training. This Movement Training program is about moving not exercising. Those 2 words are sometimes mistaken to be interchangeable and they are not. Exercise is movement but movement doesn’t need to become exercise to be valuable. Movement is more important and sufficient for the neurodiverse or brain injured individual. The daily movement supports regulation, healing, and confidence than structured exercise workouts alone. And that’s why D.E.W.|F.I.T. exists. Malen’s daughter is about to head out to college soon and so she is not around much for me to work with her anymore. However, I was not looking as this happened so seamlessly as well, I received another young lady who was 19years old. She was literally like looking in a mirror (as I heard her story) because she was also in a car accident and had a TBI like myself. I was only able to provide her a consultation with her first session included. She is actually from Tyler but was in Dallas on the weekends with her aunt however, she has not been available since 2023.
Although, there is a plethora of resources to use, I’m challenged with word finding, so being live or even making videos (which I’d rather do over going live) being overwhelmed and organizing ALL the things that I need to get started and stay started is beyond difficult. Staying on task is a big thing for me and not being able to start and finish things in a timely manner as I’d like frustrating. I haven’t been able to build my brand, but I know it’s coming. I just have to be still and wait for Gods timing to provide seamless forward movement with no sorrow attached.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As I continue to walk in my healing journey my challenges with word finding, staying focused, keeping on task, not getting overwhelmed so much that I’m stuck has been the bumps in the road. Those are still daily challenges, even though I’ve learned how to navigate them differently it doesn’t take the challenge away, I have to learn to let my brain transform how it needs to while I adjust with IT and give myself grace in the process. That’s very difficult when others on the outside don’t understand why I don’t just make a plan… make goals like they do… just set up the camera and start talking. It seems so easy! But it’s not.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant. I enjoy helping all people regain their function but I especially love working with the pediatric population. There is something about my connection with pediatrics/babies that keep me closer to them. I love the fact that I’m not working at a desk and underneath someone who is micromanaging me. I get to create and develop ways to help them crawl, walk, climb etc. I am always moving because I am helping them move. I didn’t become a coach and a PE teacher but I’m still coaching children in a different realm to be more functional and live a higher quality of life. I am proud to have the patience that God gives me to love and enjoy what I do so much. If I don’t get him/her to reach one of their physical therapy goals that day, I have gotten them closer to reaching a goal while also helping them to be more independent and less dependent on the parents.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
As I think of the Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness, and Self-Control I believe that Kindness is my essential quality/characteristic because I feel like me being kind will exude the other fruit of the spirit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dewfitllc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dewfit.llc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EmmfifNHK/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaundra-j-c-j-dewberry-cpt-lpta-founder-of-d-e-w-f-i-t-583135a2
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@dewfitllc
