BobbiJo's Journey - Story told by her mother Georgette

On January 19th, 1986, around 3 in the afternoon, my water broke! Everyone began to scramble, gathering necessities throughout the house. Her father and uncle, quite inebriated, hoisted me up and carried me two flights of stairs from the basement. They had to pause between flights due to my labor pains. It took a minute and a half to reach the car, and once we set off, they had to stop again because of my pain. Eventually, we made it to the hospital, where I was prepped and taken in. After about six hours of labor, she was born. In the recovery room, I was awakened by her uncle and father arguing over her name—Bobby after her father, or Joe after her uncle. Their bickering woke me, so I declared her name would be BobbiJo and ordered them to get out. They celebrated with bottles of beer, which is ironic by today's standards.

Her eyes were a stunning shade of grey, which turned blue after 6-7 months. She was an easy-going baby, crying only when hungry or in need of a diaper change. By two months, she began trying to roll over and would sway to music. As she grew, dancing became a favorite activity. I would place her feet on mine and together we'd dance around the living room. She often crawled under the table, trying to stand, only to bump her head against the glass. A quick learner, she memorized books before she could even read. "Are you my mother?" was her favorite; she'd proudly recite it to me, showing off her memory skills.

When BobbiJo was around 5 years old I discovered I had cancer and had to undergo surgery. This affected her and she was always afraid of losing me but also became my little helper.

Due to unexpected events, BobbiJo was separated from me at the age of 12. We lost touch for many years, until her senior year of high school. When we reconnected, she was both working and attending school, excelling in her endeavors. She completed high school, and subsequently, the state sponsored her college education. In college, she became a choreographer, and I attended her plays and performances. She also pursued modeling, participated in fashion shows, and was actively engaged in various forms of entertainment.

Through networking, she found herself auditioning for music videos, movies, commercials, fashion events, and magazines, among others, which ultimately led to her establishing her own modeling agency. Reflecting on her journey, I've always encouraged her with the words "The Sky Is the Limit," assuring her that she can achieve anything she desires by taking it one day at a time. To this day, BobbiJo continues to be a go-getter.