Cheerleader Faces Fears to Fulfill Dream

We all know it’s important to live life to the fullest and chase our dreams every day, but that’s much easier said than done. So when we heard about a cheerleader facing her fears to fulfill a dream, we were inspired. Kriste Lewis from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, dreamed of being an NFL cheerleader. She was diagnosed with a kidney disease 14 years ago, the same one she watched her mother struggle with, and at 40 she is older than the typical NFL cheerleader. But, Kriste said her disease has taught her not to waste a day. So she decided to try out for the New Orleans Saintsations as a 40th birthday gift to herself. Now, she is an NFL cheerleader. “I know there is no cure for (my kidney disease,) and I know that I will be on dialysis and in need of a transplant, but I could be killed in a car wreck tomorrow. … I think too many times we wait too late to start on our bucket lists. Start it while you feel good and can enjoy it.” Now Kriste is not only living her dream of cheering for an NFL team, but inspiring others to chase their dreams as well. You can read more on this story from Kriste’s hometown newspaper, the Hattiesburg American, and watch her interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”