Whit's Grit

Whitney Lavender
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Personal Journals

Whit’s Grit is a podcast where real people from every walk of life share raw, honest stories of resilience, unbreakable spirit, and the kind of grit that simply refuses to quit. Hosted by Whitney Lavender — a double above-knee amputee, adaptive jiu-jitsu practitioner, Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee 2026, and author of the children’s book Whit and Wheels — each episode explores how ordinary people faced extraordinary obstacles, refused to let them define their future, and rose anyway. From rock bottom to redemption, trauma to triumph, chronic illness to championship — these are powerful conversations about mindset, perseverance, and the belief that everything is overcomeable.Whether you’re struggling, healing, or simply need a reminder of human strength, Whit’s Grit delivers stories that will move you, motivate you, and prove that no matter what you’re going through… your story isn’t over until you say it is. Where Grit Refuses to Quit. New episodes drop weekly.

  1. 3d ago

    Whit's Grit Episode 13: Kristi Scheunemann, Ms. Wheelchair WI 2026 | Don't Let Obstacles Stop You

    Kristi Scheunemann, Miss Wheelchair Wisconsin 2026, joins Whitney on Whit’s Grit for the next stop in the Queen series. Born with spina bifida and raised in Watertown, Wisconsin, Kristi is a disability advocate with People First of Wisconsin, a certified peer mentor with Aptiv, a board member with Creative Community Living Services, and an advisory committee member for My Choice by Molina. She has spoken on the keynote panel of the Self-Determination Conference, modeled for eight years in the This Is How We Roll fashion show, and competed at Nationals on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools, workplaces, and society. In this conversation she talks about mainstream school, the year she started finding her voice at Youth Leadership Forum, being nominated in 2019 as a self-advocate leader, and why she waited years before saying yes to the crown. She was crowned in a Denny’s. She also gets honest about buildings that still aren’t accessible, the awkwardness of asking for basic accommodations, meeting with a local candidate, speaking at The Marquardt, and what comes next—including her first solo session at the Self-Determination Conference. Her word for anyone who uses a wheelchair: do not let the extra obstacles stop you. You were made to leave a mark. Nothing about us without us. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:22 Welcome to the Queen series and Kristi’s bio 2:29 Hello and catching up after Nationals 3:34 Childhood in Watertown: youngest, only girl, spina bifida 4:16 Mainstream school, learning-disabled math, and when difference became real 5:44 Why teaching kids about disability early changes everything 7:49 Technical school, the “wheelchair means desk job” advice, and wishing she’d spoken up 10:33 Youth Leadership Forum and the start of her voice 11:31 Nominated in 2019 by the Board for People with Developmental Disabilities 13:00 People First of Wisconsin and keynote panels (including voting rights) 13:55 Certified peer mentor with Aptiv 14:50 Board and advisory work—and how she balances a full calendar 15:54 Eight years of This Is How We Roll and why she waited on the pageant 17:43 Crowned at Denny’s 19:30 Favorite moments of the reign (and the sash-and-crown factor) 20:35 Her platform: DEI and disability education starting in preschool 21:36 Access barriers, high chairs, fitting rooms used as storage, and speaking up 25:54 Nationals in Grand Rapids: being understood 28:12 Meeting a local candidate about downtown buildings she can’t enter 29:29 Speaking at The Marquardt 30:27 What’s next: first solo session at the Self-Determination Conference 31:18 Goals, hard days, and being easier on herself 32:48 How to follow Kristi (and Spina Bifida Awareness Month) 33:25 What grit means to her 34:51 Closing and how to subscribe Follow Kristi: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571005318192 Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=kristi%20scheunemann%20 October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month—she’ll be posting updates all month. Looking for a peer mentor? Reach out. Subscribe to @WhitsComplex so you don’t miss new Whit’s Grit episodes.

  2. Sep 30

    Whit's Grit Episode 12: They Said She Couldn’t — Dr. Sue ElHessen, Ms. Wheelchair California 2026

    Whit's Grit Episode 12 is live. 👑 Dr. Sue ElHessen is an educator, public servant, childhood polio survivor, and Ms. Wheelchair California 2026. She earned her doctorate in education from USC, a master’s in industrial-organizational psychology from Cal State Long Beach, and has spent her life opening doors that were slammed shut — in hospitals, classrooms, graduate programs, and government. In this conversation, Dr. Sue walks Whitney through contracting polio at age three in Lebanon, learning to walk again, having spinal fusion at nine while largely on her own, being left on the playground, being shoved into lockers, and being denied a graduate program because of her disability. She fought her way in anyway, graduated with a 3.75 GPA, and has spent decades advocating for students, teachers, and the disability community. She also shares why she ran for Ms. Wheelchair California, the ADA story that proved her platform, why media still overlooks disability pageants, and why she’s now running for Cerritos College Trustee Area 3. Her definition of grit is simple: no matter how many times you get punched down, you get up. If you have a disability and someone has already decided your ceiling for you — this episode is for you. Subscribe to @WhitsComplex and turn on notifications so you never miss a Wednesday drop of Whit’s Grit. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Podcast intro 0:22 Welcome & meet Dr. Sue ElHessen 2:16 Childhood in Tennessee, Lebanon, and contracting polio 6:12 Nine years old, alone in the hospital after spinal fusion 8:44 Growing up different: braces, the playground, and being left behind 12:22 College roadblocks and inaccessible campuses 14:48 Denied graduate school because of her disability 17:42 Inclusion, representation, and who should lead disability work 24:04 How she became Ms. Wheelchair California 2026 26:18 The ADA story that proved her platform 31:23 Did the crown open more doors than her degrees? 35:43 Running for Cerritos College Trustee Area 3 41:49 The Hope and Freedom Award 43:59 Isolation, public recognition, and getting ghosted 49:43 Advice for a young person with a disability 50:19 What grit means to Dr. Sue 51:28 How to follow Dr. Sue and support her campaign 🗳️ SUPPORT DR. SUE Campaign site: https://www.vote4drsuetrustee3.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61594221173201 She is running for Cerritos College Trustee Area 3 (Bellflower community) in the November general election. YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1SRtTnBP-mgfumACyykROA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsue_2026mwc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSue2026/ 🎙️ ABOUT WHIT’S GRIT Whit’s Grit is hosted by Whitney Lavender — double above-knee amputee, author of Whit & Wheels, Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee 2026, and advocate. This show is for real stories of resilience, heart, unbreakable spirit, and the kind of grit that refuses to quit. New episodes every Wednesday. 📩 Guest inquiries: whit@whitneylavender.com 🌐 Whitney: https://www.whitneylavender.com #WhitsGrit #DisabilityAdvocacy #MsWheelchairCalifornia #ADA #PolioSurvivor #Inclusion #Resilience #Grit #CerritosCollege

  3. Sep 23

    Whit's Grit Episode 11: Crowned With a Purpose - Ms. Wheelchair America 2027 Jamie Clendening

    Whit’s Grit | Queen Series Jamie Clendening — Miss Wheelchair America 2027 Born with spina bifida, Jamie was told at age 5 she would never walk again. She did — until a tethered cord release a week before her 34th birthday left her a T10 incomplete paraplegic. Infection, ten more surgeries, coding on the table, years without a proper exam table or accessible scale, and a system that sent her home with almost nothing. Fourteen years later she is Miss Wheelchair America 2027, a Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation peer mentor and Regional Champion, Wilson College graduate, Certified Tourism Ambassador, and founder of I Can and I Wheel. Her platform is healthcare access and equity: exam tables, accessible scales, equipment, therapy, and policy so people with disabilities don’t just survive — they thrive. In this conversation Jamie and Whitney talk childhood grit, medical gaslighting, rehab trauma, depression, turning pain into purpose, the 17 million people in the disability community, and what’s next for her year as Miss Wheelchair America. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro bumper 0:22 – Welcome to Whit’s Grit & introducing Miss Wheelchair America 2027 2:22 – Jamie joins: “Hey Whit, how are you?” 3:58 – Age 5 surgery: doctors said she’d never walk 5:22 – Allergies, hospitals, “guinea pig” years, and 1974 turning point for spina bifida care 7:47 – Kids calling her shell, getting back up, and being told she couldn’t have children 8:32 – “Biological mishap” vs. miracle: Matt and Ciara 10:17 – Complex regional pain syndrome and finding someone who gets it 12:31 – Pain into purpose 15:36 – Tethered cord release, waking up paralyzed, infection, ten more surgeries 18:55 – Coding twice, promising no more surgery unless life or death 19:56 – The doctor who disappeared and “you signed a waiver — you were a lesson” 22:22 – Day 13: “She was paralyzed before she got here” 24:01 – 3 a.m. transfer to brain unit, attacked, no wheelchair 26:43 – Dropped in the shower, case manager who wouldn’t help 30:47 – Sent home with a pharmacy wheelchair, no ramp, no home study 32:47 – Year 4: walls closing in, depression, stopping drinking 35:59 – OVR, Reeve Foundation, becoming a peer mentor 37:01 – July 2026 rule: one accessible exam table and scale in federally funded facilities 39:31 – “I have the weight of 17 million people” 42:28 – Adaptability Home Services and proactive vs. reactive care 45:41 – One month crowned: Senate floor, New Jersey, crowning Miss Wheelchair Pennsylvania, South Dakota ski trip, accessible hunting 53:30 – What grit means to Jamie 54:29 – How to follow and support Jamie 55:28 – Closing & subscribe Subscribe to @Whitscomplex so you never miss an episode of Whit’s Grit (new episodes Wednesdays). Support Jamie’s travel and advocacy: Email: jamie@misswheelchairamerica.org Facebook: Miss Wheelchair America 2027, Jamie Clendening (Zeffy donation link pinned at the top)

  4. Sep 16

    Whit's Grit Episode 10: An Ordinary Guy Who Chose Extraordinary Things - Jim Logan

    Doctors gave James Logan months. He gave himself a start line. In April 2024, Jim was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic colorectal cancer. Thirty months later he is still here: surgeries, chemo, radiation, an ostomy, a book, and a slot at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona on October 10 with Team IMF.On this episode of Whit’s Grit, Jim talks about the life that looked perfect until it wasn’t, the sentence he still lives by — “I have cancer. Cancer does not have me.” — and why he calls cancer both the worst and the best thing that ever happened to him. We get into Just Keep TRI-ING, the DSSP formula (Discipline, Sacrifice, Suffering, Pain), what Kelly and their son have carried, what the public doesn’t see about racing that body, and what still counts as a finish if the clock or the course says otherwise. His mission is simple and enormous: arrive alive, finish under 17 hours, and turn the miles into impact for the IRONMAN Foundation. Book: Just Keep TRI-ING on Amazon Fundraiser: https://ironmanfoundation.donordrive.com/participants/4148 Instagram: @stage42025 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.logan.462536 If this conversation hits, send it to someone who just got news that knocked the floor out. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:22 Welcome / meet James Logan 1:46 Growing up in New Jersey, high school in Germany, building a life in Atlanta 3:27 The snow globe, stage 4, and “cancer does not have me” 6:45 Writing Just Keep TRI-ING and finding faith in the infusion room 12:25 Book profits, the $100K goal, and racing for more 16:43 Team IMF, a 42-year reunion, and the road to Kona 18:13 Training through treatment, surgeries, and an ostomy 32:01 Why IRONMAN leaves room for stories like this 34:26 What Foundation dollars actually do for kids and race towns 41:41 First advice after a diagnosis that changes everything 46:32 What grit means to Jim 47:45 Book, Instagram, donate, and the October 10 start line #WhitsGrit #JustKeepTRIing #IRONMAN #Kona #TeamIMF #AnythingIsPossible

  5. Sep 9

    Whit's Grit Episode 9: Royal Resilience with Carla Sanders - Ms. Wheelchair Arizona 2026

    Welcome back to Whit’s Grit — the podcast dedicated to resilience, heart, unbreakable spirit, and the kind of grit that refuses to quit. This episode opens the "Drama Queen Series" with Whitney’s friend and wheel sister Carla Sanders, Ms. Wheelchair Arizona 2026. Carla is a mother, grandmother, entrepreneur, bilingual real estate professional, and fierce disability advocate. In 2018 a car accident left her a T12 incomplete paraplegic. She rebuilt her career, stayed rooted in family, and turned the experience into a platform. As Ms. Wheelchair Arizona she advocates for three things that actually change lives: accessibility, mental health awareness, and economic empowerment for people with disabilities. She says it plainly: the chair is not her limitation — it is part of her leadership. Timestamps: 0:00 — Show intro0:22 — Welcome and introduction of Carla1:49 — Little Carla: energy, violin, mariachi, teen mom, education5:11 — The 2018 accident14:00 — “I’m going to walk,” the hospital chair, Panama, and acceptance16:49 — Finding community and the I Am a Warrior run20:46 — Family help that became disabling, and the weekend she was left alone26:00 — Mental health, the unpublished journal, relationships, and family court31:24 — Real estate from a wheelchair: heat, ramps, and ADA new construction39:43 — Finding Ms. Wheelchair Arizona at the Abilities Expo44:56 — Platform: accessibility, mental health, and economic empowerment53:31 — Advice for someone whose world just flipped55:02 — What GRIT means to Carla56:16 — Where to follow Carla and how to get involved57:10 — Close Follow Carla at @Carla_L_Sanders on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Subscribe so you don’t miss the rest of the "Drama Queen Series". Until next time — keep up the good fight.

  6. Jul 29

    Whit's Grit Episode 8: One Arm, Zero Limits - Reggie “KingKnub” Amerson’s Story of Adaptation

    In Episode 8 of Whit’s Grit, host Whitney Lavender sits down with Reggie “KingKnub” Amerson — congenital one-armed MMA fighter, former Team USA Para Taekwondo athlete, coach, husband, and dad of (soon-to-be) four.   Born with a complication from his umbilical cord that left him with one hand (his “nub”), Reggie shares how he shimmied free in the womb, the childhood bullying that followed, and the pivotal moment his mom told him God knew he only needed one arm. That message, plus supportive brothers and parents, helped him accept himself early. He adapted to football (starting underage with his older brothers and shocking coaches who assumed he’d be the water boy), earned defensive MVP honors, and later found his true passion in martial arts & combat sports after watching Anderson Silva, Rampage Jackson, and Bruce Lee.   Reggie walks through discovering MMA in his early 20s while working an IT job he found unfulfilling, training at Fite Nite MMA in Memphis, competing in Para Taekwondo for Team USA (and the valuable sports science resources that came with it), and the unique challenges of finding opponents and fair rules as a one-armed fighter. He opens up about the frustrating Arkansas Athletic Commission experience — last-minute restrictions, forced covering of his nub that altered his grappling and striking, the mental impact that made him feel like the little kid who was once mocked, and why he refuses to fight there again. He contrasts it with smoother experiences elsewhere (like Tennessee) and advocates for consistent rules that treat fighters equally and better prepare amateurs for pro competition.   Now focused on a pro debut before the end of October (ahead of baby #4, William, due October 26), Reggie discusses coaching kickboxing and fundamentals at a local Arkansas gym, plans for Fite Rite MMA in Pocahontas, the unwavering support of his wife JC, and the joy of watching his kids (Tobias, Henry, and Lily) grow and cheer him on. He shares powerful advice for kids with limb differences — don’t accept the limits others place on you; your biggest limit is your own mind — and defines grit as the force that lets you not just survive hard moments but come out on top and keep adapting.   This is a raw, motivating conversation about self-acceptance, creative problem-solving in life & sports, fighting for equal treatment, representation in the disability community, and the drive to inspire the next generation (including kids like little Dallas).   Follow Reggie: Instagram: @kingknubmma Facebook: Reggie Amerson Email for fight inquiries: kingknubmma@gmail.com Gym: Fite Nite MMA (@fitenite_mma) — Fite Rite MMA coming to Arkansas    And remember, everything is OVERCOMABLE. Keep up the good fight.

  7. Jul 8

    Whit’s Grit Episode 7: Taking Up Space - Lauren Compere on Disability, Advocacy & Faith

    In Episode 7 of Whit’s Grit, host Whitney Lavender sits down with her dear friend and remarkable disability advocate Lauren Compere. A quadriplegic living with a rare genetic condition (one of only about 22 documented cases), Lauren opens up about her lifelong journey from an early cerebral palsy diagnosis through whole genome sequencing, the Undiagnosed Diseases Network, and a recent consultation with leading specialist Dr. Peter Kang at the University of Minnesota. Lauren shares how symptoms and questions intensified in her late twenties and early thirties, the emotional weight of navigating the unknown, and how her deep faith in Jesus has been her anchor through it all. She discusses growing up feeling different, the challenges of school with changing caregivers, her drive to understand people (leading to a B.S. in Psychology from Mississippi College with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a recent Master of Arts in Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary), and her transformative experience as Miss Wheelchair Mississippi 2015 and First Runner-up at Miss Wheelchair America. Her platform — connecting families impacted by disability with the church and vital resources — continues to guide her work today as Secretary on the Ms. Wheelchair Mississippi Board. Lauren also reflects on what “grit” truly means to her: moving beyond white-knuckling through hardship to self-awareness, self-compassion, sustainable boundaries, and relying on God’s strength. She offers heartfelt advice for young girls navigating disability and reminds listeners that everyone is worthy of taking up space. Timestamps: [0:22] Welcome & introduction to Lauren Compere  [2:05] Lauren explains her rare genetic condition and lifelong diagnostic journey  [7:30] Recent trip to Dr. Peter Kang & insights on EMARDD / MEGF10 mutation  [10:40] Faith, suffering, grief, and finding hope in the unknown  [14:50] Growing up with disability: school experiences, identity, and healing  [21:20] Path to psychology & counseling; college life at Mississippi College  [24:30] Miss Wheelchair Mississippi 2015, Miss Wheelchair America experience & platform  [33:00] Current advocacy work and board involvement  [40:00] Advice for a young girl with a disability  [45:10] What “grit” really means to Lauren Compere  [50:00] How to connect with Lauren & closing encouragement Lauren’s experience includes over 1,000 hours of clinical counseling (410+ direct service hours), roles as Development Director at One Shred of Hope Nonprofit and Vocational Coordinator at Son Valley, plus disability ministry training with Joni and Friends. She continues volunteering and mentoring while actively recruiting personal care assistants. Follow Lauren on Instagram and Facebook @LaurenCompere Visit her website: teamlc.net (for her story and personal care assistant opportunities) Subscribe to Whit’s Grit on YouTube (@whitscomplex) and never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Wednesday. It’s okay to ask “why.” There is always hope — and grit — on the other side.

  8. Jul 1

    Whit's Grit Episode 6: ONE MORE DAY – Mandy Horvath on Crawling Kilimanjaro, Healing Trauma & Grit

    In this raw, powerful, and often hilarious episode of Whit’s Grit, host Whitney Lavender sits down with fellow bilateral above-knee amputee Mandy Horvath — the first female bilateral amputee to summit Mount Kilimanjaro without prosthetics, 8-time world record holder, TIME100 Sports 2026 honoree, Naked and Afraid star, and subject of the award-winning documentary The Ascent. Mandy opens up about waking up at 21 in the back of an ambulance with no legs after a suspected date-rape drug incident, the brutal year of debridement surgeries and rare bone regrowth, the exhausting reality of prosthetics for bilateral amputees, and how she turned unimaginable trauma into a life of record-breaking climbs, charity work, and radical self-acceptance. From training for Kilimanjaro (she slimmed down to 70 lbs), a terrifying hyena encounter in the Serengeti, preparing for another Naked and Afraid, writing her memoir, barrel racing with her horse Scooby, training her dog Patsy with buttons, and finding real love — this conversation is unfiltered, funny, deeply honest, and full of the kind of grit that refuses to quit. If you’ve ever felt like life dealt you an impossible hand, this episode will remind you that you can always climb out of it — one more day at a time. Timestamps: [00:00] Podcast Intro [00:22] Welcome & Intro to Mandy Horvath [01:38] Early Life: Graduating High School at 16, Vet Tech to Chef [02:34] The Night Everything Changed: Waking Up Legless at 21 [04:15] Hospital Recovery, Reamputation & Rare Osseoregeneration [06:47] The Brutal Reality of Prosthetics for Bilateral Amputees [12:27] Reconciling Trauma, CPTSD & Reliving It Through The Ascent Documentary [14:23] Training for & Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro (First Female Bilateral Amputee Without Prosthetics) [16:52] Africa Adventures: Serengeti Safari & the Wild Hyena Incident [20:31] More Record-Breaking Climbs: Pikes Peak, Cerro Tusa, Space Needle & Beyond [28:24] Turning Personal Challenges Into Charity & Creating Her Own “Sport” [32:31] Writing Her Memoir: The Emotional Toll of Sharing Her Story [38:00] The Daily Reality: Work Ethic, Finances, Insurance Battles & Job Discrimination [44:31] Preparing for Round Two on Naked and Afraid [46:03] Naked and Afraid Experience, the Community & Why She’s Going Back [48:13] Finding Love, Horses, Dog Patsy & Building a Real Life [50:50] Important Advice for New Amputees: Devotee Community, Sex & Online Safety [58:20] What Grit Really Means to Mandy: “Just One More Day” [1:00:35] Closing & Where to Follow Mandy’s Journey Mandy’s story is living proof that your circumstances don’t define your limits — your grit does.If this episode hit you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps us keep bringing these real stories of resilience to the world. Follow Mandy Horvath: Instagram: @mountaingnome0.5 Facebook: Mandy Horvath Website: mandyhorvath.com Watch for updates on the award-winning documentary The Ascent. #WhitsGrit #MandyHorvath #BilateralAmputee #Kilimanjaro #NakedAndAfraid #TheAscent #Resilience #Grit #TIME100Sports #AmputeeStrong #OneMoreDay

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About

Whit’s Grit is a podcast where real people from every walk of life share raw, honest stories of resilience, unbreakable spirit, and the kind of grit that simply refuses to quit. Hosted by Whitney Lavender — a double above-knee amputee, adaptive jiu-jitsu practitioner, Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee 2026, and author of the children’s book Whit and Wheels — each episode explores how ordinary people faced extraordinary obstacles, refused to let them define their future, and rose anyway. From rock bottom to redemption, trauma to triumph, chronic illness to championship — these are powerful conversations about mindset, perseverance, and the belief that everything is overcomeable.Whether you’re struggling, healing, or simply need a reminder of human strength, Whit’s Grit delivers stories that will move you, motivate you, and prove that no matter what you’re going through… your story isn’t over until you say it is. Where Grit Refuses to Quit. New episodes drop weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    Whitney Lavender
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Whitney Lavender
  • Show Website
    Whit's Grit