GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In the most difficult moments of our lives, we need a goal to get us through it.
One woman definitely had that. Now, she's celebrating life in show-stopping style.
On the drive into Goodlettsville, just across from a Coca-Cola billboard, there's a building that's so important to the story of Sumer and Ronnie Yates.
"We talked about how cool it would be to open a venue," Sumer said, sitting next to husband Ronnie. "If ever there was a right spot, then this is it."
Let's go just before this building became part of their story. Sumer and Ronnie got married in late 2022. It was only a few months later Sumer got difficult news.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer," she said. "I knew it wasn't my time, and I didn't want to act like it was my time. I'm a fighter, and I was going to fight my way through this and come out the other side better than I entered. It was growing pretty quickly. I agreed to a double mastectomy."
What followed for Sumer was a trial treatment, infusions, and seven surgeries.
"Now we look at the scars as battle wounds," Ronnie said.
After reconstructive surgery came the leeches.
"They're using leeches to promote the blood flow," Sumer said in a video taken at a hospital. "We named each leech. It's fascinating."
"All this modern medicine, we went back to leeches!" Sumer laughed.
All the while, Sumer was looking at a Goodlettsville building that had previously been a gym. She and Ronnie decided they wanted to convert it into the 615 Event Center. It's for wedding receptions, bridal showers, birthday parties, you name it.
"I just wanted to see her happy," Ronnie said. "It was so hard to see her sad so often."
"I think this was that thing to look forward to," Sumer added.
The day finally came. Sumer was cancer free. For one year now, the 615 Event Center has been open.
"I enjoy it," Sumer smiled. "I like making memories."
It sure seems there's a lot to celebrate. Sumer wanted to do just that in style; the style of the platform boots and disco era.
On Saturday night, friends and family headed into the 615 Event Center dressed in bell bottoms and sequins. Mirror balls hung from the ceiling.
"It's celebrating the fact that we are on the other side of this cancer journey, that things are starting to look up," Sumer said. "We just wanted to share it with everybody and have a party and dance. Looking forward to getting that honeymoon period that we were robbed of."
"This is a celebration of life," Sumer said, taking a microphone and speaking to the crowd. "You never know when life is going to knock on your door and tell you it's time to fight. You never know how hard that fight is going to be. The fact you're all here just means a lot."
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
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- Rebecca Schleicher
