NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Being in a wheelchair doesn't mean it has to hold you back.
Kim Brock, from South Carolina, visited Nashville this weekend to follow her dreams and inspire you to do the same.
Brock has cerebral palsy and navigates life in a wheelchair. She uses an iPad device, or certain hand signals, to communicate.
Despite all of this, Kim is diving into the fashion industry.
She's fresh off her very first show in New York Fashion Week in September and recently won this year's Miss Wheelchair Southeastern USA.
Sunday, she'll make history as the first woman to model in a wheelchair at Luxe Style Fashion Week in Nashville.
"They say go big or go home and I chose to go big!" said Brock.
"I felt an overwhelming mix of emotions: honored, excited, and deeply grateful," she went on. "It's a powerful reminder of how far we've come in inclusivity, and I'm thrilled to be part of that progress."
"I'm just so proud. I'm so proud. It's exciting to get to see the journey," added her new friend Candice Christian, who she met at New York Fashion Week and who's spearheading the Luxe Style Fashion Show.
With Brock's support system, including her two young daughters who fuel her, Kim wants to inspire others to embrace their uniqueness.
"I want everyone, especially those who feel overlooked or underestimated, to know that their dreams are valid and achievable," concluded Brock.
She plans to keep on inspiring through speaking engagements at school and of course, more modeling.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
There are still so many families in East Tennessee hurting following the floods from Hurricane Helene in September. That made this year's running of the Santa Train extra special for many families in the northeast part of the state. This special Santa Express has been making an annual run in part of Appalachia for over 80 years.
-Lelan Statom
