When I sat down to tell my story, I didn’t know where to start. I wanted to share something that has impacted me greatly over the last couple of years at NKU and my entire career.
This is something that has grown to become a part of who I am every time I step out on the court. So, if you have ever watched NKU volleyball in the last two years or seen a picture of the team you may have noticed something that stuck out, a pair of pink shoes worn by one of the players. The meaning behind the shoes is simple; they are in the honor of my mom, who lost her battle to breast cancer over 12 years ago.
However, the shoes have grown to have a deeper meaning than I could have ever thought.
My sisters and I always helped organize and support these in honor of my mom. However, I never had that one thing that stepped out on the court with me except the thought of my mom, and I wanted to find that thing for college.
As October for my freshman year approached, I decided to ask my coach, Liz Hart, about what she thought about the idea of me getting a pair of pink adidas shoes with the date my mom died in honor of her. Liz was more than happy to let me do this and was extremely supportive of anything I needed. As my team started to find out about my shoes, they were all extremely supportive as well, which I couldn’t have been more thankful for.
Most of them didn’t know about my mom before, as I had only known them a couple of months. As a team, we decided to help raise awareness by all wearing pink shoelaces for the month of October. The next year the same thing, new shoes and a new thing for the team. Thanks to a great idea from Ashton Terrill and some help from the coaches, we got pink shirts with my mom’s date on the back.
Finally, each October, one home game was played to help raise awareness for breast cancer.
When it comes to the shoes and my mom, I have learned a lot about myself because of her. I learned bad things can happen to good people, but life goes on and you have to keep fighting. My mom was beautiful, strong, caring, and smart. It’s been a long time since she passed away, but not a day goes by that I don’t think about her. My family has continued to lean on one another and volleyball for my family has become a way of life.
I wish my mom could be in the stands every game for my sisters and me, just like my dad. My mom was the one that made us fall in love with the game of volleyball, but she never got to see us step out on the court.
Even though she can’t be here with me, I have become stronger because of her. The shoes to me represent everything my mom fought for, believed in and taught me.
I know there were probably many people who have watched my team play wondering why I was the only one wearing pink shoes, but only a few ever asked why. However, when someone would ask, I always share my story about how I wanted to honor my mom with my shoes in a positive light. I told my story the way my mom would want.
I never looked to make people sad or make them want to feel sorry for me. Some people have even reached out to me over the last year asking for help in finding a way they can honor someone they love when they play.
In the end, that is my goal of sharing this story. I wanted to inspire others with something as simple as my shoes. I hope by sharing my story, I can help even one person to keep fighting because no matter how hard life gets, you are strong enough to get through it.
Miranda Wucherer is volleyball player at Northern Kentucky University and completed her sophomore season last fall. Wucherer is from Wisconsin and a graduate of Brookfield Central High School.