A 40-year-old mom has become the latest member of the New Orleans Saints cheer-leading squad.
Kristie Lewis has two boys ages 14 and 11 but mother who suffers from a kidney disease.
“There were a lot of young, beautiful girls,” Lewis told ABC News of her competition. “It was a fear. I will not lie.”
While Lewis may have had some fear, she turned her kidney disease into motivation.
“Fourteen years ago I was diagnosed with polysistic kidney disease,” Lewis said. “Eventually my kidneys will shut down [and] I will be in need of dialysis and in need of a transplant.”
So blessed to be able to share our story this morning on @GMA #geauxsaints #GMA pic.twitter.com/9hhMpb5XCd
— kriste lewis (@kr1ste) July 15, 2014
“That had a lot to do with me auditioning as well,” she said. “I didn’t want to waste a day.”
Lewis also had some motherly advice, we think.
“I think as moms we are hard-wired to give and we give and we give and we give,” she said. “I think it’s important to think back [to] what made you excited as a child.”
Do not worry. Lewis has already updated her twitter bio to read “NFL Cheerleader. New Orleans Saints.” Her account is relatively new with just 173 followers and 25 tweets at the time of this posting.