Fortitude: (N)

Strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage.  

Brooke is the founder and owner of FORTITUDE FIT, a lifestyle brand that focuses on simplistic, healthy eating & living. Brooke decided to name her company FORTITUDE in honor of her perseverance and strength in life, and the incredible determination her family. Her business philosophy is centered on the principle of the power of positive thinking in manifesting positive outcomes for yourself. Brooke’s approach is defined by her commitment to her family, friends, and community, and characterized by an unyielding desire to be of service to others. Her challenges in life have shown her that:

“It’s not always about you, Sometimes God blesses you so that you can continue to be a blessing to the people around you”.

After a car accident in 2013, her entire world was forever-changed when her daughter, Amari, suffered a traumatic brain injury. In the hospital room, Brooke was told that Amari had seven minutes to live. Seven years later, Amari has inspired Brooke with her #FORTITUDE, persevering through countless complications, procedures, and challenges, and ultimately emerging stronger than ever on the other side. Even though doctors told Brooke that Amari would never breathe on her own— let alone walk, talk, or open her eyes— Amari has dazzled her family, friends, and nurses by proving them all wrong, and letting her love and light shine through to everyone she meets.  

Brooke now serves as an advocate for all people living with brain injuries, spearheading charitable campaigns to raise awareness and resources for people, especially children, who have experienced trauma. She is on a personal mission to shine light on the dignity, life, and joy of everyone living with a disability or injury and finds her purpose in celebrating that which makes us all unique.

Brooke’s second child, Blake, helped save her and support her in caring for Amari. Blake served as a foundation of normalcy in Brooke’s life and brought the most affectionate and tender “protector” qualities to his big sister, Amari, and the whole family. Although Brooke sometimes finds difficulty in the challenges she faces, she is astounded by Blake’s determination and fierce loyalty to his family, even though he is only 4 years old. He encourages Amari to talk, walk, and laugh by engaging her every day to be the dazzling 13-year old that she is. Brooke observes:

“Whenever Amari faces challenges or setbacks, Blake will hold her hand and tell Amari, ‘It’s okay ‘Mari, it’s okay.’”

Despite finding her calling, Brooke still experienced tremendous hardship while caring for her daughter after the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Managing her life, finances, and work schedule proved difficult for Brooke and her family, as Amari was hospitalized for over a year. Brooke had to resign from her job to care for her daughter, hire a 24-hour nurse to assist with care, and rebuild her home to accommodate a child who could no longer walk. In the face of unprecedented challenges, Brooke carried on for her family and with #FORTITUDE and persistence as she began to reevaluate her life and career options.

Inspired by the strength and fortitude of her own children, Brooke took a leap of faith and decided to build her own culinary & lifestyle brand, focused on empowering others to life healthy, happy, and sustainable lives. Brooke named her brand “FORTITUDE” in honor of unconditional love and unbelievable perseverance of both of her children, Blake, and Amari.

 Brooke’s advice to any emerging entrepreneurs?:

“Just do it. If you start NOW you can learn as you go, and you don’t have to be perfect. Invest in yourself, see any failure as a learning opportunity and keep moving forward. Whether its education, training, purchasing your own products—don’t be scared to bet on yourself.”

She took her own advice, and after quitting her job 5 years ago, she began to educate herself on healthy living and eating in order to best support her daughter. Finding that she loved the creativity, flexibility, and care involved in healthy lifestyle alternatives, she purchased her first juicer, and trained in culinary-health preparation practices, ultimately transforming her passion for healthy living into her profession.

As a black, female, business owner, Brooke is no stranger to struggle, and knows that it’s imperative to be self-sufficient and possess a spirit of independence, because nothing is set in stone. Reflecting on this year, Brooke says:

“2020 has really shown us that everything is temporary. You can lose your job today, and have nothing for your family tomorrow. Becoming an entrepreneur has brought an independence and joy to my life like nothing I have ever experienced. I have found out more about who I am, how to enjoy my craft, and ultimately, how to help empower others. Also, I am so grateful that being in charge of my own schedule allows me more flexible time to spend with the ones I love. The experience of owning my own business, and serving others, proves that anything is possible”.

To learn more about Brooke’s journey, or her passion for advocating for people living with Traumatic Brain Injuries visit Amari’s page. #TeamAmari4life

And remember to #HaveFortitude.