Mahogany Geter, a 24-year-old aspiring model, was born with a rare condition that left her with a 100-lb leg. After a lifetime of facing difficulties, Geter’s life changed forever when she was offered a chance to model, starting her off on a journey of spreading the message of body positivity to others.
Bright Side found her story inspiring and a great example of how beauty can be found everywhere, and wanted to share Geter’s story of self-love with you.
She was born with a rare condition.
Mahogany Geter, a resident of Tennessee, was born with a rare condition that left her with a left leg that weighs 100 lb. The condition, known as lymphedema, can cause excess fluids to collect in the soft tissue of the body and lead to swelling. For Geter, her entire left side of the body is impacted by this, but only her leg is the most visible.
Geter was diagnosed with the condition right after she was born, and it made it extremely difficult for her to walk. “It drains my energy, of course, because it’s an extra 100 pounds,” she said. The condition makes her more susceptible to contracting fibrosis, and the only way to manage it is through physiotherapy and massages to drain the excess fluid in her leg.
She had a difficult time growing up.
The model talked about how she faced many difficulties growing up: “I’ve been through a very depressed state because you’re a little kid, and you have a bunch of grown adults staring at you.” She would receive many unwarranted comments from others and was teased throughout her childhood. “I will say it probably can affect you more mentally and emotionally,” she revealed.
“As a child, I never felt pretty. I felt ugly, like a freak of nature, and cried in private so many times,” said Geter. She had been suggested surgery by many doctors, but she turned it down every time, stating that in some other, more severe cases, surgery hadn’t completely gotten rid of the growth. Instead, she chose to accept herself as she was.
She began her modeling journey in 2017.
Geter’s life changed forever in 2017 when she was spotted by a photographer while she was working at Walmart. Initially thinking it was fake, the young woman eventually agreed to let the photographer take pictures of her. “I was like, ’I’m getting older now, maybe it’s time I start putting my full body out there,’ and hopefully me doing that can help somebody else,” she said.
This one opportunity catapulted Geter’s career as a model. Following this, she was featured in a viral YouTube video that amassed over 10 million views. Her presence on Instagram and other social media platforms has also increased. “Mainly, I’ve gotten a lot of positive responses, and the ones I like the most are that it helps people that also feel low about themselves,” she said.
She aims to help others embrace their unique bodies.
Despite her increased presence on the internet resulting in some Internet trolls, Geter has remained positive throughout, saying, “People have been so nice and supportive of me online. It isn’t all trolling and negativity.” She has remained consistent in spreading body positivity and encouraging others to be more comfortable in their bodies.
Geter is committed to her dream of becoming a model. “If I ever make it big, I want to buy my mother a house and take care of my family, then I’ll do everything I can to raise awareness of lymphedema to pay it back to everyone who has ever shown me kindness.” She continues to use her condition to inspire others to celebrate their differences as well.
Her journey has inspired many.
Although Geter’s journey has been hard, she has learned to accept herself and vows to spread this attitude to others. “For the longest, I felt so low about myself, but once I got older and with loads of support from the online lymphedema community and my mom who is my inspiration, I realized how beautiful I am. Not only looks, but as a person.”
What part of Mahogany Geter’s journey resonated with you the most? Do you have any advice for those that struggle to accept their bodies? Share it with us.
Preview photo credit lymph.goddess23 / Instagram, lymph.goddess23 / Instagram
A single mom with four kids buys a used car, and the owner tells her to check the trunk when she gets home — and the story Begins .
Desperate for work, Jennifer accepted the job even though it meant traveling to a different city every day. She thanked the HR manager and headed home, where she told her kids she had finally found a job. After spending almost $30 on the cab ride, Jennifer realized she couldn’t afford to commute like that every day. It would be better to have her own car, but she didn’t have the money to buy one. She decided her best option was to buy a used car. She found one but wondered if the owner would agree to sell it for a lower price. “Would you be able to sell this car for $5,000? I’m a single mom with four kids,” she asked.
She explained that it had been hard for her to make money as a single mom of four, and she needed a car to take a job in a nearby city. When the owner heard about her situation, he agreed to sell the car for $5,000. “If you can buy the car by tomorrow, I’ll sell it to you for $5,000,” he said. Jennifer was very grateful for the lower price. She tried to get a loan from the bank to buy the car the next day, but her bad credit caused the loan to be rejected immediately.
Running out of options, Jennifer thought hard about what to do next. She couldn’t move to a new city because her oldest child, Ethan, had just started school near their trailer park. Also, rent in the nearby city was much higher, and she couldn’t take the trailer with her. She really needed a car to get to work and pick up her children from school and daycare. Then she remembered the gold chain necklace her late mother had left her, which had been in the family for generations. Even though it made her sad, Jennifer knew she had to sell it to buy the car and provide for her children.
She took the necklace to a pawnshop and said, “I’m sorry, Mom. I really need to do this right now.” The necklace was valued at $5,500, which made Jennifer happy because it was enough to buy the car and have some money left for daily needs. The next day, she went back to the car dealership and gave the owner, Jeff, an envelope with $5,000. “Thank you for agreeing to sell this to me. You have no idea how much this will help me and my children,” she said.
Jeff smiled and said, “Congratulations on your car. This is a great purchase.” While Jennifer was signing the paperwork, Jeff quietly put something in the trunk of the car. As she was about to drive home, he called out, “By the way, check the trunk when you get home. I left something for your children inside.” Jennifer was so busy commuting to work and taking care of her children that she forgot to check the trunk until she found a note in the glove compartment. The note said, “I hope you and your children like the gift I left in the trunk. May it be of great help to you.”
Curious, Jennifer opened the trunk and was confused at first when she saw only a white envelope. Then she realized it was the same envelope she had used to pay for the car. Inside, she found the $5,000 untouched. Overwhelmed by the man’s kindness, Jennifer drove back to the dealership after work to thank Jeff. He told her, “Life throws challenges at you, and it’s up to you to either overcome them or give in. I’m proud of you for staying strong for your children, and I thought you could use the money more than I could. Just remember to pay it forward.”
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