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HOME ~ NEWS/EVENTS ~ November 30, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 2009

 

Lance Armstrong’s Mother Motivates and Inspires at FLIC’s Fall Trailblazing Luncheon


  Linda Armstrong Kelly

 

From left: Deborah Penta, founder of FLIC®,
Linda Armstrong Kelly and Worcester Mayor Konstantina Lukes.

WORCESTER _ The Female Leadership Interest Council succeeded in making a difference by bringing another Trailblazer to the region. Triumph over tragedy is Linda Armstrong Kelly’s story. The mother of Lance Armstrong, multiple Tour De France winner and cancer survivor, Armstrong Kelly shared her inspirational story with over 200 people who drove from all parts of New England at the Female Leadership Interest Council’s (FLIC®) fall trailblazing event, held on Nov. 19 at Mechanics Hall in Worcester.

 

The event, which was sponsored by UMass Memorial, was well-received by both women and men who attended to hear Armstrong Kelly’s story. It also interested Mayor Konstantina Lukes, who joined FLIC® and presented Armstrong Kelly with the key to the city of Worcester.

 

“Linda’s story shows us that we have the power to create what we want,” said FLIC® Founder Deborah Penta. “She triumphed under difficult circumstances and did a phenomenal job in her role as a mother to one of our greatest athletes. Attendees commented on her story and what an inspirational role model she is for so many women and parents.”
 
Armstrong Kelly told the audience that if there is one message she hopes they take away with them, it’s to “never give up.”  Raised by a divorced woman who reared three children by herself in the sixties, Linda Armstrong Kelly’s childhood was challenging and came with its share of hardships.

 

“My mom had a hard time keeping her job, and sometimes we’d have to move two to three times a year. It got to the point where we left things in boxes,” said Armstrong Kelly. “Mom had a hard time making ends meet.”

 

After numerous moves and transfers to different schools, Armstrong Kelly found herself pregnant at the age of 16.

 

“Imagine having to go home and tell my mother I’m pregnant,” she said.

 

Armed with a strong determination to take care of herself and her unborn child (Lance), Armstrong Kelly married her child’s father, and they moved into a small apartment.

 

“We took a paper route to pay the bills. I had no insurance, no public assistance. I was a junior in high school,” she said, “I was borrowing my sister’s clothes because she was a bit bigger, and I had no clothes of my own.”

 

Eight months into her pregnancy, having been beaten badly and abused by her husband, she knew she had to do something. “Nine months to the day, I went into labor and had a beautiful baby boy,” she said. “I decided to name my son Lance Edward, and I said then and there that he is my salvation, and he will get me through whatever it is I have to go through. My son brought that to me.”

 

Shortly afterwards Armstrong Kelly’s tumultuous marriage ended, she left high school and went to work, then going on to later earn her GED.

 

“I was a single mom raising a child, but I was determined to never give up,” she said.

Through sheer guts, determination and inner strength, she worked her way up from an entry level temp job, into a corner office position at Ericsson Microelectronics.

 

Her philosophy, “It’s always a ‘no’ unless you ask,” took her to where she is today.

 

“We’re not all made of the same mold. You need to find your special gifts and use them,” she said. As a mother she instilled in her son the values and perseverance which ultimately took him to the first of several Tour de France victories.

 

“We had a journey that we went on,” she said.

 

Today, Armstrong Kelly has beaten all the odds that were stacked against her. She also helped her son get through one of the toughest battles in his life, overcoming testicular cancer.

 

“On Oct. 2, it was 13 years that Lance is a cancer survivor,” she added. “I never gave up, and I did not want to give up. Your mind, body and spirit can pull you through.”

 

Armstrong Kelly concluded her talk with a message to the crowd.

 

“We all go through ups and downs,” she said. “Remember that your mind is a powerful tool and that it’s not about the finish line, it’s about the journey. Follow your heart, believe in yourself and never give up.”

 

“I don’t think I will ever forget the message I learned, never to underestimate one woman’s dream,” said Mayor Lukes.

 

FLIC® is a non-profit organization founded on the principles of female leadership, mentoring and the belief that when you can help someone else succeed, you personally grow and prosper. The Council’s mission is to provide educational instruction to women to assist in developing their capabilities in the business world, which will increase the likelihood that their successes will benefit the community. For more information on FLIC® visit, www.femaleleaders.org.

 

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