Valerie Gaffney THOMAS

Yes

I FEEL SO OUT OF TOUCH WITH MOST OF MY CLASS. AFTER SCHOOL I MOVED BACK TO NEW YORK CITY FOR TWO YEARS. THEN I WENT BACK TO CHARLOTTE FOR NINE MONTHS GOT MARRIED TO A MAN I MET IN NEW YORK. I MOVED BACK TO BROOKLYN, NY. WE LIVED THERE FOR 4 YEARS WHERE I HAD MY CHILDREN; THEN WE MOVED TO GREENVILLE, SC WHERE WE LOVE AND HAVE LIVED FOR 11 YEARS. I WAS A BANK MANAGER AT WACHOVIA BANK FOR 5 YEARS. AFTER MY MOM DIED IN 2001 I BECAME VERY ILL AND AS A RESULT SPENT SOME TIME IN A WHEEL CHAIR. BUT WITH LOVE FROM MY HUSBAND, FAMILY AND FRIENDS I AM DOING MUCH BETTER NOW. STILL ON A TON OF MEDICATION BUT FEELING MUCH BETTER. I HAVE LUPUS AND FIBROMYALGIA BUT I AM MANAGING WELL. IN 2004 WE STARTED OUR OWN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT COMPANY. WE MOSTLY BUY, FIX UP AND RENT PROPERTIES. MY HUSBAND IS ALSO A PROJECT MANAGER WITH SEALED AIR. MY DAUGHTER IS A HIGH HONORS
STUDENT IN HIGH SCHOOL AND MY SON IS DOING VERY WELL IN HIS FIRST YEAR OF JUNIOR HIGH. MY FATHER LIVES TWO MILES FROM MY HOUSE AND IS VERY HELPFUL IN CARPOOL. IT'S NICE TO HAVE HIM AROUND.

WHEN TAMMI FLOYD AND I WERE IN WEIGHT TRAINING AND ALL THE GUYS WERE SURPRISED AT HOW MUCH WEIGHT I COULD LIFT. IT WAS FUNNY TO SEE THE LOOK ON THEIR FACES.