Today we’d like to introduce you to Chéri Ballinger.
Hi Chéri, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Thank you so much Voyage LA for having me! Well, I’m blessed to be originally from Southern California and so it’s an honor for me to be interviewed by you! With that said, life is pretty amazing because when I was a young girl, I was one of a handful of girls chosen to be in Disney’s remake of “The Parent Trap”, the film where Lindsey Lohan made her big screen debut. It was the experience of a lifetime! However, I went back to school afterward and never pursued anything. After high school, I was putting myself through college by working at a golf resort in Palm Springs. One day while polishing some forks, some people came in and asked to interview me on camera for a special commercial casting. I said sure and then a few days later, I received a phone call and learned that I was cast in a national Callaway Golf commercial with the legendary Arnold Palmer! After a few things like this that happened to me, I figured I should try the whole modeling and acting thing out haha…I soon learned how tough the business is! Luckily, I landed a beauty contract with a company that flew me around the world as their official spokesmodel for ten years…in between classes at Cal State Fullerton where I earned my degree, I would take on commercial modeling jobs, tv commercials, and a few film roles! The rest is history…
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The big part of my story is my fall on the set of a film poster shoot on February 11, 2014. You never know when something will happen to you that will change your life forever and that’s definitely what happened to me! Tragically, I fell from about seven feet with the force of being on a trampoline onto the back of my head on concrete and suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result. It was horrific. I had to learn how to do everything again….and I was told I’d probably never have a life again. I certainly have never been the same and I had a long four years down and out of the world recovering. The short version is that I ended up having a miraculous recovery! I am so conscious of the gift of my life and the second chance I have been given. Since then, it’s been a wild journey restarting my life!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Film Producer. International Ambassador & Speaker. Entrepreneur. Restarting your life from basically scratch is crazy as an adult! One thing I was certain of–I wanted to help people and use this second chance at life for doing as much good as I can. I studied for a bit in London at the College of Naturopathic Medicine…I became the US Ambassador for the Women’s Brain Project based in Switzerland & the US Ambassador of the SameYou Foundation in the UK founded by actress Emilia Clarke…I became an executive producer on the film “Roe v Wade” starring Academy Award-winning actor Jon Voight…
Now I’m a film producer with a passion for making great films again and an international speaker with the goal of bringing hope and positivity to everyone around the world! I truly believe that life is a beautiful gift and when you live your life with a service mindset, there really is nothing you cannot achieve. If that’s not enough, I’m also an entrepreneur…clearly making up for lost time;)
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Honestly, you will never taste the greatness you are made for without taking risks! Every one of us has a purpose in life and once you find it, just go all in! It’s far better to take risks and even fails than giving into fear and never trying at all. We only get this one life so live it with intention, purpose, and passion. I went through such a horrific experience and such a painful, depressing recovery with really no end in sight. When I look back, I sometimes cannot believe how I made it through. My mom was always giving me some positivity and I had my Faith. Without that, I definitely wouldn’t be here. I really want people to know that life is worth living–no matter how down and horrible of a situation you are in–YOU MATTER. There is always light at the end of the tunnel, especially when you can’t see it. I took a major risk in trying hard to put myself out there and restart my life, even after having to learn everything again–walking, talking, my memory, social skills, you name it! It was so scary and to this day I still have insecurities and fears but then I think back to the years when I was bedridden and so helpless. I don’t take anything for granted now and I really want to bring people as much hope and Light as possible!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.CheriBallinger.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/cheriballinger
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/cheriballinger
- Twitter: twitter.com/cheriballinger
