How does a girl who was originally predicted to live a wheelchair-bound existence become adventurous, self-assured, successful, and . . . unflappable?
Standing 4 feet 2 inches tall in flats (which she would never be caught dead in, anyway), Lauren Ruotolo has spent her thirty-four-ish years seeing the world from a unique angle–upward facing.
Lauren was born with McCune-Albright syndrome, a mysterious and rare genetic disease that researchers say occurs in anywhere between 1 in 100,000 and 1 in 1 million people. Some people with the condition tend to go the wheelchair route, but that was never a road Lauren wanted to travel. Her preferred method of transportation, instead, includes stiletto heels.
Lauren has avoided the label of ‘disabled’ through uniquely discovering–and expressing–who she really is. And she has chosen to live life in a big way!
In Unstoppable in Stilettos, Lauren offers you ‘Lauren’s Lessons,’ in which she shares her hard-earned wisdom and life experiences to offer a unique brand of life philosophies that can be applied to any of the rights of passages experienced by a Twenty-first Century Woman.
In her ‘day job,’ Lauren is the director of entertainment promotions at Hearst Magazines in New York City, where she is responsible for developing strategic key partnerships with television and cable networks, music labels, and movie studios.’
Here Lauren talks about her book, her life, and her deep appreciation of shoes.
Who did you write this book for?
I have written this book for every teenager, young woman and adult who has ever had a fear of something or wanted to achieve something they thought could never happen. Unstoppable in Stilettos will teach you that everything in life is possible if you push yourself and never take NO for an answer.
What was it like growing up with a rare disease?
For me, growing up with a rare disease was no different than growing up with anything else. I never knew the difference and made every second of my life better than the last.
With bullying being such an issue in schools today and kids making fun of whoever looks different how were you able to fit in and not have the kids look at you differently?
Since I did not perceive myself as different and had the same interests and desires as every other kid; I was never made fun of. My advice to kids/young adults or adults is to not feel different than other people and be outgoing and be very friendly to show them that you’re not afraid of what you have so they shouldn’t be either. Once they get over the initial thought of you looking different no one will ever think about it again because your personality will outshine your differences.
What’s your favorite shoe store?
This is a hard one but I would have to say Nordstrom’s shoe department because they carry the best of all the top designers in small and large sizes. Every foot fits a shoe at Nordstrom’s!
Since you were in and out of the hospital did feel you were missing out on anything?
The answer is definitely yes, as I child I never wanted to miss out on anything and since I did not perceive myself different than anyone else I would have rather suffered in pain than miss a birthday party, school play, after school activities etc. Today I have to say I am not much different.
What are the 5 lessons that you learned that everyone should live by?
* Believe in yourself and the strength you have inside of you.
* Never say “no” to yourself–you are the one person you can depend on to always say “yes!”
* Confidence, perseverance, and determination are the keys to success.
* Don’t ever let your perceived differences or faults keep you from going out there and busting ass.
* Put on your favorite pair of stilettos and show the world what you have to offer!
How often do you buy shoes?
I think a better question would be; when don’t you buy or think about shoes? I would have to say that I do look for shoes everyday on the internet however I purchase at least one pair of shoes a month.
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