Jenny's Brady's I'm Effing Amazing! Portrait Session as Neytiri from Avatar

This is Jenny Brady, and she's fucking amazing. Here's her story:

TW: Sexual Assault (SA)

At 19, a person I considered a friend sexually assaulted me, and it threw me on a path of alcohol addiction and mental health issues throughout most of my life. But after 8 years of sobriety, I’ve risen from the ashes of SA and mental illness, and I'm on a mission to rebuild my life and become the best version of myself as a wife, mother, Meemaw (grandma), daughter, sibling, and friend. Part of that is sharing my story through the fierceness of Neytiri, who represents strength and resilience, because I couldn't keep the story under the bed anymore with my soul. And I know I'm not alone in this journey; I'm standing tall with all of you who are fighting similar battles.

I am so grateful for Mike, my husband, who kept my head above water all those years. He taught me to live and love again, to enjoy the little things in life and embrace the present moment. I consider Mike my Jake (Neytiri’s husband). I wouldn’t be here without him. Mike has amazing patience with me and shows kindness to my soul. Our kids are my family, and I love them so much. They keep me alive every day.

I'm here to tell the world, facing obstacles alone doesn't make you weak 🙅‍♂️💪. It's a sign of strength and resilience, traits I truly believe I inherited from my dad (whose dementia has recently worsened, and I feel like I need to be his strength now). So find your people and lean on them! It’s okay! We’re all in this together! With support, I faced my obstacles, broke through them, and found victory on the other side. Healing, creating, and transforming through these extreme makeovers keeps me connected to my truest self while pushing me outside my comfort zone safely and with joy.

I want to show the world, there’s no need to be ashamed of what you've been through and that you can experience freedom from the pain you carry. I can finally say after 34 years that I’m stronger than ever. Documenting this moment in my life as Neytiri, with my dad’s bow, it's a reminder to myself and all of you to connect with your courage and dig deep inside you to reclaim yourself and speak whatever truth you need to express. Don't let others take your power.