ROBERT E. BLACKMON SOCIAL MEDIA:
BOOK: “COURAGE BEHIND THE MASK”
Purchase on Amazon or Robert’s Website
My journey has been long. I have been blessed to have many opportunities in both my personal and professional life. Some of my best inspirations have come from my disappointments. I’ve never viewed obstacles as failures. For me, obstacles are lessons. Never let a disappointment determine your future outcome.
I became a recognizable face as a Lifestyle Expert, Fashion Designer, GIF Personality (with 7.7 BILLION views on Giphy). My online presence skyrocketed when the world shut down at the start of the pandemic; while off-line my personal life came crashing down when my mom Clara C. Blackmon was diagnosed with Covid-19 in March 2020. As a 72 y/o Black woman with pre-existing health conditions, and 1 of the first 10,000 Covid patients to be hospitalized in the nation, the odds were stacked against my mom. She drove herself to the ER, collapsing as she entered, and spent the next 79-days in a Detroit hospital in-and-out of a coma. Miraculously, walking out alive.
Tell us about your new Amazon Bestselling book
This book is the story of my mom’s long battle and survival of Coronavirus. It is also a thank you letter to the brave medical staff and clergy who risked their lives to save hers.
What were the biggest initial hurdles and how did you overcome them?
I never meant for this to become a book. It was a series of notes taken by me as I spoke with her doctors and nurses. Once Mom returned home from the hospital, my husband thought it would make a great book. The biggest hurdle then came reliving the events. Every time I would remember a moment, I would break into tears. It took several months for me to get through the process. I just took it extremely slow and pushed through.
What books are you currently reading?
I wish I could say I am a voracious reader, but I’m not. I can’t sit still long enough to read a book. I consume lots of news stories, however. I love to learn.
What do you know today that you wish you would have known when you first got started?
I wish I’d known that I’m good enough to do anything I set my mind too. I no longer listen to people’s opinions on what they think I can do. If I feel it is in my power, I just make it happen.
What advice would you give to an upcoming youth or talents locally and internationally?
I would simply say, first, believe in your abilities. Second, don’t be afraid to fail. These are the life lessons that make you better. Third, don’t be afraid to ask for help. No one is perfect or has all the answers.
