It's Fan Boy Friday! Meet "The Hellcat."

As if Fridays weren't already wonderful enough, they are now even better for me because they give me the opportunity to celebrate another wonderful person in my life.

Today, it's all about The Hellcat.

Yep. Seriously.

This lovely lady is The Hellcat.

She's also known as Lorrie Bamford. And today, she's the object of my Fan Boy Friday attention.

She first crashed into entered my life back in May 2012, when we crossed paths through the From Fat To Finish Line documentary and the group of friends and fans on Facebook. She was an early supporter of the film and all of the runners, and she and I bonded over our shared sense of (inappropriate) humor.

In late 2013, I learned that her young brother was going to be graduating from Marine Corps Boot Camp here in San Diego, and it was the perfect opportunity to meet her (and many of her crazy fun family members). They came out in January 2014 and we had an amazing time. She brought along her husband and a couple of wild sisters, and it was a non-stop party of laughs and fun!

Lorrie and her equally amazing husband, Reg.

"But, John," you're saying, "you know lots of people and lots of people come stay at your house. What is so special about this person that she deserves Fan Boy Friday status?!"

A fair question. And here's the answer. Lorrie is one of those ladies that wrangles every bit of fun, joy, and excitement out of life. She laughs... loudly and often. She says inappropriate things to strangers. She blunders and stumbles and somehow makes it all work out just fine. And she drags all of the rest of along with her and makes our lives a delightful cross between a reality show, a comedy act, and (occasionally) a police drama.

Describing her in one sentence is actually pretty easy: 

"That lady lives life out loud!"

But she is so much more than just that. She is also a quitter and she's proud of it. So proud, in fact, that she is also an American Lung Association Lung Champion. Yep, she quit smoking. And then she decided that she would be a mentor and supporter of anyone else who made the decision to quit, too.

And there's more. She has a ridiculously big heart, which comes in handy when someone like me constantly finds people in need. No matter how many times I share a story and ask, "anyone think they can help so-and-so?", the answer is always the same. "What can I do and what do you need?"

I absolutely adore this woman. And I am so proud of the way she sets goals and works like a fiend until she reaches them that I have invited myself along to be there for one of her biggest challenges.

On April 24, 2016, I will have the honor of running the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon and crossing the finish line with Lorrie. She is training now to run the full 26.2 miles, and I can think of no better way to celebrate her accomplishment than to get to run it right alongside her.

Lorrie "Hellcat" Bamford, hear me when I say this. I am a fan. I adore your heart, your spirit, your passion, and your full-on, take-no-prisoners, go-for-it attitude. Thank you for your friendship and for making my life better just for having you in my corner.

And hey, having a Hawt Hubby doesn't hurt, right?