After nearly dying from pneumonia at the tender age of two months, becoming pregnant at a young age, assisting her husband through a heart attack, and having her house hit by a tornado, it is obvious that the life of Shirley Golien has been anything but ordinary. She has experienced incredible challenges throughout her lifetime and is a wiser and stronger person because of it all. She is living proof that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Shirley was born on October 22, 1942 in Jeffers, Minnesota and after her near death experience with pneumonia she rebounded to lead a healthy life. She was born to a family with few resources but one in which a great deal of love was shared. Her mother was a very strong influence, teaching her the importance of religion and kindness. The two of them were very close, as were Shirley and her four siblings.
It was apparent that Shirley's adolescence was difficult at times. Her mother divorced her husband and relocated to the Twin Cities to work at St. Mary’s Hospital. Soon after this, fourteen-year-old Shirley was sent to live with her aunt. Another surprise awaited her at age sixteen when she discovered she was pregnant with her first child. When she told her boyfriend about her pregnancy, he replied, “So, when are we going to get married?” She completed high school, gave birth to four children and has been happily married to her husband for forty-six years.
Another surprise came when her husband, at age thirty-four, experienced a major heart attack. He was one of the first people in the state of Minnesota to undergo triple-bypass surgery, a procedure in its developing stages at that time. This was an extremely stressful point in Shirley’s life--she not only did not know if her husband would survive, but she had four children to look after and large medical bills to pay. The family then received public assistance because they simply had no money to get through.
Yet another unexpected disaster arose twenty-five years later when Shirley's house was hit by a tornado. Naturally, this was a very scary experience and one which left the foundation of the house twisted and various objects strewn about. Through it all Shirley has persevered and does not dwell on the tragedies; instead she reflects on the joyous occasions. She is an extraordinary woman, grandmother, mother, and wife and a person who cares profoundly about her family and others. Shirley inspires her granddaughter, Alecia Prins, to one day be half the woman she is.
| Videos | Transcripts |
|---|---|
| Shirley's Introduction(WMV) | Shirley's Introduction |
| Teenage Jobs(WMV) | Teenage Jobs |
| Most Influential Person(WMV) | Most Influential Person |
| Now and Then(WMV) | Now and Then |
| Teenage Pregnancy(WMV) | Teenage Pregnancy |
| Husband's Heart Attack(WMV) | Husband's Heart Attack |
Note: Videos play best in Windows Media Player version 9 or newer.
Group Members Alyssa Bischoff, Shannon Finnegan, Jessica Johnson, Alecia Prins
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