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The bio

Short bio. Tonika Flowers is a brain aneurysm survivor, advocate, and the founder of Behind The Laces — a resilience movement and the home of the Why Lace Up? journal.

Long bio. In February 2023, Tonika survived a large basilar aneurysm — given a 6% chance of surviving without cognitive impairment. Recovery taught her that getting back up is a decision made again and again, not a single moment. Behind The Laces turned that decision into a practice: a journal, a song, and a community for anyone learning to keep moving anyway. Her message is simple — knocked down, lace up, get up.

Interview topics. Surviving a brain aneurysm; resilience after a life-altering diagnosis; running and mental grit; hitting the wall and choosing to keep going; journaling as recovery; building a community around resilience.