My friend Emily Minor

Emily and I became friends while I was working at the Palm Beach Post in the early 1990’s. We were drawn to each other because of our Midwest roots. We are and will always be Ohio gals at heart. Her family became my home away from home when I lived in South Florida for seven years. Her husband Marty even went to Ohio University just like I did. There was always something to talk about when I would spend hours and sometimes days at their lovely home.

She is a longtime South Florida journalist who for many years worked as a columnist for The Palm Beach Post. Always honest and aimed for the gut, her Real Life columns examined the triumphs and struggles of everyday people. In the summer of 2008, she took a buyout from the newspaper and began freelance writing and working on her cottage industry business - funky and fabulous custom aprons found at alltherageaprons.com

Emily has lived with Type I insulin-dependent diabetes since 1989 and wears an insulin pump. In January of 2007, she began a weight-loss program and spent the next 12 months losing 50 pounds. Now happily slender, she works every day - every day! - At keeping that weight off. She lives in West Palm Beach, Fl., with her husband and son and enjoys armchair politics, napping and Jazzercise. She does not enjoy yelling at her kid about his messy room, although she does this nearly every day.

When the winter weather gets to me I call her and let her know that I am on my way to spend sometime by their pool. They live near the Intercoastal waterway. My tennis shoes are the first thing in my suitcase because I can’t wait to take a long walk along the water and listen to the tunes that her husband just loaded on my ipod.

I am sure that you will come to love my friend as much as I do. She is my weight loss hero. Living with Type 1 diabetes has been hard for her but she was able to loss her extra pounds safely even during a time when she lost both of her parents and left her beloved job.

Our conversations will always be honest and filled with humor. Emily never holds back on what she thinks and that is why I love her so much. I am sure you will adore her as much as I do.