“I have seen him grow and focus!”

Dear Mrs. Arban –
The card front says “a simple thank you”. I’m not sure how simple I can make it, as there have been so many thoughts and feelings I’ve had this week that I wanted to share with you but I know you’re very busy. Hopefully, you’ll indulge me as I share from the heart as just another parent attending her first AMTC conference.

You mentioned one day on stage, as you were giving us info about callbacks, that you wished your mother was here. That statement hit me – and all I could think was how much she is here this week. This conference is such an incredible tribute to your mother’s legacy and I felt I could see her smiling down at you on that very moment you stood on the runway talking to us. I could taste her pride in you.

I’ve been a single parent of 2 for 12 years. My daughter was actually picked out of 400 people that Mandy Silla from Carolina Talent saw at R.I. Modeling. My daughter wisely chose not to put my money and her energies into the conference because her true passion was not in modeling, it’s in writing. But she and I both agreed that my son, who adored acting, might be a good candidate. He met with Sharon McCarthy, the Director of R.I. Modeling, and we forged onward toward this incredible experience. My son is 15 and has been acting since he was little. He’s a headstrong and passionate boy and puts this energy into his roles. This has earned him a local fan club. But this week, with not one callback and many a challenging conversation started by his “mom” regarding how bad he really wanted it, I have seen him grow and focus. He got some great complements at speed networking and I do believe he will make acting his life. But he definitely needed this experience to see what the competition out there is and how others work to get that brass ring. Thank you for all the work you and your staff have done to provide this arena.

And yes, it has been exhausting – especially for me carrying a good 100 extra pounds around on me. The main thing I wanted to do for me was to get up early enough to hear your talk on nutrition, but I was in a comatose sleep and hardly got up for my son’s next competition (he was in 5!). Thank you again, though, for leaving your booklets on the Holiday Diet out at the registration desk. I picked one up and am absorbing it hungrily! On the plane here, I was reading a recent issue of People Magazine with a cover story about women losing over 100 pounds. My son saw the words “turning point” in the article and asked me if I had experienced one. I know the turning point that started me in the wrong direction! But I feel this week’s experience for myself and my son, will be a turning point for us both to go in the right direction.

Thank you for your incredible efforts to provide this experience to us and so many others. It is a beautiful shiney star and monument to the love between a mother and daughter – and this mother (of John!) thanks you.

With deep respect,

Heidi Nelson, Rhode Island Models