Client Spotlight - Daryl Wendy Strauss
Written by Daryl Wendy Strauss
Full Name – Daryl Wendy Strauss
Age - I celebrate New Youth
Years at Grassroots - Since it's inception! 17 / 18 years ?
Favorite Food - Sweets!
Favorite past time - Collecting and photographing heart rocks, finding hearts in everything / biking around the city in summer / enjoying nature
Favorite exercise - I have many - but jumping rope and the leg circuit / squats / lunges / jump squats / jump lunges - for time - is fun!
A little blurb about you…..
I'm originally from Whitman, MA - home of the Toll House cookie! My family ended up in East Texas, and it was from there that I came to NYC to pursue an acting career. Several TV commercials and soap opera stints later I married Josh and we moved to LA, returning to NYC with our son Gabriel. With his family, we founded the Homegrown Theater Company in our living room on the UWS and moved it to a space on Broadway & 100th St.
I acted in, produced productions and managed the theater for seven memorable years, until the landlord sold the building to a highrise developer. During that time I became obsessed with working out and the emotional release and energy it gave me. I joined the New York Sports Club where Wil was the manager. Heather was a member also, on her way to becoming a trainer and I witnessed their first relationship sparks. I was in Wil's total body conditioning classes three times a week and followed him to his new Studio on W. 80th Street.
In finding my true fitness home with Heather and Wil and their trainers and clients, I've been challenged to rock climb, embrace and love outdoor workouts, jump on boxes and over "fences", be a biggest loser, give up sugar (for a time...) participate in 5ks and Sprint-Tri's.
I have learned that obstacles are in my mind and I have the power to overcome them.
It was with these friendships that over 10 years ago when my mom passed, I was inspired to found Mom's Christmas Stocking, my annual giving project where upwards of 300 stockings are filled for women and children in need. My story was published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Merry Christmas. To learn more, get the book - or ask me, I love sharing the story. Over the years I've had my share of personal ups and downs, and as a long time consistent client of Grassroots I have been loved and supported, inspired and strengthened in mind, body and spirit. I am truly grateful.