About Hazella:

Hazella has always been a giver who leads by example. She is passionate about life and has utilized her many talents to touch the hearts of people all over the world.

A graduate of Spelman College and Northwestern University, she spent a year of study at the Hochschule fur Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria. Her professional singing career took her to major opera houses around the world such as La Scala in Milan and Opera Bastille in Paris, as well as performances in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Spain, Norway and Japan.

But her achievements don't exist exclusively in the entertainment world. She is also a devoted wife and mother of two (Oliver, 14 years old and Valerie, 3 years old). Just twelve days after Valerie's birth, in 1999, she suffered a major stroke that paralyzed the left side of her face and the right side of her body. After a complicated course that kept her hospitalized for two months and on life support several times, she went to Florida to begin rehabilitation where she received care from a visiting nurse, a physical therapist and a speech therapist as well as a full compliment of specialists. The nerve damage was so severe that she couldn't swallow, talk or sing. She spent nine months being fed and medicated through a gastrointestinal tube and spitting in a cup until she began to recover the ability to swallow. During the slow and difficult recovery process, she began learning how to function within her "new body". She also struggled with finding the course of a new identity apart from the performance world. It became clear that the old life she and her family had come to know and enjoy had come to an abrupt end.

During regular attendance at stroke support group meetings, she often gave inspirational words in discussions with other stroke survivors. It was evidenced that her recovery was due to much more than just healing of the body. Her mind, spirit and soul had also been renewed with a powerful testimony that others wanted to hear.

New York Medical College asked her to sit with faculty and speak to the tristate area Neuroscience Conference in October 2001. Her case was presented for study and she gave a touching first-hand account of her experiences as a stroke survivor, wife and parent. The response from the medical community was overwhelmingly positive and the demand to hear her story grew. Oxygen Media invited her for a guest appearance on "The Journey" with Caroline Myss, which first aired in January 2002. In the spring of 2002 & 2003, she lobbied with legislators in Washington DC and Albany, NY on behalf of American Heart/American Stroke Association. She has become a certified personal trainer for stroke survivors and was featured in the December 2002 issue of Essence magazine. Recently, she established "Stroke of Hope Foundation", a web-based non-profit organization, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for Stroke Survivors, their Care Partners and the families and friends of stroke victims. In June 2003, she served as emcee and motivational speaker for the "Train to End Stroke" marathon in Kona, Hawaii. The National Stroke Association featured her in the July/August issue of Stroke Smart magazine. As a result, she has garnered interest in Oprah Winfrey's camp.

Hazella's demonstration of perseverance and fortitude have once again brought her into the public eye. This time, though, it's not from a stage or concert hall. Instead she's giving of herself to others by speaking and writing about a common theme that we all experience on different levels in different ways: life's challenges and how to overcome them.

Click here to get your copy of her new CD "Surviving Stroke"