To know BM&G’s longest-tenured employee Linda Rollins is to genuinely love her. She started working for the firm 22 years ago, and since then, she’s been a trusted and well-regarded member of our work family. If you’re a client, you’ve experienced her professionalism and dedication through the years.
Outside of work, Linda is a mother to Deanna Myers and grandmother to two young women, including her 24-year-old granddaughter Jennifer, who was born with Spina Bifida. Linda says that Jennifer has taught her much about living a joyful life, hope, and never giving up.
Linda remembers the day that Jennifer was born and learning her doctors’ diagnosis. Growing up wasn’t always easy. Jennifer’s physical development was slower than most kids. She was unable to walk in her early years without braces, and by age 6, was in a wheelchair.
All those years ago, Linda and her family couldn’t have imagined the vibrant young woman Jennifer has become today. Despite her physical limitations, her granddaughter has flourished, and Linda is one proud grandmother.
According to Linda, Jennifer keeps a schedule that would exhaust many of us! She dances regularly in a class with other wheelchair students, attends summer special needs camp, and recently chaperoned a group of kids on a trip to Port Aransas. Never one to let her challenges hold her back, she even competes each May in the 25mm slalom and 35 race events at the Special Olympics on campus at Oklahoma State University – the highlight of her year.
Linda is beyond proud of Jennifer and her younger granddaughter Ashley, who is a senior at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Ashley is the musical and artistic member of the family and has participated in band since fourth grade. In high school, she was a drum major and toured Europe with the Oklahoma Band Ambassadors, performing in Austria, Switzerland, England, and Germany. She’s continued her band performance with the University of Colorado marching band. In addition to her musical talents, she’s a very talented and self-taught artist.
Her granddaughters are her pride and joy. Just ask her!
