Lee was seeking representation from the same agency that handled renowned names such as Steffi Graf, Michael Chang and Moses Malone. "When you fight the good fight, you're going to get so much more out of life.Somewhere north of 30 years ago, as Jeanette Lee was climbing the ranks of the sport she would eventually dominate, the billiards assassin known as “the Black Widow” paid her own way to Tom George’s Advantage International office in McLean, Va. "You can be someone that people pity, but wouldn't it be better to write your own story and be someone inspiring? "Everything you go through is an opportunity to inspire others," she said. Lee said she knows her success has given her a platform others don't have as she battles cancer. She had a part in the Walt Disney film, The Other Sister, directed by Garry Marshall. She appeared on numerous national TV shows, including Good Morning America, Crook & Chase and Hard Copy. Lee, an American of Korean descent, was an icon who could nab sponsorships that had nothing to do with billiards, chalk or cues - including a 7-year deal with Bass Pro Shops. She could be spotted with other sports superstars, Peyton Manning, Helio Castroneves, Travis Best and Edgerrin James, whom she once called the best celebrity amateur pool player she's ever competed against. She was in ESPN's The Body issue, walked the red carpet at the ESPY Awards and was featured in People, Glamour and Sports Illustrated.Īt the height of her early success, Lee was based in Indianapolis and lived in Carmel and Mooresville. She was a woman who transcended a sport that was an afterthought in the mainstream world of football and basketball and became an international superstar. In her sport of pocket billiards, Lee spit out competitors as she rose to the No. "I've got beautiful children and so much to look forward to and you just can't focus on the negative," she said.Īnd, she added, she hopes to be playing pool again very soon. There are days, Lee said, when she doesn't feel as if she can get out of bed. "I just can't let the setbacks in my life defeat me. "I find myself in and out of depression but there is also this side to me that's like, 'No, I plan to live a long time,'" she said. Stage 4 cancer is devastating on the body - and the mind. Most days, Lee said, she does feel like staying in bed. Jeanette Lee, winner of the billiards Tournament of Champions and known as the "Black Widow," showed off her pool skills at the Indianapolis Home Show nearly two decades ago. "And just don't spend it in bed, even if you feel like it." "Just look up, look forward to the day, look forward to tomorrow and see what you can make of it," she said. She made the video to tell them that 2022 started off tough, but to never give up hope. "I'm reading what you guys are saying," Lee said. Lee got emotional and philosophical as she spoke to fans, who were sending messages during the video. It all matters and helps, Lee said, as she keeps pushing forward. "And all my fans out there who have also been sending prayers - all that matters." "I'm so thankful for having an incredible family and friends, support system that have been out there," she said. But that really wasn't anything to dwell on, she said. Ten days after surgery, Lee shot the Facebook video, commenting about how she didn't like the way her black hair was growing back after she lost it due to cancer treatments. Jeanette Lee lived in Mooresville at the height of her pool playing fame. Lee was scheduled for emergency back surgery. The weakness and imbalance Lee was having were due to the stenosis. There, she was diagnosed with severe spinal stenosis - which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is "a narrowing of the spaces within the spine which can put pressure on nerves that travel through the spine." It was really scary and it was out of control," Lee said. Lee was having difficulty thinking, her speech was worsening, she was extremely fatigued and she was in pain. "Whatever I tried to put in my hand, I could not hold on to it." "I was dropping things all the time, dropping a fork, dropping a cup, dropping a pen, a cane," she said. She knew what she wanted to say but the words wouldn't come out. While at her friends' home in New York, Lee said, she knew something was seriously wrong. She was released and told to follow up with her doctor. Lee was rushed to the emergency room where scans and MRIs ruled out anything serious. "And I fell headfirst down the stairwell, the steep stairwell of this big motor home," she said. Jeanette Lee told Facebook fans she is often tired but tries to make the most of every day.
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