A powerful memoir about childhood curiosity and a life-altering accident that teaches the importance of asking for help. This touching story reveals how one split-second decision left lasting scars and invaluable wisdom.
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Influential Woman · Law Enforcement
Chrystal Bowers
Deputy Sheriff, Greene County Sheriff's Office
Xenia, OH 45385
6Years experience
2Articles published
Her Story
About Chrystal
Chrystal Bowers is a Deputy Sheriff, author, educator, entrepreneur, and community advocate dedicated to service, leadership, and personal growth. Her professional journey spans education, athletics, and law enforcement, where she has built a reputation for fostering meaningful connections through community engagement, mentorship, and public service. In addition to serving with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, she is the founder of Mental Evolution, a platform focused on supporting first responders through wellness, resilience, and personal development. After surviving a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), Chrystal gained a renewed perspective on the importance of balancing service to others with self-care. Through her writing, speaking, and community involvement, she inspires others to lead with integrity, prioritize their well-being, and embrace growth through life’s challenges.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Chrystal
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to accountability and honesty. I take ownership of my decisions, whether the outcome is good, bad, or somewhere in between. I’ve also learned that success requires a holistic approach to life. Mental health, physical wellness, meaningful connections, rest, personal growth, and taking care of your spirit all matter. When one area is neglected, the others eventually feel it. Success isn’t just about what you accomplish; it’s about becoming a healthy, balanced person along the way.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to stop letting fear make decisions for me. We only get one life, and growth rarely happens inside our comfort zone. Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s often part of the journey. Instead of allowing fear to hold you back, use it as fuel to prepare, adapt, and move forward anyway.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to know who you are before the job tells you who you should be. Take care of your mental and physical health, build meaningful relationships outside of your profession, and surround yourself with people who encourage growth rather than comparison. Find mentors who lead with character, not popularity, and who see your value even when you don’t see it yourself.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the greatest challenges in public service is maintaining balance between professional responsibilities, family life, and personal wellness. The work requires strong communication, adaptability, and the ability to remain thoughtful rather than reactive during difficult situations. I’ve also learned that staying true to yourself and prioritizing your physical and mental health are not luxuries, they’re necessities for long-term success and fulfillment.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity and accountability are the foundation of everything I do, but over the years I’ve learned that self-worth and wellness are equally important. For a long time, I focused on serving everyone around me while neglecting myself. Today, I value balance, personal growth, meaningful relationships, and taking care of my mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. When you are whole, you can lead more effectively, serve more authentically, and create a greater impact in the lives of others.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Chrystal
The Peanut Butter, Jelly… and the Fan
A four-year-old's dangerous mistake teaches an unforgettable lesson about asking for help.
The Lesson Behind a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
What began as an ordinary lunch with my mom turned into a life-changing lesson about childhood curiosity, determination, and the importance of asking for help. This true story reflects on how one split-second decision left a permanent scar and a lifelong reminder that not every problem has to be solved alone.
The scar inside my mouth is barely noticeable today, but every time I feel it with my tongue, I'm transported back to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a stubborn fan, and one of the worst decisions my four-year-old self ever made.
I was about four or five years old when I made a decision I instantly regretted.
Looking back now, it's almost unbelievable. For years, the memory made me laugh. As an adult, though, it carries a different weight. It reminds me just how innocent children are and how quickly curiosity can collide with danger.
An Amazing Day with My Mom
I remember having an amazing day with my mom. Earlier, we'd spent the afternoon swimming in the community pool at our apartment complex. Back inside, we wandered into the kitchen, and I climbed into my chair at the dining table while my mom made me lunch.
A peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
She didn't toast the bread. I'm not sure why that detail has stayed with me all these years, but somehow it has. Maybe memories choose the strangest things to preserve.
She placed the sandwich in front of me, and I wasted no time tearing into it.
Then she stepped out of the room.
That's When I Realized
That's when I realized I'd forgotten to ask her to turn off the fan.
The fan was blowing directly into my face, and in my four-year-old mind, it had suddenly become my greatest enemy. Naturally, I decided I would solve the problem myself.
Keep in mind… I said four-year-old mind.
I climbed down from my chair and noticed that the fan was plugged into an extension cord. I grabbed the two plugs with my tiny hands and pulled.
Nothing.
I frowned at the fan as if glaring hard enough would make it surrender.
I pulled again.
Still nothing.
So my little brain came up with what it believed was a brilliant solution.
"If my hands can't pull it apart… maybe my teeth can."
I bit down on the cord and pulled.
Then…
Flash.
Light.
Silence.
Over the years, my imagination has filled in the blanks with comic book sound effects.
BOOM!
ZZZT!
FLASH!
Reality wasn't nearly as funny.
The next thing I remember was waking up inside an ambulance on the way to the emergency room. My mom was beside me, crying and terrified.
I ended up needing stitches after being electrocuted. Even today, I carry a small reminder of that afternoon. Inside my mouth is a tiny raised scar where the electricity burned me. It's not something most people notice, but I do.
Every.
Single.
Day.
The Simplest Solution
Looking back, what strikes me most isn't the accident itself. It's how determined children can be to solve problems on their own, even when the simplest solution is standing just a few steps away.
I could have walked over to the fan…
…and simply pressed the button.
Instead, I tried to solve the problem the hardest way imaginable.
Funny enough, that lesson didn't stay in my childhood.
As adults, we often do the very same thing. We wrestle with problems alone, convinced we have to figure everything out ourselves. We exhaust ourselves pulling on the cords of life when help is only a few steps away.
Sometimes, all we have to do is ask.
My Scar Is Small, but Its Lesson Is Immeasurable
My scar is small, but its lesson is immeasurable.
If there's one thing I hope you take from the adventures of one determined little girl, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and a very stubborn fan, let it be this:
Not every problem requires your strength.
Sometimes it simply requires your humility.
Ask for help.
You might discover the answer was right there all along.
Thanks for being here. ❤️
A powerful reflection on redefining priorities after a life-threatening heart attack, exploring how self-love and personal care became the author's true "why" instead of endless sacrifice for others.
Well, What’s Your Why?
Learning to put yourself first isn't selfish—it's survival.
Well, What's Your Why?
"My family."
For years, that answer rolled off my tongue without hesitation.
When people asked why I worked so hard, why I picked up extra hours, or why I stayed busy from sunrise to bedtime, the answer was simple.
My children. My family. That was my why.
At least, that's what I thought.
I was working more than I probably should have. Taking overtime. Chasing goals. Writing my first book. Trying to build a life that would give my children opportunities I never had.
The book received great reviews. Readers connected with the characters. They laughed where I hoped they would laugh. They became frustrated with the characters I intended them to dislike. As a writer, that's a victory. Creating believable people on a page isn't easy.
Still, I kept pushing.
Like many parents, I convinced myself that love looked like providing.
The funny thing is, my children never really asked for most of it. They didn't need bigger things.
They needed me.
- They wanted me to play with them.
- To sit with them.
- To watch them play.
- To listen.
- To be present.
The blueprint was right in front of me the entire time.
Unconditional love doesn't require exhaustion.
Somewhere along the way, I placed more weight on my "why" than it was ever meant to carry.
Then My Heart Forced Me to Stop
Literally.
I suffered a heart attack.
Suddenly, my "why" became "now."
- Now we need to reexamine some things.
- Now we need to have a conversation.
- Now we need to acknowledge that you're one step closer to a hospital bed than you ever imagined.
I had spent so much time focusing on everyone else that I overlooked the one person responsible for carrying it all.
Me.
I know that sounds selfish. It felt selfish to me too.
But how can I serve the people I love if I'm falling apart in the process?
A vehicle can't take you anywhere if it's running on empty. It doesn't matter how noble the destination is. If the battery is dead, you're not going anywhere.
I was that vehicle. Parked. Still. Broken down. Lying in a hospital bed with nothing but my thoughts.
One day, I'll share everything that raced through my mind during those moments. Today isn't that day.
What I will tell you is that I felt numb. I also felt like a walking contradiction.
- I was the fitness person.
- The former track athlete.
- The former coach.
- The person who coordinated fitness challenges.
- The person encouraging others to take care of themselves.
Yet there I was, flat on my back.
Learning from my physician that I had suffered a SCAD—a spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a condition in which a tear forms in the wall of a coronary artery and disrupts blood flow.
I remember a medical student entering the room before the doctor. He introduced himself and performed a few neurological assessments. His bedside manner felt dismissive and detached.
Oddly enough, it gave me something else to focus on—anything other than the reality sitting in front of me. Because it was no longer hypothetical.
It was real.
I didn't require a stent. The doctors entered through my wrist and examined my heart while I lay on a cold steel table with my arm secured in place.
Another first. Another reminder that life can change without asking permission.
Today, Nearly Two Years Later
I don't sweat the small stuff nearly as much. I've become protective of my peace.
- I say no more often.
- I take myself out to eat.
- I rest when I need to.
- I spend time with my family because I want to, not because I'm trying to prove my worth through sacrifice.
I learned that self-care isn't selfish.
- It's maintenance.
- It's changing the oil before the engine seizes.
- It's charging the battery before you're stranded.
- It's understanding that if I disappear, everything I'm trying so hard to hold together changes forever.
My family is still my world. That hasn't changed. What changed is my understanding of my place within it.
I am not separate from the people I love. I am part of them. And if I neglect myself, everyone eventually pays the price.
So, When People Ask Me Today, "What's Your Why?"
My answer is different.
I am.
Not because I love my family less, but because I finally love myself enough to understand that I belong on the list too.
I am my why.
And that's how I move through life now.
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