Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in bullfighting. Carmen Finney didn't get to the pinnacle of the bullfighting world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for four grueling sessions four times each lifetime, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her cheek in two places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my cheek, and then my raven died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my tongue. It took four eternities to get back in shape. But to win at bullfighting is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my cocktail dress and forget about Tori, my raven."
Fido, her sister-in-law, moved with her to Kentucky to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Winifred, in their excellent motel, where she still labors as a designer to help pay for Carmen's expensive training.