How a McKinney woman found healing through exercise amid holiday grief
A North Texas woman says exercise and some therapy have helped her regain control of her life after devastating losses turned recent Decembers into a season of grief.
LaTonya Rodgers, a 48-year-old wife and mother from McKinney, lost two siblings within months of each other, tragedies that she says left her emotionally overwhelmed and physically inactive.
"I wasn't doing anything. I wasn't active. I wasn't moving, just kind of grieving through food," Rodgers said.
Her grief began in December 2023, when a cousin called with news she never expected: her baby sister, Ashley Emory, had been found dead in her apartment. Rodgers said she was stunned. Although the sisters had not spoken recently, she believed Emory was living in East Texas and had no reason to fear the worst.
Sister's unsolved Commerce killing deepens family's grief
Police later determined Emory had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death in Commerce, Texas, on Dec. 13, 2023. Authorities said her cause of death was blunt force trauma and compression to the neck. Rodgers said investigators told the family they have DNA evidence, but no arrests have been announced.
"Just knowing how young and how sweet she was, how could somebody do something to someone that sweet?" Rodgers said, recalling caring for her sister as a baby.
The loss hit Rodgers harder than anything she had experienced before. But about three months later, she said something changed.
"A voice in my head said, 'It's time to get up,'" she said.
Rodgers began walking and exercising at a park, eventually joining a gym in Frisco after a friend's recommendation. Now, she's there as early as 4 a.m., working with coaches and sticking to a strict fitness routine. She said exercise, along with therapy, helped stabilize her mental health.
"Mentally, I feel great," Rodgers said. "I do have moments, but it's nothing that I can't snap out of real quick."
Exercise helps North Texas woman cope with holiday grief
Her experience reflects a broader struggle many face during the holidays. A national survey found 41% of respondents expect increased holiday stress, while 48% worry about grief or missing someone during that time.
Rodgers' grief deepened again in May, when her younger brother, Kenneth Emory, died in prison. Court records show he was incarcerated for sexual assault and had attempted to appeal his plea deal. Rodgers said his birthday, on Dec. 24, adds another emotional weight to the season.
As the oldest sibling, Rodgers said she struggles with guilt.
"How could I let this happen? Why didn't we stay in touch?" she said.
Rodgers said prison officials have not indicated whether her brother's death is under criminal investigation. She has paid for his death certificate and plans to review it to learn how he died.
Despite the unanswered questions, Rodgers remains committed to her fitness routine to keep her life on track. While she hopes for justice in her sister's case and clarity surrounding her brother's death, she says exercise has helped her find a sense of strength and peace.
"If I never get the real truth," Rodgers said, "at the end of the day, they've got to go and face somebody way higher than me."