Makeup by Erick Gerson/ E.G.Makeup LLC | Hair by Elle Yard | photography by Two Eagles Marcus

Welcome to Oh, Make Me Over! A beauty column in partnership with renowned makeup artist Erick Gerson. Each quarter, we will pick a random winner from a number of entries on Facebook to receive an exclusive makeover by Gerson. This month’s winner was Erica Byers Pelton, an extraordinary woman who has overcome insurmountable challenges through the power of positivity.

To enter the next makeover contest, visit our Facebook page (facebook.com/WLMAG) on April 4 for entry details. 

Erica’s Story 

Twenty-Five years ago, Erica Byers Pelton was in a car parked at an Meijer with four of her friends. One of her friends pulled out a gun and began waving it around. Moments later, just as Byers Pelton said she was getting out of the car, she saw a flash of fire from the muzzle. The bullet pierced her neck, missing her jugular vein and vertebral artery by 1 mm. At 17, she was paralyzed from the neck down. Byers Pelton has experienced a slew of health problems and undergone countless surgeries since the shooting; and she faces each challenge with gratitude for the miracle of her survival. When she was 19, Erica met Curtis, the love of her life. They married four years later and have raised a beautiful family together. On the day of her makeover, the couple was celebrating the 25th anniversary of Byers Pelton’s accident, the day that marked the beginning of her new life. 

To read more about Erica Byers Pelton’s story and her work to better accessibility for wheelchair users in our community, pick up our June Edition.

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