Linda Armstrong Kelly
On television, in print, or told in front of a live audience, Linda
Armstrong Kelly's life story is captivating people everywhere. Her son,
seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong, credits her as the
unsung hero behind his spectacular cycling victories - and in his
triumph over cancer. Linda is Lance's role model.
As a young, single mom, Linda vowed to raise Lance with all the
advantages she did not have growing up in the Dallas projects. Her
positive influence as a parent was the driving force in encouraging him
to fulfill his destiny as one of the greatest athletes in history. She
was with Lance from his first bike ride to his final Tour de France
victory in 2005.
Her life experiences dealing with an alcoholic father, domestic abuse,
teen pregnancy, single motherhood, and care giving for a cancer
survivor demonstrate her strength, positive attitude, and survival
skills.
In 1996, Lance was diagnosed with Stage 4 testicular cancer. The
prognosis was grim, but Linda accepted the challenge and focused on
helping her son make decisions that would affect his life forever. She
helped research his treatment options and was by his side throughout
his recovery. Today, Linda is a loyal supporter of the Lance Armstrong
Foundation (LAF). She has represented LAF at several events and
frequently makes appearances at LAF fundraisers.
Linda's hard work and that "fire-in-the-belly" outlook paid off when
she achieved her career goal as a global account manager with Ericsson
Microelectronics™ .
After 15 years with Ericsson Linda retired, and with encouragement from
her husband, Ed, she took on the overwhelming task of telling her life
story. In April, 2005 her book, No Mountain High Enough: Raising Lance,
Raising Me (Broadway/Double Day) was published. Publishers Weekly
hailed the book as "a sincerely heartwarming tale, laced with true
Texas grit."
In 2005 Linda was the subject of a one-hour television biography on TLC
entitled Raising a Champion: The Linda Armstrong Kelly Story. Other
recent television appearances include The Dr. Phil Show, CNN, NBC, CBS
and ESPN. Linda was the recipient of Ericsson's "Mother of the Year"
award in 1999 and has been recognized as one of "America's most
fascinating women" by Ladies Home Journal magazine. She's been featured
in national magazines such as People, The New Yorker, USA Today, Ladies
Home Journal, Us and Texas Monthly, as well as countless newspaper,
radio programs, and news shows.
She is now dedicating her time to writing, public speaking, assisting nonprofit organizations, and fundraising.
The unique energy that Linda brings to her audiences has earned
her invitations to speak at such diverse venues as national cycling
organizations, non-profit organizations as well as the private sector.

