Radke’s heartfelt YouTube declaration went viral as did her continuing videos of homegrown everyday experiences. Her honest and unfiltered posts with humorous takes on the joys and challenges of life caught the eye of producers and publishers alike. Since that birthday, Melissa Radke has appeared on numerous talk shows, published the popular book Eat Cake. Be Brave. and is the star of her own reality series The Radkes on USA Network.

I made a promise to myself to live courageously for one year.

As Radke describes it “for someone who has always had to stand in the background because I was a woman—because I was an overweight woman, because I was a loud woman, an opinionated one — that was a big move and I think that’s what changed my life.” Melissa Radke’s year of risky living brought one opportunity after another for her and her immediate family who also appear in the unscripted USA Network series The Radkes. With all of her success, she is spreading her message of living life fully. Melissa Radke’s weekly podcast Ordinary People. Ordinary Things. is number one on iTunes, and her social media videos continue to capture over 150 million viewers worldwide. One thing Radke always hoped to be was a light in the world. No question, her light is shining bright.

Join Nelda as she hears about Melissa Radke’s wild ride.