We recently connected with Ali Hallock and have shared our conversation below.

Ali, appreciate you joining us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

Throughout my journey with chronic illness, I’ve faced countless unexpected challenges that have reshaped my perspective on life and healing. One of the most terrifying was developing botulism from Botox injections I was receiving to manage chronic migraines… something that was meant to help, and did for nearly five years, instead became a serious health setback and almost took my life. Thankfully, once admitted to ICU, I was given the antitoxin from the CDC. I was also given lifesaving measures such as a feeding tube and 24-hour suctioning, and a c-collar to help hold my head upright until I was no longer paralyzed. I also underwent a lobectomy due to a rare lung condition called Non-CF Bronchiectasis, which mimics cystic fibrosis and significantly impacts my breathing and daily life. These experiences, among many others, have tested my strength in ways I never imagined, but they also led me to finding my voice and to finding meaning and beauty amid the pain. Writing my book, Beautifully Broken: How I Found Beauty on My Journey with Chronic Illness, became a way to transform my suffering into purpose, to help others discover that even in our most broken moments, there can still be light, growth, and grace.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Ali Hallock, I am a wife to my high school sweetheart, Brian, and the mother of three beautiful and amazing children, Brody, Elle and Emmy. I’m also an author, chronic illness warrior, and advocate whose journey has been defined by resilience, grace, and an unwavering desire to find beauty in the hardest places. After being diagnosed with Lupus, EDS, a rare blood disorder, Non-CF Bronchiectasis, CVID, and other conditions, I have faced a series of unexpected health issues, some that have nearly taken my life and altered my world forever. But, what could have broken me instead became the foundation of something powerful. The center of that has been sharing my story online and helping others who are walking a similar path, and writing a book with my family called Beautifully Broken: How I Found Beauty on My Journey with Chronic Illness. In it, we share the many perspectives of how chronic illness affects not only the patient, but the people around them. We share not only the struggles and difficulty, but the emotional, physical and mental transformation that came from them, finding light in pain, strength in vulnerability, and purpose through advocacy. I hope by sharing my empathy and story, it will give hope to others living with invisible illnesses, reminding them that even in life’s most unpredictable storms, beauty and healing can still bloom.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

There’s no way to prepare yourself for something as terrifying and unexpected as botulism. What began as a routine Botox treatment for my chronic migraines, something I had done countless times before, quickly spiraled into one of the scariest health crises of my life. My body began to weaken in ways that didn’t make sense. Simple things like swallowing, breathing, and even holding up my head became a challenge. It felt like my body was shutting down from the inside out. For months, I lived in fear of what each day would bring and whether my body would remember how to do the things it had always done so naturally.

But in the middle of that darkness, I found something unexpected: resilience. When you’re stripped of control and paralyzed in your own body, you learn to fight differently. You learn to fight with patience and a quiet refusal to give up. I learned to celebrate small victories like deeper breaths, a steadier step, and a flicker of strength where weakness once lived. That experience changed me. It reminded me that healing isn’t just physical, it’s emotional and mental, too. And it doesn’t just affect me, it touches my entire family. They’ve walked every step of this journey beside me, often carrying their own silent struggles. I know I wouldn’t have survived without them, especially my husband, kids, and my mom, who have stood by me through the darkest lows and celebrated every hard-won triumph. They are my reason for fighting, the light that keeps me moving forward, no matter how heavy the battle becomes.

Botulism could have broken me, and for a temporary time, it did. It broke me in a way no other health battle has broken me before. But, it also became another chapter in my story filled with perseverance. It reinforced something I have learned over and over throughout my life… that even when life blindsides us with pain and fear, we can still rise, find beauty in the darkness, and turn our hardest battles into something meaningful and powerful.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Sharing my story has become more than just a way to process my own experiences. My mission in sharing my story online has always been rooted in hope. Living with chronic illness can often feel isolating and overwhelming, but I want others walking this path to know they’re not alone. By being open about my struggles and my healing journey, I hope to offer comfort, connection, and a reminder that even in the hardest moments, there is still light to be found. If my words can help just one person feel seen, understood, or a little less afraid, then every vulnerable post has been worth it. None of us are alone in this fight, and sometimes, knowing that is where healing begins.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @alihallock
• Other: TikTok: @alihallock