Kathie Henschen
AMERICA’S NINJA PET GROOMER ON OVERCOMING OBSTACLES Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Laura Arick and Submitted
This month we are proud to feature on our cover Boone County’s own Kathie Henschen, “Ninja Groomer,” along with her husband of 23 years, Brent, known as “B.C.” The couple shared their remarkable experience of Kathie’s competing on Season 12 of NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” this summer and the journey they took for Kathie to get there. The Henschens are also the owners of Platinum Paws in Carmel, Indiana, and are dedicated supporters of humane societies and animal rescues, such as the Humane Society for Boone County.
Meet Kathie—An American Ninja Warrior and Award-Winning Groomer
K
athy and B.C. live on a micro farm in Boone County along with their beloved dogs and other animals. Kathie is known to many as the “ninja groomer.” She loves to groom dogs and loves to “ninja.” “I am built not just to have fun; I am built to compete,” Kathie shared. “‘American Ninja Warrior’ has been a dream of mine since the very first time I saw it years ago. Just like when I was a little
girl at 4 years old, watching gymnastics for the first time on TV, I remember that memory so vividly and knew at that moment it was something I was meant to do.” The road to success was an arduous one for Kathie, who has had to overcome many heart-wrenching emotional and physically painful obstacles over the decades. “I’ve had to overcome many obstacles and have blown my left knee out a total of seven times,” Kathie shared. “Each time required surgery. At the age of 13, I had to have ACL reconstruction [surgery], but I
continued to train as best as I could, and I ended up being a national champion on the balance beam, vaults and all-around. I also competed internationally in Germany. My hopes and dreams were about competing in the Olympics, but it didn’t happen because of all my injuries.” The end of Kathie’s Olympic aspirations took a huge toll on her emotionally. “Gymnastics was who I was. It defined me,” Kathie expressed. “I left early in high school after half a day to train in the gym six hours a day, five days a week. It
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