A lot of people made fun of the television show American Gladiators, saying it was just a "bunch of over muscled weight-lifters who spend each episode beating on little people". And while I never believed that this was true I do know that most of the stars of the show have easily been forgotten, maybe not by me, but by most casual views of the show. Shelley Beattie is possibly the biggest exception to that "rule".

Shelley Beattie, best known as Gladiator Siren, overcame a great deal in life to get where she was on the show, most notably was the fact she is deaf. She proved to everyone watching; and more importantly, the deaf community, that you never had to let anything get in the way of achieving your goals.

A world-class bodybuilder, an American Gladiator, a business woman, and a member of a World Cup Sailing team, Beattie is a woman to be admired and emulated. And though she has not been in the public eye for quite a few years, you can bet that Siren is singing a sweet song of inspiration to everyone around her.