Meet Brandie Marone of The Shoe-per Hero

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandie Marone.

Brandie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always loved stilettos, and I’ve always loved adventure. However, it was an old co-worker who gave me the idea to put my two loves together.

After knowing me for only three days, an old co-worker realized my obsession with stilettos by what I wore to work while he was visiting our office from the UK. I was headed to Peru the following week to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (one of my many adventures). The co-worker said I had to take a picture of myself in Machu Picchu wearing my stilettos.

So, the next week, I packed up all my things (along with a pair of 6-inch gold lame strappy heels) and headed off to Peru. Unbeknownst to my sherpa, those heels were in my pack awaiting the final day.

On the 5th morning, instead of my hiking boots, I put on the heels and made the final trek up to the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu. When I got there, the photos ensued.

When I got back from the trip, my friends thought it was hilarious and no one expected that I would have been up for the challenge. One of my friends said “you need an action figure, you’re a superhero” and another responded with “no, she’s The SHOE-per Hero”.

Since then, I have tried to find the most ridiculous things I can do in stilettos. Just for fun, usually when I’m already planning on the adventure anyways. I’ve been cage diving with great white sharks of Guadalupe Island, NASCAR racing on the Las Vegas Speedway, kayaking with dolphins in La Jolla, zip-lining in Belize, scuba diving the Great Barrier reef in Austrailia, Safari in Africa, ATVing in Iceland and so much more.

I’m actually headed skydiving next weekend. Just need to pick the right heels…

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, the only thing I’ve come up against are people telling me I have to wear a certain type of shoe and can’t wear stilettos. Even when I agree to sign a waiver, sometimes they just won’t go for it. For example, I wasn’t allowed to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Austrailia, and they were too fond of the idea when I went indoor skydiving.

Otherwise, most people have been confused but excited to watch me. Maybe in hopes, I’ll break an ankle or something. 😉

Please tell us about The Shoe-per Hero.
It’s not really a business, but something I just do for fun. It’s different and gets an amusing reaction from all those around me. I think it sets me apart from others because I’m willing to do what most people won’t try in regular shoes.

I did start to turn the Shoe-per Hero into a way to recognize those who are fighting against cancer. I thought since people with cancer fight and struggle every day, I could easily walk a 5k or a 24-hour relay for life in high heels. I started registering and walking in multiple events to bring awareness to the cause. While I don’t walk fast, it’s a statement for those who fight every day. My mom has had breast cancer twice and my father died from colorectal cancer a few years ago, so it’s an important message and cause for me personally.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Playing baseball in my backyard and having my dad throw the ball as high as he can so that my friends and I could catch the pop-ups was probably my favorite. Anytime we played ball I was so happy. even the time my little sister hit a line drive at my face and broke my nose. We were always getting into trouble, but it was a time when you played outside all day with all the kids in the neighborhood and didn’t come in till it was dark. I miss those days.

Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.