THE STATUE of Liberty has remained a symbol of hope in New York Harbor since France gave it to our country to commemorate our allegiance to one another during the American Revolution. The statue on Liberty Island is just a short ferry ride from the famous immigration center on Ellis Island and reminds each of us what the American Dream is all about.
Although Chris Hendrickson didn’t come by way of Ellis Island, like many immigrants did before the 1950s, this symbol of freedom rings as true for her today as the Liberty Bell. When Hendrickson was just a girl of 15, she left her native home of Liverpool, England, and headed for Denmark alone.
“I had left school, and all I had was an unemployment line to look forward to. This was back in 1980. The opportunity to travel to Denmark came up, and I took it. I was to learn a new language, a new culture, and a new way of life. What was supposed to only be three months turned into 30 years. I started an education in the Royal Porcelain Factory as a painter before I was even 16. Later, I got married, bought a house, and had children — who still live in Denmark.”
Besides painting porcelain, Hendrickson spent seven years as a mink grader for Saga Furs and also worked at the famous Tivoli Gardens in the heart of Copenhagen. But when a recession rippled through Denmark, her plans changed quickly.
“There was little to no work. It seemed like the perfect time to pack up and follow my dreams. I was married to an American, and he was all about coming back over here. Shortly after we arrived, he left me to my own devices. This turned into an adventure I couldn’t possibly have dreamt of. The real man of my dreams came into my life and changed everything for the better. Sherman Hendrickson is not only my best friend but my husband of almost 10 years. He has taught me so much about life, God, and this wonderful country’s history. He’s brought balance and peace into my life, not to mention real love. And he’s pushed me into being the best person I can be.”
Never one to pass up an adventure, Chris took a situation that most would have found disheartening and turned it into an opportunity to push herself closer to the dream she’s held close to her since she was a young girl.
“I started my singing career quite young, as my mum and dad both were musicians and singers,” said Chris. “My mum went to school with Paul McCartney. They remained friends until their teenage years when he went off and became a Beatle, and my mum and dad played the music clubs in Liverpool. Music has been huge in my life — especially country music — so Tennessee has always been on my radar.”
As a multi-talented artist, her passions also include creating cozy and inviting rooms for her much-loved clients at Norman Furniture. But the notes her heart always hums the loudest are the good old country songs, which she now sings with a band from Hazel Green called Doyle Bradley and the Full Circle Band.
“This was a dream come true for me. I’ve taken some huge leaps in my life — moving to another country twice, changing jobs, taking chances on people, and being let down and lifted up. I have jumped into almost everything I have ever done with my whole heart and, most of the time, right into the deep end. I’ve always said, ‘What have you got to lose?’ Because I can always change my mind and try something else if whatever I was doing didn’t work for me.”
In February, Chris officially became an American citizen.
“American citizenship is something you work to achieve. The process is long and tedious. We are, after all, dealing with a government that, in any country, takes their time with everything. The process is quite lengthy — almost a year from applying to actually being sworn in. The cost is also quite substantial. Not just in dollars but in time, too. The emotional drain of the wait, not knowing what the outcome will be… What I like best about being an American would take up a lot of space in this article. Mostly, it is being able to follow my dreams, living where it can actually happen — where opportunity is there for whoever wants to work toward what they dream of, no matter who you are.” GN
