TARRYN KAY – From the MVP Club to motherhood

Former presenter of The MVP Club on Good Hope FM, Tarryn Kay “TK” Trussell is singing a different tune these days; that of first time mother to baby boy Knox Cooper, who was born on 20 June 2018 weighing in at a whopping 3.9kg. Having always been outspoken about a variety of topics, TK is devoting a lot of her time these days to sharing honest day-to-day experiences of motherhood across her social media platforms. From the joy of finding out about the pregnancy to every ache, stretch and pain in between, and beyond; #TKsBellyDiaries don’t sugar coat any of the details when it comes to being a mother, or a father for that matter.

“I’m not looking to shock or horrify any woman out of having a child,” says TK. “Quite the contrary; I want to share my raw, honest stories about motherhood in the hopes that I can help expecting as well as new mothers with questions or concerns they may not have anyone else to ask.”

In November of 2017, TK and her husband Francois van Louw received the news that they were expecting their first child. “The day I found out I was pregnant was the day I decided to make this a learning experience, not only for me but for every women that was on the same journey as me,” adds TK. And that is exactly what she is doing with #TKsBellyDiaries. “I want all mothers to know that with our precious bundles of joy do come some hard times, but most importantly that they are not going through it alone and that they will make it through the sleepless nights and tender body parts.”

Tough times and candid moments aside, TK loves every minute of motherhood and is completely besotted with her son who is very quickly out-growing all his newborn clothing.

Born and raised in Cape Town, TK has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Stellenbosch University, as well as an honours degree in Journalism. She cut her media teeth at eTV in 2009 producing documentaries about the lives of some of South Africa’s most prominent people such as former presidents Nelson Mandela, F.W. De Klerk, and Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu. In 2011 she moved on to become a presenter on Zoopy, an online entertainment channel, which at the time was years ahead of the trend. Together with Anne Hirsch, the duo would create 90-second videos that gave viewers a quick and entertaining update on what was happening in the world of celebrities, politics and sport.

In 2009, TK joined Good Hope FM, which saw her fulfil a number of roles; everything from voice-over work for advertising campaigns, event promotions, presenting the traffic on both the Breakfast and Drive Time shows, co-hosting The Freakenweekend Show with DJ Loyd, and eventually hosting her own show called The MVP Club, which ran for three years. “The show gave me the opportunity to share information about upcoming premier lifestyle events, top quality local and international music, as well as interviews with some of the country’s most noteworthy young entrepreneurs, musicians and DJs,” adds TK. In 2018, her career at Good Hope FM came to an end when she made the decision to focus on motherhood before exploring the next level in her media career. “Leaving Good Hope FM was bitter sweet for me. I learned so much during my time at the station but I will without a doubt put all of that experience in to my next media endeavour.”

RUAN: As a former presenter of The MVP Club on Good Hope FM. when did you realise your love for radio?

TARRYN: Probably at varsity when I started on campus radio. I made a commitment to do a show and while all my friends were out partying on a Friday night, I was on air, sharing my passion and love for radio. That was when I knew; this is something pretty serious to me.

RUAN: Tell us the honest truth and look at the journey from learning you’re pregnant to giving birth.

TARRYN: It’s been enormously life changing on every level. Mentally, physically, emotionally and psychologically. I went through changes no one can truly every describe. It has to be experienced. It’s challenging, trying and a test of your endurance, but immensely powerful when you reflect on your capability as a woman. I can honestly say I loved the first 7 and half months of pregnancy. The last stretch was not fun. It was exhausting, strenuous and damn long!

But I came through it and I feel like a SUPERWOMAN. I evolve more every day, making my powers even greater. Because there is no greater self-actualization than going through a transformation like creating life for another!

RUAN: What has your journey been like being a first time mother and what motherhood has meant to you thus far?

TARRYN: There’s this feeling that I’ve heard my mommy friends talk about before. I’ve never totally understood until I held my little boy. I think in a world where there are so many real life matters… “That feeling” is probably the closest thing to magic I’ve ever felt. It’s surreal, it’s extraordinary and it’s constantly becoming more and more!

Motherhood reshapes you for the better. I love the human being my little boy evoked in me.

RUAN: Can you share some of your real ups and downs of pregnancy?

TARRYN: Ups:
The feeling of creating life is pretty powerful.
Feeling my little Knox Cooper kicking was so amazing.
It brought my husband and I so much closer because was made something truly magical together.

Downs:
The immense strain on your body.
I lost feeling in my fingertips for 9 months.
I have stretch marks, which I never had before,… *cries*
It’s an emotional rollercoaster.

RUAN: What was it like sharing the joy (and terror!) of bringing home a newborn baby?

TARRYN: I had an elective C-section.
I was extremely scared and had no idea what to expect. I cried immensely because I was so very emotional, knowing that I was about to meet my boy was very overwhelming for me.

But when he was taken up and lifted in the air, I had a moment of great clarity and consciousness. MY HUMAN HAS ARRIVED AND ALL OF THIS IS WORTH IT FOR HIM!

RUAN: What advice do you have for anyone aspiring to be a radio presenter especially our youth?

TARRYN: Take it seriously and you’ll grow into it. Be passionate about people, life and humanity. Be prepared for great sacrifices and remember all great things take time.

RUAN: Are there any exciting things we can look forward to for the remaining of 2018?

TARRYN: I’ve booked some amazing MC gigs, working alongside a few top SA performers. I’ve got a few great brand partnerships I’m involved in, and then there’s an amazing campaign I’m working on, which I’m extremely passionate about, keep your eyes glued to my INSTAGRAM for all the sauce.

RUAN: Like most humans we are bound to make mistakes when we are live on radio. Do you have any embaresing moments you could share with us?

TARRYN: I once fell off my chair during live radio, all you heard was a load thump and silence for about 5 seconds. After getting up I had to explain what just happened.

It was ridiculously funny, because the people in studio didn’t know whether to laugh or help me.

But we all had a laugh once I got back to the mic.

RUAN: If you could some up your life right now using a hashtag (#) what would it be and why?

TARRYN: #LivingAndLovingHARD

RUAN: On which social media platforms can we continue to support and follow your on-going journey?
TARRYN: Predominantly on Insta: @TKSKINGDOM and then there also FB: Tarryn Kay van Louw and Twitter: @tarrynkay

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *