I Just Wanted to Breathe

Video by Ashley Mitchell and Jeremy Mitchell. At Kshanti CrossFit in Virginia, Andrea West is best known as “Babs”—Badass Bitch. She’s a hard-working athlete who has a rare disease called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, which raises risks for lung and liver diseases. After she finishes the workout, she cheers on fellow athletes, then she might reach for her inhaler. Once a week, she administers intravenous infusions on herself. She does CrossFit not just to stay healthy but also to stay alive. Her coach an