STRNG Pain-Free Performance was born from a place of adversity and resilience. At just 11 months old, Coach Debbee’s father was killed by gang violence in El Salvador, a fact she was shielded from until she was nine. Debbee’s journey was fraught with pain and discomfort, a recurring theme from her childhood by being forcibly brought to the United States at age thirteen. The traumatic experience of being illegally brought to the U.S. thrust her into a new country, culture, and life-altering situation. If that wasn't enough, Debbee suffered from asthma as a child and nearly died crossing the desert because she couldn't breathe but had no choice but to continue or be left behind to die alone. Despite these harrowing challenges, Coach Debbee demonstrated remarkable determination and resilience. Reunited with her mother, who had been living in the U.S. for a few years, Debbee immersed herself in her new environment.

This transition was far from smooth. Debbee's arrival in the U.S. was marred by the many challenges associated with being undocumented. She enrolled in the District of Columbia public school system at Lincoln Middle School, where the language barrier made her a target for bullying. Despite these difficulties, Debbee was determined to acclimate. She engaged in social programs, particularly those offered by the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC). Through the Post Secondary Success Program and the Promotors Program, she found support and resources focused on health and nutrition. These programs not only helped her adjust but also ignited her passion for helping others.

While attending Jackson High School (formerly Wilson High School), Debbee joined the track and field team and was recognized as the most improved player. However, her athletic pursuits were cut short when her mother, born with genetic hip dysplasia and permanently disabled from a botched surgery, urged her to get a job to help support the family. During this time, Debbee found refuge at That Yellow Gym in Mount Pleasant, where she trained and managed family responsibilities. It was at this gym where she met Coach Chris Williamson. After crossing paths a few times in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, Debbee and Chris started spending more time together, going for runs, and discovering a deeper, more spiritual connection.

After completing her first year of college, Debbee decided it was time to find her own place to live due to the constrained space living with her mom and two sisters. Chris assisted Debbee in searching for an apartment in DC, but every option was too expensive. At this time, Chris was planning to move abroad indefinitely to learn Spanish and find his purpose in life. Ultimately, Debbee moved to Oxon Hill, Maryland, with a college friend. She didn’t realize how difficult it would be to commute into the city from Oxon Hill to continue her studies and work to support herself. This proved to be another challenging period for Debbee as an undocumented immigrant.

As Winston Churchill once said, “When you’re going through hell, keep going.” Debbee's academic journey was marked by perseverance and excellence. With the support of teachers, coaches, and mentors, she earned multiple scholarships from organizations such as The Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), New Futures, and the Leadership and Education Fund. She served as the president at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), graduated with honors, and maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA.

In her last year of college in 2018, Chris returned from Latin America, and they reunited after his two years abroad, split between Bolivia and Honduras. Eating tacos at Los Companeros Taqueria, they had a long conversation and decided to live together for a year to see if their relationship could withstand the test of time. Their plan was successful, and they married on November 18, 2019. This marked the beginning of the long journey of undoing her undocumented status and navigating through the immigration legal process.

Her career came full circle when she returned to LAYC to work, followed by a stint at Bancroft Elementary School. However, Debbee's entrepreneurial spirit soon led her to start her own childcare business. Just as life seemed to be stabilizing, the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, halting her immigration process and delaying it by four years.

During the pandemic, Debbee decided to pursue a career in fitness coaching, despite the significant challenges posed by social distancing measures. As an undocumented immigrant, entrepreneurship was one of the few viable paths available to her. She and Chris worked tirelessly, leveraging Chris's more than a decade of experience in the fitness industry. It was not easy; they often faced hostility and setbacks, such as having their marketing materials torn down and receiving intimidating calls accusing them of spreading COVID-19 simply for promoting their fitness services.

While figuring out a path forward, Debbee and Chris worked at a local gym in Mount Pleasant, where they encountered a toxic, male-dominated environment that distributed potential clients unfairly. Undeterred, Debbee continued to pursue her passion for fitness and coaching, determined to carve out a space for herself and help others achieve their health goals. She slowly built her own independent clientele. After many conversations about the direction of their coaching careers, they decided to put a name behind the work they were doing: STRNG Pain-Free Performance. This name was inspired by Debbee’s strength in the face of adversity, emphasizing that being the strongest version of oneself should always be the overarching goal of any fitness program, and most importantly, when facing life’s many obstacles. "Pain-Free Performance" was inspired by client feedback, as their training system helped clients overcome pain and movement dysfunction.

During this period, Debbee and Chris decided to go completely independent, leasing space in another pre-existing gym establishment in Petworth. To their surprise, this environment was worse than the one before. The larger fitness brand persistently took steps to stifle their growth, agreeing to one thing and then walking back on the agreed terms. Additionally, the coaches from the larger gym would use their equipment without asking and did not respect their personal space when they were training private clients. When the owners allowed them to store some small pieces of equipment in a bin, off in a corner of the gym, they soon reneged on this agreement as well. Faced with this situation, Debbee and Chris were put in a difficult position: they could either continue allowing this fitness brand to stifle their growth or branch out once again and open their own space.

With the support of their family and amazing clients, in August of 2022 they landed in a boutique space in the Adam’s Morgan neighborhood in Washington, DC. Today, they have big plans for expansion and are preparing for the next growth phase of their company. April 29th, 2024, after waiting over 3 years for the i601a waiver to forgive her unlawful entry into the United States as a child, Debbee received her approval letter from the United States Customs and Immigration. This was literally the culmination of a tremendous amount of blood, sweat, and tears. Again, when you are going through difficult times, keep going.

Throughout this period of growth, Coach Debbee faced numerous obstacles, but her perseverance never wavered. With the help of a small, but crucial, support system, she managed to navigate her way through high school, college, and ultimately earned a degree on a full scholarship. Her experiences have shaped her into the strong and compassionate leader she is today, dedicated to helping others achieve their fullest potential through STRNG Pain-Free Performance.

Debbee Hernandez's story is one of unwavering perseverance, from overcoming health challenges and navigating the complexities of immigration to excelling academically and launching a fitness brand in a time of global crisis. Her journey reflects a deep commitment to her community and an enduring belief in the power of resilience and hard work.