Hula Hoop Lady was in hospital, now recovering

Thoughts, prayers and cards are going out to the woman known as the Hula Hoop Lady of Granby Street.

Pamela Brown, who can often be found hula-hooping in a median near Wards Corner, is in a rehabilitation facility after spending nearly three weeks in the hospital battling a serious medical ailment. Her condition is improving, according to Bobbie Crocker, owner of Taylor Burgess Hairstyling Salon at Wards Corner.

Crocker has been collecting get-well cards and visiting Brown nearly every day.

She wants people who may be missing the Hula Hoop Lady to know they can send her a message.

“Everybody knows Pam,” Crocker said. “She loves people, and people love her.”

Brown sustained a brain injury in 1977 when she was hit by a truck. She has seizures and short-term memory loss.

The City of Norfolk resolved a federal lawsuit on behalf of Brown in 2009 after an incident involving the use of a Taser and her arrest when a resident complained about the volume of the radio she played while hula-hooping.

The Hula Hoop Lady often stopped by the hair-styling salon to chat with friends. Crocker looked forward to her visits, and she keeps a picture of Brown on the salon wall.

Then, for several days, Crocker said, she couldn’t find her friend.

She asked Brown’s brain injury advocate to check on her.

“Bobbie was instrumental in her condition being discovered,” said Howard Copeland, Brown’s attorney. “Pam had an episode where she needed to be taken to the emergency room.”

Crocker has been delivering cards to Brown and styled her hair in the hospital. Her conditioned had improved last week, and as of Thursday, she was recovering in a facility to regain her strength, according to Crocker.

Cards can be dropped off at Taylor Burgess, 7500 Granby St., Norfolk.

“She’s looking forward to getting well,” Crocker said.

Stacy Parker, (757) 222-5432, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com