Mom who founded Atlanta bakery after tragedy surprised with Super Bowl tickets

Shawn Brown's bakery is her and her family's second chance at life.

February 1, 2019, 8:28 AM

A Los Angeles native and mom of three who currently lives in Atlanta was surprised with tickets to Super Bowl LIII, in order to see her hometown team play.

"Is this real?," Shawn Brown said on "Good Morning America" as she was surprised with tickets for her and her three children. "I can’t I believe all these people are here for me. Thank you."

Brown, a Los Angeles native, revealed she has never even been to an NFL game, saying, "We work so hard. We never get to take a vacation or time off."

Shawn Brown, owner of Atlanta's beloved bakeshop Cheesecaked, is surprised with Super Bowl tickets on "Good Morning America."
ABC News

Shawn Brown is the owner of Atlanta's beloved bakeshop Cheesecaked, and has been hard at work the past few weeks prepping the perfect Los Angeles Rams-inspired desserts ahead of the big game.

For Brown, Cheesecaked is more than just a bakery, it is a second chance at life. She moved to Atlanta from Los Angeles after a series of tragedies and to try and give her children a better quality of life.

"I had been in a really bad drunk driving car accident and wanted to start all over," Brown told "GMA."

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"I lost my son in the accident," she said. "I was pronounced dead twice."

"We went through some very tragic times in California, and I wanted to give my children a better quality of life, so I decided to give Georgia, Atlanta, a try," she added.

Through baking, however, she said she has been able to find happiness again.

Shawn Brown is the owner of Atlanta's beloved bakeshop Cheesecaked.
ABC News

"It brings me so much joy after going through everything I have gone through," she said. "When I am able to see the smile, and the joy, it brings other people it makes it all worth it to me."

"We don't just sell cheesecake or milkshakes, we sell joy," she added.

She said she hopes her work inspires her children as well.

Shawn Brown, left, stands with her kids and ABC News' T.J. Holmes, far left, on "Good Morning America."
ABC News

"I really want my children to see that I have been able to overcome all of these adversities and tragedies," she said.

"God blessed me with some amazing children," she added. "Each one of the kids have a cheesecake named after them

One of her children, Jailyn Lewis, told "GMA" that her mom works "extremely hard."

"Behind closed doors she works 10 times as much as the average person," she added.

Selena Hulett, a friend of Brown's, added: "She took her lemons and made lemonade."

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