Doing good has always been the philosophy behind why Origami Owl was born in the first place.
Nikki Fitzpatrick is one designer from Ontario turned a sudden tragedy into a new path in life. She transformed a deeply traumatic moment into a new lease of entrepreneurial spirit, and we are shining the spotlight on that today.
World Turned Upside Down
Cheryl Tofflemire had her world turned upside down two years ago after her daughter Danica went to visit their close family friends in Northern Ontario.
In the blink of an eye, the car she was riding in, with her father Troy Tofflemire and their dog Missy, was struck by an impaired driver. The resulting crash left Troy and Missy dead, with Danica miraculously surviving.
After frantic phone calls, Cheryl found her daughter with life-threatening
injuries, and it was a miracle that she survived.
She survived, but with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) that left her fighting for her life and meaning that she would never walk again and may never even learn how to talk.
A Miracle Occurs
The doctors told Cheryl that there was little hope for Danica, but she didn’t accept it and began to slowly beat the odds. Nikki spent a lot of time at the hospital to not only help Danica but to support Cheryl through her daughter’s healthcare and the death of her husband.
The road to recovery was long and required regular stays in the ICU. Now, Danica has managed to feed herself and speak slowly in English and French again. Danica has defied the expectations of the doctors and is slowly rebuilding her life.
Nikki says that even though Danica has made remarkable progress the insurance money will run out one day and Danica will need care for the rest of her life, which is why the family has run fundraisers in the past.
It encouraged Nikki to join Origami Owl and become a force for good.
Turning Family Tragedy into Success
Nikki has the honor of being one of the first 100 designers for Origami Owl in Canada. Recently, she presented a Living Locket to the second annual fundraiser of The Knights of Inferno Firefighters Motorcycle Club. The money raised all went to support Danica’s care.
She explains, “I think being a Force for Good is about being there for anyone when they need help. We all get busy in our own lives…my own family struggles with mental health issues, but things like this bring you back to what really matters, and that’s people.”
Despite being a proud designer for Origami Owl, Nikki says that the true value in what she does is being there for her friends Cheryl and Danica.
And she believes that is what really captures the spirit of Origami Owl.
Becoming a Force for Good in the Community
Nikki’s story is part of the collection of stories brought together by Origami Owl to highlight the trials and tribulations of Owlette designers. They explain what they are trying to overcome and how they are contributing to their communities through being a Force for Good. Read Nikki’s story and other stories on Live Sparkly.