Pretty Strong Customer Stories

As we build our community of Pretty Strong people, we'd love to hear your Pretty Strong story. Contact us with your story. Please note that stories will be featured on the website and social media.

Featured Story

Pretty Strong - Karen

Karen is a beautiful example of spreading light and joy
despite the curve balls life has thrown her. As a child she couldn’t read until the third grade, when she learned the beginnings of phonics. As she grew, her path became clear: she realized education and helping young ones with learning disabilities succeed would offer her fulfillment. She worked her way through an intensive college education, including childhood development and psychology training, which helped shape her future career. After marrying and having two boys, she started her own daycare program, which soon evolved into a multifaceted special-needs education career. Her extensive work helped shape modern special-needs education of all kinds in the public-school systems. Then the curve balls came. Karen’s husband passed away abruptly at the peak of their lives, leaving her devastated and not knowing how to move forward. Slowly, she began to find her footing and settled into her retirement. Just as she was finding solace in volunteer work and joy in a fresh new relationship, her partner lost his life in a spinal surgery gone wrong. Soon after, her youngest son, who was struggling with his mental health, also tragically passed away. These losses and heartaches left holes in Karen’s life that most of us can’t even begin to imagine.

Throughout these struggles and the journey of healing, Karen channeled her energy into doing what she does best: giving and sharing. She now
volunteers for many programs which demonstrate her love of helping and teaching others. She currently works with organizations such as Ronald McDonald House, Gerard Place, and The Alzheimer’s Association. Karen even has her own non-profit, Pete’s Pillows, named for her late partner. Volunteers with Pete’s Pillows make and donate soft goods like pillowcases and snuggle creatures to help comfort people in trying circumstances, like children and parents facing health challenges. She is constantly sensitive to others’ needs and mental health, but her greatest joy in life is to create a safe space for her seven grandchildren to honor their truths. In spite of the many challenges she has had to overcome, Karen maintains a positive outlook and continues to do what she can make the world around her a better place.