The Shine Foundation was inspired by my own personal life experiences and journey. On a beautiful sunny Spring day in 2010, I awoke feeling no different than on any other morning. With a caring and loving husband, three amazing children and another one on the way, I took a moment to thank God for the many blessings that had been bestowed upon me. All was well in my little corner of the world as I thought of my family, our loving home, our many friends, neighbors and a caring community. It was the perfect life. Little did I know that was all about to change.
In the blink of an eye, I was widowed and delivering my fourth child. The pain, fear and shock of it all were too much to bear. How will I eat? Pay a mortgage? Clothe my children? It was beyond comprehension. In an instant, all of my fears were realized. We ultimately lost it all -- our home, our dignity and, by default, our self-worth. And yet somewhere, deep in the recesses of my mind and soul, I never lost hope. Our world had gone dark and cold but, for the sake of my children, I needed to believe that light would one day reemerge. I needed to survive and be strong for my four children and for myself.
For nearly 10 years, I have been raising my children as a single mother, and not a day has gone by that I don't feel the pain of his loss acutely - as if reliving it for the first time. But I have emerged on the other side, buoyed by the support of so many who gave of themselves to help us survive, one day at a time. The gratitude I feel for this support cannot be expressed in words and will never be forgotten. I swore to myself, as I muddled through these challenging times, that if one day I could give back to others who are suffering and living in the same darkness that had shrouded my life, I would commit myself to do so. 
Today, remarried, and once again, settled into a healthy home of peace, love and family, the time has come for me to honor this commitment and give back to others. With the help of my incredible husband and my four amazing children, we have brought Shine to the world to bring light into the darkness faced by so many. Thank you for taking the time to hear my story and I hope that you will join us in our mission to make the world shine brighter.