Faces of Long Island celebrates the uniqueness of everyday Long Islanders. In their own words, they tell us about their life experiences, challenges and triumphs. Newsday launched this social media journey into the human experience to shine a light on the diverse people of this wonderful place we call home.

Category: port-jefferson

‘My parents got divorced, and I ended up staying home to help my mom, and I went straight into retail after high school.’

Port Jefferson

“I grew up in Port Jefferson. From a young age, I always wanted to be a business owner, but I wasn’t tremendously involved in school. During that time, my parents got divorced and I ended up staying home to help my mom, and I went straight into retail after high school.

“I worked in Target, craft stores and gift shops. That’s when I fell in love with every aspect of retail. I was even more inspired to open my own store one day. In my early twenties, I saw a little shop down in Port Jefferson. It was going for $500 a month. I said to myself, I’m going to rent this place and make it into a shop … but that never happened. I didn’t have the money. I kind of just stuck with working in retail. I would start off as a cashier, and within weeks or months I was a manager in some capacity.

Every bride that comes in has a reliving experience. I understand that anxiety, so it’s nice that I can help them feel better about the shopping experience.

“During this time, I started gaining weight. I used to go to the mall to buy a pair of sneakers or a piece of jewelry. Then I would go to Lane Bryant for my clothes shopping and put the items in the Express bag so that people wouldn’t know that I shopped at Lane Bryant. I had so much anxiety and just wanted to feel comfortable shopping.

“In my late thirties, I started to be more confident. I began looking for my wedding dress and realized there is no store that is dedicated to offering plus sizes as the default. Thats when I realized I wanted to open my own bridal shop, a place that specializes in plus sizes. I’ve been to other stores, and they say they have plus size, but it’s only an 18. So still, even if she’s a 20, she can’t try it on.

“When I created my shop, I wanted people to get the opportunity to try on their dream dress. My store has been open for five years, and I love everything about being a business owner in their industry.

“Every bride that comes in has a reliving experience. I understand that anxiety, so it’s nice that I can help them feel better about the shopping experience.

“Fast-forward, I’ll be opening my second location in Port Jefferson. It’s been almost 20 years since I have been back hoping to make something of myself. Being back and having a store in Port Jefferson is almost surreal and comforting. It’s almost like a homecoming. It feels really good to be back.”

Interviewed by Starr Fuentes

‘I see this trauma as a blessing because it made me a more positive and grounded person. I was able to start writing music.’

Port Jefferson

“I suffered from a brain trauma in 2009, when my daughter was 6 months old. It turned my whole world upside down. The whole recovery took about five years, during which time I went through all different emotions. Because I’ve been a lifelong musician, my husband said, ‘When you get through this, you’re going to write incredible music.’ I couldn’t even form a sentence without getting symptomatic and nauseous! I was too sick to even reach out for help. There was so much uncertainty, and I didn’t know if I was ever going to heal or if I would ever be the same. It was something that was so much bigger than me.

There is always hope in a hopeless situation.

“I had every reason in the world to be angry. My family and I suffered, but I had to make a choice. I could either hold on to this anger for the rest of my life, or I could live my life with the strength and resilience that it took to survive this trauma. Lo and behold, I was able to start writing music about my trauma. I wanted to write an album that was geared around hope. ‘Finding Hope in Hopeless’ is a healing album that helps you acknowledge feelings about your struggles, and it will also help you find the strength within yourself to cope through challenges.

“I started going on tour before COVID, and I realized that when people heard my story and my music, it brought their own emotions into play, and they related it to their own lives. I see this trauma as a blessing because it made me a more positive and grounded person. It had to be a choice that I can’t hold on to it for the rest of my life. Some people never get over it, and they live their lives in the past. I’m choosing to live in the future. I’m proud that I’m a survivor, and that a small idea turned into a bigger one in which I’m helping other people. Also, I hope my 14-year-old daughter, who was a baby when this happened, sees that I went through something so traumatic and turned it into something more positive that can help other people. I tell people they should never give up. There is always hope in a hopeless situation. Take it day by day, hour by hour, move forward and know within your heart that things will get better. I think if you know it in your heart, your day will just be brighter.”

Interviewed by Iris Wiener

Copyright ©2021 Newsday. All rights reserved.

Faces of Long Island is produced by Newsday Consumer Marketing. This content does not involve the reporting and editing staff of Newsday’s Editorial Department.