Mary Lou Willetts opens her door dressed head to flats in a symphony of creamy vanilla shades: gold and pearl earrings, coupled with a string of pearls to finish her petite frame. Classic. Vintage music is playing when her twin sister, Patricia Peck (Pat, as she prefers) walks through the same door a moment later. Before I can ask the obvious, Mary Lou waves away the invisible question and smiles. “No, we didn’t call each other first. We do this all the time.” Pat is a near mirror image of her twin, all the way down to her creamy hues and twisted pearls around her neck. Beautiful.

The spirited identical twins, born 88 years ago to Leo and Violet Marie Thibodeau, spent their laughter-filled childhood in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Mary Lou and Pat have always been each other’s best friend— besties as we now say. “We never really needed others because we had each other,” said Pat. Her twin agrees. “Our friendship is the best. We can always call each other,” she continued. “I may not always be available at that minute, but that’s okay. I always get back to her.”

In Japan, there is a process called Kintsugi: the art of repairing broken pottery with liquid gold or silver. The fragments are joined together and the object is given a new, more refined aspect, and is regarded as even more beautiful than before. Like broken pottery shards, human scars can give us new perspective, make us more resilient and beautiful, and further the growth of our soul.

From divorce and single-parenting, to mitral valve prolapse and two subsequent TIA’s (ministrokes), to a plane crash that almost claimed her life, and most recently the death of her son, Janet Adams certainly has her share of scars.

Denice Brown is a fighter. She moves through life with a positive attitude despite it all. The monumental hardships Denice has endured compares to the worst of the worse. She is a fighter—optimistic and tenacious. Despite it all, she not only gets out of bed each morning, she manages to get through most days passing along her bright smile, which can easily light up a room.

She’s just turned 30, but one wouldn’t know it from listening to her story. It’s also nearly impossible to believe that, just six years ago when she arrived on Hilton Head Island, this vibrant, energetic, and quite eloquent young woman didn’t speak a word of English.

#AgainstAllOdds indeed!

Meet Adi Aliu, co-owner and operator of Gringo’s Diner in Coligny Plaza who has managed to action pack more … well … life into her young life than many people do in an entire lifetime.

What bad odds did you beat?
At 34 I was diagnosed with endometriosis with a prognosis of no cure. I was in pain 30 days out of each month and walked with a cane for some time, but I refused to believe the prognosis and also refused conventional medical treatment: a complete hysterectomy and hormone therapy for the rest of my life. I believed inherently in the body’s ability to heal itself, so I began what would be years of research and learning about the ways the body heals. I became an herbalist, healed my endometriosis completely, and have since used my knowledge and experience to help others overcome chronic illness, prevent disease, and deal with weight issues using foods and herbs as medicine.

According to an article by Indy500 From the Independent, health is No. 3 on the most worried about list. Good health is a key part of life; it’s what keeps us alive. According to the same article, general happiness is No. 10 in the line of worry. Happiness is what keeps the world turning.  

What if you could tend to both your health and happiness, as they sort of go hand-in-hand, in one place? Jackie Ruka, originally from New York, can help you to be worry-free with a positive outlook on any situation. Jackie is one of the best personal development and lifestyle coaches, making her “America’s Happyologist.”

When did you decide to be a doctor?
I decided to pursue a career in Medicine when I was in junior high school. There were some health issues going on in my family at the time, and my brother was having some issues, as well. It was our family doctor who was able to recognize how those health issues were affecting my brother and address it. That sold me on family medicine.

You’re a Direct Primary Care physician. What's that?
Direct Primary Care has been a lifesaver for me. I was frustrated with the way Medicine has become a business based not on patient needs, but rather on the number of visits or procedures you do. In Direct Primary Care I have the ability to sit and spend time with my patients, listen to ALL issues and concerns they have, and help guide them to the appropriate care. We can go back to good old-fashioned, common sense medicine, where the needs of the patient come first. It has made practicing medicine fun again.

Louanne LaRoche met with me at a coffee shop in Bluffton less than 24 hours after her return from a trip to Belize. No jet lag for her; she was rested, relaxed, and serene. We ordered coffee and she told me her story.  

Louanne is a successful artist, collector, art consultant, and former gallery owner. She is married and has a son who is studying for his Masters’ degree at Carnegie Mellon University.

Having lived in Belize 17 years ago, Louanne’s recent trip with her family was a homecoming of sorts, and included a visit with friends and hiking up steep Mayan ruins in very hot, humid weather—a joyful experience for Louanne, and one she couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams just a few years ago. 

Anytime you abandon something in your life, there is a risk you will look back and say: I sure wish I had made a different choice. However, when you access your courage and begin to move forward in a new direction you have chosen for yourself, at some point you will become confident you are doing the right thing. You will notice that the universe is conspiring to support you. This is certainly true in the case of Dr. Gala Gorman, co-founder of the Delta Discovery Center on Hilton Head Island.

Mariah Midyette is 15 years old and already on her way to becoming a doctor!  The Beaufort teenager was honored in July with an invitation to attend a conference sponsored by Harvard University for promising students interested in health care professions. The three day Congress of Professional Medical Leaders was held in Lowell, Massachusetts, and was designed to offer outstanding high school science students — “teen medical prodigies” according to the press release — the opportunity to come together to meet with professional mentors and professors who can advise them.  

Mariah had a ball! Her favorite part of the Congress was watching an actual surgery, a hysterectomy, performed by a surgeon who was assisted by a robot. Mariah and the other attendees watched the surgery in a stadium, and even munched on complimentary popcorn! Although the surgeon had warned that watching the surgery might make some of young students a little squeamish (seeing the blood and internal organs of a real person), Mariah wasn’t bothered in the least. Before attending the Congress, Mariah met her fellow attendees on social media in a private Facebook group setting, and says it was lots of fun to meet the other students in person. A field trip to the Harvard campus was another highlight of her trip, and it made a lasting impression on the future physician.

She earned her under graduate English degree at UGA, did her post grad work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), cut a distinguished upward swath through the technology career industry—including a stint at IBM—and for the past year, she’s been serving as Vice President of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. Whew. It doesn’t take a degree from MIT to see that our August #smartypants theme fits Michelle Wycoff to a tee. We can’t wait to hear her roar.

Were you always known as “The Smart Girl” in school? I wore glasses sometimes with the frame masking-taped together in the middle. I probably looked smart! I won my first science fair when I was nine. I built a computer motherboard and explained binary code to my class. In the 1970s, computers weren’t as pervasive as they are today. I think I shocked everyone, including my teachers.

Melissa Murray is a #smartypants, for sure! She’s a busy, young, professional educator enjoying a few precious days of vacation this summer with her husband and 5-year-old twins, Genevieve and Josephine. She has many projects going on in her mind, and excitedly talked with me about them.

She and her husband, Stephen, are leaving very soon to a friend’s destination wedding in Botswana! She is busy arranging the two sets of grandparents to tag-team babysit and keep the twins busy while they are gone. She admits to some “mommy guilt,” but it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Africa.

She’s a powerhouse of passion in the world of book publishing; founder of the Bluffton Book Festival, and business owner extraordinaire of ROCK Inked. Rockelle Henderson brings a tenacious, #smartypants spirit to all that inspires her.

Originally from central New Jersey, Rockelle moved to the Lowcountry 11 years ago. From a young age, her mother, Pennie Sherrod, also a local resident, instilled in Rockelle a love for the written word. So it’s not surprising how much she loves books! She was 17 years old when the fascinating world of promotion and publication drew her in. She earned an internship with NBC Radio at New York City’s Rockefeller Center. Rockelle helped with daily program set up and fell in love with all aspects of the business model. “I was hooked!” she said.

How did you become a competitive shooter? When I met my husband, he was a patrol sergeant with our local sheriff’s office, and he only had every other weekend off. On most of those weekends, he competed in various shooting matches, and in order to get more time with him, I would tag along. At one match, there was a girl on his squad, and I said to Heath, “I could beat her.” And he agreed! Before we knew it we were spending all our time together shooting or training.

What’s your most memorable moment on your competitive shooting journey?
I would have to say coming in eighth at the 2017 Brownells Ladies’ Multigun Fall Fest. It may not seem that impressive, but this competition is stacked with professional shooters and strong junior shooters. And I won a gun!  My eighth place finish awarded me a Gen 5 Glock 17—my first prize table gun.

Joyce “Joycie” Mungari—also known as Coach—has proven that the road less traveled was the right one for her. This path was directly influenced by her father when he taught Joyce the game of football at age five and called it a love story. When her parents divorced, Joyce’s father might not have been around, but her love for the great game of American football still coursed through her veins.

Sondra Sykes Meek’s novel, Model Marine, is something else! I downloaded it on Kindle the day before our interview, and I could not put it down. The fictional story of a young woman who enters the Marine Corps and encounters horrific combat experiences is written with such authenticity and precision. Sondra, who also joined the Marines as a teenager and also saw combat, says the novel is not autobiographical, but there are truths in the story. “The Marine Corps is my family,” she explained. “And I wanted to write a book that was accurate and passionate.”

Halie Cooler is one happy local, born and bred. Her roots run deep, and her affection for the Lowcountry is a love story in motion. Her earliest memories are of being surrounded by the gorgeous Okatie River and her close-knit family. “It’s freedom when I’m near the water,” she says. “Being out here makes me realize how small I really am.”

I Love My Life: Because I have really learned to slow down and savor it. I love working hard, playing hard, and appreciating the smallest things brings me happiness like the view of my vegetable garden at sunset; the first sip of coffee in the morning; the colors of a thunderstorm against the bright green marsh grass in summer; romping around with my dog, Olive. Creating space for myself to slow down has really given me so much joy.

Stacey Canaday looks like a typical busy mom on any given Saturday: her hair’s in a ponytail, and she’s wearing shorts, a tee shirt and running shoes. We meet in her office on Bay Street, in a beautiful antebellum home at the foot of the bridge that houses the offices of Tupper, Grimsley, Dean, and Canaday, P.A. Attorneys at Law. Yes, this young mom is a partner in one of Beaufort’s oldest and most prestigious law firms. That alone is quite an accomplishment for the Beaufort native, who is also married and the mother of two boys. But wait! There’s more! She’s also Commodore of the Beaufort Water Festival this year. (July 13-22)

Beth Shipman is an icon in the Lowcountry. She is an easy going, fun and relaxed lady, who did an extraordinary thing to change Daufuskie Island, and the people she impacted will forever have a special place for her in their hearts. I got the chance to head over to Daufuskie, where Beth took me on a grand tour of the island via golf cart.

Beth was raised on Hilton Head Island in Sea Pines. She was a lively child, and loved where she lived—she new it was special. After graduating from the College of Charleston, she landed a job at the historic Melrose Plantation, and officially moved to Daufuskie in 1990 to settle down with her then husband Brian Shipman, a Haig Point boat captain.

Hometown: Long Beach, WA
Lives in: Levy, SC
Career: Author/Artist

I am the dubbed the “rambler” because… Over the last eight years I have slept in a hundred different beds. The year I decided to travel less, I wound up in all four corners of the country: South Florida, Maine almost to Canada, Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and the California/Arizona/Mexico line. In 2010, I forsook renting and started living out of my truck as a means to pursue writing and my spiritual path; in the early days, while brainstorming a title for the book I planned to write, I blurted out: “Ain’t a rambler’s life fine!” Had I known this would brand me for the next decade, I might have put more thought into it! Rambler’s Life has been an important phase of my career and personal development.

Danielle Breidung got bitten by the travel bug in seventh grade. Growing up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, Danielle’s family didn’t take vacations. “Since cows don’t take vacations, my family didn’t either,” she explained. She heard about a “People to People” travel program to Australia, and she begged her parents to just go to the information meeting. The cost of the trip was high, and her parents wisely said she would have to earn the money herself to go. She did, babysitting and whatever jobs and fundraisers a seventh grader could come up with. Thankfully her grandparents came through at the very last with the small amount needed to push her over the top. That summer trip before eighth grade changed her life.

Charlotte Holmes Murray has an amazing studio. It’s outside the city limits of Yemassee, SC, up SC Highway 68, over the railroad tracks, past the tiny Baptist church, down a dirt drive, and then poof! You’ve stepped into a magical place.

Her husband David, who is a master builder, built it for her. It’s a garden, cloister, party place, library, gallery, classroom and working studio all wrapped up in one. There are major themes in her works, each grouped together: Tickled Pink in Paris, Orchids, Nests, Broken into Beautiful, Happy Palms and Lowcountry Oysters, just to name a few. Her paintings are big, covering huge amounts of space, and even mounted on rolling display carts. And they are colorful! Pink and orange, green and bright yellow are everywhere. There’s also a sweet blue heeler dog, a dripping fountain out front and a piano.

Hometown: Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Lives in: Hilton Head Island
Married for: 13 years
Children: 8-year-old son
Career: Retired Graphic Artist, Self-Proclaimed Professional Athlete, Mom…oh yeah, and a “Rockstar!”

I love being a part of: the band The Chiggers; it’s a way to be creative. Music is a form of art, and performing is something I really enjoy. I love my band mates Roger, Pete and Krash—they’re an extension of my family. We laugh and argue, all the while appreciating each other’s talents. It’s a great mix of personalities, and we each have a specific role within the group. It’s not Jennifer and the band…we are The Chiggers. I couldn’t be successful without those three stooges.

Melissa Florence, owner of Farm City Flowers in Beaufort, could be described as the perfect flower child. With her lively and charming personality, Melissa welcomed me into her lovely flower boutique for our time together. Her passion for botany was obvious simply by the atmosphere in her store. Soft natural light filled the space, highlighting her beautiful red hair.  Melissa, originally from Ormond Beach, Florida, moved to Beaufort 18 years ago.  “It’s crazy, I’ll usually stay in touch with my brides and grooms, and I see them growing families now, I just see how time flies when you’re having fun.”

Vivian Galloway grew up in poverty in rural Rowland, NC. Her parents were farmers; she, the fourth of ten head of children. As bleak as her childhood was, it is the very foundation that sprouted her strong spirit. “I was determined farm life was not for me,” she said.

After graduating high school, Vivian moved to New York City seeking opportunity for a better career and life. One of the lessons engraved from impoverishment: Strive to be self-sufficient. Taking a job as a receptionist, she attended college classes at night. She also met William Allen Galloway from St. Helena, SC. They married and began a life together that would prove to be fruitful. And yes, self-sufficient.

For Senny Rose Powell, sewing and designing clothing comes as natural as breathing. She is named after her two grandmothers, Senny and Rose, both of whom who were master seamstresses in their day.  Grandmother Senny was a tailor in a men’s clothing store. Grandmother Rose fashioned and sewed all of young Senny’s mother’s clothing. It is no surprise Senny began sewing at a very young age. Except for grandmothers’ guidance for sewing simple Christmas ornaments, Senny inherently taught herself. She would purchase fabric and patterns and learn by trial and error. Along with her sewing and design talents, Senny’s entrepreneurial talents surfaced at an early age, too. While in middle school Senny began designing wardrobes for the popular Barbie-like Revlon dolls. She would take trips to Marshall Field’s Department store to purchase velvets and taffetas, make evening gowns, and then sell them to the moms in the neighborhood for their children’s dolls.

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” ~Dr. Seuss

Young, happy, fun, imaginative, passionate and charming. That’s how the Alford family describes their daughter and sister Ashley Young Melton. Ashley was suddenly taken away from her family and friends just one week after giving birth to her second baby, Adeline. Leaving behind her young husband Chris and her 2-year-old son Liam, Ashley was only 27 years old at the time, and by all accounts, healthy. Her family was shocked to learn she died from Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM). They were even more stunned to read the statistics and find out PPCM does not have to end in death. If Ashley and her family knew the signs of PPCM, she could be here today warning others.

Most would agree Regina Maguire Kirshbaum is a New Yorker. She is a native of  Ridgewood, Queens. And, she did have a long and storied career, in which she worked her way to the top of the fast-moving, high fashion industry in the City--her dream. She met her husband there, too. So in the strictest of terms, Regina is definitely a New Yorker. However, somewhere along this hard-core, driven, fashionista’s  path, she became an island girl. It turns out, Regina has a spirit for the exotic and a soul for the Lowcountry. Fact is, a flock of white birds gracefully flying over the morning marsh fills her soul more than garment racks whizzing down long corridors.

Hometowns: Miami, FL and Fairfax, SC
Lives in: Hilton Head Island, SC
Broker in Charge and Owner of Signature Real Estate Group, HHI

How does it feel to take the leap and open your own business?
I’m excited about opening my own real estate company, and with the vision I have to do great things in real estate, sometimes it’s hard to sleep at night! I have owned businesses from age 19 to 32. My first career was a salon owner, so this is not my first rodeo! I turned one salon into three. After the sale of the last business, I didn’t think I would do it again, but apparently God had another plan. So after some concerns and hang-ups, I’m actually excited!