Stork Handler Central founder Bobbi Daniels recently accomplished a professional milestone she wasn’t sure would happen. Six years ago, Bobbi was preparing to graduate from Temple University with a degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management.
She and her husband had worked tirelessly to pay off her tuition each quarter, alleviating the risk of going into substantial debt. But 10 days before her final term, tuition was due, and Bobbi received an unwelcome medical diagnosis: infertility.
“The cost of doing the first round of tests and medications equaled about what was in our bank account to pay for my last term of college,” Bobbi said. “I made the decision to risk it—I chose my possible child, rather than the concrete piece of paper I had worked so hard for the previous four years.”
It was a gut feeling Bobbi and her husband decided to take. While she was still allowed to walk across the commencement stage in May of 2015, she wouldn’t receive her degree until the last quarter was paid for. What would potential employers think? Was this the right decision? In her heart, Bobbi knew that the infertility treatments might be a long and expensive journey, but growing their family was the number one priority. She knew what she had to do.
“I remember walking across the stage at graduation, afraid yet determined. I was full of hope and possibility and terrified that my next employer might need that paper that I would not be able to provide. Sometimes, we make decisions based on hard evidence, and sometimes we have to follow our gut. I chose the latter. “
It turns out Bobbi’s intuition was the smart move. Her potential employers, the ones who were the right fit, understood her situation. And when the infertility diagnosis resulted in heartbreak, a devastating miscarriage, followed by a miracle, the birth of her now 3-year-old daughter Adia, she decided to make the switch and start her own business.
On Friday, July 30, 2021, Bobbi received that coveted piece of paper from Temple University. It was a day the Daniels family is sure to remember forever.
“After fearlessly chasing the motherhood I wanted and once dreamed of, my diploma is paid, and my storks paid for it,” Bobbi said. “My daughter sat on my lap as I celebrated the accomplishment. Somehow, this day feels much more special than the day I graduated. ”
Bobbi’s story is a testimony to following your dreams, no matter the odds. She reminds us to chase what’s ours, even when the hard evidence isn’t there. “Let your heart be your roadmap and your grit be your muscle,” she said.
Ready to make your dreams come true as a Stork Handler? Contact us today!