How becoming paralyzed gave me a super power

Dear Friend,

Two weeks before I was paralyzed and almost died, I was laying rebar into a house foundation in blazing-hot August weather. I looked up at the sky and wondered:

“When am I going to be able to transition part-time or full-time to Tiny and Snail?”

My older sister Grace and I had started Tiny and Snail just a year earlier — designing greeting cards together after years of sharing a love for words and art.

Back then, it was still a side hustle — but one we hoped to grow into something more.

Then came the plot twist I never saw coming.
While I was at my day job building a house, a telehandler — a 22,000 lb. machine — FELL ON ME while we were putting up rafters. (I had been on the ground, holding on to the guide rope.) 

When I woke up in the hospital — monitors beeping, unable to speak or wiggle my toes — I got my answer about when I’d leave my construction job: effective immediately. 

I was completely and permanently paralyzed from the chest down.

When the doctors told me I was paralyzed, I spelled the only question that mattered into my sister Grace’s hand:

C A N I S T I L L D R A W ?

The answer was yes. And that meant everything.

At first, the story felt too weird to be true:

• A woman obsessed with drawing since the age of 3.
• A woman who also loved building houses.
• A telehandler falling just so — paralyzing my torso and legs, but sparing my brain and hands.
• I scraped out alive, but just barely.

I spent 29 days in the ICU. In some ways, it felt like greeting-card designer boot camp. My life had been shattered open, and all I had was art, words, and the people who showed up for me.

But oh how they showed up. 😍

Grace sent out a call on Instagram to our small but mighty band of followers. Waves of snail mail started flooding in: encouraging notes, handwritten prayers, cards filled with so much beauty and light. Some from people I knew, some from strangers. 

These cards and packages poured into my hospital room and reminded me that life can still be beautiful, even in the darkest hours.

Not everyone is so lucky. 

But for me, in that hospital bed, I felt super lucky. I was alive. I was loved.  And I realized: I could finally be a full-time artist.

At least, when I had the time — because being a paraplegic is definitely a part-time job. 😬

In the seven years since we began, people have told us again and again: "No other cards have captured what I’m feeling as perfectly as yours do."

We believe that’s because these cards come from a place of lived experience: of beauty AND pain, resilience, and the sacredness of being alive.

After nearly dying and living with the daily challenges of paralysis and nerve pain, I’ve come to understand just how fragile life is.

And that makes expressing love, grief, celebration — everything — feel more urgent and more needed.

As musician Andy Grammer says, “Your biggest hardship is your superpower — because it gives you empathy.”

That’s the heart behind our cards. They’re written and illustrated with tenderness, honesty, and depth — for people who want to connect in a way that feels real instead of cheesy.

These cards are for those who feel deeply and want their words to carry weight.

For my kids, myself, and our community, it’s my dream for Tiny and Snail to be as sustainable as possible: emotionally, creatively, and environmentally. 

I want to be doing this work for the rest of my life because I truly believe that, as humble as a handwritten note might be, each card has the power to change the future.  

I believe the mission of Tiny and Snail is why my life was spared. (Ok, maybe along with becoming a mom. :) 

As a paraplegic, I’m well aware that we don’t know how long we have here. None of us do. But I do know I want to spend that time making art. Telling stories. Creating connection. 

That’s what this newsletter is all about:
Sharing life — the ups and the downs — and using art and words to bridge the space between us. 

My hope is that we can help you reach out more to the people in your life. Whether you use a handmade card, a plain piece of paper, or one of ours, the act of writing to each other is powerful.    

We’re here to inspire you to live a more beautiful, connected life.  

That’s what Tiny and Snail is all about. 💛

P.S. Our Encouragement Cards and our Sympathy Cards are specifically the cards I know I wouldn't be creating without my spinal cord injury. If you know someone who needs some sympathy or encouragement, check out our options. Hopefully, you find a good card for them in our selection!

P.P.S. Have you experienced something that has helped you connect more deeply with others? I'd love to hear what your hard thing is and if it's made you a more empathetic person. (Or comment however you wish!)