Nikki believed deeply in purpose.

Even through her own illness and unimaginable loss, she continued to listen, to learn, and to reach toward others. As a licensed clinical professional counselor, she understood the importance of being heard—but her greatest lessons often came simply from the way she lived.

She taught me that pain did not have to be the end of the story. “Mom, find a purpose, and you will find the joy,” she would tell me. Those words became a compass.

Today, her mission continues—not because she planned it this way, but because of what she left behind:

Compassion. Courage. Purpose. And the belief that even through our darkest moments, we can still find a way to bring light to someone else.