In June 2021, Ryan and Jenna Woods made the difficult decision of leaving all they knew in Northern California to move to Austin, Texas. It had been a tough decision. It had been a tough year. Evelyn, the couple's firstborn, had been struggling with eating. For the past year and a half, she'd been in and out of hospitals, connected to feeding tubes, and even experienced organ failure. So, putting Evelyn's health first, they packed up all they had, said goodbye to family and friends, sold their business and home and moved to Austin to access the excellent care at Dell Children's Medical Center.
Soon, Evelyn was getting better, but the trauma of her illness caused her to go inward. Trying to establish a community, the Woods family decided to attend their local DIY-U Kids' Workshops by Lowe's.
It was a simple decision that turned out to be life-changing because they met Lowe's associate Norman O'Neal on that particular visit. Norman runs the DIY-U Kids' Workshops, and the moment he met Evelyn, he knew there was a special connection.
It’s like we’re almost like family. She’s part of us. She’s part of our Lowe’s.
The Woods started attending every session, and Norman and Evelyn became more and more familiar until it was what Evelyn most looked forward to every month. As the stacks of kids' projects grew at the Woods home, so did Evelyn's confidence. The toddler was coming out of her shell; her mom, Jenna, says it was thanks in no small part to Norman and his workshops.
He definitely has a certain aura about himself. He’s really passionate about what he does and you can see that. He has built such a sense of community not just with our family but everyone else. He took time out of his schedule and his workdays to make us feel welcome.
Norman went from being a total stranger to the Woods family just a year ago to becoming an integral part of their community and Evelyn's healing journey.
Now, at just about every DIY-U Kids' Workshop in Bee Cave, Texas, you will surely find a smiling Evelyn by Norman's side.
