My Mom, Helene Agorastos Rose, was born in Galveston to a working class immigrant 
family. At the young age of 13 her bust-line had developed to a D cup; and consequently she spent many years pining for a smaller bust-line, one that was easier to fit in stylish clothing. Suffering from an absent mother, Mom had no one in her life to offer guidance about bras, shirts, breast health, etc. She graduated high school in 1958 and went to the University of North Texas to study Fashion Design, where she didn't enjoy all the extra attention from men that came with her nice rack. Mom's picture is the middle one on the top banner of the home page, the head shot in the ruffle blouse.
To say that my Mom was my best friend would not be an understatement. Although she struggled being a single mom in Dallas and working two jobs, she never complained about it. When I was in college we corresponded weekly, and she came to visit me in all my strange travels. She termed us 'running buddies'. She was kind to me, never saying critical things about me (or my figure), she believed in me, telling me I could do anything, and she was proud of me, continually saying I was smart, beautiful, etc. What more could one want in a Mama?
You can imagine my devastation when, going to pick up Mom to come to the childen's swim class with us, I found her dead body. Eight months pregnant with my fourth child, I ran down the apartment stairs back to the truck to tell the children, "something's happened to Mamaw". I'll spare you the emotional details, lets suffice it to say that was the longest afternoon, evening, and night of my life. After the coroner's autopsy we learned she suffered a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
You can imagine my devastation when, going to pick up Mom to come to the childen's swim class with us, I found her dead body. Eight months pregnant with my fourth child, I ran down the apartment stairs back to the truck to tell the children, "something's happened to Mamaw". I'll spare you the emotional details, lets suffice it to say that was the longest afternoon, evening, and night of my life. After the coroner's autopsy we learned she suffered a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
Through the next several months as I mourned our family's loss, I realized that if GOD can walk me through a nightmare, He can walk me through a dream as well. Thus, when I received the proceeds from Mom's Home Depot 401(k), I decided to use them to start Bratique Helene. Bratique Helene is both a dream of mine and an homage to my best friend whom I know looks down on me and says "YOU GO GIRL".
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