Today we’d like to introduce you to Athena Smith.
Hi Athena, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I have always loved flowers. I had a full-time work from home job when I moved to Charleston in 2012 but felt the need to get out and meet people. I applied for a part-time position at a local florist’s downtown in 2013 called Tiger Lily Florist. I was able to work with flowers under some very talented designers. They later moved me out to The Sanctuary on Kiawah to run their shop there and provide flowers throughout the hotel. When they decided to close that location, I continued to work for them downtown and provide arrangements for hotels and restaurants around downtown Charleston. I moved on to wedding design shortly after and fell in love with designing all over again. Event design is my favorite! I continued to work downtown with flowers for approximately 3-4 years. Cut to 2017 I was working as a pastry cook at Cassique out on Kiawah. I loved my job there but was approached by a friend inquiring if I would be interested in having my own flower shop at the Charleston City Market. It sounded like a dream come true. I immediately sought financing and was able to attain a small business loan with the LDC (now called the C.L.I.M.B. Fund). I secured the loan and went shopping to fill my store. Before I signed a long-term lease at the market I asked if I could have a 6-month trial first. The market committee agreed to that. The Charleston City market stays open 7 days a week 364 days a year (minus Christmas). I couldn’t really afford to hire anyone unless it was just for a few hours once or twice a week. I was exhausted and tourists were not buying flowers. I was hemorrhaging money. I told the market managers that Valentine’s Day 2018 would be my last day and it was. I did not give up though! I turned French Quarter Floral into an event-only floral company. I had recently moved in with my fiancé and was working out of the house. Honestly, I was happy to be done being a retail florist as I do not think I am cut out for retail. The year 2018 was not my best year but was way better than 2017. In 2019 things got busier and I welcomed my firstborn into the world. I had everything I ever wanted. Staying at home with my daughter, Lucy who I have wanted my whole life. Lucy’s dad, James, and I were doing great, he even gave me a private studio to work from. I was feeling like I actually finally found my happy place. Cut to 2020 the year started out great then Covid-19 hit. Suddenly, in March, my busy 2020 season was canceled. Everyone canceled and I completely understand why. Then April came along. For weeks I had been getting weird ocular migraines, and sinus headaches and I started feeling very depressed. I didn’t know what was wrong. I went to the doctor because I felt so weird. They told me it was likely related to crazy hormones and allergies. That made sense to me because I had just started to wean Lucy from breastfeeding and I had considered it might be allergies too. They prescribed be allergy medicine and sent me home.
Cut to a week or so later. James calls me around 2 pm and no answer so he comes by the house to make sure everything is okay. He finds me in passed out in bed still and Lucy in her crib. He said I wasn’t responding to him at all. He called his mom to come over and watch Lucy. He immediately took me to the emergency room where a nurse or doctor noticed one of my eyes wasn’t dilating. They sent me back for a CT scan and found a mass/ tumor on my brain. I had an emergency craniotomy that day to remove it. That was April 10, 2020. James was only allowed to drop me off at the emergency room and he had to leave because of the Covid mandates. I still have no recollection of the days leading up to the surgery or the day he took me in. This is all information I was given. I woke up from surgery earlier than the doctors and nurses had expected. My hands were tied to the bed and it felt like I couldn’t breathe because I had a breathing tube down my throat. I somehow was able to get the breathing tube out myself, ouch. I don’t know if it was the medication, they gave me or waking up in a situation I had no recollection of but I freaked out. I thought I had been kidnapped. I didn’t trust anyone. I stayed in the hospital for about 3 days. Finally, I knew that a tumor was removed from my brain. I knew my parents would be in town soon. I had already written the tumor off as benign and was glad it was out. I just wanted to move on with my life. Once I was home I got a call from my new oncologist (not knowing what an oncologist was at the time). He told me I needed to make my appointment with radiology as soon as possible! I said “why do I have cancer.? He said, “Yes, Athena you have cancer.” I don’t know how most people react to hearing that kind of news but I had never been so angry and devastated in my entire life. Statistically, if I was lucky, I would live 14 months with this cancer. My parents were now in town and I told my dad I didn’t want to know any more about it. He asked why and I told him I couldn’t handle the facts about this cancer that it was too much to bear. I was literally sick to my stomach about it.
Lucy wasn’t even 1 yet. I was devastated that she would never remember me or know me. I was devastated that I would leave her and never get to see her grow, go to school, get married etc. I was utterly heartbroken for my family, friends, and James. My dad said if he was sick, he would look it up and do every damn thing he could to fight it. It inspired me. I started reading stories about people who had the same cancer as me. Some of them are 10, 20, even 30 years out with it and doing great. Living normal lives. It was the first glimpse of hope I had. Hope can go a long way. I researched and tried to figure out why they lived and others didn’t. The one common denominator was that they all went beyond the standard of care. I went beyond the standard of care. My regimen is a little out there but it seems to be working. I hope it’s working as I feel great. As I write this my scans have come back clear and I go in for MRIs every 2 months. I am 21 months out. James and I got married (eloped) the day after my last day of radiation on June 23, 2020, on the beach. It was our 7-year anniversary. We had a simple ceremony on the beach with some friends and family. It is one of my best memories.
Jump to 2021 I am feeling good again and off chemo and radiation (still on my own protocol) and business is booming! I have had reschedules from 2020 and new weddings for 2021. This has been my best year to date and I look forward to continuing my business for years to come and being able to stay home with my beautiful 2.5-year-old daughter, Lucy. This next year is already filling up too! I started out not knowing anything about flower design and over the years kept working at it no matter what happened to me. I finally feel confident and happy in event floral design. It’s been a rough road but it has been worth it. Work hard and don’t ever give up.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Lack of Money Failed Retail Flower Shop
Covid-19 Pandemic
Brain Cancer
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in event floral design and I love the design process. Giving the bride or groom their dream wedding is what I’m most proud of. When a bride cries a little seeing her bouquet for the first time my heart grows a little bigger. I love being part of these couples’ biggest day. I can’t stop smiling just thinking about it. I really listen to what my clients want and try to make their floral wishes come true.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I am always up for a collaboration if I don’t have plans with my family or a wedding on the books. If you like my work on Instagram, please follow me and recommend me. Thank you.
Contact Info:
- Email: frenchquarterfloral@gmail.com
- Website: www.frenchquarterfloral.com
- Instagram: @frenchquarterfloral
- Facebook: French Quarter Floral
Image Credits
Catherine Ann Photography
Sara Bee Photography
Josh More House
French Quarter Floral
