Internet goodness: The Nie Nie auctions
Categories: In The News, Shopping
We're accustomed to hearing about all the horrible things the internet is capable of: online predators, scam sites, viral downloads, cyberstalking, anonymous meanness. But what we don't hear very often is the incredible good that can happen when the people behind all those keyboards are inspired to act.
Stephanie Nielson is the fun kind of mother who does things like marking the start of a new school by preparing a company-worthy dinner complete with good china, fancy glassware, roses, and handmade tiara for her daughters. She's also the well-liked blogger behind Nie Nie Dialogues, where she records life with four young children and the husband she's clearly still smitten with.
On August 16th, Stephanie, along with her beloved husband Christian, and pilot instructor, Doug Kinneard, were in a plane crash. Kinneard died from his injuries, Christian has burns over 30% of his body, and Stephanie, better known as Nie Nie on the internet, remains in a chemically induced coma while being treated for the burns that cover 80% of her body.
While relatives take turns caring for the Nielson children, bloggers and internet sellers of all types have sprung into action to raise money to attempt to off-set what are sure to be staggering medical expenses. Generous and amazing crafters have donated wonderful items to benefit the Nielsons, while others have used their computer skills to organize and list everything in a wonderfully organized manner.
It's not too early to think about that Christmas list, or upcoming baby arrivals or birthdays. Knowing that the money spent will help a family in need makes any gift purchased from a Nie Nie auction twice as wonderful and that's just not a feeling one gets from an Amazon.com purchase.
It's really wonderful to see the goodness pouring out of the internet in response to such a tragic event.
Update: Current auctions are now marked in red and say "Live", so there are still some great items available. Or if you'd like to make a donation, a gift of any increment can be made directly to their paypal account here:
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Christy 9-01-2008 @ 4:05PM
I thought my situration was bad, and have been feeling so hopeless, I have done something to my upper body that I thought ( and still hope is a tore shoulder muscle) and have been unable to do anything at all because of the pain, now the doctors are say it could be lung cancer....all I do is cry and feel sorry for myself...Then I read about this wonderful couple and feel bad that I thought "I" had it bad! God bless and keep these two people and I pray that they both make a full recovery......May God wrap his arms around you and keep you both safe....PLEASE keep me updated on this and I will keep them both in my prayers......AMEN!
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Colin Cody 9-01-2008 @ 7:22PM
Christy, about two years ago, my doctor told me that I might have lung cancer. I immediately began taking high doses of a safe substance called Serrapeptase (available inexpensively on the Internet) that I thought would dissolve the protective shield around the cancer and allow my immune system to destroy it. After further x-rays six weeks later, he determined that my lungs were then completely healthy. I do not know whether the Serrapeptase cured me or whether the original x-ray was faulty. Later, when a friend was diagnosed with bladder cancer, I told him about Serrapeptase but he declined to use it (foolishly in my view). I then began researching cancer treatments on the Internet and found three more that seem promising. Sadly, I found them only after my friend had died, but perhaps you can benefit from this information.
The first treatment is in Germany at seven clinics that use hi-tech machines to heat the patient's core body temperature to 105 degrees. This heat kills the cancer throughout the patient's body while they take a nap. The entire process is inexpensive compared to the cost of surgery, radiation and chemo which I consider to be largely quackery anyway. Both chemo and radiation actually cause cancer. President Reagan is said to have secretly used this method to cure his cancer. You will need to research where these heat treatment clinics are located exactly and contact them yourself if interested.
Another good one can be studied at http://.www.cancerfungus.com. An Italian oncologist by the name of Tulio Simoncini discovered that cancer is a fungus (actually Candida yeast) that can be destroyed by using a solution of bicarbonate of soda either injected into the cancer or getting it to the growth through the artery supplying the site with blood. The fungus is acid while the bicarbonate of soda is strongly alkaline and thus it thoroughly kills the fungus chemically without harming healthy tissue or the rest of the body in any way.
The final approach to treating cancer is that of Hulda Clark who wrote the book, "The Cure for All Cancers." She has a clinic somewhere in Mexico. I doubt that her method is expensive.
Farrah Fawcett Majors went to a clinic in Switzerland where they were able to cure her otherwise fatal cancer, and Suzanne Somers used the "mistletoe" cure she found in Germany. Best wishes for a complete cure very soon (Luke 9:23). There is no valid reason why anyone should die of cancer although 500,000 people do so annually because they ignorantly trust the incompetent cancer industry here in the US to save them as did my now dead friend, Steve.
dotty 9-01-2008 @ 8:58PM
Dear Christy my heart goes out to you. My family has had a tough year also. I feel like its hopeless, but then I started to look at life in moments, I have quite a few good moments now and then. Today hearing you thinking of someone else besides yourself gave me another good moment. Thank you for making me see this world has a lot of good people like you !!!!!
Liz 9-01-2008 @ 10:16PM
Christy, Please research a condition called Osler-Weber or HHT (two names for the same condition) This is a blood vessel condition that is OFTEN misdiagnosed as lung cancer because the blood vessels creat little knots that, on a cat scan or xray, look like a cancerous mass.
I had been tired for months, then one day I was hospitalized for shortness of breath and chest pains. The hospital took xrays and scans and they found a mass in each of my lungs.
THANKFULLY my mother arrived at the hospital and asked if the mass could be HHT. My mother had recently been given this diagnosis after a colonoscopy. The first H in HHT stands for Hereditary - that was why she asked if I could have it.
The doctors took a second look at the scans and said that my mother saved my life. Had she not mentioned HHT they would have tried to biopsy the spot. That means they would have ruptured the blood vessel knot with a needle thinking it was a mass and my lungs would have filled with blood; drowning me without being under water.
It is not a commonly known condition so self education is vital! And because the condition is not well known it is often misdiagnosed as cancer and or stress.
HHT is in fact so rare that the TV show "House" actually featured it as the mystery condition of the week in an episode called "top secret".
Please google HHT and compare what your feeling with what others with HHT have experienced. It might actualy help you breath easy.
Take care of yourself dear friend and chin up, by the looks of all the email responses you are getting, the angels are trying to reach you and wrap you in love and support.
Best wishes!
sheri 9-05-2008 @ 2:10PM
God Bless this whole family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. We're not wealthy by any means, but what ever we can do to help, please let us know.
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Ancileesboutique 9-01-2008 @ 5:48PM
I am in tears, and yt I am in ver hopeful that she will recover to see her children and husband/family and a to being a mother again. I sense she is very strong and she will fight all she can to regain what she can physically, to survive this tremendous fight she is fighting. God Bless her and the family, in my prayers..
In God, w/ Sisterly love,
Ancilee
I'm going to the auctions now to give support financially if I can.
May God lift you up on high and hold you in his hands and engulf you with his eternal love and healing. In God we pray and trust, In sweet Jesus' name, Amen.
Linda 9-01-2008 @ 5:24PM
Through tradgedy we find the true hearts of good people in our country. If the media would pay more attention to the good that is done instead of the bad we would all be better off. My prayers go out to this family. May God get them through this.
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marianne zito 9-01-2008 @ 5:40PM
I just read this tragic stroy my thoughts and prayers are with nie nie and her family marianne zito kissimmee fl
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beverly c 9-01-2008 @ 6:15PM
bless this family; my prayers and thoughts are with the entire family; I applaud her entire family for keeping her work up. I like amazon and never knew that nie nie had a foundation.. would love to help
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mark 9-01-2008 @ 6:37PM
Finally, some real news. Bittersweet yes, but a story the warms the heart knowing there are still soo many good people left in the world and leaves you full of compassion for this family. My thoughts are with them in this their time of need.
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ELEANOR 9-01-2008 @ 7:09PM
IF EVERYONE WOULD GIVE 1DOLLOR TO THIS WONDERFUL COUPLE FITING FOR THERE LIVES IT WOULD BE PLENY TO HELP THEM LETS ALL GIVE A FEW DOLLORS TO HELP AND GOD BLESS THEM AND THERE CHIRLDEN AND FAMILY
ELEANOR NEW JERSEY
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Pamela 9-01-2008 @ 8:37PM
My husband's best friend was a flight instructor who died in an airplane crash. He left a three month old daughter who is now 8 yrs old and we will never forget him. My thoughts go out to the family and I hope the mother survives- I will keep them all in my prayers
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jackie 9-01-2008 @ 8:54PM
My heart goes out to this family, but most of all, I am truly amazed and glad to see that there aren't any negative comments here. Too many times there are those who decide that they are going to use a story like this to find something wrong, or to blame it on Bush, or the Democrats, or the Republicans. Both things have renewed my faith in humanity!
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ubobnorma1 9-01-2008 @ 9:47PM
It is very refreshing to listen to the folks on this thread. I am a christian, not a bible pounder, just a quiet christian. Some of the oher tjreads are so full og bitterness and hate it is unreal. How can you wish someone dead because of their politics. Gog bless this family. My wife and I will be married 50 yeas next March, not wealthy, but blrssrd.
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jeff gargiulo 9-01-2008 @ 10:18PM
ok>God can't prevent tragedy,Bad things happen to Good people All the time,people dying all over all the time..I think it must be god's will whether someone dies or lives.I myself was the victim of a bad car accident last september,i lost a new truck but i came out of it unscathed,i still feel the loss of the truck as i cannot replace it and somehow i can't get over the fact that it happened,i've driven for 30 yrs and never an accident like this,i guess i have to be thankful my limbs are still intact..We all lose in this life whether rich or poor,we have to be thankful to god above all that were getting by and hopefully healthy,if not then have faith as Christ said i am the resurrection and the life,whosoever believe in me though they are dead yet shall they live(i believe this as we must hold fast to faith if we are to ever see our loved one's again)and no i totally do not endorse televangelest's or catholic priests as they have made a total mockery of christianity....thanks for letting me vent and we will keep this family in our prayers...jeff.g.
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Barbara Loden 9-02-2008 @ 4:14AM
It is not GOD's will that anything happen to us or his will we get better.
He set free will into action in the beginning. We are responsible for our lives.
He does not make bad things happen or good things.
He is not a GOD of vengence. He would have to be if made the mother in Florida kill her daughter.
Stuff just happens.
Faith can heal not GOD! Faith makes you open to the healing!
ann 9-10-2008 @ 3:32PM
My best wishes and prayers for the family.
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yvette 9-02-2008 @ 2:24AM
wow i will pray for them their family and all the wonderful people who are there for them wish i could do more but til i can i pray
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