Keewaydin Island (Florida)
In this personal account, alumna Debi Brown reflects on the well-worn Wilmington University jacket that accompanied her through decades of learning, service and adventure.
In the spring of 1990, I was sitting in an English class at Wilmington College’s New Castle campus on a cold, rainy day. I couldn’t shake the chill, so during a break, I wandered into the bookstore. There it was — a navy, oversized Wilmington College (it was “college” then) windbreaker for $35.
At the time, $35 wasn’t an easy splurge. I was married, with a young son at home, and every dollar was spoken for. Still, I decided to buy it — not as a luxury, but to get through class without shivering. I never imagined that jacket would stay with me for decades, carrying me through so many of life’s milestones.
Through Education and Career
That jacket was with me as I balanced work and studies, finishing my associate degree in Respiratory Therapy at California College for Health Sciences back when Delaware had no formal respiratory therapy programs. My classes arrived by snail mail, and I completed my clinical skills training with local instructors while working full time at Milford Memorial Hospital and Kent General Hospital, now part of Bayhealth. I also worked part time at Beebe Medical Center, now Beebe Healthcare, and later at Christiana Hospital, part of ChristianaCare.
The jacket was there through some of the most difficult seasons of my life. While completing my master’s degree at WilmU, I searched for my father during a cold rainstorm after he went missing. He was later found at Killens Pond, where he had taken his own life, likely carrying wounds from his military service that never fully healed. Just a year later, I unexpectedly lost my mother as well. Looking back, I still don’t know how I managed to keep moving forward during that time. What I do know is that my professors showed extraordinary kindness and support, helping me persevere through challenges that seemed impossible to carry alone.
That jacket kept me dry after rainy daycare pickups and warm on evening runs with coworkers after long hospital shifts.
Over time, I proudly wore it to celebrate my Bachelor of Science degree in 2007 and my MBA in Health Care Administration in 2009, both from WilmU. I was also honored to receive the Service Award at graduation. I later finished my career at Lee Health in Fort Myers, Florida, after 41 years of service in respiratory therapy.
Looking back, WilmU was more than a place where I earned my degrees — it was a place that encouraged me to believe that my goals were achievable, no matter my age or circumstances.
Adventures Near and Far
That jacket has weathered more storms than I can count — Sandy, Irma, Idalia, and the devastating Ian among them — often zipped tight as I ran into the hospital to care for patients.
It has followed me far beyond those rainy hospital entrances. I wore it through Europe, from Paris and Monet’s Gardens to the Rhine River and Dover, England. It came with me to Hawaii, where I hiked rainforest trails, visited Pearl Harbor, stood on volcanic ground, and climbed to Diamond Head. In Alaska, it was there when I met my first grandchild, Ian, explored Denali National Park, and biked through Anchorage.
In Greece, it wandered cobblestone streets and sailed between islands with me. When the zipper finally broke, I added an evil-eye charm — a small repair that became part of its story. In South America, it traveled by dugout canoe to an Emberá Indian Village.
It has also come with me through the Caribbean, from Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao to Saint Martin, St. Thomas, Barbados, Jamaica, Grand Turk, Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts, Saint Lucia, Trinidad, and many more stops along the way. I recently added Italy, Nebraska, and Iowa to my list of adventures. I now have just eight states remaining on my journey to visit all 50 states, and I’m already looking forward to my next trip to Japan.
A Jacket’s Second Life
When I retired in 2020, my jacket came with me to volunteer shifts at Lakes Park Botanical Gardens, through kitten-fostering seasons, and on local adventures.
It has even seen me launch Frays and Fabulous, LLC, my online Etsy business upcycling clothing into new designs — a dream I envisioned decades ago during my undergraduate program, when I set a goal to start a business at age 65.
Retirement didn’t slow me down. Through volunteer work and the encouragement to continue pursuing lifelong goals, I also became a children’s author, publishing “My Little Rusty Oliver.” Like my business, writing a book was another dream that began years earlier when I first wrote down my goals during a Wilmington University writing course. Looking back, it is remarkable how many of those dreams eventually became reality.
The core fabric of this jacket is still strong, even after countless washes. To most, it’s just a well-worn piece of university apparel. To me, it’s a life jacket — one that has kept me warm through challenges and achievements and has accompanied me to nearly every corner of the globe.
Some people collect souvenirs. I collected goals. One by one, I turned them into memories.
The list isn’t finished. One final dream remains from that original list of goals: to visit China at age 92. And yes, the jacket will be packed for that adventure, too.
—Debi Brown
Debi Brown, a retired respiratory therapist, lives in Fort Myers, Florida, with her husband, Ray. She volunteers with botanical gardens and animal services, fosters kittens, runs Frays and Fabulous, LLC, and is the author of “My Little Rusty Oliver.”
Want to read more in-depth stories? Explore our latest magazine articles.
Keewaydin Island (Florida)
In this personal account, alumna Debi Brown reflects on the well-worn Wilmington University jacket that accompanied her through decades of learning, service and adventure.
In the spring of 1990, I was sitting in an English class at Wilmington College’s New Castle campus on a cold, rainy day. I couldn’t shake the chill, so during a break, I wandered into the bookstore. There it was — a navy, oversized Wilmington College (it was “college” then) windbreaker for $35.
At the time, $35 wasn’t an easy splurge. I was married, with a young son at home, and every dollar was spoken for. Still, I decided to buy it — not as a luxury, but to get through class without shivering. I never imagined that jacket would stay with me for decades, carrying me through so many of life’s milestones.
Through Education and Career
That jacket was with me as I balanced work and studies, finishing my associate degree in Respiratory Therapy at California College for Health Sciences back when Delaware had no formal respiratory therapy programs. My classes arrived by snail mail, and I completed my clinical skills training with local instructors while working full time at Milford Memorial Hospital and Kent General Hospital, now part of Bayhealth. I also worked part time at Beebe Medical Center, now Beebe Healthcare, and later at Christiana Hospital, part of ChristianaCare.
The jacket was there through some of the most difficult seasons of my life. While completing my master’s degree at WilmU, I searched for my father during a cold rainstorm after he went missing. He was later found at Killens Pond, where he had taken his own life, likely carrying wounds from his military service that never fully healed. Just a year later, I unexpectedly lost my mother as well. Looking back, I still don’t know how I managed to keep moving forward during that time. What I do know is that my professors showed extraordinary kindness and support, helping me persevere through challenges that seemed impossible to carry alone.
That jacket kept me dry after rainy daycare pickups and warm on evening runs with coworkers after long hospital shifts.
Over time, I proudly wore it to celebrate my Bachelor of Science degree in 2007 and my MBA in Health Care Administration in 2009, both from WilmU. I was also honored to receive the Service Award at graduation. I later finished my career at Lee Health in Fort Myers, Florida, after 41 years of service in respiratory therapy.
Looking back, WilmU was more than a place where I earned my degrees — it was a place that encouraged me to believe that my goals were achievable, no matter my age or circumstances.
Adventures Near and Far
That jacket has weathered more storms than I can count — Sandy, Irma, Idalia, and the devastating Ian among them — often zipped tight as I ran into the hospital to care for patients.
It has followed me far beyond those rainy hospital entrances. I wore it through Europe, from Paris and Monet’s Gardens to the Rhine River and Dover, England. It came with me to Hawaii, where I hiked rainforest trails, visited Pearl Harbor, stood on volcanic ground, and climbed to Diamond Head. In Alaska, it was there when I met my first grandchild, Ian, explored Denali National Park, and biked through Anchorage.
In Greece, it wandered cobblestone streets and sailed between islands with me. When the zipper finally broke, I added an evil-eye charm — a small repair that became part of its story. In South America, it traveled by dugout canoe to an Emberá Indian Village.
It has also come with me through the Caribbean, from Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao to Saint Martin, St. Thomas, Barbados, Jamaica, Grand Turk, Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts, Saint Lucia, Trinidad, and many more stops along the way. I recently added Italy, Nebraska, and Iowa to my list of adventures. I now have just eight states remaining on my journey to visit all 50 states, and I’m already looking forward to my next trip to Japan.
A Jacket’s Second Life
When I retired in 2020, my jacket came with me to volunteer shifts at Lakes Park Botanical Gardens, through kitten-fostering seasons, and on local adventures.
It has even seen me launch Frays and Fabulous, LLC, my online Etsy business upcycling clothing into new designs — a dream I envisioned decades ago during my undergraduate program, when I set a goal to start a business at age 65.
Retirement didn’t slow me down. Through volunteer work and the encouragement to continue pursuing lifelong goals, I also became a children’s author, publishing “My Little Rusty Oliver.” Like my business, writing a book was another dream that began years earlier when I first wrote down my goals during a Wilmington University writing course. Looking back, it is remarkable how many of those dreams eventually became reality.
The core fabric of this jacket is still strong, even after countless washes. To most, it’s just a well-worn piece of university apparel. To me, it’s a life jacket — one that has kept me warm through challenges and achievements and has accompanied me to nearly every corner of the globe.
Some people collect souvenirs. I collected goals. One by one, I turned them into memories.
The list isn’t finished. One final dream remains from that original list of goals: to visit China at age 92. And yes, the jacket will be packed for that adventure, too.
—Debi Brown
Debi Brown, a retired respiratory therapist, lives in Fort Myers, Florida, with her husband, Ray. She volunteers with botanical gardens and animal services, fosters kittens, runs Frays and Fabulous, LLC, and is the author of “My Little Rusty Oliver.”
Want to read more in-depth stories? Explore our latest magazine articles.
