A Rotorua woman has found a new lease on life after a brain injury had her questioning her path — and led to a booming business.
Debs Brockelsby was working her "dream job" at Cycling New Zealand and loved getting out and about when she took a blow to the head.
"I couldn't cross a road by myself. I was reliant on people to do everything for me. I couldn't regulate my emotions," she told Seven Sharp.
"I was like 'no filter Debs'. I was an awful human and then a lovely human.
"I've never been in such a dark place in my life."
But through it all, Brockelsby clung to a single phrase — "life is short".
"For me, that meant quitting my job, starting my own business and more like, owning my life, I guess," she explained.
So she started sewing, saying "how hard could it be?" even though she "hadn't sewn since school".
Brockelsby is now the founder of StokedNZ, which makes 'towelies'.
Towelies are "hooded towel ponchos" which are "wide enough that you can get changed inside of it", Brockelsby said.
"And then after a swim or whatever, you can dry yourself as well, so it's a wearable towel.
"It blew up — it was nuts."
The business has expanded its product range to include everything from tie dye kits and blankets since it was founded in 2017.
They're now stocked in 80 countries across Australasia.
The secret — they're all made with super soft, absorbent Turkish cotton.
Brockelsby said while she was unsure if she believed that "things happen for a reason", she was thankful for where her journey has led her.
"I had a terrible experience but without that, I wouldn't be where I am now because it literally changed by path," she said.
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