“Karen was passionate about everything and everyone she cared about,
and that included Leap to Success. Once she committed, she was in for the count!
She loved Leap!” –Lauraine Esparza, Board Chair
Karen Nelson was a strong believer that sometimes the world gives you people who can help lift you up, and sometimes you have to rise for yourself. Both kinds of strength matter, and both can change your life.
Leap to Confidence® Class 122 was made possible by the generosity of Kate Nelson, daughter of our longtime (and treasured) supporter, Karen Nelson, who passed away in late 2024. Karen, a California native, mother of two, and United States Army veteran, served as an officer and a physical therapist during the Vietnam War and for many years after. That was a big deal back then because there weren’t a lot of female officers.
Many of Karen’s post-military patients were elderly people with broken hips and fall injuries. She would work to get them up and walking again, the way they were before the fall. She had a soft spot in her heart for helping people, particularly women who have been abused.
Why is this tribute so fitting?
In an interview in early 2024, Karen admitted to being one of the luckiest people in the world. She said, “When you’ve had it good, it is sad to see how bad it could have been if your circumstances had been different. I was fortunate to have people who cared about me. I always had someone I could run to. That built a foundation in me that cannot be broken.”
Karen was fiercely independent. She always knew who she was. Confidence wasn’t something she tried on; it was something she lived in. She never stopped learning. She was a voracious reader, always trying to improve herself but never pointing out what she was doing to that end. She just did it. What made Karen so special (and wonderful!) was that she was so supportive, always, always ready to jump in and help the people around her. She was a generous giver, but she was also thoughtful and discerning with her money.
She often spoke about Leap to Success’ mission. It was at the top of her list, and you could feel how deeply our work mattered to her. To look back at her life, it’s easy to see why she championed women the way she did, beginning with her daughter.
“Mom was always the one to say, ‘What do you need? I’m here to help.’ She was a stay-at-home mom until I was 16,” Kate said. “When I was in high school, she decided to go back to work. But before then, she was always involved with field trips, bake sales, and everything in between. I really appreciate everything she did when I was a kid. Of course, I didn’t appreciate it until I was grown up. Because of her example, I look at myself all the time and ask, ‘How can I be a better person?’”
What would Karen’s parting message be to Class 122?
Kate shares: “Mom would say, ‘Don’t take yourself too seriously, but take your relationships seriously. Your friendships and family are important. And never stop learning.’ She would also say, ‘I’m proud of you for taking the initiative to try and make your lives better.’”
For Karen, Leap to Success was more than just an organization. It was an ethos she believed in. In her own words: “Leap to Success is so important for women. Without Leap’s intervention in these women’s stories, these cycles of abuse would continue.”
“I hope these women [of Class 122] can see the strength they have in themselves,” Kate adds. “My wish for them is that they are safe and that they no longer have to worry about things that will knock them off their path … and that they do what makes them happy!”
