TAMPA, Fla. – A South Tampa artist is using her talents to paint a small helmet that will be needed to help protect 5-year-old Laine Nipper’s head as she recovers from viral meningitis and severe encephalitis.
It’s the latest way friends, family and even strangers in the Nipper family’s community are coming together in prayer, support and creativity.
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What we know:
Laine has been hospitalized for exactly one month after swelling in her brain forced doctors to perform emergency surgery.
Her parents, Danielle and Doug Nipper, remain focused entirely on her recovery and are not yet speaking publicly. Family friend Lindsey Baskind has been sharing updates on their behalf, calling the past several weeks “one of the worst storms and periods of life” the family has ever faced.
Pictured: Laine Nipper.
This week brought a breakthrough: Baskind said Laine recently opened her eyes, something she described as a powerful moment for everyone who has been praying for her.
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“Miracles have continued to be worked and Laine has shown some signs of waking up,” Baskind said.
Dig deeper:
As part of her recovery, Laine will soon need a helmet to protect her healing head. When the family saw the plain brown helmet she would receive, they knew it didn’t match Laine’s personality.
“They know that Laine is a girly girl, she has a spunky little personality and that wasn’t fitting for her,” Baskind said.
Tampa artist Meg Britten, who knows the family through their kids’ baseball team, felt the same way.
Pictured: Laine Nipper.
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“I just had that immediate maternal instinct and thought, ‘oh my gosh, what can we do to help this family?’” Britten said.
She volunteered to transform the helmet into something beautiful, painting a soft floral tapestry featuring Laine’s favorite colors.
“I hope that this will bring a lot of joy, that it will kind of spark a little smile when she sees her favorite colors, and she sees pretty flowers and pretty greenery,” she said.
With every brushstroke, Britten said she is thinking about the kind of peace the Nipper family needs right now.
“I don’t want it to be too bright or too overwhelming. I want it really peaceful,” she said. “Anything that can lessen the weight of all the things that she’s going through.”
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Local perspective:
Across South Tampa, meanwhile, support continues to pour in. Hundreds of Pray for Laine yard signs still line streets and storefronts. Baskind said the Nippers feel every ounce of that love.
Doctors recently determined the likely cause of Laine’s encephalitis. She tested positive for an autoimmune condition called MOGAD, or Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease, which can cause the immune system to attack parts of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
What we don’t know:
The family has not shared details about Laine’s long-term prognosis, but they’re confident she’ll be able to begin rehabilitation in the coming weeks or months.
What’s next:
Britten plans to finish the floral helmet this week, so Laine can wear it once doctors give the approval.
Community members said they will continue showing support and praying for progress. Laine’s journey can be followed on the family’s CaringBridge page.
The Source: Information for this story came from interview with Lindsey Baskind, a family friend of the Nippers, and Meg Britten, a South Tampa artist.