A well-known small business owner in Jacksonville, beloved for her lemonade and presence at community events, has a long road to recovery after a devastating accident.<\/p>\n
Chef Lorna Lopez, known across the city as \u201cThat Lemonade Lady,\u201d was electrocuted in January while preparing to open a new location, according to her family.<\/p>\n
For years, Lopez built a loyal following at farmers’ markets and pop-up events, where customers lined up for what many described as the best lemonade in town, along with cold-pressed juices and New York-style food. She was a familiar face at the Beach Boulevard Flea Market and on Moncrief Road.<\/p>\n
Lopez had been preparing to open her third location, a community kitchen and market called Yellow Bodega in Springfield, when the incident happened.<\/p>\n
Her daughter, Jaila Wyche, said Lopez was setting up the space when she was shocked by a faulty stove, suffering a high-voltage electrical injury.<\/p>\n
Wyche said the incident caused severe medical complications, including seizures, a stroke and long-term neurological damage.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like we\u2019re grieving a lot of things at once,\u201d Wyche said. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen anything like this in our own personal lives before.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without sufficient insurance and facing mounting medical bills, the family has been forced to shut down all three of Lopez\u2019s business locations.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s the brain power behind everything, and with her being in critical condition, it\u2019s not possible for her to run any of her locations,\u201d Wyche said.<\/p>\n
25-year-old Jaila Wyche said she left film school in Los Angeles to return home and care for her mother and her 15-year-old brother.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m overwhelmed. I\u2019m split in so many different directions,\u201d she said. \u201cEverything\u2019s closed, there\u2019s no sign, there\u2019s no nothing, and I\u2019m trying my best to talk to customers. My brother, he\u2019s autistic, so he\u2019s taking it really, really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges, Wyche said the family has been encouraged by an outpouring of support from the community Lopez helped build.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s always been an extremely peaceful person and she believes that prayer makes all the difference,\u201d Wyche said. \u201cShe\u2019s like a superwoman, and she has always bounced back from literally anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Lopez begins what her family describes as a long road to recovery, they are asking for continued prayers and support.<\/p>\n