Latest news with #Hymel
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
How a Hurricane Katrina victim is helping the smallest survivors of the Texas floods
Most people don't expect Mimi Hymel to remember Hurricane Katrina. After all, she was only 3 when the Category 5 storm slammed into her Louisiana home in 2005. But nearly 20 years later, as Hymel watched news of the floodwaters inundating Texas Hill Country and saw the harrowing images of destruction from Camp Mystic, she said those memories came back with sharp clarity. She can still recall the moment her family decided they couldn't ride out Katrina and the sinking feeling she felt as her mom placed Hymel and her sister in their car and drove away, leaving their dad behind to work at a nearby hospital. But most of all, Hymel said, she remembers how she struggled to fall asleep for days after they escaped the storm because she didn't have her favorite stuffed animal. 'I just had no idea if my dad was OK or even coming home at all,' she recalled. 'I had a teddy bear named Cuddles that I didn't get to take in the car with me. In a scary time like that, I really wanted it for comfort.' Indeed, the importance of these plush companions was apparent as the floodwaters began seeping through the Chatterbox cabin at Camp Mystic, prompting a 9-year-old to offer her top bunk as a safe place for campers to store their stuffies during the storm. Hymel said the trauma of escaping a natural disaster has a way of changing you. But all these years later, she's found a way of channeling her experience during Katrina into helping today's youngest survivors. Gifting comfort in a crisis In the immediate aftermath of Katrina, Hymel said there was no shortage of local organizations and kind neighbors who tried to meet her family's immediate needs for food, clothes and shelter. But as a child, she said she struggled to process such dramatic and rapid change. 'When we finally did get back to our house, everything was destroyed,' she recalled. And Cuddles had been lost to the floodwaters. Studies have long shown blankets or stuffed animals can help children adapt to unfamiliar or distressing situations and they become even more important when a child is processing grief. Although the family ultimately resettled in Texas, as she grew older, Hymel said she noticed how some first responders or families would share photos of stuffed animals they recovered after a disaster. 'I was once that child so it's always just emotional seeing those photos,' she said. 'I realized that kids experience disasters a little bit differently, so relief needs to work a little differently for them too.' That realization sparked Hymel to mobilize after catastrophes, coordinating with local businesses to host donation drives for stuffies and then partnering with first responders and other organizations to help distribute the plush toys in the aftermath of a tragedy. After the success of her early donation efforts, Hymel founded Comfort Bears in a Catastrophe. The nonprofit not only provides kids with a new stuffed animal after a crisis, but they also connect families to mental health resources. Each stuffed animal is tagged with a card offering free crisis counseling through the national Disaster Distress Helpline, which offers children and their families help navigating traumatic events. As interest in her work grew, so did the need. From the Miami Surfside condo collapse to the destructive fires in Maui and Los Angeles and countless floods and tornadoes, these days the steady drumbeat of disasters has been relentless, Hymel said. And so far, the nonprofit has donated more than 50,000 stuffed animals to children in need, Hymel said. She has also written a series of children's books called 'Miss Prepared and Captain Ready.' 'It teaches them important skills to know if a disaster were to hit, but it also encourages kids to get involved in their own way,' she said. But nothing, Hymel added, can compare to the joy of seeing a child receive a new stuffed animal and finding a sense of comfort in the midst of a crisis. 'After Hurricane Ian, I was able to donate to the hospital I was actually born in,' Hymel said. 'That was just kind of full circle.' Children helping children From her home in Houston earlier this month, Annie Gully and her daughter watched as reports of flooding in the Texas Hill Country grew more dire by the hour. A close friend, she later learned, lost her niece, 8-year-old Blakely McCrory, in the floodwaters at Camp Mystic. 'It's just unfathomable to even wrap your head around something like this happening,' she said. 'You kind of have to go through the sadness and then you're like, 'OK, what can we do to help.'' Gully, who owns Tree House Arts and Crafts, a local children's art studio, said over the years she's seen how a child's favorite stuffed animal can become like a family member. So, when her daughter suggested a donation drive for kids, she leaped at the idea. She reached out to Comfort Bears on social media and within hours they had a game plan. Gully's donation drive was covered on the local news and 'that day alone, I think we collected 600' stuffed animals, she said. After three days they received more than 1,100 donations to be distributed throughout the state. 'Children don't really have an outlet to help' after a crisis, Gully said. 'You could tell their parents had explained to them that other kids have lost their lovies and how sad would it be if you lost your(s).' Gully is also selling 'Mystic Strong' artwork, and the proceeds will be donated to charity in honor of McCrory and the other lives lost at Camp Mystic. 'I feel like every time you turn on the news, there's just something worse that you hear about,' Gully said. But, she added, watching her community come together to donate comfort to the smallest victims of the floods in Kerr County has given her a reason to hope. 'No one cares who you are, what you look like or who you voted for,' she said, 'We're all just doing things together to help.'
CNN
4 days ago
- General
- CNN
How a Hurricane Katrina victim is helping the smallest survivors of the Texas floods
Most people don't expect Mimi Hymel to remember Hurricane Katrina. After all, she was only 3 when the Category 5 storm slammed into her Louisiana home in 2005. But nearly 20 years later, as Hymel watched news of the floodwaters inundating Texas Hill Country and saw the harrowing images of destruction from Camp Mystic, she said those memories came back with sharp clarity. She can still recall the moment her family decided they couldn't ride out Katrina and the sinking feeling she felt as her mom placed Hymel and her sister in their car and drove away, leaving their dad behind to work at a nearby hospital. But most of all, Hymel said, she remembers how she struggled to fall asleep for days after they escaped the storm because she didn't have her favorite stuffed animal. 'I just had no idea if my dad was OK or even coming home at all,' she recalled. 'I had a teddy bear named Cuddles that I didn't get to take in the car with me. In a scary time like that, I really wanted it for comfort.' Indeed, the importance of these plush companions was apparent as the floodwaters began seeping through the Chatterbox cabin at Camp Mystic, prompting a 9-year-old to offer her top bunk as a safe place for campers to store their stuffies during the storm. Hymel said the trauma of escaping a natural disaster has a way of changing you. But all these years later, she's found a way of channeling her experience during Katrina into helping today's youngest survivors. In the immediate aftermath of Katrina, Hymel said there was no shortage of local organizations and kind neighbors who tried to meet her family's immediate needs for food, clothes and shelter. But as a child, she said she struggled to process such dramatic and rapid change. 'When we finally did get back to our house, everything was destroyed,' she recalled. And Cuddles had been lost to the floodwaters. Studies have long shown blankets or stuffed animals can help children adapt to unfamiliar or distressing situations and they become even more important when a child is processing grief. Although the family ultimately resettled in Texas, as she grew older, Hymel said she noticed how some first responders or families would share photos of stuffed animals they recovered after a disaster. 'I was once that child so it's always just emotional seeing those photos,' she said. 'I realized that kids experience disasters a little bit differently, so relief needs to work a little differently for them too.' That realization sparked Hymel to mobilize after catastrophes, coordinating with local businesses to host donation drives for stuffies and then partnering with first responders and other organizations to help distribute the plush toys in the aftermath of a tragedy. After the success of her early donation efforts, Hymel founded Comfort Bears in a Catastrophe. The nonprofit not only provides kids with a new stuffed animal after a crisis, but they also connect families to mental health resources. Each stuffed animal is tagged with a card offering free crisis counseling through the national Disaster Distress Helpline, which offers children and their families help navigating traumatic events. As interest in her work grew, so did the need. From the Miami Surfside condo collapse to the destructive fires in Maui and Los Angeles and countless floods and tornadoes, these days the steady drumbeat of disasters has been relentless, Hymel said. And so far, the nonprofit has donated more than 50,000 stuffed animals to children in need, Hymel said. She has also written a series of children's books called 'Miss Prepared and Captain Ready.' 'It teaches them important skills to know if a disaster were to hit, but it also encourages kids to get involved in their own way,' she said. But nothing, Hymel added, can compare to the joy of seeing a child receive a new stuffed animal and finding a sense of comfort in the midst of a crisis. 'After Hurricane Ian, I was able to donate to the hospital I was actually born in,' Hymel said. 'That was just kind of full circle.' From her home in Houston earlier this month, Annie Gully and her daughter watched as reports of flooding in the Texas Hill Country grew more dire by the hour. A close friend, she later learned, lost her niece, 8-year-old Blakely McCrory, in the floodwaters at Camp Mystic. 'It's just unfathomable to even wrap your head around something like this happening,' she said. 'You kind of have to go through the sadness and then you're like, 'OK, what can we do to help.'' Gully, who owns Tree House Arts and Crafts, a local children's art studio, said over the years she's seen how a child's favorite stuffed animal can become like a family member. So, when her daughter suggested a donation drive for kids, she leaped at the idea. She reached out to Comfort Bears on social media and within hours they had a game plan. Gully's donation drive was covered on the local news and 'that day alone, I think we collected 600' stuffed animals, she said. After three days they received more than 1,100 donations to be distributed throughout the state. 'Children don't really have an outlet to help' after a crisis, Gully said. 'You could tell their parents had explained to them that other kids have lost their lovies and how sad would it be if you lost your(s).' Gully is also selling 'Mystic Strong' artwork, and the proceeds will be donated to charity in honor of McCrory and the other lives lost at Camp Mystic. 'I feel like every time you turn on the news, there's just something worse that you hear about,' Gully said. But, she added, watching her community come together to donate comfort to the smallest victims of the floods in Kerr County has given her a reason to hope. 'No one cares who you are, what you look like or who you voted for,' she said, 'We're all just doing things together to help.'
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Liberated Brands, owner of Quicksilver, Billabong, and Volcom, shuts stores and files for bankruptcy
Liberated Brands, a licensee of the global leader in apparel Authentic Brands, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2025. It held licenses to several brands under the Authentic Brands group such as Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, Honolua, and Boardriders in North America along with wholesale licenses for Billabong and RCVA. In December last year, Authentic terminated Liberated's license rights for Volcom, RCVA, and Billabong following the company's failure to pay royalties. The company filed for bankruptcy soon after stating that the decision meant to 'implement an orderly monetization and disposition of its businesses. The company has been in the process of transitioning its brand licenses to new license holders as part of a management transition to ensure continuity for the brands and their success moving forward'. The licenses to the brands in question were soon transitioned to "new, well-capitalized partners who are actively investing in their growth and long-term success'. Liberated previously underwent a spike in revenue from $350 million in 2021 to $422 million in 2022 according to CEO Todd Hymel. He credited the sharp increase on demand during COVID-19 along with the acquisition of more brand licenses during that period as reasons for this growth. However, as interest rates began to rise following the end of the pandemic, demand for the company's products slipped drastically. There were hopes that Liberated would be able to regain its footing in the last 18 months but this was hampered by consumer interest shifting towards fast fashion instead. 'The average consumer has shifted their spending away from discretionary products such as those offered by Liberated,' Hymel said, as reported by Bloomberg. The traditional seasonal retail model found it difficult to keep up with the micro trend-oriented model followed by these new houses which produced larger quantities at lower prices. 'Consumers can cheaply, quickly, and easily order low-quality clothing garments from fast fashion powerhouses and have such goods delivered within days,' Hymel added. Rise in interest rates, inflation, supply chain delays, and decline in customer demand were some of the macroeconomic issues faced by the company which were referred to as 'significant liquidity challenges in 2024' by Hymel. On the occasion of a partner being unable to oblige their commitments, Authentic's executive vice president of action and outdoor sports and lifestyle, David Brooks feels that the company can then transition the agreement to others in the network. 'Liberated's U.S. store fleet was overinflated, burdened with outdated and underperforming locations. As a result, physical U.S.-based stores will likely be rationalized, allowing the brands to create more value and strengthen their presence across specialty retailers, department stores, and e-commerce — ensuring a more agile and resilient future,' he added. While filing for bankruptcy, Liberated expected to keep its stores open to sell off the last of its stock. "Through the filing of customary motions with the Court, Liberated intends to uphold its commitments to customers, employees, and partners, including continued payment of employee wages and benefits. The Chapter 11 process will be financed by JP Morgan," the company shared. The company's liquidation sale process suffered a problem however when its expected proceed did not match its going-out-of-business sales. The $65 million earned from the sale of assets did not cover the amount to its creditor- JP Morgan. This development led a judge to dismiss the bankruptcy filing. Matthew Fagen, the Kirkland & Ellis LLP restructuring partner representing Liberated at the court hearing said, 'What that means, your honor, is that based on the amount of value collected and the amount of value that we expect to be collected, there will not be enough proceeds, unfortunately, to pay the DIP (Debtor-in-Possession) claim in full or to pay the adequate protection claim for the ABL lenders in full.' The company still needs to collect $27 million from the $65 million it has generated. A shortfall of $22.1 million in DIP claims and $5 million of ABL adequate protection claims is expected. An objection from one of the company's creditors led the judge to grant dismissal. All remaining funds will go to JP Morgan while none of the remaining creditors will be paid.
CBS News
07-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Quicksilver, Billabong and Volcom stores closing after bankruptcy filing
Three major surf retail stores, Quicksilver, Billabong and Volcom are closing nationwide as the parent company, Liberated Brands filed for bankruptcy earlier this week. A rise in interest rates, persistent inflation, supply chain delays, a decline in consumer demand, a shift in consumer preferences, and substantial fixed costs were all listed as challenges the company has faced. As part of court filing documents, Liberated CEO Todd Hymel submitted a 29-page statement detailing "a series of major headwinds and challenges." The company listed debt of $226 million, with approximately 1,400 employees laid off. "The Company has been further challenged by trends impacting the retail environment more broadly, including shifting consumer preferences for "fast fashion" and e-commerce as opposed to branded apparel and brick-and-mortar retail," Hymel wrote. He went on to say that while profits rose during the COVID-19 pandemic as customer demand for outdoor apparel and online shopping spiked, shopping in-person at the stores never fully bounced back. The brands, rooted in the surf, snow, and skate culture, will continue to produce clothing despite the more than 120 storefront closures.
USA Today
07-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Billabong, Quiksilver and Volcom stores to close in US after operator files for bankruptcy
Three popular surf, skateboarding and swimwear retailers will close their doors in the United States after their Costa Mesa, California-based operator filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. All Billabong, Quiksilver and Volcom stores will close in the U.S. after their operator, Liberated Brands LLC, filed for bankruptcy on Sunday in the U.S. District of Delaware. Liberated Brands has 124 retail locations across the country, which also include the brands: Spyder, RVCA, Roxy and Honolua. In a declaration supporting the bankruptcy, Todd Hymel, CEO of Liberated Brands, said, "Macroeconomic issues, including a rapid and dramatic rise in interest rates, persistent inflation, supply chain delays, a decline in customer demand well below the historical trendline, shifting consumer preferences, and substantial fixed costs placed significant pressure on Liberated's revenue and cost structure." 'The Liberated team has worked tirelessly over the last year to propel these iconic brands forward, but a volatile global economy, consumer spending changes amid a rising cost of living, and inflationary pressures have all taken a heavy toll,' Liberated Brands said in a statement sent to USA TODAY. Liberated owes $83 million in secured debt and $143 million in unsecured debt, according to Hymel's declaration. Secured debts involve borrowers who put up assets to serve as collateral for a loan, while unsecured debts accumulate when a borrower does not put up any security or assets often requiring creditors to file lawsuits to be repaid. Earn rewards on your spending: Best credit cards for shopping USA TODAY contacted Liberated Brands on Friday but has not received a response. Stores closing:Bargain Hunt is closing all locations after bankruptcy filing, going-out-of-business sale When will Billabong, Quiksilver and Volcom close? A pop-up on Billabong's, Quiksilver's and Volcom's U.S. websites notifies customers of the bankruptcy filing and informs them that they will no longer accept gift cards as a form of payment online or in-store after Feb. 16. It is unclear if the retail stores plan to close by Feb. 16., but a separate declaration supporting the bankruptcy said Liberated Brands had about $3.3 million of cash on hand on Monday, which would only support its operations for one week. The seven brands operated by Liberated may not be gone forever as the company announced that it is "transitioning its brand licenses to new license holders as part of a management transition to ensure continuity for the brands and their success moving forward," according to the company's statement. 'Despite this difficult change, we are encouraged that many of our talented associates have found new opportunities with other license holders that will carry these great brands into the future," the statement continued. Until Libertated Brands enforces the closures of its more than 100 U.S. stores, the locations will "remain open and continue serving customers," according to the statement. Who owns Billabong, Quiksilver and Volcom? As a licensee, Liberated operated Billabong, Quiksilver, Volcom and the other four brands, which are owned by Authentic Brands Groups, a global brand development company. From 2019 to 2025, Liberated maintained the brands' operations across the world for Authentic, including in the U.S. and Canada, Hymel said in his declaration document. In a statement sent to USA TODAY, Authentic said, "All licenses that were held by Liberated were transitioned to new partners prior to the bankruptcy." 'Our industry is more competitive than ever, and throughout this process, we've remained focused on the wellbeing of our partners, providing support to our licensee, Liberated Brands as they evaluate their opportunity to reorganize their business and regain profitability. At Authentic, our primary responsibility is to our beloved brands and to their loyal fans and customers," the company's statement reads. "To that end, we've been working closely with Liberated Brands to thoughtfully transition key licenses to trusted operators within our network. Liberated's U.S. store fleet was overinflated, burdened with outdated and underperforming locations. As a result, physical U.S. based stores will likely be rationalized, allowing the brands to create more value and strengthen their presence across specialty retailers, department stores, and e-commerce—ensuring a more agile and resilient future.' What did Liberated do before filing for bankruptcy? As Liberated Brands "faced significant liquidity challenges in 2024," the company did try to stabilize the business, Hymel said in his declaration document. According to Hymel, the company tried to seek potential investments in the business from financial and strategic parties, as well as from its existing equity holders; explore a sale to sell the business; renegotiate leases with various landlords; implement a hiring freeze and strategic reduction in force; and negotiate payment plans with vendors. Liberated Brands' attempts to recover the business were unsuccessful, and by December 2024, the company's North American license rights for its wholesale operations under the Volcom, RVCA and Billabong brands were terminated, Hymel said.
