Garner business owner 'Paying it Ford' after her own struggle

GARNER, North Carolina (WTVD) -- The boutique "Little Details" in Garner is a trove of trinkets, graphic tees, and novelty items. Customers can get things engraved and monogrammed, but it's the owner who hopes to leave a mark on others.

"No matter what we're going through in our lives and what our customers are going through, there's always someone out there going through more than we are," said owner Jessica Throneburg.

The small-business owner makes it a point to host two to three fundraisers at her store each month and the charities are chosen by her customers.

"We just want to be a positive light for our customers and we think that they appreciate knowing that a lot of time, when they're shopping with us, their money is going out there for good," she said.

Throneburg said she wants to help others after receiving a great deal of help herself.

Her son Ford and her family spent an extensive amount of time receiving care at the Ronald McDonald House in Chapel Hill.

He was born at only 28 weeks and weighed just 1 pound, 15 ounces. The newborn suffered a hemorrhage and was bleeding in his brain. He also had necrotizing enterocolitis, which is a serious intestinal illness in babies who are born prematurely. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Ford is now 2 1/2 years-old and doing much better, his mom said.

"He's doing things we never thought he'd be able to, so we feel very blessed. It's why we're passionate about passing those blessings on to others," she said.

In her son's honor, Throneburg is "Paying it Ford" to help others in need.

Some of the nonprofits she has written checks to include the SPCA of Wake County and the Vine Effect.

"It's just an awesome way I think to promote to our customers just different needs that are in the community," she said.

The next event at Little Details is set for October 24, with 15 percent of all sales going toward the ALS Therapy Development Institute.

The store is at 2626 Timber Drive, Garner.