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Piper King may live in West Virginia but her familial ties to the Baltimore area are strong. Her father grew up in Dundalk and her grandfather serves among Baltimore County's finest.
So, when Nicole Augustyniak wanted to host a Bull & Shrimp Feast to help Piper's family, she decided to host it in the community that has come to love and appreciate Piper's family over the years.
“I wanted to do something over the top and try to make this thing as big as I can,” she said. “Anything to make this little girl feel better, I'm going to do it.”
Piper was paralyzed from the neck down following a tragic play accident in January of this year. At just three years old, the once active toddler now requires round-the-clock care.
Piper’s situation has placed much strain on her parents Haley and John, who have two other young children in addition to Piper.
Haley left her full-time job to tend to her kids’ needs while John continues to work and occasionally travel out of state. The family's strain was felt by Augustyniak, who has a daughter around Piper’s age.
“As a parent, you don't want to see your child down or anybody's child down,” she said. “You see this and your heart's just like, ‘oh my God,’ and when I see Piper, I see my daughter.”
Augustyniak’s aunt is best friends with Piper’s grandmother Alison and while she has never met the little girl, she could not shake the feeling of wanting to help the King family through this incredibly difficult time. So she organized the Feast to raise money for the family's medical expenses and daily care for Piper.
The event will feature a silent auction, raffles and more to help little Princess Piper shine like the star she is. Since launching the event in March, Augustyniak has gotten a plethora of cash, gift card and basket donations from over 60 local businesses and individuals.
“The amount of support from the Baltimore community has been amazing,” Augustyniak said. “I'm so excited to be involved with it and helping because I want to make a difference.”
Not only is Augustyniak grateful for the opportunity to help Piper, she says the family is “overwhelmed with appreciation” as well.
The event will be held at 1010 Oldham Street in Baltimore from 7-11 p.m. on Saturday, June 18. People can help by either purchasing a ticket for $50 or donating items to be sold at the event.
More information, including updates on Piper's story, can be found on the Piper Strong Benefit Facebook page.
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