32 SEENA MAGOWITZ FOUNDATION TONY SUBIA | CONTRI BUTI NG WRITER NIKKI MITCHELL SPECIAL ANGEL Full of Hope, Courage, and Faith Legacy Heroes

SEENA MAGOWITZ FOUNDATION 33 Legacy Heroes Nikki Mitchell lost her battle to pancreatic cancer in July 2013, about 2 ½ years after diagnosis in December 2010. Originally given just a few months to live, she defied the poor odds and remained full of hope, courage, and faith. Mitchell’s adventurous spirit would never stop her from continuing to follow her dreams and aspirations. She truly lived her life to the fullest extent despite the rigors and pain of fighting the most brutal of cancers. According to Mitchell, “as a young West Texas girl, I worked hard for nothing more than a smile on my father’s face. When school was out, I would haul hay and move irrigation pipe.” As a young lady she eventually moved from Abilene, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee to begin a career in the music business and eventually became president of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter Music, a position she held for 22 years. She was extremely interested in flying and eventually, and along with her best friend Rhonda Miles, made history in 1998 with their “Bridge of Wings” flight — piloting a single-engine aircraft retracing the historical 1938 “Flight of the Rodina” which showcased heroic Russian women pilots. To learn more about this historic flight visit bridgeofwings.com. In 2011 when she owned the Normandy River Cafe in suburban Nashville. Mitchell met Alyssa Bonagura, an up-and-coming singer who was performing for guests at Nikki’s restaurant. They instantly became close friends and Bonagura was inspired to write the song “Warrior,” and dedicated to Mitchell because it embodied the struggle, resilience and courage it took for her to battle pancreatic cancer. According to Bonagura, “all of us who knew and loved Nikki will never forget such a special angel.” “ALL OF US WHO KNEW AND LOVED NIKKI WILL NEVER FORGET SUCH A SPECIAL ANGEL.”