Remarkable Women finalist Tera Orman finds inspiration in daughter Madi’s memory

LINTON, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Walking the halls of a beauty college is second nature for Tera Orman.

“My grandparents owned the beauty college in Linton,” Orman said. “I grew up with my cousins in the beauty college as a child, watching my mom, my aunt, my grandparents teach.”

Orman quickly realized hair was a passion of hers as well, and began making her mark in the local industry.

“I feel like it’s destiny for me to be doing this,” Orman said, smiling.

While working as a hair stylist, Orman started living out another dream – motherhood. She had two children, including a daughter named Madi, whose journey took a turn when she was diagnosed with leukemia.

“You don’t really understand that it can happen to you,” Orman said. “When it does happen to you, it’s a whole different experience than what you, I guess, expected; not that we really expect it, but there’s just no way to understand it.”

Madi fought hard through her illness, but eventually passed away due to complications from a bone marrow transplant in 2019; she was 17.

In her grief, Orman found herself struggling to continue with her career.

“When she passed away, I knew that I couldn’t do hair in the salon setting anymore,” Orman said. “It was just too hard, and I went through a really bad spot. I went through about a year where I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t go to church, I couldn’t function; I barely even got out of the recliner. I prayed to die.”

Then, in a sea of grief and darkness, came a voice sending light.

“One day just sort of out of the blue, I just felt like I heard Madi say ‘Gosh Mom, get off your hind end and do something’,” Orman said, laughing. “I’m not saying I did it that day, but I feel like over time, she had a part in helping me heal.”

Part of that healing came through the creation of Madi’s Hope Foundation, a nonprofit that sends care packages to sick children, helps families of sick children with accommodation and travel, and donates money to local high school band and athletic departments.

Madi’s Hope Foundation gives out a “Live Like Madi” award to 18 high schoolers in the area each year, and hosts the Day of Hope every summer to help raise money for its year-long efforts.

Another part of Orman’s healing has been through finding her way back to her lifelong passion for hair styling and beauty education. She got her license to be able to educate young hairstylists and bought a building to bring back Linton Beauty College.

Along the way, signs of Madi were everywhere.

“When we purchased the building, it actually closed on her birthday,” Orman said. “We didn’t know that was going to happen. Then, when we were starting the demo process, we were taking off portions of the metal on the wall to see what was behind it, hoping it was some real cool brick or something, and there was Madi’s scripture on the wall.”

Philippians 4:13, a Bible verse about finding strength through Christ; something Orman said she has tried to do every day since losing her beloved daughter.

The Linton Beauty College continues to grow, as does Madi’s Hope Foundation, with stylists filling its chairs in the main salon room, and students filling the chairs in the back classrooms.

The salon gives out scholarships to some students, and has a Butterfly Award, given out to those who embody great character.

“We try to highlight students who are making a difference, and that’s the ultimate goal,” Orman said. “I believe my child made a difference in the world, and if I can do half or a portion of what she did, I would be so happy and so satisfied with that.”

When addressing her nomination for the Remarkable Women contest, Orman said she gives it all up to God and her community, who have continued to be a blessing to her during her healing journey.

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