Our Story

From Survival to Starting Over – The Heart Behind House Hippo ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Sometimes life breaks you wide open—and in the cracks, something entirely new begins to grow.

Hi, we’re a husband and wife team. We’re not just business owners—we’re survivors. House Hippo was born not out of convenience, but out of necessity, pain, resilience, and love. This is our story.For over 20 years, I dedicated my life to being a veterinarian. Animals were my world, and my career was my calling. But one day, everything changed. I suffered a sudden seizure and, in a terrifying moment of confusion, fell from a second-story window. I broke my pelvis, elbow, and five ribs. I’m still healing, both physically and neurologically, and waiting for answers from doctors.While recovering in the hospital, we found something else—something even more urgent. A complete blockage in my right coronary artery and needed emergency stents to survive. In the span of days, my entire life was flipped upside down. My career, my health, my identity—everything I knew was gone.And yet, I wasn’t alone.My wife—my partner in everything—has been fighting her own battles for years. She lives with trigeminal neuralgia, often called the “suicide disease” because of the unrelenting pain it brings. She’s undergone five major brain surgeries to relieve the pressure and pain, each one a test of courage and faith. Every three months we travel to Victoria to see the pain specialist for a Stellate ganglion nerve block. Even now, we are facing another unknown: a series of breast masses currently being investigated. We’re hopeful—but it’s a weight we carry together.Out of this storm, we found a different kind of strength. A new purpose.Before all this, we had been quietly learning the world of importing—sourcing surgical supplies and equipment for our veterinary clinic through overseas suppliers. We learned how to navigate global marketplaces, negotiate, test quality, and understand logistics. When we realized I couldn’t return to the clinic, we decided to take that knowledge and build something new—something for us.That’s how House Hippo was born.House Hippo is more than a store. It’s our lifeline. It’s the future we’re building from the wreckage of the past. We carefully source a wide range of high-quality, unique products—everything from household goods to helpful tools—bringing them to you at fair prices. Behind every item we offer is a story of resilience, research, and purpose.This isn’t just business for us. It’s deeply personal.When you support House Hippo, you’re not just shopping—you’re helping two people rebuild their lives. You’re part of a community that believes in second chances, in courage through the darkness, and in finding new ways to thrive when everything else falls apart.We invite you to join us in this new adventure. Watch us grow. Share our story. And know that every small step you take with us means the world.

 

With all our hearts,

The House Hippo Family