I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32. My battle with cancer taught me that life is short and you only get one chance to pursue your dreams. I decided to leave the corporate world and trade my power suits and high heels for flip flops. My husband Rich and I bought Karen’s Restaurant on April 1, 2006. I always dreamed of owning a small diner and running it with my dad. As a teenager I worked for my mom and dad at their restaurant in Fostoria, Ohio. My dad, Richard, has been in the restaurant business all his life. He worked for Big Boy Restaurants in the Toledo area for many years, owned his own restaurant, and has spent the last nine years at Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant in Sevierville, Tennessee. Running JC’s has fulfilled another dream and that is to have my parents live in the same state!