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Jamie McMutrie – A Birthday Reflection

i Nov 9th No Comments by

When it comes to getting to know someone a little bit better, it’s sometimes best to ask someone who knows them well.  In a special post to honor Jamie McMutrie on her birthday, we have 5 questions, answered by her sister and the co-founder of HFF, Ali McMutrie.  We hope that this post will help you learn a little bit more about Jamie.

1. What’s it like being Jamie’s younger sister?

Jamie is almost 9 years older than me, so I have always looked up to her.  I don’t remember specific instances, or exactly how old I was, but I know from family photos –  it was clear that I was Jamie’s little, living “baby doll.”  Based on that, it was clear she had a special love for kids, and especially me, ever since she was a kid herself.

2. How has Jamie inspired you?

She has always been a great role model for me, and an especially good big sister.  She was kind to me, and let me hang around with her and her friends, even when they were so much older than me.  The reason I got the initial idea to travel to Haiti when I was 15 stemmed from my intense curiosity, to see what she was up to down there.  She inspired me, through her work and example, to join her as she works with Haitian families.

3. What’s a great moment you recall from her work, your childhood, or your recent daily life?

There were times in the past in Haiti, when we were taking care of babies who had been malnourished in the womb, babies who had gone days or weeks after being born without proper nutrition, that Jamie made me proud.  There were countless times that Jamie stayed up all night, for days at a time, feeding the fragile little ones with a dropper.  She has a special touch for taking care of babies in those situations.  She’s never afraid, never freezes up, but always gently and lovingly cares for them.  This moment continues to inspire me as it, sadly, repeats itself through our time in Haiti.

4. Where do you see Jamie in the future?

Many people might not know that Jamie’s dedication for helping others started long before her love for Haiti kicked in.  During high school, she volunteered at a home for teen moms, counseling them and relating to them as only a peer of similar age really could.  After high school, she was the co-owner of a Daycare Center on the North Side, which was geared specifically toward low income families.  I suspect this is Jamie’s life path, that even beyond Haiti, my sister will continue to help others in the special ways that only she can.

5. What’s some words of advice from her? 

At home growing up there were always extra people around, kids who needed a warm place to stay for a few nights or teenagers who were afraid to go home because of difficult living situations.  Jamie has always offered comfort and shelter for people who needed it, and though her advice hasn’t always been in the form of words, she gives her advice through the example she sets.

  

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