Andrea's Timeline

January 20, 2009: Brad Weisbond, my then-husband, had a laminectomy, a surgery for back pain, at the University of Chicago to biopsy a growth between T6 – T9 in his spinal cord. 

February 18, 2009: We scheduled a second-opinion appointment with an oncologist at Northwestern University Hospital. He confirmed that Brad had a rare, stage three brain tumor in his spinal cord. His prognosis was 18 months to live.

February 22, 2009: My mother died in an intensive care unit a day after collapsing at home.

September 25, 2010: Brad developed osteomyelitis from an open wound. A surgeon removed his sacrum and sent him to a rehab center to recover.

October 24, 2010: Brad died for a few minutes in our living room. He had a near-death experience. (More about that story later.) I grabbed my phone and called 911. Brad came back into his body right before a bunch of first responders arrived at our home to cart him off to the emergency room.

November 23, 2010: At 2 am, Brad woke up screaming at the top of his lungs. I called 911. The first responders arrived and took him to the hospital.

January 13, 2011: I held Brad in my arms when he passed away at Our Holy Family Hospital.

October 17, 2011: My dad passed away from myelodysplastic syndrome.

February 2012: I accepted a job offer and moved to Sunnyvale, California. 

August 2012: I gained weight and was diagnosed with adrenal exhaustion from extreme emotional stress. Managing the estates of my mother, my father, and Brad while grieving and moving cross-country for a new job left me extremely tired and unable to concentrate on anything.

January 25, 2013: I attended a book signing for a healer who suggested that my connection to the past was holding me back. He recommended a mourning ritual to help me let go of my suffering. I did an affirmation three times a day for 30 days and wrote a letter to Brad, expressing everything I wanted to say.

February 25, 2013: On February 25, 2013, I read my final 15-page letter Brad aloud outside with my therapist and my dog, Schmoopy, despite the cold wind. Afterward, we burned the letter, and that evening, I felt my energy returning and wished my friends could have joined me

May 2013: I found scientific evidence rituals can alleviate grief and restore a sense of control. Personally, my ritual improved my health, my energy increased, and I renewed my interest in life.

September 2013: I hired a branding agency to create my first gift box, 'The Boyfriend Bonfire Box.'

2014: We launched The Boyfriend Bonfire gift box.

April 2016: I created the prototype for a Parting Tails gift box.

Mid-2016: While walking my dogs, I noticed robins around us. I learned that robins symbolize new growth and renewal. This inspired me, as my gift boxes offer people hope and a way to renew themselves following a loss. Thus, "Robins" became the name for my business.

March 2017: I attended the 2017 Global Pet Expo. I met the founder of the Purina Pet Care Innovation Prize. He encouraged me to apply for their innovation prize.

September 2017: I created a prototype for a Loss of a Loved One gift box for the New York Life Insurance Company..

May 2019: I partnered with Life After Fetch, a pet cremation business, and we shared a booth at the 2019 Chicago Vet Show. 

August 15, 2020: I remarried.

November 2020: Completed the prototypes of an Always in Our Hearts and Loss of a Loved One gift boxes.

July 24, 2021: Invited Doug Lambert, from 2ndGlantz, a venture studio and his son, Samuel, to a Chicago Cubs home game. Soon after, I joined 2ndGlantz to help me refine my go-to-market strategies and raise capital for my business.

2023: Doug and I began working on an online platform with an innovative smart icon feature to expand the Robiins brand. I collaborated with a software development team on proposed workflows as well as conducted studies to determine the feasibility of the innovation. I loved bringing my software patenting experience into my business.

April 2024: I filed for divorce.

October 2024: My sweet dog, Rocket, passed away.

December 10 2024: My beloved 19-year-old nephew, Evan Patrick Meier, died suddenly.

June 1, 2025: Doug Lambert, my business coach and dear friend, passed away after a nearly three-year battle with colon cancer.

July 7, 2025: I renewed, restructured, and rebranded my business. It was time for a fresh start! Doug suggested Robins Lore while I was working on an e-book, so I chose it in his honor. He always supported and believed in my vision.