This month marks 18 years since we said goodbye to my husband, Chris.

He was so much more than my partner.
He was my girls’ incredible bonus dad, our safe place, our steady hand, and the kind of man who loved with his whole heart. Kind, funny, generous — and always the first to show up for us.

Losing him left a hole in our world.
But it also left a love so deep, it’s still shaping my life today.

I look back now not just with sadness, but with gratitude.
Gratitude for the years we had.
Gratitude for the way he loved us.
And gratitude for the strength his love gave me to keep going.

Because even in the hardest moments, I kept moving forward — for my girls, for myself, and in many ways… for him.

That strength eventually grew into MopTops Haircare.

MopTops was the dream I got to choose. A way to create something joyful, kind, and full of purpose. Something I could pour my heart into.
And I did — every step of the way.

What most people don’t know is that the MopTops logo font is Chris’s own creation.
It’s a small detail, but for me, it means everything. His mark is on every product, every bottle, every box that goes out the door. His legacy quite literally lives on in the brand I’ve built.

Today, 18 years later, I stand proud of the life I’ve created — not in spite of the loss, but because of the love that came before it.

Chris never got to see MopTops come to life, but I know he’s with me in every milestone.
He’s in the joy of a child loving their curls.
He’s in the dads who show up at our workshops.
He’s in the quiet moments when I look at what we’ve built and think,

“You’d be so proud.”

So today, we remember Chris — with full hearts and smiling faces.
We remember the love, the laughter, and the beautiful life we shared.
And we celebrate the strength that came from it all.

Because grief didn’t end our story.
It gave us a new beginning.
And I’m still standing — with purpose, with passion, and with him in every part of it.

💛
Chris Gaskell
Founder, MopTops Haircare