Got Apples and Made Mullen’s Apple Sauce
by Guest Blogger Jaclyn Whitehair (Chicago, IL)
“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”― Maya Angelou
Jim Mullen sure couldn’t change what had happened to him but he did not let one fateful day stop him. Jim was a tactical police officer in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. On October 16, 1996 he was on duty when a gunman fired and hit Jim in the right cheek. This shot left him instantly paralyzed.
The road to recovery was long. It was difficult to adjust to life being newly paralyzed but Jim did not hold regrets. He stated, “I really have no regrets. You can’t change the past. I was doing my job and would have done it the same way now. You just have to move on.”
And move on was exactly what Jim did. Jim’s mother was locally famous for her homemade applesauce. It was regularly referred to as, “apple pie without the crust.” While Jim’s mom would regularly make the applesauce for her friends, Jim took it one step further and bottled the applesauce. Mullen’s Apple Sauce was born!
5 years later, Mullen’s Apple Sauce has reached success and is sold in many major retailers including Treasure Island and Whole Foods. Jim is able to run his business right from his bedroom. He uses voice recognition technology that allows him to actively do his work on the computer.
Throughout this long journey, Jim has kept an amazingly positive attitude. Not dwelling on the past, he is thankful for what he has and for the Mullen’s Apple Sauce opportunity he has been given. But beyond being positive, Jim is generous. He donates a portion of the proceeds from Mullen’s Apple Sauce to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, which is an organization that helps families of Chicago Police who have been killed or severely injured on the line of duty.
Jim continues to be an inspiration and positive light to his family, friends, community, and Mullen’s Apple Sauce lovers everywhere!
Let’s support our own and LIKE Mullen’s Apple Sauce. Jim is currently fundraising for Mullen’s Apple Sauce.
