This is too good!
Darius Brown has been creating bow ties for shelter animals to help them get adopted, the Good News Network reports.
Brown first learned to sew when he was 8-years-old, from his sister Dazhai. His first sewing featured a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle bowtie, which became so popular among his peers that Darius knew he was on to something. Darius’ mom, Joy Brown, said the passion was a blessing and helped her son, who had been diagnosed with speech and fine-motor skill disorders, to progress in his abilities as he worked on his craft.
“He was so determined. He sat and watched Dazhai for months and took it all in. he started out cutting fabric, and pretty soon, he was running the sewing machine by himself,” Joy told reporters.
In 2017 after Darius learned about all of the displaced family pets due to Hurricane Irma, he decided to shift his focus, making bow ties for animals that would help them get adopted. Rescue animals often have a tough time getting adopted if they don’t stand out. Darius’ bow ties help each animal to look like a showstopper, the young teen hand sewing each bowtie by himself.
The first batch of 25 rescue bowties were sent to New York City’s ASPCA animal shelter, a hub that housed many dogs and cats displaced by the hurricane. Since then, Darius has sewn nearly 600 bowties for rescue animals, sending them to local shelters in eight states as well as Washington, D.C.
His Beaux and Paws brand can found on social media, and the teen recently set up a GoFundMe to offset his overhead sewing costs. Darius focuses his energy on older animals and pets with disabilities, and many shelter directors have reported that the bowties have helped get more low-profile pets adopted.
The 14-year-old recently launched Sir Darius Brown, his website which donates a portion of all his proceeds to the ASPCA. While his apartment complex doesn’t allow pets, Darius hopes to one day become a dog father. He also hopes to expand his business in the future, opening a foster facility for animals and enlarging the Beaux and Paws products to include doggie sweaters and vests for well-heeled dogs.
To learn more about Beaux and Paws or donate, follow Darius on Instagram!
Congratulations Darius!
Photo Courtesy of @sirdariusbrown/Instagram