Butterfly Garden
A LEGACY OF HOPE
CHRISTIAN
WATSON
There are some stories that begin with a dream. And some that begin with a heartbreak.
Ours began with both.
Butterfly Garden
MEET OUR TEAM:
There are some stories that begin with a dream. And some that begin with a heartbreak
Ours began with both.
Kari has been the Board President and CEO since OTRBG's inception as a non-profit in 2011. Kari and her husband, Cameron, started OTRBG to uphold the legacy of their late
son, Christian, and have grown the organization into the thriving
in-home healthcare agency it is today.
CHRISTIAN
WATSON
CAMERON
WATSON
Board Vice President &
Chief Learning Officer
As the Board President and Chief Learning Officer, Cameron works to uphold his son, Christian’s, legacy, along with
his wife, Kari. Together, they create the small family-owned feel and vision of the agency.
GALLERY
There was a little boy who experienced the world in his own extraordinary way.
He had learning delays, but he also had an incredible ability to notice things most of us never would.
He absolutely loved butterflies, but there was something unusual about them. He was afraid of them. Not because they were big. Not because they could fly. He was afraid of the sound their wings made when they fluttered… He could hear it!
Christian was just days away from turning six when tragedy took him from his family. And suddenly... the world they knew was gone. His parents were left with a grief too enormous for words and a love that had nowhere to go. So, they began searching for something. Something to keep moving forward. Something that could honor their son. Something good; and in 2011, a dream was born.
They envisioned Flagstaff's first indoor butterfly garden. But this would be more than a garden. It would be a place where individuals with developmental disabilities could work, belong, contribute, and be celebrated. A non-profit that would offer scholarships for meaningful experiences and therapies. A place where people could discover possibilities. They called it... Over the Rainbow Butterfly Garden.
For years, they worked to make the butterfly garden a reality. But sometimes... life changes the shape of a dream. The USDA and federal requirements made the garden impossible to bring to life the way they had imagined. So eventually, they let the dream of the physical garden go, but they never let go of the mission.
Meanwhile, Mom was working for an in-home care agency and every day, she came home with stories. Stories about employees who weren't being treated the way they deserved. People who gave so much... but didn't always feel valued. One evening, after hearing it all again, her husband looked at her and said, “Why don't we just start our own?” And that's exactly what they did.
In 2015, Over the Rainbow Butterfly Garden became an in-home care agency serving individuals with developmental disabilities. The butterfly garden had never become a building. Instead... the people became the garden. Every individual we support is another life to nurture. Every employee is another person to value. Every family is another opportunity to make a difference. And every act of kindness... is another seed planted.
Every April, we continue giving scholarships. We create opportunities. We celebrate people, support families, and give back to our community. And through events like Night to Shine, we create moments where individuals with developmental disabilities aren't simply included... they are the stars.
The little boy who inspired all of this never got to see what his parents would build. He never got to see the countless people whose lives would be forever changed. But his story didn't end… It just transformed.
The butterfly garden was never really about butterflies. It was about transformation. It was about finding beauty after heartbreak. Finding purpose after loss. Finding light after the darkest days and choosing to grow something beautiful from the pain. Christian loved butterflies. And although he was afraid of the sound of their wings... his story gave countless others the courage to spread theirs.
This is why we are called, "Over the Rainbow Butterfly Garden..." because sometimes the greatest legacy isn't what we leave behind. It's what we help others become.
BORN
FROM LOVE.
STRENGTHENED BY LOSS.
ROOTED IN
COMPASSION.
Over the Rainbow Butterfly Garden
Address
2722 N. West St.
Flagstaff, AZ. 86004
Call Us
623-326-9640
