The Lake Harris Hideaway family is rallying around one of their own and asking the community for help. Holly Nichols has recently been diagnosed with brain cancer, and the news has been an incredibly difficult and unexpected challenge for her and her husband, Rob.

“Now more than ever, they need our love, prayers, and support,” the Hideaway team shared.

Support for the Nichols family grew even stronger this week when Joe and Jaime Ziler stepped up in a big way.

“This morning, our dear friends Joe and Jaime Ziler generously pledged to match every dollar donated up to $10,000 to help Holly and Rob. Their kindness left us speechless and so very grateful,” the post read.

The community will also be gathering this Wednesday at 5 p.m. at South Lake Elks #1848.

“We will also be joining Mendy Bacon and her amazing team at the South Lake Elks,” the post read. “Their efforts will continue moving forward, and we are so thankful for their support.”

Holly and her husband Rob Nichols, who is a popular local musician, have an amazing story about how they came to be together.

Rob and Holly were practically neighbors growing up around South Lake County and never knew it. They were even Facebook friends for years and had no idea each other existed or who made the connection. It took a chance encounter in 2016 to bring them together when they were both at personal crossroads.

(The two were featured in our power couples 2024 edition.)

“I was at an after-work gathering with my sister at the Outback Steakhouse in Clermont,” Holly says. “It was the first year I participated in the Bras for a Cause fundraiser, so I was asking for donations and it seemed like a great excuse to approach him.”

Rob, a professional musician, gladly handed over $100 and hoped that they would connect again.

“I was just hanging out with a friend before a show and this tall, gorgeous woman approached me and I didn’t mind; I probably would have given her my entire wallet,” Rob says.

A couple of days later they were sitting together on the sands of Cocoa Beach, a regular escape for Rob.

“We talked about everything that day,” Holly says. “We pretty much laid it all out there because with our kids, homes and careers already set, it was important to know that it was real so we could get things in order.”

They have been sharing their lives ever since and even though they are extremely busy with separate careers and opposite hours, they make it work.

But now, Holly and Rob are now facing an unexpected and difficult journey with Holly’s recent brain cancer diagnosis. But they are not doing it alone. Friends, colleagues and supporters have already begun organizing efforts to provide emotional and financial support for the couple.

“Now more than ever, they need our love, prayers, and support,” says Angela and Jason of Lake Harris Hideaway, who are helping coordinate a fundraising effort. “Holly is a warrior and a woman of great faith, with a strong man of faith by her side. They are not alone.”

If you are interested in helping Holly and Rob, you can donate here.

For more information or to get involved with local fundraisers for Holly, you can contact Angela or Jason at (352) 343-3585.