NieNie is headed to the RNC

[lilwriter85]

NieNie and Christian Nielsen are going to the RNC. I get the strong feeling that she is going to try pimp out her book at the convention.

[VVV]

Because nothing says Republican family values like leaving your wife to die a fiery death.

[Beeks]

With her $750 diaper bag. Do I wish I hadn't donated to her "recovery fund?" Yes. Such a sucker.

[kayray]

Because nothing says Republican family values like leaving your wife to die a fiery death.

There is an unbelieavable amount of stuff to snark on Nie Nie and Christian for (and believe me, I do), but I never have never really understood this area of snarking. There is an awful lot of split second decision making, confusion, survival instinct, shock and pain in an accident like that. He may have very well (as he has said) thought he heard Nie Nie say she was right behind him or felt her push his seat (look up the "Third Man Factor" for example). Christian was also in serious danger at the time of that crash. It is hard to remember that when he did end up with less injuries but he too was in the same crash and the same fiery plane. He also had burns, injuries and a broken back. His own instinct to survive and get out from a fire would have kicked in. When he realized, after he got out, that she was not behind him he tried going back but it was way too hot and he was burning his own arms and hands, and at that point Nie Nie had to use her own survival instinct to get her out of there.

The heat and power of fire is a unique one. There is a reason fire-fighters are well equipped. One of my in-laws watched a man burn to death in his car once, in what was really a rather mild car accident, as the man in the car could not get his seatbelt undone as he was panicked and confused. My in-law, and a few other people who had stopped, could not approach the vehicle as it was too hot and very dangerous. They listened to that man screaming for help and could physically not get close enough to help. Remember, these were people who actually were not at all injured, did not have broken backs, were not in shock of being in a plane crash and they could not do a damn thing though they tried multiple times. My husband will not drive anywhere without a fire extinguisher to this day, and it actually has come in handy a couple times when we have passed vehicles/trailers on fire.

Everyone it seems likes to imagine what they would have done in the same shoes as Christian but the reality is you will never be in the same exact shoes as they were. That they both survived that horrible crash is amazing enough on its own without casting blame. Nie Nie drives me crazy, but she did an amazing, amazing thing getting herself out of that plane. So did Christian.

I DO find it bizarre they lied about it afterward (well, Nie Nie did and Christian primarily just went along with it as I recall) but this too may have been a way for Nie Nie to come to terms with what happened and to learn to deal with it.

[lilwriter85]

NieNie and Christian either said on Oprah or Primetime that Christian went back to save her. I recall, that they have flip flopped other times when it comes to talking about the plane crash.

[kayray]

NieNie and Christian either said on Oprah or Primetime that Christian went back to save her. I recall, that they have flip flopped other times when it comes to talking about the plane crash.

Yes, like I said above, they did lie about it for a period of time after the crash. Again, I think this was also partly a way for Nie Nie, and maybe Christian, to come to terms with what happened. From what I have read, it sounds like Nie Nie herself kind of "created" this story for herself.

I am not surprised they have flip flopped when Christian comes under criticism for not having done enough in other people's eyes.

Remember too these are people who never really got ANY psychiatric help after that accident. IIRC, Nie Nie said she did not think she needed it. That kind of tragic accident and the injuries is the kind of thing that can cause PTSD and is not something they may want to relive regularly. I am not trying to diagnose them with PTSD, but I am just saying it may not even be something they CAN relive or recollect regularly if they do have any PTSD from it. There is a reason they focus more on the positives and not the accident itself, especially if they have never really dealt with the emotional consequences of that accident.

[lilwriter85]

It irks me a bit that NieNie seems to ignore Christian's responsibility in the crash. I do think Christian and NieNie should have gotten some counseling after the crash. I don't see them ever getting counseling. There was a pic on Christian's instagram, in which it seemed he was making fun of fear of flying class/support group.

[kayray]

It irks me a bit that NieNie seems to ignore Christian's responsibility in the crash. I do think Christian and NieNie should have gotten some counseling after the crash. I don't see them ever getting counseling. There was a pic on Christian's instagram, in which it seemed he was making fun of fear of flying class/support group.

Oh, yeah, I don't ever see them getting counseling either and I also think they should.

They seem to have stayed reckless or become even more reckless in some ways. Nie Nie bathing Charlotte alone though she has limited mobility with her hands, not putting life jackets on the kids, not using seatbelts, and so on. They really see the whole survival thing as the work of God blessing them (screw poor Kinneard!) and I think somehow believe he will continue to do so. I tend to see it more as a "you got lucky to get a second chance, protect yourselves and your health". That does not mean not having fun, but you can have fun and be smart about it too.

It also irks me that she gave a "shout out" to the deceased man's family on the recent "crash anniversary". Kind of bizarre to phrase it as a "shout out" and not a "you are still in my thoughts" way or something more compassionate and less teenage girl like.

[emmiedahl]

If they (fundies in general) did not make such a big deal about their chivalry and "Women First!" I would find this less snarkworthy. However, men are just men, and their letting you sit down first does not mean they will let you out of a flaming plane first. Fundamentalist chivalry only applies when there is no fire, death, pain or toilet cleaning at stake, which makes it both useless and hilarious.

[lilwriter85]

The reckless behavior irks me, but I think NieNie bathing Charlotte was her way of trying to be independent. I don't think NieNie has accepted that she is permanently disabled due to the crash. There was a incident a couple of months back in which she left her oldest daughter with the younger kids, while she went to a neighbor's house. The "shout out" to the deceased man's family was a bit tackless. On GOMI, a few posters have read NieNie's book have said that the book gives several examples of how dumb NieNie can be about certain things. One incident involved the death of another patient at the burn unit NieNie was in. NieNie only thought of herself and said something, "What if it had been me?". She never expressed condolences for the deceased patient's family.

[YPestis]

I'm only vaguely aware of NieNie although I've briefly perused her blog on time. She appears to have had a typical "happy shiny" Mormon existance prior to her accident. Now that she is disfigured and disabled, I have sympathy for her as she tries to piece her life back together. This can't be easy given the Mormon culture's attitude about presenting a "leave it to beaver" facade. I've heard she received a lot of donations and there's grumblings in how she's used it. I'm a bit confused....do people think she's just not using her money wisely or that she's lying about her penury state? Does her husband work now or is he also disabled and unable to work?

[MonkeyMomma]

With her $750 diaper bag. Do I wish I hadn't donated to her "recovery fund?" Yes. Such a sucker.

I thought you were overstating the price for dramatic effect or creative flair, but Sweet Baby Jeebus! You were not kidding! Why, why, why?

PS-Nothing says "1%" quite like taking your $750 diaper bag to the RNC. It's like a parody of itself.

[emmiedahl]

I'm only vaguely aware of NieNie although I've briefly perused her blog on time. She appears to have had a typical "happy shiny" Mormon existance prior to her accident. Now that she is disfigured and disabled, I have sympathy for her as she tries to piece her life back together. This can't be easy given the Mormon culture's attitude about presenting a "leave it to beaver" facade. I've heard she received a lot of donations and there's grumblings in how she's used it. I'm a bit confused....do people think she's just not using her money wisely or that she's lying about her penury state? Does her husband work now or is he also disabled and unable to work?

I am only piecing this together from what I heard here, but it sounds like the hospitals wrote off their treatment, family supported them financially, and they spent the donations on expensive toys while hinting and begging for more. Her husband is not disabled and does not work; before the book, they just wandered around a McMansion full of Anthropologie furniture waiting for people to do more for them.

[Witsec7]

I think the RNC will be a destination for some fundies. They will get to shill their fame to others who have sucked up the kool aid.

[lilwriter85]

Regarding Christian's work situation, NieNie has said that he sells life insurance. He also has a blog set up for it, but that hasn't been updated in a year. I think their relatives might be continuing to help them out. I think some of Christian's relatives are wealthy and one of NieNie's sisters is married to a CEO of a company and they were the ones who bought a house for Christian and NieNie.

Christian and NieNie seem to be milking their situation as much as they can. They know that once they are at the RNC some people (fellow Mormons) will recognize them right away and give them attention. NieNie will find a way to get her picture taken with Mrs. Mittens.

[YPestis]

I am only piecing this together from what I heard here, but it sounds like the hospitals wrote off their treatment, family supported them financially, and they spent the donations on expensive toys while hinting and begging for more. Her husband is not disabled and does not work; before the book, they just wandered around a McMansion full of Anthropologie furniture waiting for people to do more for them.

Well....that's a douchy thing to do. I guess they feel they "deserve" the toys because their kids had to endure so much? It's sad that they take advantage of good Samaritans to treat themselves like that. There's plenty of people in real need with medical bills to pay that could benefit from such largess. It's nice that they got a nice house and expensive furniture. I hope it's from a relative as another poster suggests, and not from donations.

[lilwriter85]

The house has been confirmed to have been bought by NieNie's sister and brother-in-law. I do think the relatives have helped a lot, but I get the strong feeling that they have used donations to buy expensive clothes and toys. She recently appeared on Anderson and AC bought her some kind of above ground pool. But it seems the pool hasn't been delivered and NieNie made a douchy comment on IG or on her blog about how she wishes she had a pool. Another douchey incident involving NieNie happened last Christmas. In that incident, she announced sometime before Christmas that she was going to do a "review homemade products" thing on her blog. She encouraged people to send in things that they make and she would review them on the blog. She only reviewed some of the items sent to her and she refused to send back the items that she didn't review.

[emmiedahl]

Well....that's a douchy thing to do. I guess they feel they "deserve" the toys because their kids had to endure so much? It's sad that they take advantage of good Samaritans to treat themselves like that. There's plenty of people in real need with medical bills to pay that could benefit from such largess. It's nice that they got a nice house and expensive furniture. I hope it's from a relative as another poster suggests, and not from donations.

I'm sorry, I was not very clear. I meant expensive adult toys. Okay, that also sounds wrong. :lol: I mean things like electronics and expensive clothing and vacations.

[hoipolloi]

I thought you were overstating the price for dramatic effect or creative flair, but Sweet Baby Jeebus! You were not kidding! Why, why, why?

PS-Nothing says "1%" quite like taking your $750 diaper bag to the RNC. It's like a parody of itself.

The bag is actually $760 (http://www.petunia.com/cake/holdalls/ma ... ondantcake).

I'm a sucker for handbags, totes & tech carryalls as much as the next person, but $760?? :confusion-questionmarks: :confusion-scratchheadblue:

If I didn't know better, I'd say that the Nielsons are operating a cargo cult.

[bionicmlle]

It seems to me that she is GIVEN all of her fancy handbags, jewelry (vintagepearl.com anyone??), home makeovers (her lovely basement) and photoshoots. Advertisers know she has a huge daily following and she advertises for them, plain and simple. I think they probably use the "donations" and family help for day-to-day expenses...b ut I don't think they HAVE to many day-to-day expenses.

[mirele]

NieNie makes me want to hurl.

I know lots of Mormon women, they work very hard both inside and outside the home, raising their kids, keeping their families going, etc. Nie's sense of entitlement does them no favors.

And OF COURSE she'd go to the RNC.

She and her husband are still suing the small town in Eastern Arizona where they crashed the plane, too. They don't give a shit that they're raising taxes for their fellow citizens (some of whom are Mormon, too) by bringing this suit. They fail to recognize that Christian's lack of experience was the major, primary cause of the accident that nearly killed Nie.

I wish someone would smack some sense into Mrs. Overprivileged Nielsen.

[lilwriter85]

I think the Nielsens are going to lose their lawsuit against St. Johns. IIRC part of their lawsuit is because of the light or utility poles that the city put up. The official crash report cited Christian and the other pilot as the causes of the crash. If the Nielsens lose the lawsuit, their fanbased will be raging online. I can also see NieNie and Christian crying to media about it.

[desertvixen]

Fundamentalist chivalry only applies when there is no fire, death, pain or toilet cleaning at stake, which makes it both useless and hilarious.

Don't forget the big deal about opening the door for adult women who can do so for themselves. I'd like to know where all these oh-so-helpful men were when I was pregnant and/or a new mother by myself due to my husband being away at school.

But yes, QFT.

[Morton Fan]

Don't forget the big deal about opening the door for adult women who can do so for themselves. I'd like to know where all these oh-so-helpful men were when I was pregnant and/or a new mother by myself due to my husband being away at school.

But yes, QFT.

Ha! I so agree - I have two babies and one has medical supplies to lug around, and I'll be damned if any gallant returned Mormon missionary (I live in Utah) ever offers to help me out! I could use some chivalry until my babies can walk, please! :)

[Coconut Flan]

My "favorites" are the ones who run to get ahead of loaded mothers in line or to get out the door first.