She was afraid for her life, to stay longer would be crippling, so Gloria Jackson, a mid-teen, ran away from her New Hampshire home to the bright lights of Los Angeles. Along her journey she was thrown from a tanker, and found half-frozen in the White Mountains by an aging recluse. Through his mentoring, she grew to accept herself, her strength and her determination... and also took his last name as hers.

A tragic beginning in L.A. stole her innocence and violated her friendships. When she met a man, George Stanza, she didn't realize how much her life would change ? a clean slate. With his help, she overcame adversity and built an empire in the fashion world. Still, her life was not free; tragedy struck and she ran again.