The concept of grit became a foundational pillar within LowKure during Kaylee’s studies in positive psychology. While the course itself focused on shifting perspective—encouraging individuals not to dwell solely on despair, but to explore how meaning, resilience, and awareness can be developed through lived experience—it became part of a much larger personal evolution taking place at the same time.

Two years later, as Kaylee began intentionally shaping LowKure into a broader movement and mission designed to reach and impact more people, the idea of grit emerged as a defining foundation within the framework. It became a way to anchor the message of continuing forward through difficulty, while also honouring the emotional realities people carry.

The idea of translating human experience into something visual and symbolic was originally Kaylee’s own, shaped through a combination of lived experiences and her education in psychology and kinesiology. Rather than focusing solely on struggle, she began developing LowKure as a way to help people reframe their experiences—offering a visual and emotional system that could guide reflection, understanding, and growth through life’s most challenging moments.

As LowKure evolved, it became more than a concept. It became a mission rooted in turning pain into purpose and creating something that could serve as both expression and support for others navigating their own journeys.

The original LowKure wordmark was created by Liam himself, drawn using his finger on his iPhone as a simple visual sketch of how he imagined the name to look. Though it was never intended to be final, this original form has now become a powerful piece of the brand’s foundation, preserving his creativity in its most authentic expression.

The Grit logo also carries Liam’s original handwritten signature, taken from one of his school assignments. This detail grounds the design in something deeply personal—his real handwriting, preserved as part of the story and legacy behind LowKure.

Together, these elements form more than a logo. They represent origin, intention, and legacy. They reflect Kaylee’s commitment to honouring Liam’s life and light, while continuing to evolve LowKure into a movement built on meaning, resilience, and human connection.

This logo represents grit in its truest form: the quiet persistence of continuing forward through grief, trauma, loss, and emotional weight—one moment, one choice, one day at a time.

It is where the foundation of LowKure was shaped.

Strength is represented by the origami boat—an original creative concept and drawing by Liam. Growing up, Kaylee and Liam shared a deep connection to their Japanese heritage, and from a young age they were drawn to the art of origami and paper folding. It became a meaningful part of their childhood and a shared creative language between them.

As LowKure evolved, Liam’s origami boat became a foundational symbol that sparked the visual and emotional direction of the entire movement. It represents the earliest roots of LowKure, where creativity, memory, and meaning first began to take shape.

The origami boat reflects the human experience—how we are shaped through life’s folds and changes. Just like paper, we become stronger and more defined through what we go through.

It also symbolizes the journey of life itself. We move through stormy waters, uncertainty, and challenge, as well as calm seas and moments of peace. Through it all, we remain afloat—continuing forward, adapting, and growing as we navigate our own path.

Strength is the reminder that we are not separate from the journey—we are the vessel moving through it.

The River of Tears logo is one of the most personal and symbolic designs within LowKure. At its heart is an origami boat floating along a river formed by tears—a visual representation of the human experience and the reality that strength and vulnerability can exist at the same time.

The logo builds upon the meaning of the Origami Boat, which symbolizes us as we journey through life. While paper can be folded, shaped, and strengthened through every crease, it remains delicate. An origami boat can stay afloat through rough waters, but it can also sink. In many ways, people are no different.

Life brings grief, trauma, loss, depression, anxiety, and invisible battles that can leave us feeling overwhelmed by the storms around us. Without the right support, resources, and connection, those storms can become difficult to navigate. This truth became deeply personal through the loss of Liam and ultimately helped shape the mission behind LowKure.

The River of Tears became a symbol of why LowKure exists—to help create conversations, awareness, resources, and support that remind people they do not have to navigate life’s waters alone. It represents the belief that even when the waves are high, there is strength in reaching for support and allowing others to help carry the load.

The design itself is filled with meaning. The “L” honours Liam, while the “C” represents Clarice, whose friendship played an important role in the original LowKure concept. The three tears beneath the boat symbolize the depth of human emotion—grief, vulnerability, love, and everything in between. Rather than drowning the boat, those tears become the very river that carries it forward.

What makes this logo especially meaningful is how it came to life. It was created through a collaborative effort between Kaylee, Clarice, and Leanna, Liam and Kaylee’s mother, while finalizing designs to honour Liam’s 19th birthday. What started as one final logo inspired by Liam’s original drawings became a powerful symbol of family, friendship, remembrance, and purpose.

This logo represents resilience—not as the absence of struggle, but as the decision to keep moving forward through it.

It reminds us that tears are not a sign of weakness. They are evidence that we have loved, cared, struggled, survived, and continued on.

Like the origami boat, we may be fragile at times. We may bend, drift, and weather storms. But with support, connection, and hope, we can continue to stay afloat.

And sometimes, simply staying afloat is an act of resilience in itself.

The Acceptance logo was designed by Kaylee in December 2025 and became one of the final pieces that brought the LowKure story full circle.

Animals had always held a special place in Liam and Kaylee’s lives. Growing up, they spent countless hours watching Animal Planet and National Geographic together, fascinated by the natural world and the unique characteristics of different animals. Among their favourites was the elephant—an animal admired for its intelligence, emotional awareness, loyalty, and strong sense of family. Liam often dreamed of one day going on an African safari adventure.

Years later, that dream became part of his legacy.

Following Liam’s passing, Leanna joined a group of bereaved parents who became some of her closest friends. Years following her and 3 other families and friends went on a healing journey to South Africa, where the families honoured the children they had lost. Before the trip, Kaylee created special LowKure pieces for her mother to wear as a tribute to Liam. During the journey, Leanna spread some of Liam’s ashes while surrounded by the African landscape. In a moment that felt deeply meaningful to those present, elephants approached during the tribute, creating a memory that would forever stay with their family.

As a reminder of that experience, Leanna brought home a hand-carved elephant for Kaylee—a symbol of remembrance, connection, and the enduring bond between family.

Around the same time, another piece of the story began to unfold.

When Kaylee’s Auntie Tomoko visited Canada from Japan for the first time in over two decades, they spent hours folding origami together—something that had been a meaningful part of Kaylee and Liam’s childhood. During the visit, Kaylee rediscovered original origami creations she and Liam had folded years earlier after a family trip to Japan, where they had spent countless hours exploring origami museums, collecting specialty papers, and learning the art of paper folding together.

Those rediscovered creations sparked an idea.

In that moment, Kaylee realized that origami and animals could become the next evolution of LowKure’s storytelling—bringing together Liam’s love of creativity, their shared Japanese heritage, and the symbolic meanings that could help people connect with their own life experiences.

Together, Kaylee and her father, Hiro, explored which animals carried the deepest meaning. Kaylee then learned to fold each chosen animal herself and used those creations as the inspiration for the hand-sketched logos that would complete the LowKure collection.

The elephant became the symbol of Acceptance.

Acceptance is not about approving of every circumstance or pretending difficult experiences do not hurt. It is about acknowledging reality, embracing what cannot be changed, and finding the strength to move forward while carrying both love and loss.

Like the elephant, acceptance teaches us that wisdom is found not in avoiding life’s challenges, but in learning how to walk alongside them with grace, understanding, and compassion.

The Origami Elephant represents the final connection between past and future, memory and meaning, grief and growth.

It is a reminder that some things become part of our story forever—and acceptance is learning how to carry them forward.

The LowKure TearLight logo was originally designed by Liam and later became one of the most meaningful symbols within the LowKure story.

When Liam and Clarice first developed the concept together, Liam was fascinated by how simple shapes could be combined to create something visually impactful. His original design featured three rings surrounding a teardrop, a concept that stood out for both its creativity and symbolism.

Following Liam’s passing, Clarice played an incredibly important role in preserving and carrying forward the original vision of LowKure. As Liam’s closest friend and creative partner in the project, she became a keeper of the ideas, conversations, and dreams they had shared together. Through many conversations with Clarice, Kaylee was able to better understand the thought process and inspiration behind Liam’s original concepts, allowing her to honour his creativity while carrying the vision forward in a new way. In many ways, Clarice passed the baton of LowKure to Kaylee, where it became intertwined with Kaylee’s own mission of honouring Liam through a clothing brand and movement designed to make a difference.

As Kaylee, Clarice, and Leanna worked together to finalize the logos for LowKure’s original release in honour of Liam’s 19th birthday, they revisited this design and explored ways to further enhance its meaning. Together, they decided to raise the rings above the teardrop, creating the appearance of a halo.

What began as a simple creative adjustment soon became one of the most powerful visual symbols within the brand.

Years later, as LowKure evolved into a larger movement, Kaylee and Clarice named the logo TearLight and expanded its meaning. The teardrop came to represent the sorrow, sadness, emotional struggles, and invisible battles that so many people carry. The halo became a symbol of light, understanding, and the possibility that even life’s most difficult experiences can shape us into more compassionate, empathetic, and self-aware individuals.

The TearLight logo became the symbol of Healing because it reflects the reality that healing often begins by acknowledging what hurts. It reminds us that pain and hope can exist together, and that growth can emerge from even the darkest seasons.

Over time, the logo gained an even deeper significance. Much like the halo surrounding the tear, LowKure itself became a source of connection—bringing together friends, family, and communities who may have otherwise felt alone in their struggles and grief. It became a reminder that healing does not happen in isolation, but through support, understanding, and human connection.

The TearLight represents the journey from hurt to healing, darkness to light, and isolation to community.

It is a reminder that healing can happen even in our darkest and hardest seasons, and that even in moments of pain, light can still be found. 

Growth has always been a foundational pillar in Kaylee’s personal journey—from navigating spinal injuries to processing grief and loss. It reflects the ongoing process of learning how to move through life while adapting to circumstances that are often outside of our control.

At its core, Growth represents the ability to shift perspective—choosing to see experiences not only for what happens to us, but for what they can teach us and how they can shape us. It is about learning, evolving, and slowly becoming through every stage of life.

As LowKure continues to expand, Growth remains central to its message of turning pain into purpose. It reflects the belief that our experiences, even the most difficult ones, can contribute to meaning, direction, and transformation over time.

Just like origami, life can be folded, shaped, and reformed through experience—becoming something meaningful and beautiful through each crease along the way.

This logo, created with Liam’s original handwriting, carries that message forward in its most authentic form—grounded in legacy, memory, and evolution.

Growth is the reminder that we are always becoming.

The Origami Lion represents courage—one of the most important pillars woven throughout the LowKure story.

At 22 years old, just two years after losing Liam to suicide, Kaylee was invited to speak at a mental health fundraiser for the Lionheart Foundation, a Calgary organization that provides access to subsidized therapy and mental health support. It was during this event at SAIT that Kaylee’s public speaking journey truly began.

During her speech, she shared the story of losing Liam and reflected on a moment that had stayed with her since that night. After the emergency responders arrived at their home, they gifted family members small engraved rocks with words such as Strength, Courage, and Believe.

Those rocks carried special meaning.

Growing up, Kaylee, Liam, and their older brother Aaron shared a love of collecting rocks. Whether gathered during family adventures or brought home as souvenirs from around the world, rocks became symbols of memories, experiences, and connection within the Nishizawa family. Receiving those engraved rocks on one of the hardest nights of their lives would later take on an even deeper significance.

It wasn’t until the first anniversary of Liam’s passing that the word courage truly resonated with Kaylee. She realized that courage was not the absence of fear—it was the decision to keep moving forward despite it. It was stepping into the unknown, sharing difficult stories, and continuing to show up even when it felt uncomfortable or uncertain.

That realization became the foundation of her speech.

The audience’s response was powerful, and the experience became a turning point. It planted the seed for what would later become LowKure’s evolution into a movement, a mission, and eventually a platform for advocacy, storytelling, and change. It encouraged Kaylee to be courageous enough to pursue a vision that could honour Liam’s legacy while creating impact far beyond herself.

The lion became the perfect symbol for that message.

When discussing the logo with her father, Hiro, another meaningful connection emerged. He shared that part of the reason Liam’s name had been chosen was because it was derived from William, and that both names have historical associations with the lion—a symbol of bravery, leadership, and courage.

For Kaylee, it felt like another one of those moments where separate pieces of the story unexpectedly connected.

The lion not only represented the meaning behind courage and the Lionheart Foundation, but also carried a connection back to Liam himself.

Adding to its significance, lions were among the family’s favourite animals to visit at the Calgary Zoo. Countless childhood memories were spent together watching them, making the lion a symbol tied not only to courage, but also to family, wonder, and connection.

The Origami Lion represents the courage to speak when it’s difficult, to take the next step when the path is unclear, and to pursue a purpose greater than yourself.

It is a reminder that courage is not about being fearless.

It is about moving forward anyway. 

Liam chose the Japanese crane because it held deep personal meaning within his family.

The Sister’s Promise logo is the heart of the LowKure story. It represents the unbreakable bond between siblings, the enduring power of love, and a promise that began long before LowKure ever existed.

At the center of the logo is the date XII.XVIII.MMXIX — December 18, 2019 — the day Liam passed away. Paired with the semicolon (;), a widely recognized symbol of suicide awareness and continuation, the design serves as a reminder that a story does not have to end where the pain begins. Even through grief, love continues forward.

The promise behind this logo began at Liam’s funeral.

In the days following his passing, Kaylee was determined to ensure that people remembered Liam for the incredible person he was rather than the way he died. During one of the hardest weeks of her life, she created a special tribute video to be played following his memorial slideshow. She knew there would be tears, heartbreak, and immense grief, but she also knew Liam’s greatest gift was making people feel seen, valued, loved, and accepted. She wanted people to leave remembering his light.

The response to that tribute became the first spark.

At Liam’s funeral, Kaylee made a promise to always keep his light shining.

At the same time, Liam’s volleyball coach and teammates unveiled a special tribute logo and jersey design created in his honour. The shirts were worn throughout the season and later gifted to family members. When friends and community members began asking how they could purchase one, a new idea began to form.

Fashion had always been something Kaylee and Liam shared. They spent countless hours thrift shopping, visiting malls, watching fashion shows, and helping one another express themselves through personal style. Liam was especially known for his creativity, confidence, and ability to help others feel comfortable in their own skin.

Inspired by those memories, Kaylee began developing a clothing project that could both honour Liam and help fund a future memorial space in his name.

As Liam’s 19th birthday approached, that project became something she felt compelled to complete. What started as a birthday tribute and legacy project soon took an unexpected turn when she reached out to Liam’s friends to model the collection.

It was then that Clarice shared something that would change everything: Liam had already been building a mental health brand called LowKure.

In a moment that felt almost impossible, two separate visions collided. Kaylee’s mission to honour Liam’s life met Liam and Clarice’s original dream, and together they became the foundation of what LowKure is today.

The Sister’s Promise became more than a personal commitment.

It became the bridge that connected Liam’s vision to Kaylee’s purpose.

It became the reason LowKure was rediscovered, rebuilt, and transformed into a movement dedicated to helping others feel less alone in their struggles.

The Love logo represents the belief that love does not end with loss. It evolves into remembrance, advocacy, action, and purpose. It is the force that continues to connect people long after they are gone.

A Sister’s Promise is a reminder that love is stronger than loss, and that the people we love continue to shape our story forever. 

The Connection logo is represented by the origami penguin, a symbol of companionship, belonging, and the importance of staying connected through every season of life.

Penguins held a special place in the Nishizawa household. Liam and Kaylee grew up watching Happy Feet on car rides, replaying it on their portable DVD player, and laughing together at the characters and story. When they later visited the Calgary Zoo and saw penguins in real life, it felt like seeing a piece of that childhood come to life.

Beyond these memories, the penguin also carries powerful symbolism in nature.

Many penguin species are known for forming strong, long-term pair bonds, with some returning to the same partner each breeding season. One of the most well-known courtship behaviours is the pebble offering—where a male gentoo penguin, for example, searches for a smooth pebble and presents it to a female as part of their bonding ritual and nest building. If accepted, the pair often go on to build a nest together and raise their young as a team.

This quiet act of searching, offering, and choosing connection became a meaningful metaphor within LowKure.

In human life, connection is often something we overlook. We become busy, overwhelmed, or withdrawn during difficult times, even though we are deeply social beings who rely on one another more than we realize. The penguin is a reminder that connection is not accidental—it is something we choose, nurture, and return to, especially in times of struggle.

The Connection logo reflects the importance of leaning on others, reaching out when things feel heavy, and allowing yourself to be supported. It speaks to the reality that healing and growth are not meant to happen in isolation.

Like penguins, we are not meant to navigate life alone.

Connection is the reminder to reach back out, stay close, and hold onto the people who help keep you grounded. 

The Origami Duck represents one of the most pivotal and defining moments in the LowKure story—where grief, memory, and meaning converged into a life-changing turning point.

Four months before Liam passed away, he visited Kaylee in Kelowna during her university studies. It became one of the most meaningful sibling trips they ever shared. They spent their days at the beach, exploring hidden waterfalls, going on road trips, taking photos, and having long late-night conversations. It was a time filled with joy, connection, and creativity—without knowing it would be their last together.

When Liam arrived at the airport, he brought only a small carry-on suitcase. Inside, instead of typical travel items, Kaylee found a large inflatable duck floaty he insisted on bringing for their beach adventures. That duck became part of their trip—floating on the water, present in their memories, and unknowingly becoming a symbol of one of their most cherished moments.

After Liam’s passing, Kaylee experienced a period of deep loss while also recovering from a serious car accident and spinal injuries. During this time, she returned to Calgary to focus on healing, rehabilitation, and grief.

In the summer of 2020, the Nishizawa family spent time camping in Kananaskis—a place that had always been a source of grounding and connection for them. On the final morning of the trip, Kaylee woke up early and walked down to the lake alone to watch the sunrise. Overwhelmed with grief, she asked for a sign from Liam—uncertain whether she was meant to continue speaking about mental health or sharing their story publicly.

After crying and sitting in reflection, she stood and looked toward the water.

In the middle of the mountain lake sat a familiar sight: Liam’s identical green inflatable duck floaty.

In that moment, she felt a deep sense of clarity and connection—like a message of reassurance that she was not alone and that she was being encouraged to continue forward.

As the family left the mountains and returned to cell service, Kaylee’s phone revealed a Snapchat memory from exactly one year earlier—August 18, 2019—the day she picked Liam up from the airport and took a photo with him on that same duck floaty. The coincidence of the exact date, one year apart, felt like more than chance.

Five months later, after saying goodbye to her grandfather in the hospital, Kaylee again experienced a moment that felt like a sign. The song “Courage” by Céline Dion played unexpectedly, and she felt compelled to drive to the same beach she and Liam had once visited. It was mid-winter, the lake frozen and fog-covered, yet suddenly dozens of ducks appeared and gathered near her along the shoreline.

These repeated moments became patterns she could no longer ignore.

The duck floaty, the lake, and the recurring presence of ducks in moments of grief became deeply symbolic—guiding her through some of her most difficult seasons.

The Origami Duck ultimately represents the moment Kaylee chose to transform her grief into purpose. It was the catalyst for her decision to step into her identity as Kay-Rae, a name gifted to her by Liam in childhood, combining her first and middle name.

It also became the foundation of the movement “turning pain into purpose”, which LowKure now stands for. The Origami Duck honours exactly that transformation—pain not being the end, but the beginning of meaning.

The duck symbolizes transition, direction, and purpose.

It is a reminder that even in moments of confusion and loss, life can still point us forward.

Purpose is not always found—it is sometimes revealed in the moments we least expect. 

The Legacy Logo, also known as the Artist Signature Legacy, is one of the most intimate symbols within LowKure. It is taken directly from Liam’s authentic handwriting on his Grade 9 social studies test—preserving his natural script exactly as he wrote it in everyday life.

This signature, paired with the origami boat symbol that represents navigating life’s journey, became one of LowKure’s most iconic marks. Together, they reflect both identity and direction—who Liam was, and the story he continues to guide.

Liam was a remarkable person: compassionate, empathetic, intelligent, hilarious, and endlessly creative. His presence left a lasting impression on everyone he met. He was known for his contagious laughter, his bright smile, and his ability to make people feel seen, heard, and valued. People often left conversations with him feeling lighter, more confident, and more understood.

One of his most unique traits was his handwriting—carefully formed, consistent, and unmistakably his from a young age. This signature captures that exact detail, preserving not just his name, but his personality in written form.

The Legacy Logo represents what remains when someone is gone.

It is the imprint of a life—the impact, energy, and love that continues to live on through others. It reflects the idea that legacy is not defined by how long a life is lived, but by how deeply it is felt by those who remain.

Liam’s signature is more than a name. It is his artistic fingerprint, a reminder of who he was in his everyday moments, and the creativity he carried into everything he did.

This logo represents legacy in its truest form: the continuation of presence through memory, meaning, and impact.

A person’s legacy is not measured by what they say, but by how they make others feel—and Liam had a way of making people feel deeply seen, valued, and loved.

In building LowKure, Kaylee’s intention was to protect that truth. To create something grounded in who Liam truly was—genuine, raw, compassionate, funny, creative, kind, relatable, and deeply loved.

The Legacy Logo ensures that his story is not only remembered—but carried forward.

Legacy is love that continues to exist beyond a lifetime.